EXCLUSIVE: Navin Nischol was not capable of harming, says Anju Mahendroo on actor's 11th death anniversary

Tum jo mil gaye ho toh yeh lagta hai ke jahan mil gaya (Hanste Zakhm) … Navin Nischol is the instant recall of this romantic sonata, a retro jewel. Equipped with a gold medal and smooth charm, the FTII alumnus seemed to be a box-office bonanza when he debuted with Sawan Bhadon (1970). Scarves and swagger, he went full throttle later with films Buddha Mil Gaya, Victoria No. 203, Dharma and Woh Main Nahin in the ’70s. But somewhere, Navin found himself at the cusp of change. First regarded as the ‘poor man’s Rajesh Khanna’ and later trailed by the towering Amitabh Bachchan… Navin Nischol’s presence gradually blurred in the glamour galaxy. Going on to do character roles and making an impact on the small screen particularly with Dekh Bhai Dekh… Navin however was no quitter.

His personal life also remained in a state of flux. A failed marriage, a succeeding relationship gone kaput and above all the yearning for his young daughters… left Navin in great turmoil. What he perhaps considered as a ‘homecoming’ – his second marriage to Geetanjali – only left him an emotional vagrant. The devastation was complete when a depressed Geetanjali committed suicide alleging Navin of ‘torture’. While he did procure bail after being jailed for the contention, he remained incarcerated to the memories. Five years down the line, just a day before Holi, the 65-year-old Navin too passed away after a sudden heart-attack. The battle of a lifetime ended in a breath!

On his 11th death anniversary, actor and friend Anju Mahendroo pays a tribute to the late Navin Nischol. In her own words…

 The first impression is always the last impression. Decades ago, Dr Sanghvi, a heart specialist, was launching his hospital in Jodhpur. A plane load of actors was being flown for the inauguration. I was amongst them too. Navin happened to sit next to me on the flight. From that very instant we clicked. I found him to be an interesting conversationalist. We were similar people and belonged to the same world. Of course, everyone has their pluses and minuses. So do I. But what mattered most was that Navin was a good human being.

Later Navin’s mother, Kamala Aunty, and my mother (Shanti Mahendroo) became friends. So, we became like a family. Navin was a gold-medallist from the FTII and extremely good-looking. He began on a great note with Sawan Bhadon (1970). His popularity increased with films like Victoria No. 203, Dharma, Woh Main Nahin... But I guess, he couldn’t sustain his career given the changing scenario in the ’70s. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t make it big or wasn’t appreciated as much as he should have been. He was a subtle actor, though underrated. The problem also started when he began losing hair. On a lighter note, I too, have got scanty hair. So, we would discuss our ‘hair raising tales’.

After a while, Navin switched to playing character roles. Later, he featured in television shows and enjoyed a good run. We did Shridhar Kshirsagar’s TV serial, Manzil (1995) together and enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. Through the years, we spent many fun-filled evenings with our friends. He’d always attend my birthday parties. He had a terrific sense of humour, remarkably subtle just like him. He loved his vodka and was equally fond of chai. Navin may have been upset about his career not reaching the heights he was capable of but he didn’t want to dwell on the past. He was a bit uncomfortable discussing that.

Regarding his personal life, he wasn’t a happy man either. His first marriage (with Neelu Kapur, sister of Shekhar Kapur) didn’t work. They had two daughters, Natasha (reputed make-up artist and founder of Fat Mu Academy) and Nomita (graphic designer and artist). He loved his girls and not being able to meet them left him completely distraught. There were times when he shared his vulnerability, his sense of desolation as he’d be dying to be with them.

After some time, there was another lady in his life. She didn’t belong to the industry. She was a beautiful companion, constantly by his side and gave him immense moral support. She cared for him deeply. Sometimes she’d tell me, “Ring up the girls, yeh tadap rahai hai unke liye.” I would call up Navin’s daughters and try conveying how keen their father was to meet them. My calls didn’t work then. Also, since there was no commitment from Navin’s side, his companion moved away.

Then there came another woman in Navin’s life. He tied the knot with Geetanjali (in 1996), who was a divorcee. Unfortunately, she was prone towards depression. I didn’t visit him during the period he was with Geeta because things were rather unpleasant then. One felt sad for them. Mental instability hai toh aap kya kar sakte ho. Navin was not with her when Geeta committed suicide (22 April 2006) in her apartment (Laxman Nivas) in Mahim in Mumbai. She had left a suicide note holding Navin responsible for her action. Being a friend, I know what Navin was capable of doing and what he was not. Navin could never harm anyone.

After he was arrested (along with filmmaker brother Pravin Nischol on charges of ‘cruelty’ and ‘abetting’ the suicide), a lot of people from the industry, including me, took a protest morcha to Mahim station in a bid to show solidarity for Navin. Thankfully, he was released within a few days. After his jail spell, we did meet as and when. But the trauma had left him emotionally disturbed. He mostly stayed in Pune, where he had an apartment.

On March 19, 2011, Navin was supposed to drive with friends, producer Gurdeep Singh and Randhir Kapoor, to Pune to celebrate Holi. Gurdeep and Navin left in the car around 10.30 am. Before Gurdeep and he could pick up Randhir from Chembur, just around Sion, Navin felt uncomfortable. He requested Gurdeep to lower the air-conditioning. Then he just collapsed. He was rushed to the Sion Hospital. Sadly, he didn’t survive.

I guess, Navin should have died a happy man because his daughters had reunited with him by then. Possibly, they drew close to Navin after he was sent to jail. In retrospect, it was just his kismet that he went through so much trouble in life. They say a person’s worth can be gauged by those who attend his funeral. Navin’s funeral was well-attended by artistes from parallel and commercial cinema and the television industry. It proved that he was popular across the entertainment world. Normally, we know people as acquaintances. A few become friends. And for me they are forever. Navin was one such.

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