Yesteryears’ actor A.K. Hangal, who has entertained us in over 125 films, including as Rahim Chacha in Sholay, is struggling for life with kidney disease. The 95-year-old actor’s medicine bills alone amounts to `15,000 per month and is in a dire situation to meet the requirement and the only family member left to look after him is Hangal’s 74-year-old son, Vijay, a retired photographer.
With the actor getting the media attention, it is heartening to see a few of who’s who come forward to help the ailing actor. Moved by Hangal’s plight, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who has also been associated with the film industry as a script writer, has shot off letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan asking them not only to offer some help to the ailing artiste, but also create an institutional mechanism to lend financial support to artistes, when they are in dire need.
“The most important thing is that Mr Hangal gave his whole life to cinema and society. It is most unfortunate that he is suffering, as he has no money to get medical aid at this age. This is a serious problem, which is not limited only to Hangal saheb. I have asked both the PM and the Maharashtra chief minister to ensure that such people, who are involved in cinema and society must get assistance, when they need it,” Mr Naqvi said. The BJP leader informed that he has handed over his two-month’s salary (`1 lakh) to Hangal’s son Vijay and asked him to keep in touch for any future need. “I have been trying to get more fund for the actor, who happens to be a freedom fighter too. I have asked the Prime Minister to create a permanent institutional mechanism so that the Centre can offer help to such people in the society. But this should be set up with a single window system, sans bureaucratic red-tapes,” Mr Naqvi said.