The shocking report of eminent photo-journalist roaming disoriented and disheveled on the streets of Mumbai has sent shockwaves across the film industry. Reacting sharply to the deplorable negligence of someone so important to the entertainment industry, actress Rakhee who now lives in semi-retirement on her posh farm outside Mumbai said, "It's disturbing to hear something like this. In our country there is no social-security system to ensure such things don't happen."
However, it now appears as though there is more to this horrific report of a neglected denizen than meets the eye.
Apparently, Jagdish Mali's mental and physical condition is not only normal, his ostensibly aimless wandering on the streets was more imagined than reality.
And starlet Mink Brar who apparently witnessed Jagdish Mali's purportedly poignant predicament, now faces legal trouble from the retired photo-journalist's close family and friends.
Speaking on behalf of the affronted family, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, a close friend of the Malis, says, "This is so wrong! We're shocked at the lengths people go to just to get publicity. What is Mink Brar talking about? Jaggu (Jagdish Mali) is not a crazed-out wanderer on the streets. We don't know what she saw or rather didn't see. All we know is someone somewhere misinformed the press."
Ashoke says, Jagdish Mali is of fine mental and physical health. "He suffers from the normal ailments at that age. So what? That doesn't make him a nutcase wandering on the streets. Jaggu is a dear and close friend. I meet him regularly. And would we his friends and family allow him to wander on the streets if he was really unwell?"
Describing Jagdish as a faqir, Ashoke says the man has very few needs. "This man that Ms Brar saw walking 'aimlessly' on the roads half-naked, is a faqir. Jaggu is in shorts most of the time. He lives an austere life. He hasn't touched a drop of alcohol for the past 15 years."
Ashoke says Jagdish Malis' well-wishers are sending a legal notice to Mink.
Angered and saddened Ashoke Pandit says, "What she has done is wrong. It is very unfair to Jaggu and his daughter Antara lives in town with her husband and has a baby to look after. She is a good daughter. She takes good care of her father. We are taking legal action against Ms. Brar for serving up misinformation to the media for her own interests. You can't do this to someone who defined glam-journalism in the 1970s just because he is no longer in demand."
In the meanwhile, reactions regarding the story pour in from all quarters. Raveena Tandon who looks after her parents while running her own household thinks such sordid situations can be avoided. "It can happen to anyone from any walk of life. Everyone gets old. Everyone needs a support system. Friends can only provide moral support. It's the family that needs to look after its senior members."
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