It is only fitting for a faceless character actor like Narendra Jha that one of his most popular works will be the voice-over from Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider. In one of the purest Bhardwaj-Shakespeare mashup moments, Jha’s character speaks from beyond the grave and says – “Haider, mera inteqaam lena… mere bhai se. Uski aankhon ke beech goliyaan daagna, jisse usne tumhari maa par fareb daale the.”
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As the news of the actor’s passing comes out, it’s hard to shake off the visual (from the same film) of him quietly resting on a rocking chair while listening to Mehdi Hassan’s Gulon Mein Rang Bhare.
Jha was only 55, and reports suggest that he died of a heart attack in his Wada farmhouse, earlier today. Undergoing treatment at the Kokilaben Hospital for a minor attack only a few days ago, Jha and his wife Pankaja (former CEO of the CBFC) had apparently retired to the farmhouse for the actor’s recovery.
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Having been an actor since the days of Mandira Bedi-starrer Shanti, one gets the feeling that Jha had only begun to make his way into mainstream consciousness with his big-budget releases like Raees, Kaabil (that co-incidentally released on the same day) and even Ashutosh Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro. Even though he appeared in Shyam Benegal’s Bose: The Forgotten Hero and in Samvidhaan, where he essayed the role of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Jha found some significant recognition only after his role as Dr Hilal Meer in Haider.
A family member confirmed the news to indianexpress.com saying, “Narendra Jha passed away at his farmhouse in Wada this morning at about 5 AM. He suffered a massive heart attack.” Reports indicate that Jha had just finished shooting for Salman Khan-starrer Race 3, and his final role will probably serve as a reminder of what could have been.
Another one gone too soon.
