Pooja Bhatt: Though Raj Khosla is long gone, his light still shines through me

Mumbai, June 1 (IANS) Filmmaker-actress Pooja Bhatt has expressed deep admiration for Raj Khosla, saying his wisdom continues to guide her and influence the young filmmakers she mentors. She also added that his legacy lives on through generations, even among those who never knew him personally.

Pooja along with her filmmaker-father Mahesh Bhatt and veteran actress Asha Parekh were at the special retrospective event ‘Raj Khosla 100 – Bambai Ka Babu’ held at the iconic Regal Cinema in Mumbai on the occasion of the centenary of producer-director Raj Khosla.

She took to Instagram, where she shared a string of images from the event and wrote: “He likened fame to starlight-a glow emanating from stars long dead,their light journeying across vast distances to reach us. 'The light is the message,' he said, 'but the star,the messenger,is gone.'”

She added: “Raj sahab is such a star. Though he is long gone,his light still shines through me. When I guide young filmmakers today,I hear his voice in my own. The wisdom I pass on to them is not mine; it's his. They say what you teach your children,you teach your grandchildren,and so his legacy ripples outward,carried forward by those who never even knew his name. Mahesh Bhatt Excerpt-Raj Khosla,the authorized biography by Amborish RoyChoudhury.”

The event was also attended by the family of Raj Khosla. It featured discussions with the National Award-winning author Amborish Roychoudhury, who has penned ‘Raj Khosla: The Authorized Biography’.

The retrospective showcased three of Khosla’s timeless classics – Dev Anand and Suchitra Sen’s ‘Bambai Ka Babu’, ‘C.I.D.’, ‘Mera Gaon Mera Desh’ starring Dharmendra, Vinod Khanna and Asha Parekh.

The event was organised by the Film Heritage Foundation, which has been doing exceptional work in restoration, memorabilia auction and other retrospectives.

C.I.D. and Bambai Ka Babu have been restored in 4K by the NFDC – National Film Archive of India under the National Film Heritage Mission, an initiative of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.

--IANS

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