CHINAR SHADE : D. K. SAPRU OR SAPRU (1916-1979 ) A TALENTED , HANDSOME AND BLUE EYED KASHMIRI ACTOR OF YESTERDAYS

D. K. SAPRU OR SAPRU (1916-1979 ) A TALENTED , HANDSOME AND BLUE EYED KASHMIRI ACTOR OF YESTERDAYS

“ Where from have you come ? You look like a European . Please sit . I need to talk to you .”

This is what V Shantaram had told the young boy in 1944 who had come all the way from Jalandhar to Prabhat Studios Poona . Shantaram , Babu Rao Patel and Sheikh Fatehlal were the partners of Prabhat Studios at that point of time.

( DK Sapru..photo source Mrs Reema Sapru Nath Daughter )

Looking at his face and after the usual introduction ,V Shantaram signed the blue eyed handsome Daya kishen Sapru for a role in his next movie RAM SHASTRI.. The character of a Peshwa played by him was well noticed and the movie turned out a big hit.. He was signed as lead hero by the Company on a monthly salary of Rs3000/= highest ever paid to any hero during those days . It was a hefty sum that enabled him to live a princely life during those days .It was somewhere around 1945-46.

Films started pouring in later .He acted in Romeo and Juliet ( opposite Nargis . Nargis’s Mother Jaddan Bai was all praise for Sapru. The film was produced by Nargis’s brother Akhtar Hussain . ) ,Jhansi Ki Rani ,Kalapaani , Hum Hindustaani , Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Mujhe Jeene Do , Leader and Shaheed . Who does not remember his role as Majhale Sarkar ( Chaudhary ) in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. Again as Zamindaar in Mujhe Jeene Do , he became quite popular. We saw him in some wonderful roles in Naya Daur , Prem Pujari ,Jewel Thief , Krodhi , Kudrat ,Dharm Veer, Dream Girl, Zanjeer , Pakeezah and many more such films .It was a period when story writers would create a character for him in the story or script. He was seen either as a Zamindaar or a Police commissioner or a Judge in most of his later films .

In Total ,he must have acted in more than 350 films and out of which he played lead role in more than 50 films. He also played lead roles in some Gujarati and Punjabi films.

BACKGROUND

Saprus are Sarswat Brahmins from Kashmir known as kashmiri Pandits who belong to DIPAT SAMAN AUPAMANYAVA Gotra or the lineage of an Aryan Rishi .This clan of kashmiri Pandits actually belong to village SAPREIN in present day Kulgam district of kashmir and could be safely called as aboriginal kashmiris . some other prominent Saprus are Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru , Jagdish Narayan Sapru ( Prominent Businessman of the country ) Sahaj Ram Sapru Revenue collector during the rule of Afghan Governor Azim Khan ( 1809-1819 ) and Dr Allama Iqbal Urdu poet and Islamic scholar ( He too belonged to a sapru family from kulgam that had converted to islam )

Daya kishen Sapru belonged to a well off family from Kashmir and his father was employed in Maharaja’s Treasury . That made the family to move to Jammu and Lahore during winters. Daya Krishen was born at Jammu and had his early education at Jammu and Lahore .Fluent in Punjabi , he was also proficient in Hindi , Urdu and English .From his childhood days , he would love music and singing . He could easily play on his Harmonium.

Before moving to PUNE , D K as he was known amongst his numerous friends lived at Jalandhar cantt for some time where he took up the job of a contractor .He had four brothers and two sisters and D K happened to be the fourth child in this joint family.

MARRIAGE

D K Sapru met Marathi actress and IPTA activist Hemvati and they fell in love. They married in 1948 .Hemvati was a noted Marathi actress who also worked at PRITHVI Theatres. She acted in SANGAM with Ashok Kumar and Nalini Jayant in lead roles. She had also worked with Dev Anand in MOHAN ,Mubarak and Renuka in Ghar Ghar Ki Kahaani and Raj Kapoor in Jail Yatra . A play named Deewar had Hemvati and Raj kapoor in lead roles and the play became quite popular on stage during those days.

After marriage , Hemvati played the role of a caring wife and an affectionate mother in her family. After marriage,She possibly acted only in one movie PATITPAAVAN a home production of sapru family.

( Hemvati Sapru , Actress caring wife and Affectionate Mother )

( Poster of 1955 Film Patit Pavan Produced by Sapru Family In Mumbai Bazaar )

( Preeti Sapru( centre ) with her Husband )

Sapru children are also in films . To quote their elder daughter REEMA is a well known script writer while second daughter PREETI is a successful Punjabi actress while their son Tej is a noted film and TV actor. The brother and sisters are closely attached to each other . They too live by the family values that they inherited from their father .

( Reema Sapru /Reema RakeshNath , talented screeenplay and story writer in Bollywood )

( Tej sapru at the birthday party of Preeti's daughter. Affectionate Mamu and uncle to children )

FRIENDS

D K Sapru had numerous friends in the film industry . Most of his childhood friends were from Jammu , Lahore or Jalandhar . In films he was very close to Guru Dutt, Dev Anand , Mohan Sehgal, Rehman, P L Seth , Jaan Nissar Akhtar , Sheikh Fatehlal ,Chanderkant Desai,Prakash Mehra , Vijay Kaul,Vasant Rao Painter and some more well known names from the cinema . He was also close to actor Chander Mohan wattal and his own cousin JEEVAN ( Omkar Nath Dhar ) both of whom were kashmiri Pandits .In fact JEEVAN and DK built houses adjacent to each other at Bandra .

FAMILY MAN

Inspite of his hectic film schedules , D K was always a family man. He loved to spend time with his children and family . The family lived at parel, Juhu Tara Road and Bandra . His house was always full of family guests comprising his parents , brothers and sisters. To his nieces and nephews , he played

a caring uncle and Mama . He was a caring brother to his sisters who were very close to his family and children. He never spent money on horse races nor was he fond of liquor or parties .Oh yes he liked smoking.

He is known to have helped his brothers and sisters in all possible ways he could . To his inlaws also he played the dutiful role of a caring son in law .

D K Sapru also acquired good and working knowledge of Homeopathy and was seen reading Homeopathic books quite often during his spare time. He then started practicing this school of medicine and would treat everybody without any charge often Buying medicines and distributing them free.

THE BAD DECISION

Sapru also committed a folly of producing films . One can say that he was misguided by some selfish friends .Though he had learnt some lessons from his first home production Patitpaavan , a movie that earned him a few thousands only yet he took up another production project '' Bahadur Shah Zaffar''' and brought in a large star cast that included Sudesh Kumar , Chand Usmani ,Shyama , Rehman ,Jeevan, Ulhaas ( M N kaul ) and Nirupa Roy .He pooled in all his resources and raised loans for the project mortgaging his spacious new Bunglow .The movie did not sell on Box office . That landed the family in great trouble. The house had to be sold to repay debts . Reema was sent to Lucknow for higher Education where she lived with D K ’s sister . Sapru knew that Reema was too much attached to the house and would feel deeply hurt .Inspite of his financial crisis , D K ensured that his children get best education . Preeti Studied at St. Joseph’s High school Mumbai so did Tej get a good schooling .

Sapru turned diabetic during his later life. Inspite of is failing health he decided to make a last attempt to produce another film JEEVAN CHALNE KAA NAAM. By Now Reema was a trained screen play / script writer . She wrote the script and the family signed in Sanjeev Kumar , Rekha , Shashi Kapoor . DK fell ill suddenly and had to be hospitalized for about an year . The project was abandoned. D K was also operated upon for a malignant growth in his shoulder and finaly died of a heart attack at a young age of 63 years in 1979. His favourite child Reema was already married at that time . And by then he had also turned a grandfather .

ABRAR ALVI REMEMBERS HOW HE DIRECTED SEASONED ACTOR D K SAPRU IN 'SAHIB BIBI AUR GHULAM'..

From the book "Ten years with Guru Dutt Abrar Alvi's Journey"..

" Handling sapru was quite another matter though. He was a seasoned actor, and had fixed views on his method if delivering dialogues. Sapru believed that expression was controlled by breath , a laudable and worthy Idea, except for the fact that he had a rather pronounced belly that would bounce around with his deep breaths.

I was worried that his dialogue style would diminish his presence on screen. I had to find a way of ensuring that character of sapru remained a larger than life one. After all, sapru played the master of the Haveli , the elder brother who ruled over zamindari ,the Haveli and was the keeper of its "Morality" , despite his own wanton ways.

I did away with a lot of sapru 's dialogues. I trimmed his scenes and ensured that his lackeys spoke on his behalf. Needless to say, sapru was distraught ,But i reassured him. I told him that by speaking little and looking imposing and regal, he would come across as a sinister personality whose very appearance on screen would inform the audience that there was trouble ahead.
When i wanted him to order murder of Chhoti Bahu, i had the lackeys ,hefty men who looked like executioners,come up to him and say
"Hathiyaaron ko zung lag gayi hai ,Sarkaar" , And had him take off his ring and hand it to them. The effect of that scene is chilling and marks his personality in no uncertain manner.
I told sapru " Sapru sahib, you will score , your character will remain memorable , i am approaching it differently ." And to my credit, it worked wonderfully well."

Permit to end this write up on Sapru or the forgotten star of yesterdays with some lines from an urdu poem kal Aur Aaj composed by Prof. Ale Ahmed Suroor of Lucknow.. Prof Suroor lived in kashmir till his retirement and was an Urdu scholar and an authority on English poetry as well. . He himself was a sensitive and serious Urdu poet . I am a great admirer of his poem Kal Aur Aaj . This learnt professor continues to have a large fan following in Kashmir where he taught in his capacity as s senior faculty member of Kashmir university .

(A)

Chaandani kaif_asar Rooh_Afzaa hotee thi,

Abr Aataa thaa to badmast bhi ho Jaate thhay.

Din me shorish bhi huaa karati thhi Hangaame bhi,

Raat ki godh me munh Dhaanp ke so Jaate thay.

Narm Rau Waqt ke dhaare pe Safiine thhay ravaan,

Saahil-o-Bahr ke Aaiin na badalate thhay kabhi.

Naakhudaaon pe Bharosaa thhaa Muqaddar pe yaqeen,

Chaadar-e-Aab se tuufaan na ubalatay thhay kabhi.

Ham ke tuufaanon ke Paale bhi Sataaye bhi hain,

Barq-o-Baaraan mein vohi shamein jalaayein kaisay.

Ye jo Aatish_kadaa Duniyaa me bhadak Uthaa hai,

Aansuon se ussay har baar bujhaayein kaisay.

Kar Diyaa barq-o-bukhaaraat ne mahashar Barpaa,

Apane daftar me litaafat ke sivaa kuchh bhii nahin.

Ghir gaye Waqt ki Berahm kashaakash me magar,

Paas tahazeeb ki Daulat ke siva kuchh bhi nahin.

( Prof Ale Ahmed Surooor)

In simple English above lines can be put as

(A)

The moonlight used to be enjoyable and soul satisfying ,

The clouds would make us joyful and free of worries .

Days would be noisy and eventful,

And the Night would lull us to sleep in her lap.

Our ships would glide on soft waves ,

Never would the rules of the ocean or beaches change .

We moved ahead trusting fate and the paddlers ,

The sheets of water would never pour out storms for us .

We who have been brought up and put to grief by these storms ,

How can we lit those candles again in this lightening and storm?.

This fire that is engulfing our world lately,

God! How can it be doused with tears alone every time?

This lightening and the heat created,

Appears like the day of the last Judgement in our world,

And now in our dealings nothing exists beyond politeness .

Trapped we have been by this merciless time and the struggle ,

But for the wealth of our culture,

we have Nothing to put on display in these bare hands .

(Sunday 7th april 2013 , Time 1.30 PM.. Good Day .)

(My special thanks shall always remain to Reema Sapru ( Reema Rakesh Nath) as I have used some details from her interviews as inputs for this write up. I also remain indebted to this Grand Sapru family for allowing me to use some family photographs. Grateful .. )

Added on 01.03.2016

On 01.03.2016 , Preeti Sapru and her Brother Tej Sapru were special Guests invited to a Function organized inside Abhinav Theatre Jammu . A special CD of well known kashmiri singer late Vijay Malla was released by them . This CD (kashmiri Songs) release function was organised by Kuldeep Saproo , a Jammu Based Musician and composer . Other dignitaries who participated in this function were Sh Khurshhed Ahmed Ganai ( IAS ) Advisor to Governor of J&K , Sh Kuldeep Khuda ( IPS ) Vigilance Commissioner J&K, Sh. Kuldeep Wattal Ex Municipal Commissioner Jammu , Columnist and Theatre Critic Ravinder kaul, Noted Kashmiri Singers Waheed Jeelani and Smt Kailash Mehra and many more . Both Preeti Sapru and her brother Tej Sapru were more than happy for getting connected to their family roots through this event.

Three Photographs of the event are uploaded . For these photographs , My special Thanks to Sh Ravinder Kaul and Sh Kuldeep Saproo ..

( Punjabi and Hindi Cinema Actress Preeti Sapru , Kuldeep Saproo and Ravinder Kaul releasing the CD )

( Dignitaries on Dais for the CD Release Function )

( Bollywood Actor Sh Tej Sapru Presents a trophy to Mrs Kailash Mehra Sadhu for her contribution towards kashmiri Music while Sh. Kuldeep Khuda ( IPS ) Looks on )

CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.