By Ranjona Banerji
The sudden death of journalist, writer and lately, literary festival owner Anil Dharker on the morning of March 26, has sent shock waves of grief through the media industry and the larger world of readers. Although details are awaited, it appears that he had a scheduled bypass surgery on Thursday.
Dharker was a man who wore many hats, successfully. He was editor of some of India’s most well-known publications, typical of the breezy Bombay style unlike the turgid journals of Delhi. Like the Bombay of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, Dharker brought freedom of expression and high literary and cultural content to the journals he edited. These included The Illustrated Weekly of India, The Independent, Debonair, Mid-day and Sunday Mid-Day.
Although he is most noted for his work in the print media, Dharker had a varied career which included academics, working for an architectural firm, films (as head of NFDC) and television. He was a man of ideas, known for his idiosyncratic ways and style – including his well-kept mane of hair and must-play daily game of tennis at the Bombay Gym!
Dharker was a prolific columnist for a number of publications, writing about issues as varied as theatre, tennis, politics and social norms. His writing had both wit and content, and reflected his strong liberal stance. He also wrote several books, prominent amongst which was The Romance Salt, on Gandhi’s Dandi march and that magical substance.
From 2010, he was best known as the founder of the Mumbai International Literary Festival, one of the best of its kind. It attracted writers and presenters from all over the world and of course, its fair share of controversy!
I never worked with Anil, but I knew him well over the years. As a columnist and later as a friend. He was a massive tennis and Roger Federer fan and like many diverse people, we share messages as the tennis great goes through his ups and downs. Anil’s column on Federer’s changing backhand years ago is one of the best I’ve read. He would joke that he understood Federer because they were both Leos!
This loss is very sudden and for many of us friends, readers, Mumbai journalists and will take time to process.
Deepest condolences to his daughter, his partner, his sisters and extended family and friends. We share in your shock and grief.
A TVC or DVC or any other video needs to be judged in its totality. We all have our own palate for judging them and brand them as good or bad. We must realise, there will be frames you did not like and could have been done better. The casting, editing, script, dialogues, direction- there are multiple possibilities of areas to excel and go down.