/> That Rajesh Khanna is being honoured with a Padma Bhushan is a good thing. That he is being honoured after his death is not such a good thing.

Why wait for the legends to die before honouring them? No wonder Mahesh Bhatt called us a land of carcass worshippers. Trust the carcass worshippers to turn into Kaka-worshipper when our beloved Rajesh Khanna, aka, Kaka is no more.

One wonders who would collect this one-time superstar's award since his home, property and domestic jurisdiction are all under dispute. We can't honour the dead legend's memory by letting him rest in peace. So why honour him with a Padma award a good 35 years after his heydays are over?

Between 1969 and 1974 Rajesh Khanna saw the kind of stardom no other actor had ever seen. Shouldn't the government have honoured him closer to his glory days? If not, then at least while he was still alive to go on stage and recite the immortal lines that Sahir Ludhianvi wrote for the superstar in Yash Chopra's Daag. Aap, aap kya jaane mujhko samajte hai kya

Main to kuch bhi nahi.

Is kadr pyar itni badi bheed ka main rakhunga kahan?

is kadr pyar rakhne ke kaabil nahi

Mera dil meri jaan

mujhko itni mohabbat na do doston

mujhko itni mohabbat na do doston

Soch lo doston

is qadr pyar kaise sambhalunga main

Main to kuch bhi nahi


The other posthumous winner from the entertainment industry Jaspal Bhatti seems a bit of a sentimental choice.

A leading entertainer from Bollywood on condition of anonymity opined, `With due respects to Jaspal Bhattiji he was a terrific comic talent. But would he have received the Padma Sri, let alone the Padma Bhushan had he not passed away so suddenly in a road accident last year? `


There seems to be no quibble over Sharmila Tagore getting the Padma Bhushan. Having worked with directors as distinctive as Satyajit Ray and O. P. Ralhan she epitomizes the spectral spirit of the entertainment industry and also has to her credit a substantial body of work besides acting.


The Padma Sri for Sridevi and Nana Patekar have also gone to the deserving.

Said director S Balki who produced Sridevi's comeback film English Vinglish, `Sri brings to honour to the national award with her presence. It's not just the fact that she has made a glorious comeback with Engish Vinglish. Her repertoire of work in 3 languages spans a good 30 years of solid performances. `

Nana Patekar is of course much more than an actor.


`He gives so much to society that is not written about. He is a farmer and a social worker. Unlike other showbiz folks who first invite the press and then do charitable work Nana hates it if anyone gets to know about his work for social causes. So please don't mention my name. But he desetves a lot more than just a Padma Sri, ` says a close friend of Nana.


As for Ramesh Sippy this is not just the director of arguably the most successful Hindi film ever (Sholay) but also a prominent spokesperson of the film industry and someone who genuinely cares for the Indian film industry.