Basu da would chew the end of his handkerchief every time something bothered him: Moushumi Chatterjee

For Moushumi Chatterjee, veteran writer-filmmaker Basu Chatterjee was one of the “coolest person” both on and off the film sets. She recalls how he would keep the environment around him happy. What set him apart, according to the actor, was his “terrific sense of humour that remained unaffected even during tough times”. Basu Chatterjee,93, passed away on Thursday in Mumbai. He was reportedly suffering from age-related ailments.

Read: ‘Thank you for those smiles’: Amitabh Bachchan, Shoojit Sircar lead Bollywood in remembering Basu Chatterjee

“Basu da was extremely humble. He would never speak for himself, rarely posed for photos. He would mostly be engrossed in his creations and loved entertaining the audience,” says Moushumi, who worked with him in Bollywood films, Manzil (1979), Do Ladke Dono Kadke (1979), Us-Paar (1974). In 2006 they had started making another untitled project, but it got stuck.

Much like his simple lifestyle, his films too highlighted common Indian life stories. “His depiction of reality wasn’t hard or painful. They were as simple and sweet, and conveyed a message. The language too wasn’t complicated too. He would turn superstars into the relatable person next door. The reason why many still go back to his films to draw positivity,” she says.

The actor recalls never seeing him getting irritated. Even during difficult times, he would stay calm. But there’s one thing he did every time he was worried.

“He would chew the end of his handkerchief every time something bothered him. When I asked him about it one day, he laughed and replied ‘I’m not tensed, I was just wiping the sweat’,” she shares with a laugh, adding how much the filmmaker enjoyed his food. 

Praising his sense of music, Moushumi adds the filmmaker took keen interest in lyrics and compositions. “Songs in his films were melodious and meaningful. People still tell me about Rimjhim Gire Sawan from Manzil, our first film together. He also knew the art of making good films in small budget,” she says.

The actor reveals there would be days when both of them would go to work together. “He would ask me to pick him up from Bandra while on my way to work,” she says, adding losing touch with him and everyone else in the industry because of a personal crisis. Her daughter Payal, who was suffering from diabetes, died last year.

“I wasn’t in the right frame of mind … Wish I had spoken to him one last time. Will never forget his love for Rajnigandha flowers. He would bring a bunch every time he visited us. People like him live forever in our hearts,” Moushumi shares.

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