It’s extremely painful for me to come to terms with the fact that Kamleshwar is no more. For 50 long years we traversed the literary landscape together and remained conscious of and sensitive to each other’s existence. Except occasionally, we remained in constant touch. Some differences and misunderstanding too were part of our relationship. Once Kamleshwar came to Delhi, the relations became even more cordial. Distances in Delhi often proved an obstacle in meeting in person, but we kept in touch on phone.He was probably the only one who addressed me as tu (you, informally). There’s no one now who will address me with such intimacy. Around 1955, when Kamleshwar, Mohan Rakesh and I came together, it brought about a sort of a revolution in Hindi prose that has not been seen again so far. We were regarded as three pillars of Nai Kahani movement in Hindi. The passion was palpable. There was an urge to change the world by writing and engaging in mutual competition. And then Rakesh went into drama and Kamleshwar got too busy with films in Mumbai. That left me alone in the face of critics’ onslaught on contemporary prose.Kamleshwar was a multi-faceted genius. Through his stories, as editor of magazines like Nai Kahaniyan, Sarika and Ganga; as scriptwriter for films like Amanush, Burning Train and Aandhi and serials like Parikrama, Chandrakanta and Aakash Ganga, he always provided fodder for heated literary debates. He also headed dailies like Jagran and Bhaskar and of late was contributing to Dainik Hindustan as a columnist. Someone who heralded change in such varied fields merits being called a charismatic man. Till he emerged on the scene the only person who matched his versatility and genius in Hindi literature was Mannu Bhandari.Story-telling was Kamleshwar’s forte. His clear pronunciation and sharp vocabulary gave a strange liveliness to any stream he worked in. He was a wandering soul. I may have always considered his Kitney Pakistan a mere chronicle of historical information, but it was his composing skill that made the novel set new sales records in a very short time.An inclination toward leftist thought brought us together. We ventured into literature with a vow to take on the establishment. In the early days of the Emergency, Kamleshwar criticised it through letters in Sarika. Gradually, however, he came close to the power that be. He not only worked with Doordarshan but also made a documentary on Indira Gandhi. In those days he was the blue-eyed boy of the Sahitya Akademi. But even though we parted ways, Kamleshwar remained a very intimate friend. It will probably take a long time before I can accept the reality that he is no longer here.
