Rebel with a cause, actor Deb Mukerji passes away

Mumbai: Veteran actor Deb Mukerji passed away at age 83 at his Juhu residence Friday. He had been hospitalised after suffering an ailment recently.His powerful performances in 'Ek Baar Mooskura Do', 'Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki', 'Adhikar', 'Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool' and 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar' earned him a special place among the talented Mukerji clan of film artists and directors.Debu, as he was fondly called, was the younger son of the illustrious Sashadhar Mukherjee of Filmalaya, brother of Joy Mukherjee, and his mother Satirani was Ashok Kumar's sister. Debu's son Ayan Mukerji is a director of renown and his daughter Sunita is married to director Ashutosh Gowariker. Kajol and Rani Mukerji are his nieces. Often cast as the misunderstood rebel and angry young man, Debu was relegated to second hero even though he had perfected each aspect of his art. His extraordinary dancing skills were evident in 'Milte hi rahenge hum, badlein sau nazaare' (Abhinetri) where he partnered Hema Malini so ably he made her husband Shashi Kapoor jealous. That acting was in Debu's blood became evident in his confrontation scenes with Nutan in 'Main Tulsi..'As romantic hero he gave his best opposite close friend Tanuja in 'Ek Baar Mooskura Do'. The hurt in his eyes seemed to have inspired Kavi Pradeep's lyrics 'Chal akela chal akela' (Sambandh). And uncle Ashok Kumar's transformation from upright professor to criminal in 'Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool' clearly destroyed his soul.Debu's last rites were performed at Pavan Hans crematorium in Juhu. Celebrities including Tanuja, Kajol, Jaya and Shweta Bachchan, Karan Johar, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt arrived at son Ayan's residence to offer condolence.Debu had taken over the mantle as main organiser of his ancestral North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja which is the Mukerji family's Pujo in Juhu. He ably steered it to its 75th anniversary in 2022, where his keen oversight ensured that thousands of devotees went home happy.