‘One day, identical to that, with out even saying goodbye, he was gone.’
IMAGE: Rituraj Singh with Varun Dhawan. Photograph: Kind courtesy Rituraj Singh/Instagram
On February 20, a bit of after midnight, Rituraj Singh, a much-loved actor, succumbed to a cardiac arrest, simply months in need of his sixtieth birthday.
From Rupali Ganguly who had labored with him within the every day cleaning soap Anupamaa to Hansal Mehta who directed him in one other every day cleaning soap, Ok Street Pali Hill, from Arshad Warsi who has been his neighbour to Varun Dhawan, who labored with him in Badrinath KI Dulhania, his loss of life left many heartbroken.
Among them an previous pal, Rajev Paul, who mourned, ‘Not carried out Bro… Our assembly is pending.’
Back from a funeral he had by no means anticipated to attend, the Sasural Simar Ka labored with Rituraj in two reveals.
“There is so much to remember, from a minor tiff to phone calls that would always end with, ‘Tu theek hai na?…I love you brother… Jaldi milte hain,” Rajev Paul tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Roshmila Bhattacharya.
‘We did not converse to one another for years’
IMAGE: Rituraj Singh, Achint Kaur and Rajev Paul in Kitty Party. Photograph: Kind courtesy Rajev Paul/Instagram
We had been military children from the North, who had arrived in Mumbai across the similar time to develop into actors.
In our early days within the metropolis, we might stumble upon one another at producers’ workplaces.
Then he landed Banegi Apni Baat, the long-running drama collection on Zee TV, whereas I used to be signed for Zee’s Parivartan and Swabhimaan on Doordarshan.
Later, we did two reveals collectively, Jaane Kahan Mera Jigar Gaya Ji on Sony and Zee’s Kartavya.
I do not bear in mind sharing display screen house with him however years in the past, somebody despatched me an image of us in Kitty Party.
I could not recall taking pictures for it and neither might he.
More than a fellow actor, Ritu was a de facto brother, who was an integral a part of my life.
Yet, there was a time in our 20s, once we did not converse to one another for years.
But even throughout that interval, at any time when he met my brother Rakesh, Ritu would enquire about me and bear in mind me warmly.
‘I lastly walked as much as him at a celebration’
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rajev Paul/Instagram
It was a foolish tiff over one thing so minor that, with Rakesh urging me to bury the hatchet, once I lastly walked as much as him at a celebration and advised him I used to be upset with him, I could not bear in mind why.
Nor might he, and we laughed for being silly.
He then reprimanded me for staying away for therefore lengthy regardless of realizing how fond he was of me.
After that we had been all the time in contact, over telephone calls and texts, discussing our work and life journeys.
Since we had each carried out nicely for ourselves, we may very well be joyful and have fun one another’s success.
He would have a look at the photographs I posted on Instagram and admired how simply I jumped or went up the rope.
When I’d inform him he might do it too, he would ship me photos of him frolicking round within the backyard.
‘I advised him except he joined the gymnasium he’d must pay’
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rituraj Singh/Instagram
I’d insist he be part of a gymnasium.
He promised he would, however by no means did.
Eventually, I advised him that except he saved his phrase, he’d must pay each time we met as punishment.
He referred to as me kamina, however stated he did not thoughts paying.
Last yr, I referred to as to want him on his birthday.
We had been each Geminis, his birthday is on May 23, mine on June 5.
He was having the happiest day of his life as a result of his children, who had been finding out overseas, had come down and the household was collectively after a very long time.
He then wished me on my birthday and I despatched a voice word warning him that if he did not be part of a gymnasium now, he must pay for each our birthday events.
He by no means did be part of the gymnasium, and we by no means did meet once more.
Shootings, dubbing, there was a lot conserving us away.
Then, in the future, identical to that, with out even saying goodbye, he was gone.
‘The final image I’ve with him was taken 5 years in the past’
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rajev Paul/Instagram
The downside with Mumbai is that even if you end up not residing that removed from one another — he was in Yari Road whereas I’m in Malad (each suburbs in northwest Mumbai) — with roads dug up and travelling turning into such an ordeal, you spend your entire life with the ten individuals who reside shut by or your colleagues whereas those that are there in your coronary heart get left behind.
This is one thing solely somebody residing on this metropolis would perceive.
For two years, I used to be busy with Sasural Simar Ka, which took me for taking pictures to Naigaon (a township close to Mumbai) whereas Ritu’s Web collection took him out of Mumbai.
Before that, we misplaced two years to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The final image I’ve with him was taken 5 years in the past and had we not clicked it, I’d by no means have recalled once we met final.
It’s solely not too long ago that we have began taking selfies on our telephones.
Earlier, nobody walked round with a digital camera, so there have been no photos.
Aamir (Khan) and I’ve identified one another for years however it was solely not too long ago, at his daughter’s marriage ceremony, that we took an image collectively for the primary time.
‘He would all the time greet me with a hug’
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rajev Paul/Instagram
It’s unlucky that Ritu and I did not meet as typically as we might have wished.
I’ve encapsulated this sense in a verse I penned:
Rehte hain ek shehar mein,
Milte nahin pure baras mein,
Rishta hai sirf dilon mein,
Nibha nahin sakte aise phanse hain
Duniyadari ke rasmon mein.
Kahin mil gaye to mil jayenge,
Varna kaun sa ek doosre ko
Yaad ayenge…
Ritu liked my poems and would all the time share them.
We would stumble upon one another at events typically, and as soon as, even shared jury duties.
Like me, Ritu was a livewire: Chatty, joyful, the lifetime of a celebration and all the time surrounded by individuals.
But the minute he would spot me, he would greet me with a decent, heat hug.
‘Shah Rukh was one other frequent issue between Ritu and me’
IMAGE: Rituraj, Divya Seth, Deepika Amin and Shah Rukh Khan. Photograph: Kind courtesy Rituraj Singh/Instagram
It’s the identical with Shah Rukh (Khan) whom I met for the primary met once I got here to Mumbai.
Somewhere alongside the way in which, we misplaced contact, however the heat, respect and admiration remained.
When we met not too long ago, we hugged for a very long time.
Shah Rukh was one other frequent issue between Ritu and me.
They had labored collectively in Delhi through the Barry John theatre days and had been shut.
Shah Rukh has grown greater over time and now, rightfully, is Bollywood’s Badshah.
But he is the identical loving human being.
‘Tu theek to hain na?”
Photograph: Kind courtesy Rituraj Singh/Instagram
Ritu was lively and conversations.
We might not have met in 5 years, however our yaari dosti (friendship) remained.
Whenever we spoke, he would finish the dialog, saying, ‘Tu theek to hain na? (You are okay, na?) You know na that you’re nice and that I’m all the time right here for you. I like you brother… Jaldi milte hain.’
His phrases had been reassuring as a result of if you end up going via challenges in life, it is a blessing to know that you’ve a brother like Ritu who loves you and is only a name away.
It ironical that jinke saath janmon ka rishta hota hai, woh pal bhar mein tooth jaati hai, aur jinke saath kachcha pakka dosti hai, woh dilon mein bas jaate hai.
That’s how my friendship with Ritu was too, a bond that went past skilled commitments, social niceties and bodily conferences.
Jab tak the, dosti nibhayi, ab woh nahin rahe, however he’ll stay in my coronary heart without end.
