B’wood mourns Lek

It’s an end of an era, as the director of movies like Amrapali, Professor and Jhuk Gaya Aasman passes away. Bollywood pays tribute

One of Bollywood’s most underrated directors, Lekh Tandon, passed away quietly at the age of 88 on Sunday. He gave us a slew of scintillating movies, starting with the blockbuster Professor in 1962. The oddball comedy had an interesting pair of Shammi Kapoor with Lalita Pawar. Reema Rakeshnath later — forgettably — remade the movie as Dil Tera Aashiq.

Jhuk Gaya Aasman, with Rajendra Kumar and Saira Banu in an afterlife comedy, and Prince, with Shammi Kappor and Vyjanthimala coming together for the first and the last time. Tandon then directed Dulhan Wohi Jo Piya Man Bhaye in 1977. The small budget film starring Premnath’s son Prem Kishen and Rameshwari, became the biggest hit for Rajshri Productions. After the 1993 hit, Agar Tum Na Hote, Tandon kept a low profile as a director, choosing to act in movies like Ashutosh Gowariker Amol Palekar’s Paheli, and Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basan Shabana Azmi, who did two mo Tandon says, “It’s sad to hear that away. But what’s wonderful is that with his boots on. He was w his latest film with the en of a newcomer. I did t films with him — Ek and Doosri Dulhan way before its time gacy. Shekhar K often says he lear from Lekhji. Perhaps one of most celebrated was Amrapali recreating the l romance between tesan played by Vyja and the Magadh Ajatsharu, played by S Its opulence continues to world, and inspires the likes Leela Bhansali. “Amrapali inspire Mastani and Padmavati. The way he the war scenes! How he presente amazing Vyjanthimala in songs w definitely my reference points f