RAM RAM DADA
Usha Chavan, Dada’s leading lady right form his first film, Songadya, rushed to Mumbai from Pune. She sat grief-stricken by his body. “He wouldn’t go anywhere without telling me, but this time he just left,” she bemoaned. Dada’s elder sister Lilabai More and her son Padmakar More conducted the last rites.
The funeral procession passed through the crowded lanes of Dadar and thouands of fans mourned his death tearfully. The ashes of Dada’s mortal remains have been sent to Kolhapur, Pune, Solapur, Nashik, Amravati and his native town Ingavali in Bhor district for darshan after which it will be dispersed in the holy rivers. **Balasaheb Thackeray’s association with Dada dates back to the Songadya days. He had helped Dada retain Kohinoor theatre for screening his first blockbuster over-ruling the theatre owner who wanted to run Dev Anand’s Teen Deviyan despite the fact that Dada had booked the theatre for four weeks and even paid the advance. Since then Dada had become a self-proclaimed Shiv Sainik and a regular campaigner for Shiv Sena.
** Last month, when Dada was in Pune, he visited Usha Chavan, his life-long heroine at Bal Gandharva Theatre. “He never went to that place since he left the stage years ago. But this time, just before coming to Mumbai, Dada insisted on visiting Usha there. Did he have a premonition?” wonders his personal secretary. **Mehmood, who acted in two of Dada’s Hindi films, Khol De Meri Zaban and Andheri Raat Mein Diya Tere Haath Mein, also visited the scene later in the day. The ailing comedian is restrained to the wheel chair and because of his chronic asthama problem, he couldn’t climb up the two flights where Dada’s body was kept. So his wife Tracy represented him and laid the wreath. Dada’s estranged nephew Vijay Kondke, whom Dada had cut off from his will following a major dispute, was also present all through the funeral procession.
A question Dada didn’t have the time to answer. As usual, he was in a great hurry to leave! |
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A
sense of tragedy weighed heavy in the air, as fans, followers and associates
thronged Dada Kondke’s residence at Rama Niwas, Shivaji Park, Dadar,
Mumbai, to pay their last respects to the comedy king of Marathi cinema.
March 14 will be remembered as a black day in the history of Marathi cinema.
Dada Kondke, the saviour of regional films, left behind a gaping void, an
unfulfilled dream of redeeming the lost glory of Marathi films. Dada, 68,
suffered a heart attack at 3.30 am and as he was being rushed to Shushrusha
Nursing Home, a stone’s throw away from his residence, he breathed his
last. Dr Anil Wakankar, his physician-cum-friend, had given him a routine
check-up only the previous day. He had no inkling of what was coming
next.
Jeetu, Dada Kondke’s personal secretary for
last the 13 years, recalls tearfully, “Dada vomitted and suffered a
series of convulsions. Within minutes we rushed him to the hospital in our
Contessa. The driver flew like an pilot. But we couldn’t save Dada’s
life. He passed away on the way. Dr Wakankar was waiting for us anxiously
at the gate of the hospital. One look at Dada’s inert body and he shook
his head in despair.”
Eminent
personalities and politicians visited Rama Niwas to pay their homage to the
hero in half-pants. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Manohar Joshi, Shiv
Sena supremo, Balasaheb Thackeray, opposition leader Chhagan Bhujbal and
the Governor, Dr PC Alexander were among the first to bid adieu to the comedy
king. Later in the day, IMPPA president Sultan Ahmed, producer-distributor
Kiran Shantaram, Marathi film and theatre personalities, Smita Talwalkar,
Alka Kubal, Madhu Kambikar, Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Vijay Chavan and
Chetan Dalvi also visited Dada’s residence.
At
about 11 am when Balasaheb visited Dada’s residence, he put his head
on Dada’s feet and bid his friend goodbye. He asked someone Dada’s
age later. When told that he was 68, he shook his head in disbelief. “He
looked so young and radiant. I thought he must be in his 50s. He was ever
so cheerful and youthful,” he remarked.
*Though Dada publicly claimed to be a bachelor, he was legally
married and had a daughter too. Both his widow and daughter were present
at the crematorium. As his last remains were being consigned to the flames,
his inconsolable daughter broke down saying, “Baba, all your life you
made the world laugh and you made me cry. Why didn’t you accept
me?”
