Page 34 - Seniors Today Febuary 2020

Life in Mumbai

Kalpana at home
I used to go to film screenings at the Alliance
Francaise, and there I met film critic Khalid
Mohamed. He asked about Kalpana and I just
said she was making some documentaries with
Bhupen da, and she had finished her first feature
film, Ek Pal. Khalid was on the selection panel at
the NFDC, and suggested that Kalpana should
send NFDC a script. Kalpana sent a script which
was approved without a hitch, and finally she
arrived in Bombay with Bhupen da.
This time Bhupen da was a different man. He had
quit smoking, would drink only socially. Kalpana
had a dominating personality and made sure she
got what she wanted. They lived with me for 5-6
years. Bhupen da was a very interesting man – a
storyteller, a poet, a charmer and a brilliant chef.
He would make these amazing prawn curries.
Those were the good times. Kalpana and Lalitha at an exhibition
Later on after earning some money they and the film industry stood by her in the
invested in another house nearby, but Bhupen beginning, but after a point it was not feasible; but
da became really unwell. He underwent surgery fortunately Mediclaim came to the rescue. I was
but eventually he passed away. I was there there watching my daughter fight the pain, fight
with Kalpana as always. I could never have my helplessness. She kept pushing me away, probably
daughter be alone. She was grieving and that’s she didn’t want her mother to go through the pain
how she wrote a book on him. she was suffering. But I stayed by her side till
I was beginning to feel invisible around Kalpana. the end and even then, I remember my daughter
One day I asked her, “Haven’t I done anything Kalpana was keener about the book launch than
for you in life?” She simply said, “I can’t think anything else.
of anything you did.” My life revolved around A few days before she passed away, she said,
her to such an extent that I must have neglected “Mummy, I want to ask you something… am I
Devdas, and what she said really hurt me. But going to die?”
I guess that’s the bitter truth of life, parents are I said, “Kalpan, you will not go first I will go first
taken for granted. Soon Kalpana was diagnosed and then you will follow me.”
with kidney cancer. She had to undergo dialysis Little did I know that those were her last days.
and it was expensive. A lot of friends helped She never returned from the hospital.
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