Pahlaj Nihalani, a friend of this writer, is no more. He had not been keeping good health for some time now. Ever since the Covid pandemic Pahlaj’s health was on the decline. But for a man who had fought many odds during his lifetime, his failing health was just one more problem.
“I hope when I go, I am not a burden on my wife and children,” Pahlaj recently told me. I had pooh-poohed his apprehensions and assured him he had a long life ahead.
Pahlaj was not a happy man. But he was never one to complain. Within his lifetime, he helped innumerable actors and technicians during their time of need, never getting anything in return from anyone.
His only true friend in the film industry was Shatrughan Sinha.
Pahlaj often told me he was Laxman to Shatrughan Sinha’s Rama. It is rumoured that Pahlaj got into his highly controversial tenure as the chairperson of the Central Board Of Film Certification on Shatrughan Sinha’s recommendation. Back then Mr Sinha was a part of the ruling BJP government.
Some of Pahlaj’s decisions as the censor chief made him very unpopular. But he pushed along unheedful of the heat.
“I know they called me the Sanskari censor chief. I was not popular. But I didn’t care. I never cared for what people thought of me as long as I kept doing what was right.”
During his unpopular tenure as censor chief even common cusswords were not allowed. Recently, I asked what he would have done with the celebration of smut in Dhurandhar if he were still the censor chief.
“Ban the whole film, I guess,” he told in in state of shock after watching Aditya Dhar’s film.
Pahlaj produced plenty of popular pictureshows. He started his career in 1982 with a film called Haathkadi starring his best friend Shatrughan Sinha. His second film was Aandhi-Toofan in 1985. His third film, Ilzaam in 1986, was Govinda’s debut. Aag Hi Aag in 1987 marked Chunky Pandey’s debut .
Pahlaj launched, and lunched with many actors. But I don’t think any of them kept in touch with him in his final years.
“It’s okay. They must all be busy with their lives. Even you don’t call me now as much as you did when I was the censor chief,” he scolded me affectionately.
Never one to mince his words, Pahlaj Nihalani would be sorely missed.
