SAB KUCH BADALTA HAI , INSAAN BADAL TA HAI , KHUDAH BHI BADAL TA HAI , AUR WAQT TAMAASHA DEKHTE REHTA HAI .... BY ALI PETER JOHN

The year 1965 was a landmark year in my life and will always be . It was the year when India fought its first war against Pakistan and won .It was the same war in which my elder brother , Robin Ali who was in the Indian Air Force went missing and gave a shock to my mother from which she never recovered and died before the year could end, before my brother could be found - Ali Peter John

It was also the year when I was in the tenth standard and I was told that if I didn't pass in all the subjects in my final exams , I would not be promoted to my SSC. To add to my miseries ,I was bitten by a pariah dog who had dug six of his huge teeth into my left foot and I was being treated by a village woman with what was called"jhaad patti ".

I knew I was going to fail in all the three Maths paper , Arithmetic , Algebra and Geometry even if God had come to help me .The principal asked me to call my parents because I had got very good marks in all the other subjects and miserably failed in all the Maths subjects .

I told him I had no parents and would give him any assurance in writing that I would pass in all the seven subjects if he did me the favor of allowing me to drop Maths .

He must have seen some sincerity in me or my request and granted me my favor. 00At that moment I could imagine what heaven could be like .It was very difficult , but I managed to get a first class which even my friends who scored highly in Maths couldn't...

Another thing that happened in 1965 was the release of a film called "Waqt".I didn't have a naya paise to even by my lunch but I wanted to see the film and a friend, Chelliah who was an" istriwala" offered to take me to see the film and bought tickets in the black market for five rupees and even bought two large cups of Kwality vanilla ice cream during the interval .

I will never forget Chelliah for that gesture and for showing me many more films.Those were days when I saw dreams of becoming a bus conductor and a Roman Catholic priest .

The impact "Waqt"made on me , my mind , my heart and my entire being is still as strong as ever fifty five years later .

On the surface , Waqt was just like a another lost and found story about a family which is lost by circumstances and united again by circumstances . But, it was basically about the part played by the all-powerful factor called time which plays a very important part in the lives of people and even the world.I could realise this significance of the film even then when I was just fifteen years old .

The story was credited to the "Story department of B.R.Films "and the dialogues were written by Akhtar ul Iman and every dialogue was something that stayed on in my mind .

It was only years later that I met this great writer in the house of my friend , Amjad khan ,who introduced him to me as his father- in-law . The biggest highlight of the film according to me then and now are the songs written by the poet turned lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi .

Whether it is the theme song about time (Waqt) or the romance between an elderly couple or an intense romance between two lovers, Sahir is at his very best like he has always been in all the films ,he has written songs for.He once again proves that he is second to none when it comes to modern Urdu poetry .

The Film was produced by B.R.Chopra who was known for making films based on socially relevant subjects and was directed by his younger brother Yash Chopra who had earlier made films like "Dharamputra"
and "Dhool Ka Phool" for his brother.It was the first among the multi-starers, in colour and ran for several weeks and even years .

Among the stars in the film were Balraj Sahni, Raaj Kumar, Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor, Sadhana and Sharmila Tagore of the stars of an earlier generation who were seen in not -so lengthy roles were Motilal , the first natural actor of Indian cinema, Achalasachdev, Rehman ,Manmohan Krishan, Shashikala and Madan Puri among others .

In these fifty five years there has been a great deal of change and time has taken its toll .B.R.Films is still one of the leading banners, but now it is the third generation that is running the show .Yash Chopra went on to be an icon during his life time and the owner of a studio and has moved on to make way for his son, Aditya Chopra.

Sahir Ludhianvi only lives in his books and the songs he has written for films .The composer , Ravi has made himself immortal with his music .All the stars made it to the high sky of success after "Waqt" and slowly faded away one by one .

The only star from "Waqt "who lives in all her glory still is Sharmila Tagore who is now in her late seventies and lIves a comfortable life in Delhi .What stories she must be having to share ? only time can know or tell

Some two years ago , Mrs.Renu Chopra , the daughter- in-law of Dr B.R.Chopra who had re-made one of the company's old films "Ittefaq "was wondering if she could remake "waqt" in today's times.

I kept supporting her , but know when I look back , I wonder if I was doing the right thing .Will be ever be able to revive the magic of a master piece like "Waqt" ?We may perhaps make a better film then Yash Chopra's "Waqt".But we will certainly not be able to make Yash Chopra's "Waqt".

BAHUT WAQT BEET CHUKA USS WAQT KE BANNE KE BAAD AUR AAJ TAK USS JAISA WAQT KOI BANNA NAHI SAKA