'He always laughed at himself'

Shashi Kapoor pays tribute to director-producer Nasir Husain

He was a lighthearted filmmaker with a tremendous sense of humour. The only one who could send you out of the theatre smiling delightedly .

I worked with him in Pyar Ka Mausam but I knew him much before that. I have lovely memories of him. I knew him when he had just made Tumsa Nahin Dekha.

Word had got around that it was a hit but he wasn't sure how big a hit. He was very friendly with Shammiji [Kapoor] and my bhabhi [sister-in-law]. Geetabhabhi [actress Getta Bali] was great friends with Nasir and Ashaji [Parekh]. Then he very kindly offered me a film in the late Sixties, after Teesri Manzil --- Pyar Ka Mausam-- it was great fun working with him.

Pataa hi nahin chala ki picture kab shuru huyi aur kab khatam huyi [I didn't realise when the film started and ended].

Nasir was the only producer in the world who ever gave me a percentage. Nobody in the world has done that. They say 'Yeh per cent lena, woh lena', par deta koi nahin. Picture hit ho to nahin deta... nahin chale to nahin deta. [They promise, 'Take this percentage and that' but no one ever gives anything. Never mind if the film is a hit or not.] But he did.

And he gave it to me when I needed it the most. I would sit at Ismail's [Merchant] office in Colaba, Mumbai, in 1970. He found out I used to sit there, called me and said, "Eh miyan, kaam vaam nahin hai kya? [Don't you have a job?]"

And I said, "Nahin aap do na kaam [No, you give me a job]."

And he said, "I don't know woh kab doonga par tum aao. Tumhare paise bante hai... leja leja [when I can give you a job but come and collect your money]. I was thrilled. This was much after the film had released and some money was due to me. I'll never forget that.

His wife always said, "Main to Nasirsaab ke bachon ki ayah hoon [I'm Nasir's children's maid]. I'm looking after them. That's my job!"

She was an excellent hostess. She fed us lovely dinners.

In Pyar Ka Mausam, Aamir or Faisal played the younger versions of my character. My son Kunal and Nasir's son Mansoor used to play together in Kashmir, when we were shooting there.

Tumsa Nahin Dekha was a very big hit but it didn't affect Nasir saab at all. He had seen rough days but he came from a renowned family. Did you know that he hails from [freedom fighter] Maulana Azad's family?

The marvellous thing was that he always laughed at himself. He'd say, "Miyaan kya karoon ek kaali sherwani pehan ke aaya tha Lucknow se. Aur ek bhujka aaya tha. Bhujke main ek kahaani thi. Wohi kahaani chal rahi hai aaj tak. Chala raha hoon usko jab tak chalegi. Nahin chalegi to band kar denge [I came from Lucknow wearing a black sherwani and a cloth bag. In that cloth bag was a story. That story still continues. If it doesn't, I'll close shop]."

Aur bahut chali [It ran for a long time]. I just hope Nasir is united with his loved ones and is at rest. He was a lovely human being. One of a kind.

As told to Lata Khubchandani