The Show Goes On...

'I love acting, it is more natural than life!'

- Oscar Wilde

Think of a Howard Roark applying for Russian Visa, think of an Ayn Rand authoring 'The Communist Manifesto'. The magnitude may not come close but let me try doing something similar - writing a eulogy for Ranbir Raj Kapoor, worshipped more as Raj Kapoor by his fans across the north eastern portion of the world.

Right since starting on the sets of 'Jwar Bhata' - A Dilip Kumar starrer - as a modest clapper boy, till rising to the dizzy heights of winning the Dadasaheb Phalke award, this man was only one word - Showman. Raj went on to lock horns with the same Dilip Kumar in his first noteworthy performance in Andaaz in the role of a suspicious husband, ironically to leave a mark with - an innocent to the extent of naivety - husband in one of his last meaningful contributions in Sangam. Although what happened in between was a story of cinema dancing to the tunes of contemporary polity and one man's bias towards one side of it.

Leaving politics aside and just talking of tunes, music lovers like me owe a great deal to Raj, for he was as instrumental as any music director in the era for ushering in a never to be repeated melodious era in film music. Gifted with a penchant for music, Raj was the architect of the immortal Shankar-Jaikishan, Hasrat-Jaipuri, and Mukesh-Lata-Manna team. How, I wonder, Latabai seems ever so sweeter even by her lofty standards when she sings for the RK banner - apologies to Madan Mohan fans here, but we are restricted to foot tapping melodies only. Mukesh, all said, seems to have over achieved only when he gave voice to his creator. Although it would always remain an enigma how some of the best tunes for Raj have been sung by Manna da - top of the list of unsung heroes this nation's music has ever had, yet we associate Raj so much with Mukesh, perhaps that's what sales people are there for! With due respect to Mukesh's common man voice, Manna's 'ye raat bheegi bheegi' or 'dil ka haal sune dilwala' or a few more such gems could never be Mukesh's cup of tea. Similarly, contrary to the RK induced illusion, I've always felt Nutan made the greatest pair with Raj - perhaps a result of my Bombay bias - how we always speak of Raj and Nargis in the same breath. But then the very fact that he lured us into buying clearance products shows the uncanny ability to make people think like he did.

Thankfully we had rebels like Guru Dutt in an era where Raj spread his communist 'Tang adata hai daulatwala' theory - but then who likes monotony? Difference of opinion among artists invariably produces classics. However given the prospects of the nation and the responsibility on the youth in his times, did he show the right way forward with his Chaplinisque honesty but a timid aversion to individuals rising above the society, in times when there was a growing need for strong individuals to impose their ego on the masses and exhort them to follow suite? He did portray well whatever he wanted to, but the question here is, in hindsight, was it the ideal portrait in times when the west was being inspired by the Rands, the Pusos and the Archers? But then hindsight, as they say, is twelve by twelve!

He had a propensity to impose his super ego on the public through his characters and neglected the acting part sometimes. You watch his flicks and feel as if he is draining you into thinking from his own prism, rather than enacting the storyline with more finesse. After one point, his movies are too much about the protagonist and tend to lose direction. But then much to his credit, he did take up some burning topics with gusto - 'Jis desh me ganga...' along with Dutt sahib's 'Mujhe jeene do' was a revolution in the age of bandits laden rural India. Of course 'Anari' was more about Hrishi da using RK as his mouthpiece -a tribute in itself to RK!

Well, only from a Sachin can one expect a century in each innings! RK was a pioneer in more ways than one. When we think of him, it brings along with it a few names that combined to build one of the greatest theater teams of all time - Lalita Pawar, Motilal, K.A.Abbas just to name a few. Yes, the show still goes on, better or worse. There have been talents better or worse in the years before or after him, but this ruddy cheeked, baby-eyed messenger still lives on.

To the only showman there can ever be - Happy Birthday Raj Sahib