Basking in the glory of the rising sun, its light filtering into my Himalayan retreat through the majestic pine trees standing tall on the middle ranges, I rummage through treasured memories that have defined my life in many ways.
One such memory is of an exceptional man, not only the first superstar of Indian cinema but also a shining example of human values, whose quiet dignity and modesty account for his iconic status even today – twenty three years after his passing and in the 113th birth anniversary on the October 13.
Named Kumudlal by his parents, Ashok Kumar, recipient amongst others, of the Padma Bhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke awards for his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, redefined the role of his art by promoting transformational social changes of the era. In a career spanning over sixty years during which he acted in over three hundred and fifty films, his mass appeal as an actor remained undimmed.
His moving performance against untouchability in Achyut Kanya (1936) drove home the film’s powerful message and provided a heightened impetus to the national movement for social reforms, as did his portrayal of a magnanimous husband wronged by his wife’s infidelity, in Gumraah (1963). His role in the film as a suave french speaking and dignified husband was much applauded for a sensitive handling of a taboo subject that needed to be addressed in deference to the changing societal mores.
Ashok Kumar’s powerful act in Satyakam [1968] as a protagonist of honesty, integrity and truth in the personal and public sphere left an indelible imprint on my evolving moral consciousness as a teenager. The film’s message that honesty has its rewards despite its tribulations remains a compelling shadow of memory in my soul. Aashirwad [1968], a film in which Dadamoni or elder brother, as he was respectfully called, played the role of a doting father espousing family values, won the National Film Award for the best feature film in Hindi and left a deep impression.
His versatility as an actor was in full play in Kanoon [1960], a film that depicted the dichotomy between law and justice on the complex philosophical question of capital punishment and its proportionality. The impact of a compelling courtroom drama staged by star performers Rajendra Kumar and Ashok Kumar was decisive in the choice of law as my future profession that determined the course of my life.
Dadamoni had already acquired a special place in my heart by the time I met him in or around 1983 in a totally unexpected meeting in Mumbai at the residence of the veteran actor Sunil Dutt. Dutt was hosting a dinner for members of the Punjabi society. The late Vasant Dada Patil was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at this time and I would often visit him at Sahayadri, his official bungalow.
On one occasion when I was with him, a delegation led by O.P. Bahl, then a Congress party MLA visited him with a request to be the chief guest at a dinner being hosted by Sunil Dutt. Since I was present at this meeting by sheer chance and because I was acquainted with Bahl, the invitation was also extended to me. Little did I know then, that this would be a special moment in my life.
I reached Dutt sahib’s residence at the appointed time. An atmosphere of a Punjab village had been curated with sumptuous Punjabi cuisine to accompany. And then came the moment of a lifetime. I saw Dadamoni conversing with a small group in a relatively quiet corner of the garden. With my heart throbbing, I walked closer to the group but was hesitant to introduce myself to the only star I had ever wanted to meet.
Finally, mustering strength, I told him that I was his fan and asked if I could have two minutes with him alone. He obliged graciously. His exclusive attention assured, I mentioned to him that it was on account of his performance in Kanoon that I had chosen law as my vocation in life. He was visibly happy but also surprised and told me that no other fan had chosen the course of his life on account of his acting. In a personal gesture, he later sent me a signed video recording of Kanoon. Thus began a relationship that was to last till his final days. Cherished memories and a special bond have kept him alive in my heart since.
Time passed and my visits to Mumbai [then Bombay] became more frequent on account of my increasing professional engagements in the city. On several of these occasions I would visit Dadamoni at his residence when he preferred to meet me in the comfort and easy informality of his bedroom on the first floor, surrounded by his painting instruments and small bottles of homeopathic medicines.
In a private life of the quiet that he had chosen, the comforting and permanent presence of his gracious wife Shobhaji around him tempered his solitude. Their lifelong companionship was the patriarch’s source of strength in the family, where his will was the law. On one of my visits to Mumbai, Dadamoni organised a dinner for introducing me to his family members. Without much ado, a national celebrity had opened his heart and home to an unsung struggling lawyer in an overwhelming act of reciprocal friendship.
In 1989, Government feted him at New Delhi’s Siri Fort Auditorium for the prestigious DadaSaheb Phalke Award. On this occasion he invited me to the function which I attended and was seated between him and the then little known Aamir Khan, who had also received his first award. While Ashok Kumar was the centre of attention, Aamir was sitting quietly in his seat unnoticed. Sensing Aamir’s discomfort, Dadamoni asked me to converse with him so that he did not feel ignored.
I remember him telling me then, ‘Yeh Ladka kaabil hai. Bahut aage jayega’. Such was his caring nature and understanding about people. During Dadamoni’s visit to Delhi, I hosted a reception in his honour which was attended by several distinguished persons including Sardar Gurdial Singh Dhillon, former Speaker of the Lok Sabha and Justice P.N Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India, in a demonstration of the esteem in which he was held in the country. Dadamoni also visited us at my residence knowing how much that would mean to me. This is a much treasured moment, captured in a photo frame that adorns my study.
In the 113th birth anniversary, we remember with awe and admiration a unique individual, a man of many parts – an actor par excellence, poet, painter, homeopath, linguist, lawyer, chess player, a limerick composer and a staunch nationalist who wore his stardom with ease. Reserved by choice and prizing solitude to spur his creativity, he shunned the glitz and glamour of Bollywood, remaining true to his ingrained moral imperatives.
His trademark Lungi-Kurta dress at home was a window to his bhadralok simplicity as was his unassuming demeanour in public. His acting reflected his personality in a seamless merger of the person and the artist, confirming thereby that the chief value of art lies in the expression it gives to the artist. The various characters they play are their ultimate test, one that Ashok Kumar passed with distinction in each of his films: Bahu Begum, Meherban, also Jewel Thief and Kismet in which he plays the anti-hero are an enduring testimony to the excellence of his art.
In the later years of his life, particularly after the passing of his beloved wife, he endured the trials of a lonely heart, whose stirrings and silences were transposed to the painting canvases in his room. With ‘cares at an end and the voyage done,’ our eternal hero has left behind memories that have immortalised him. His admirers can say that his life was a blessing, his memory a treasure and that he was loved beyond measure.
Ashwani Kumar is a former Union Minister for Law and Justice.
