Saturday, July 12, 2014

Goodbye Zohra Sehgal


My daughter's love of pani puri has taken to different corners in the cities that we lived in.  One such is the Alakananda market in New Delhi.  There is a vendor at the corner, who, according to her, sold the most delicious pani puris.  When the craving caught her, we would land up on one of his stools, with a plate in hand.  

On one such spree, we saw this old lady in a salwar kameez, seated on one of those stools.  Very ordinary looking except for her naughty smile and twinkling eyes.  Something about her was very familiar - but we could not place her until a few days later when her face stared at us again from the screen in the theatre - that when we found out that she was Zohra Sehgal - the versatile actress.  

Every time I watch Veer Zara, I am always reminded of the old lady at the pani puriwala.  

Sad to see she is gone - but today's paper describes her family and friends saying a final goodbye to her with love and smiles and not tears - she must have wanted it only that way.  Bye bye, lady. 

No comments: