Once an actor...always an actor: Saurabh Tewari

Almost three months ago on 25 May, I met Hangal saab for the first time in his house. Since, we had an important sequence in our show (Madhubala Ek Ishq Ek Junoon) in which a legendary film personality would name the protagonist of the show, my production head suggested that we should approach Hangal saab for that role. With high hopes, I reached his house, but all my expectations came down crashing when I saw a weak and frail Hangal saab resting on his bed. Seeing his condition, I was almost to drop my idea as I felt it would be inhuman to take him to the set. As I was about to leave, he slowly raised his hand and pulled me close. With a glitter in his eyes, he murmured to his son, "Isey kaho role toh samjhaaye." The moment was a defining one. ‘If at the age of 98, this man had such killer instinct that he still wants to face the camera, then who are we to stop him,’ I thought to myself. Though the call time was 7 pm, Hangal saab reported on the set at exactly 7:15 pm looking as handsome as he was in Basu da's Shaukeen. Keeping his age in mind, Ravindra Gautam (my director) and I decided that we will not give him many lines. But the actor in him caught us. After carefully listening to the scene, he asked us for the microphone and insisted of doing the rehearsal first. And then started one of the most divine experiences of our life.... Hangal saab, with the help of the make-up guy, did a small touch up on his face, combed his hair and was ready for shoot. Pin drop silence. Almost everyone on the set had tears in their eyes as most of us had a fear somewhere at the back of their mind that may be we are going to see the last performance of the grand old man of Indian cinema. When the shot got over, I escorted Hangal saab to his car. While, sitting in the car, he murmured in my ears, "Kuch kami reh gayee ho toh maaf kar dena." I had no word to say as I touched his feet. That was the humbleness of a veteran who acted in more than 200 films. After he left the set, we remained numb for hours. Next day his son Vijay Ji called me to say, "You know Hangal saab was smiling throughout on the way back and after reaching home said, ‘people still want me to act... I still get offers’." Standing at Pawan Hans crematorium, no one had tears in their eyes because of the very fact that it was not right to mourn the death of a person who lived every moment of his life. Since the cremation time was 1 pm, Hangal saab was as usual punctual. He reported on the set on time and his cremation started exactly at 1 pm without waiting for any VIPs to arrive. Hangal saab - you made Madhubala special for all of us. Thank you Sir...