Our conversations always began with me saying, “Adab, Dutt Sahib”. The last time I said that was two weeks ago. He said, “Syedaji, my apologies. You know how much I want to attend your meeting on the Muslim girl child on May 24. I would have airdashed from Mumbai just for that. But it seems impossible. Hope you understand.” He wanted me to send the report so that he could help us on the issue. The meeting went as scheduled. They even put up his name card. I had it removed. But, strangely, he kept figuring in the mindspace. I knew the the minister for youth affairs would be a great ally in this struggle. I made a mental note to send him a copy of the report as soon as it was ready.It seems just the other day I had shared the dais with him at Hyderabad. He had invited me to address a youth festival. I began my speech by extolling Hyderabad. I then talked about what Dutt Sahib meant for those of my generation — right from the time when we listened to ‘Balraj’ presenting Radio Ceylon’s Lipton ki Mehfil. Then came his first film: the unforgettable Railway Platform, followed by a slew of others including the immortal Mother India. But for me it was Sujata that was the most powerful. Who can forget Dutt Sahib phone sequence and Sahir’s lines: jalte hain jiske liye. As I spoke, I could see the young audience listening with rapt attention. What was it about the man that had this effect, I had wondered.The answer seems to lie in the fact that for Dutt Sahib the journey never ended. He had an attractive personality and a talent and with that he wove his dreams of a secular India. He was ready to step into the quagmire of politics to achieve this. And there he stayed for 20 years — the epitome of sharafat (decency). As a Muslim I felt the confidence to share my lowest moments that Gujarat caused with him. To use sports to heal the trauma of the Gujarat massacres, friends had arranged a cricket series in Halol and Kalol in the Panchmahals. It was called ‘Cricket for Peace’. A big function had been arranged in Delhi at which Dutt Sahib declared Dhanraj Pillai, Geet Sethi and P.T. Usha as ‘Game4Change Ambassadors’. Sports, Peace, Youth all combined in one event! I saw the glow on Dutt Sahib’s face.Many years ago, I had seen a film that left me shattered. It was called Ye aag kab bujhegi? In it, Dutt Sahib had confronted the problem of dowry and bride burning. At that time I was miles away from activism. The film flopped. No one could stomach the reality he had the courage to show. I felt nauseous after watching it. Later, when I dealt with cases of dowry deaths, I felt the same nausea. But not many saw it. “I can never forget that film,” I once remarked to Dutt Sahib. He smiled, “But it didn’t run for long.”Today, the world is emptier. I offer these lines from Firaq Gorakhpuri as a tribute to Dutt sahib from all his friends: Ab yaad-e-raftagaan ki bhi himmat nahin rahi/Yaaron ne kitni dur basayi hai bastiyaan (No courage to remember companions,/How far have they built their habitations, my friends).The writer is member, Planning Commission
