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Alok Nath has got the notoriety he strongly craved for (Column: Bollywood Spotlight)
By Subhash K. Jha
The rape allegation against Alok Nath by writer-director Vinta Nanda comes as no surprise to those who were privy to the goings-on during the shooting of the marathon serial “Tara” shown on Zee. It was a first-of-its-kind on satellite television and we were all hooked to the tantalising soap for four years.
However, the behind-the-scenes peccadilloes during the shooting of “Tara” were far more interesting than anything that we saw on screen. The serial’s superstar pair, Navneet and Alok, couldn’t stand each other and were constantly bickering and arguing. On a number of occasions they nearly came to blows on the sets. Oh, how we loved hearing about Tara and her tyrannical co-star’s ongoing battle.
Matters came to such a pass that the serial’s producers and creative heads had to choose between the two — Navneet or Alok. Since Navneet played the title role and — let’s face it — was more popular than her co-star, Alok was written out of “Tara”.
Practically everyone associated with Tara, including the talented writer Vinta Nanda, sided with Navneet, thereby isolating Alok Nath to the extent that he went from being a household name to a persona non grata. But the image of the holier-than-thou patriarch, who drank Gangajal after sundown, was stuck with him.
Alok Nath was given the ‘Sanskari Babuji’ image from pre-“Tara” stint on the hugely successful Doordarshan serial “Buniyaad”, where he played the patriarch Haveli Ram to perfection.
Alok hated the goodygoody image and told me: “I’d do anything to escape the image of the saintly patriarch. That isn’t me. I like my share of fun. I am like any normal person.”
He temporarily escaped Haveli Ram’s clutches by playing the rakish entrepreneur Deepak Seth in “Tara”. But the Sanskari image wouldn’t leave him. After struggling with bit roles in a series of forgotten films, Alok Nath finally rediscovered his bearings in Sooraj Barjatya’s “Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!”.
This time, the image of the benign Babuji stuck. Nothing that Alok would do would eradicate that image. Quite recently, he played a very naughty non-Sanskari patriarch in “Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety”. But to no avail.
“I guess I am destined to be stuck with this image,” he sighed when I told him audiences won’t accept him as a rogue.
Now I guess he has found the notoriety that he was subconsciously craving for. The Sanskari Babuji’s image has finally been crushed to the ground.
The fear is palpable. Who will be named (and shamed) next? There are 65-year-old producers wondering if they ever made a remark 30-40 years ago that could be construed as improper. Of course, that’s no true for Alok Nath, who’s accused of rape.
Thanks to a plucky actress called Tanushree Dutta, the #MeToo movement has finally made its presence felt on Indian shores. The entertainment industry is stirred. But not shaken. Most of the alleged offenders will brazen it out, because they know it would be business as usual once this current trend of naming and shaming dies down.
Alok Nath may have the last laugh. And that would be a tragedy.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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