Gerald D'Cunha

B efore Jaya Bachchan assumed her husband’s famous surname, she was already a superstar. Her husband was nowhere near the superstardom. But, once she married to him, she chose to focus on her family… “That’s where I am needed now,” she said, “That’s where I belong.” Well, those were not the days of Twitter and social media. Even TV was just a toddler in India. So, mostly through some film magazines and the word of mouth, we all came to know that our favourite ‘Guddi’ would not be seen in the films anymore… at least, not in the near future. It took some eighteen long years for Jaya Bachchan to come back to films. By now, of course, she couldn’t be a heroine. But, she acted in a movie here and a movie there… M eanwhile, her famous husband was going through his own inner churning… Following Mrs. Indira Gandhi’s assassination, her son, Rajiv Gandhi, had become our Prime Minister. It was an emotional moment for Amitabh Bachchan. Who was a close friend ...

“Most people die at 25 and aren’t buried until they’re 75.” ―  Benjamin Franklin   “M y mother has left her body,” yes, this was how Manjeet, my friend, conveyed the ‘sad news’ to me, yesterday, “The departure was peaceful.” Manjeet’s mother lived with his family. She was very close to Manjeet and loved his wife and children immensely. Manjeet, his wife and children took good care of her. Except for stiffness of joints and a poor appetite, Manjeet’s mother had no other health problems. She was alert, mobile and affectionate. Often, I would see her sitting with Manjeet engaged in gentle discussions. She did not take any medicines… spent most of her time in silent prayers. “She held my hand and left,” Manjeet narrated, “I could see her going.” What kind of death you and I will have… well, we can never predict it. Like all, I, too, pray to God that the death of my dear and near ones, and my own, be ‘peaceful’. And, I leave it at that. “You ...