"No one from the Industry turned up for Feroz Khan's funeral" - Celina Jaitly
By Subhash K. Jha, May 2, 2009 - 11:35 IST
On Monday evening Celina Jaitly was very upset, and not just because her mentor and guide and friend Feroz Khan had passed away.
At the funeral in Bangalore, Celina was horrified to see the poor turn-out from the film industry. "There was just me, Sajid Khan, Sanjay Gupta and Kishen Kumar. No one else came from Mumbai except the entire family of Feroz Khan .Among the top stars there was only Hrithik…But he's family to the Khans."
Celina can't hold back her tears. "I was shooting in Delhi when I heard of Feroz's death. I couldn't get a direct flight, so I flew into Bangalore from Mumbai. I had to. I couldn't hold myself back. Feroz Khan was not just the man who gave me my first break. He was my dear friend. I am close to both his children Fardeen and Laila. As for Feroz, what can I say? I could discuss anything from Oscar Wilde to the latest Bollywood film with him. He inspired, amused and amazed me with his knowledge and enthusiasm."
The last time Celina met Feroz was three weeks ago. "I met him at the Breach Candy hospital. He got into his Versace track suit to meet me. That was the man, stylish even when he was in acute pain. He had needles sticking out of his body but he was wearing Versace. He said to me, 'Celina Baby (that's what he called me) Look at what these f***ers have done to me."
She bursts into tears. "I'll miss him so much. I've lost a dear friend, a father-figure. Years ago he had made Zeenat Aman a bikini girl in Qurbani. He made me the same in Janasheen. I'm very proud to be a Feroz Khan heroine."
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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