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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Curtains down on legendary actress Vijaya Mehta

She mentored actors like Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher Mumbai: The curtains fell for the last time on the Grand Dame of acting, Vijaya Mehta - one of India’s most acclaimed actresses, director, producer, writer and visionary – whose immense contributions to mainstream and parallel cinema and theatre influenced generations of actors and filmmakers. The National Award-winning actress passed away at her Mumbai residence late on Tuesday at 91. Her last rites were performed at the Shipdham...

Curtains down on legendary actress Vijaya Mehta

She mentored actors like Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher Mumbai: The curtains fell for the last time on the Grand Dame of acting, Vijaya Mehta - one of India’s most acclaimed actresses, director, producer, writer and visionary – whose immense contributions to mainstream and parallel cinema and theatre influenced generations of actors and filmmakers. The National Award-winning actress passed away at her Mumbai residence late on Tuesday at 91. Her last rites were performed at the Shipdham Crematorium in Goregaon east this afternoon in the presence of her family, a large number of film personalities and her admirers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress Leaders of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, CM Devendra Fadnavis and many other dignitaries paid rich tributes to Vijaya Mehta. Acting Institution Considered an institution in acting in her own right, Vijaya Mehta was a quiet but stern perfectionist who mentored some of the top actors like Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher, Neena Kulkarni and many others over decades. Fondly addressed as ‘Bai’ by her students and upcoming actors, Vijaya Mehta seamlessly combined intellectual rigours of a scholar and a sensitive artist, firmly believing that acting was not about applause but of truth, discipline and honesty before the audiences. Belonging to a bygone era when plays served as a vehicle to educate, provoke and transform society through stories, and over six decades, she came to be regarded as the ‘conscience keeper’ of serious theatre, long before ‘experimental theatre’ became a vogue. She constantly breathed new life into Marathi theatre in different ways that influenced new actors, directors and earned public approval. Born in Baroda State in 1934 at Vijaya Jaywant, she came to Mumbai at a young age and graduated from the University of Mumbai, with acting remaining her passion during her college days. She performed as Desdemona in a production of William Shakespeare’s 1604 classic play, “Othello” and her acting caught the eye of the renowned theatre guru, Ebrahim Alkazi, who trained and guided her. Rangayan Launched In 1960, Vijaya Mehta, along with other stalwarts like Adi Marzban, Vijay Tendulkar, Dr Shriram Lagoo and Arvind Deshpande, founded a theatre group, Rangayan. Meanwhile, in the mid-1950s she married Harin Khote, the son of the veteran actress Durga Khote, but after his sudden passing in 1964, she married theatre personality Farrokh Mehta a few years later. Jostling for space with the prosperous commercial theatre, over the years, it went onto produce many pioneering and influential plays earning itself a formidable reputation in ‘parallel theatre’ with bold themes, grandiose productions and exemplary performances that catapulted Marathi theatre to national repute. Several of her productions and directions became legendary – Ek Shunya Bajirao, Ajab Nyay Vartulacha, Hayavadana, Mudrarakshasa, Shakuntal, and Hamidabaichi Kothi, Mahasagar, Chairs – besides adaptation of several international classics, and each bearing her signature of meticulous preparations, sensitive performances and artistic excellence from all. Theatre to Cinema The full-house responses to her productions drew the attention of cinema and she ventured both in front of and behind the camera, in various capacities. Vijaya Mehta’s films ‘Rao Saheb’ (1986) for which she won the National Award for Supporting Actress that year, and ‘Pestonjee’ (1988) rank among the landmarks of parallel cinema for their subtle story-telling along with deep characterisation. As an actor, she gave some memorable performances in the much-applauded Govind Nihalani’s film ‘Kalyug’ (1981), “Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho!”, “Akriet”, “The Mist”, and a Mahesh Eklunchwar’s famed play “Wada Chirebandi” (1985), which she made into a television film, “Haveli Buland Thi” (1987). She also acted in the film “Party” (1984), also penned by Mahesh Eklunchwar. Over the years, she was decorated with many honours and awards, including the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Kalidas Samman, Maharashtra’s highest cultural honours and numerous lifetime achievement awards. Vijaya Mehta: A taskmaster Film industry circles credit Vijaya Mehta not only for her own achievements, but also shaping generations of actors and film-makers to make them masters in the trade. Some of those whose skills she honed include: Nana Patekar, Anupam Kher, Neena Kulkarni, Mohan Agashe, Bharti Achrekar, Sonali Kulkarni, and in his early years, even Akshay Kumar benefited from her guidance and even from her autobiography, “Zimma: A Memoir” (2012). As news of her passing spread today, her disciples, Bollywood and Marathi film industry actors and legions of fans poured their emotions for Vijaya Mehta today on social media.

