Page 39 - Seniorstoday January 2023 Issue

and a daughter were born later), when they spinners and award winners.
had to leave everything behind and restart
their lives from scratch. He wrote about the
Partition tragedy in a book, Aur Insaan Mar
Gaya, which is considered a classic. Prem has
written about an incident when the family
of 13 reached the airport, where military
airplanes were evacuating refugees. They
could carry only their meagre belongings,
as no luggage was allowed on the plane.
Sagar was carrying a trunk on his head. The
harried army man controlling the evacuees
angrily told him he could not take it aboard,
and kicked it. It opened to reveal pages of his
writings, which, he told the officer, was his
only wealth. The man had read Sagar’s pieces
and understood the value of the words in that
truck. He apologised and permitted Sagar to
take his precious cargo.
Settling in Delhi was a struggle all refugees
from Pakistan had to go through. His fame in
literary circles was not enough to offer a life of Films like Aankhen were money spinners and award
comfort to his large brood. The film industry winners
was growing in Bombay, and drew Sagar to By this time, the family had settled in a large
the city to try his luck in the movies. For a bungalow called Sagar Villa in the Mumbai
while he shared modest lodgings with Dev suburb of Juhu, where many film industry
Anand and Madan Mohan. His acquaintance folk built their lavish homes. Sagar was
with Prithviraj Kapoor gave him an famous for his hospitality, and their home was
opportunity to write two plays for his touring known for hosting many artistes, musicians,
company, Prithvi Theatres, which eventually politicians; and with a large joint family living
led to Sagar writing Barsaat (1949) for Raj under one roof, the kitchen was always busy.
Kapoor, which was a hit, establishing his RK Prem Sagar mentions his father’s many
banner, and starting Sagar on the road to a encounters with holy men and astrologers,
career as a writer and later, a filmmaker with all of whom predicted his great success and
his own Sagar Arts banner, founded in 1950. spiritual mission. He also mentions a cow
His first two films, Mehmaan (1953) and giving birth outside the gate of Sagar Villa
Bazooband (1954) were flops that sent him that was considered auspicious. Taking up the
back to square one, but films based on his production of Ramayan at the age of 70 was,
scripts were hits. His career as a director Prem believes, the fulfillment of his father’s
was rescued to some extent with Ghoonghat destiny.
(1960) and Zindagi (1964), but zoomed with However, getting Doordarshan to pass
the massive success of Arzoo (1965). Films like the serial and any corporate to sponsor it
Aankhen, Geet, Lalkar, Charas were money was an uphill task. Nobody believed that a

SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #43 | JANUARY 2023 39