Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has penned a heartfelt tribute to Rakesh Kumar, director of some of his best-known films, including 'Mr. Natwarlal,' 'Yaarana' and 'Khoon Pasina.'
The actor took to his blog and penned an emotional note on Kumar, who passed away on November 10.
Big B wrote, "But morose is the day... for another colleague has left us and me in particular... Rakesh, first AD to Prakash Mehra on 'Zanjeer'... then independent director for other PM (Prakash Mehra, as we often joked with him, as the PM of the country) films... and singularly - 'Hera Pheri', 'Khoon Pasina', 'Mr Natwarlal', 'Yaarana', et al... and such great camaraderie on sets and elsewhere, socially, during events and Holi... One by one they all leave."
The megastar added that people like Rakesh Kumar "leave an imprint that is hard to remove or forget".
He lauded the late director's acute sense of filmmaking and his fast-thinking capability, saying, "His sense of screenplay and direction, writing and execution on the spur of the moment and the fun times on location during 'Nattu' and 'Yaarana'..."
"His complete faith in his worth and the ease with which he would grant us the liberty of skipping shootings on the odd day, just to be able to spend time relaxing fooling around and being in the company of uncontrollable laughter and gaiety."
Calling Rakesh Kumar the "most affable and kind-hearted human", Bachchan wrote, "A most affable and kind-hearted human, ready to step up to any kind of inconvenience that artists that worked with him, faced."
The actor noted that he did not attend the director's funeral because he could not come around seeing a lifeless Rakesh Kumar.
"No, I shall hesitate to go to his funeral... for I shall not be able to bear the sight of an inert Rakesh."
He added: "You made many of us prominent with your innovative ideas for story and film, Rakesh, and you shall ever be remembered."
