Bharat Bhushan's life has been moving like sunrise to sunset

Not everything in life is human. Man assumes something to become and becomes something. There are many such examples in the Hindi film industry. Ashok Kumar came to Mumbai from Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh to learn film editing but luck made him an actor. Similarly, Bharat Bhushan, the top hero of the 70's and 80's, came to Mumbai from his hometown Meerut to become a singer but became an actor. Very few of today's youth have heard the name Bharat Bhushan. He may not know that Bharat Bhushan was a superstar of his time. His name is taken with the trio of Dilip Kumar - Rajakpur - Dev Anand.

Bharat Bhushan came to Mumbai from Meerut in the 150's to realize his dream of becoming a singer. He was handsome and had innocence and gentleness on his face. Coincidentally, Bhushan got his first break not as a singer but as an actor. His first film was Chitralekha. It was at this time that Vijay Bhatt, the top Gujarati director of the time, wanted to make a film on Baijnath Mishra, the great musician of Emperor Akbar's time.

He wanted to have Dilip Kumar and Madhubala in the lead roles. But things did not work out that way. That is why musician Naushad Vijay Bhatt suggested the name of a very gentle looking young Bharat Bhushan. She was chosen for the film and her heroine was Meenakumari, Baiju Bawra became a super hit and her songs were sung in Galigali. Just then, Bharat Bhushan got an identity and his car sped off.

He then made many successful films like Mirza Ghalib, Bhaichara, Sawan, Janmashtami and Barsat Ki Raat. Luck was kind to him. Bharat Bhushan made about one and a half hundred films, out of which 30 hits and more than a dozen films became superhits. Bharat Bhushan is considered a superstar even by today's standards of Bollywood. Soon he started buying a bungalow in Mumbai. The most expensive cars were seen in the garage of his bungalow. For years he ruled the industry and suffered like a prince.

A few years later, Bhushan was suggested by his brother Ramesh to become a filmmaker and he obeyed and became a producer. This became the biggest mistake of his life. Two films produced by Bharat Bhushan, 'Basant Bahar' and 'Barsaat Ki Raat' were superhits but the rest of the films failed miserably at the box office.

The actor's treasury began to run out as one film after another flops under his production. They had a big debt and they almost became miserable. His big bungalows and luxury cars were sold. Until Bharat Bhushan had to sell his library books at a low price. An artist living in luxury like Rajvi had to move to Mumbai.

The belief that sorrow comes from all around is true for Bhushan. The financially strapped actor's wife died suddenly during childbirth. Wife Sharda left two young daughters and passed away. This was a big shock for Bharat Bhushan. One of his daughters was physically and mentally handicapped from birth. In order to save his daughters, the actor got married to actress Ratna, who worked with him on a rainy night the following year. The rising sun-worshiping film industry began to distance itself from Bharat Bhushan.

The roles in the films stopped coming and the actors were pushed into poverty. While at home the young handicapped young daughter was worried. In the midst of all this, Bhushan was completely broken from within. He had to sell his magnificent bungalow to his friend Rajendra Kumar. This was the same bungalow that superstar Rajesh Khanna bought from Rajendra Kumar years later and named it 'Ashirwad'. Khanna's star was lofty. Ashirwad Bungalow then became the most famous address in Mumbai.

Bhushan's wife Ratna played small roles in films and serials and barely ran a household. This writer was once seen playing a minor role in a film. There was a room scene and a song was being pictured on the set. A veteran artist like Bharat Bhushan was sitting with Sanjida in one corner of the set. There was no expression on his face other than helplessness. It was learned from the assistant director that he was paid only a thousand rupees for the role of Sanjida.

Bharat Bhushan also spent the last few days in a small room and suffered from a long illness. He passed away on January 6, 1914 in abject poverty. It has been almost 3 years since his death but he is not remembered in Bollywood by any mistake. Where do worshipers of the rising sun have time to look at the setting sun?