Joy Mukherjee died on March 9, 2012
Mumbai:
Love In Bombay brought deepfinancial troubles for Joy Mukherjee but late director-actor'swife Neelam, who is releasing the movie 40 years later, saysthat despite losing everything, the film remained very closeto him.
"This film was my husband's Waterloo. He lost everythinghe had in this film. He sunk in lot of his own money, majorproperties. There were 37 cases of insolvency against him. Buthe cleared everything and had a clean slate and startedafresh. This film was very dear to him despite it bringing somuch problems to him," Mrs Mukherjee said.
The 1973 film, now being released by PVR on August 2, wasthe third part of the Love in series which started with Joydebuting with the blockbuster hit Love in Simla in 1960 andthe golden jubilee hit Love in Tokyo in 1966.
The film starred Joy and Waheeda Rehman in the lead. Thesupporting cast included names like Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumarand Rehman. Music was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan and lyricswere penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Waheeda Rehman was reported saying that she was embarassedby the release of the film now. Asked about her response toRehman's comments, Neelam was reluctant to be drawn into adebate.
"Honestly, I am surprised because Waheedaji is a verygracious person. I don't believe a lady of her stature andmaturity would talk like that. I am sure her best wishes arewith the film. I can't believe Waheedaji would say somethinglike this," she said.
Mrs Mukherjee said her son personally approached Rehman forthe premiere of the film on August 1.
"My son Monjoy has personally gone with flowers and theinvite. In fact, Waheedaji was invited for the audio releaseof the film too."
Rehman is also reported to have said that Joy was not abig star but Neelam counters that saying, "Joy was one of thehighest paid actors of his time. He worked with all the topactresses of that time and gave eight silver jubilee hits andone golden jubilee."
Joy was launched by his producer father SashadharMukherjee in "Love in Simla" opposite Sadhana. He starred inmusical hits like Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, Ziddi, Shagirdand Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon. The actor died on March 9, 2012at the age of 73.
Neelam Mukherjee recalled how her husband refused to seek help fromhis producer father when the film ran into trouble.
"I am very emotional about my husband. I had a 46-yearlong happy marriage with him. He was one of the most wonderfulhuman beings, very humble, very gentle.
"He was the son of Shashadhar Mukherjee. There was wealthall around him but even in his worst of financial situations,he did not seek his father's help. When my father-in-law said'let me bail you out' my husband said 'No these are mybattles. This is the age where I should be giving to you nottaking from you'. These were his values."
Asked why the release now, Mrs Mukherjee said it was an emotionaldecision for her and her three children -- Sujoy Mukherjee,Monjoy Mukherjee and Simran Halwasiyar.
"While going through his personal papers, my son found hiswill and the negative lying in Fazal Bhoy cold storage inWorli. There, he met one of the old workers who told him that'Mr Mukherjee used to come every year and manually clean thenegative'. We did not know about this.
"That hit my son badly. We realised that though he neverspoke about it, the film was very dear to him. This is how wedecided that come what may we will release it. We are gratefulto PVR for helping us. Joy had cleared all the payments but ifany artiste was left out we are ready to pay them providedthey show relevant documents."
Neelam Mukherjee is hoping to find a closure through the release ofLove in Bombay.
"Of course, we went through very difficult times becauseof this film but there is a deep satisfaction within me at themoment because justice has been done to all the people whoworked on the film.
"We don't gain anything from this release. There is nomoney to be made. In fact, we have put in our own money intoit. This film is a tribute to everyone who was a part of thismovie. I look at the credits and feel bad that so many of themare no longer here."
"This film was my husband's Waterloo. He lost everythinghe had in this film. He sunk in lot of his own money, majorproperties. There were 37 cases of insolvency against him. Buthe cleared everything and had a clean slate and startedafresh. This film was very dear to him despite it bringing somuch problems to him," Mrs Mukherjee said.
The 1973 film, now being released by PVR on August 2, wasthe third part of the Love in series which started with Joydebuting with the blockbuster hit Love in Simla in 1960 andthe golden jubilee hit Love in Tokyo in 1966.
The film starred Joy and Waheeda Rehman in the lead. Thesupporting cast included names like Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumarand Rehman. Music was composed by Shankar-Jaikishan and lyricswere penned by Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Waheeda Rehman was reported saying that she was embarassedby the release of the film now. Asked about her response toRehman's comments, Neelam was reluctant to be drawn into adebate.
"Honestly, I am surprised because Waheedaji is a verygracious person. I don't believe a lady of her stature andmaturity would talk like that. I am sure her best wishes arewith the film. I can't believe Waheedaji would say somethinglike this," she said.
Mrs Mukherjee said her son personally approached Rehman forthe premiere of the film on August 1.
"My son Monjoy has personally gone with flowers and theinvite. In fact, Waheedaji was invited for the audio releaseof the film too."
Rehman is also reported to have said that Joy was not abig star but Neelam counters that saying, "Joy was one of thehighest paid actors of his time. He worked with all the topactresses of that time and gave eight silver jubilee hits andone golden jubilee."
Joy was launched by his producer father SashadharMukherjee in "Love in Simla" opposite Sadhana. He starred inmusical hits like Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, Ziddi, Shagirdand Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon. The actor died on March 9, 2012at the age of 73.
Neelam Mukherjee recalled how her husband refused to seek help fromhis producer father when the film ran into trouble.
"I am very emotional about my husband. I had a 46-yearlong happy marriage with him. He was one of the most wonderfulhuman beings, very humble, very gentle.
"He was the son of Shashadhar Mukherjee. There was wealthall around him but even in his worst of financial situations,he did not seek his father's help. When my father-in-law said'let me bail you out' my husband said 'No these are mybattles. This is the age where I should be giving to you nottaking from you'. These were his values."
Asked why the release now, Mrs Mukherjee said it was an emotionaldecision for her and her three children -- Sujoy Mukherjee,Monjoy Mukherjee and Simran Halwasiyar.
"While going through his personal papers, my son found hiswill and the negative lying in Fazal Bhoy cold storage inWorli. There, he met one of the old workers who told him that'Mr Mukherjee used to come every year and manually clean thenegative'. We did not know about this.
"That hit my son badly. We realised that though he neverspoke about it, the film was very dear to him. This is how wedecided that come what may we will release it. We are gratefulto PVR for helping us. Joy had cleared all the payments but ifany artiste was left out we are ready to pay them providedthey show relevant documents."
Neelam Mukherjee is hoping to find a closure through the release ofLove in Bombay.
"Of course, we went through very difficult times becauseof this film but there is a deep satisfaction within me at themoment because justice has been done to all the people whoworked on the film.
"We don't gain anything from this release. There is nomoney to be made. In fact, we have put in our own money intoit. This film is a tribute to everyone who was a part of thismovie. I look at the credits and feel bad that so many of themare no longer here."
