Legendary actor Prakash Mehra who introduced Bollywood to angry young man Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer expired yesterday morning. His death gave a big blow to Amitabh Bachchan who recalls with nostalgia the memories of the man who made him a star.

Amitabh writes, “It was early 1971 when I met Prakashji for the first time at RajKamal Studios. He had come to ask me to work in his first home production film, Zanjeer. Salim-Javed that had written the script, had suggested my name to him. He had had a few successes as an individual director with the stars of the day — Dharamji.

He addressed me endearingly as ‘Lalla’ as did I him and each time he would be impressed by a shot that I gave, he would quietly walk up to me and kiss my forehead. He had an air of fun and comedy about him. Many a humorous moment in his films were on the spot instinctive introductions; though his own suppressed laughter, during the time of its enactment once the cameras were rolling, remained a perennial distraction for the artist and more particularly for the sound recordist! On many an occasion we had to plead with him to leave the set in order to be able to ‘can’ the shot without interruption.

He remained my neighbour throughout his film career; sympathetic and caring in moments of distress and exuberant in our moments of joy. He named his second son Amit after me and remained a proud father to his other two, Sumeet and Puneet. He bore the trauma of his ailing wife, lying in coma for years at his house, with great fortitude.

We have lost a great filmmaker and a wonderful human. Lalla, I shall miss you. May you remain in peace wherever you are.