Indian Shipbuilding A Must Win Marathon

Shipbuilding

With a coastline of 7500 KM, it is hard to imagine, that for the first 20 years (1947-1967) India had no ‘shipping ministry’. In 1967 a Shipping ministry “coupled” with ROAD transport was established. Since then, this ministry has been on a name changing ride, not once, not twice but six times. In 2009 the “ROAD Transport and Highways” was de-coupled and ‘Shipping’ ministry was formed. Turning point came in 2015 with a clear maritime vision for 2030 and 2047. Ministry was re-christened, aptly to Ministry of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” in 2020.


Why is Shipbuilding important for a country?

a. A Shipyard becomes an opportunity hub and like a queen bee requires the support of an industrial colony to manufacture machinery and equipment.

b. National Shipyards support fleet renewal needs of the Navy.

c. Contributes to national GDP, increases inflow of FOREX.


Korea shipbuilding is 8% of GDP. Japan’s automobile industry is 2.9% of GDP. India’s shipbuilding a meagre 0.000578% of GDP. In context, India’s pharmaceutical industry, ranked third largest in the world is 1.72% of India’s GDP.


International Shipbuilding Market

The market is estimated to reach around USD 200 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.84%. While India is at bottom with 0.07% of world share, behind Philippines 1.5% and Vietnam 1%, however on the positive side, India has done well in taking care of its defence needs, with 37 of 39 Naval ships being built in India yards. Rear Admiral S Shrikhande researching on maritime as a Fellow at Wollongong University, Australia, says “Shipbuilding in India needs both, serious incentivisation and dogged determination and not harping on being a big ship breaking country. That Garden Reach shipyard has a $54 million order for merchant ships from a German owner, is a good sign.”


Were Shipyards of 20th century in Flight mode?

Prominent shipyards in India were built in the colonial period. Mazagon Dock 1774, Garden reach 1884, Hindustan shipyard 1941 to cater to British navy and merchant fleet needs. Cochin shipyard 1972, Adani Katupalli 2013, Reliance Naval and Engineering, Rajula Gujarat 1997 and others have limited capacity, hence a lot more work to do. Capt. Subhangshu Dutt (Singapore) a mariner and now a shipowner, says “GOI should hold hands in any collaboration till the marriage with the foreign entity is reasonably stable. He also suggests that “new shipbuilding sites should be given to existing successful shipyards since they have decades of experience and talent. Consortium of 3 or more parties may also be good idea”.


Shipbuilding GOLD

As per SPLASH report the demand for LCO2 carriers could reach 2,500 ships by 2050. As per other estimates, 40% of global fleet of ships could have wind propulsion by 2050. A surge in such vessels is due to an unparallel waves of decarbonization in the shipping industry. Demand for ships with ‘carbon neutral’ badges, such as Dual fuel, Wind assisted, Nuclear fuel ships, Hydrogen powered ships, Liquified CO2 (LCO2) carrier, is outstripping supply. A must in the ‘bucket list’ of every Shipyard. Pinning down a standard ROI in shipbuilding is not easy, but experts suggest it could range from 4% to 15% for the high demand ‘carbon neutral’ ships. While an LNG new build vessel could cost US$ 250 million upwards.


International collaboration

On China’s shipbuilding success story, Manoj Pandalanghat (Singapore) a mariner and ship owner believes that “China has around 50 active Shipyards. Each have a few large dry docks. In each dock two or more large vessels are built simultaneously. Thus, a single yard is able to roll out 2/3 vessels/month, 36 vessels/year and 50 shipyards roll out 1800 vessels/year”.


China could be a jaldi-5, but India needs a sturdy Mount Fiji. Besides technology, Japanese bring the most important hand baggage of soft-skills and culture, essential for success from keel laying to delivery. Maruti’s is a standing example.


Food for thought for New Delhi

a. Expertise: Hire Naval Architects and shipbuilding experts with current international experience.

b. Government assistance: Land, Financial support, subsidies and timebound clearances.

c. Monitoring: PMO should monitor the first 5 to 10 years till Shipbuilding takes-off on this long-haul flight to destination 2047.


India’s Shipbuilding is expected to grow to $237 billion by year 2047. On a back of the envelope calculations this works out to about 4% of India’s 2047 projected GDP of $ 5 trillion. While cars are driven on roads, however the Ministry of roads and transport has little to do with “Automobile manufacturing”. On a similar note, ‘Shipbuilding’ as an industry has little to do with Ports, Shipping and Waterways, thus it may be worthwhile to consider a separate ‘Ship-building’ wing in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways headed by a dynamic cabinet rank minister. Since 2047 targets are stiff and an uphill task, so in all probabilities, the officials in Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways are likely to push beneath the carpet, delays and failures of Shipbuilding with sweet success stories of “Ports, Shipping and Waterways” and if this does happen then India will not only miss the Shipbuilding bus of 21st century but a lot more from a national security and strategic perspective.


(The author is a Shipping and Marine consultant. Member Singapore Shipping Association and empaneled with IMO as a specialist consultant. Views personal.)

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