The resident artist

Painter Jatin Das was reluctant to share his canvas with anyone... until he discovered that 'anyone' was Dilip Kumar. Ace painter Jatin Das was very clear that he didn't want to share his canvas with non-painters. He asked, "Will a classical singer like it if a non-classical singer shares his stage?" That's why when NGO Khushi, which works for Mumbai's street children, invited him to paint with a celebrity for a cause, Das declined initially."For me, my space is sacred," he maintained. But when he saw Dilip Kumar's name in the list, Jatin couldn't say no.
And so the Bollywood octogenarian's sitting room in his Bandra bungalow had a huge white canvas put up and fresh tubes of paint and brushes kept ready for the painter and actor with artistic inclination on Thursday evening. "This is not my scene, I would rather keep away from it," Jatin grumbled, until Dilip Kumar came over. The two were meeting after 38 years and Jatin immediately regaled the thespian with details of that meeting. Don't know if Dilip Kumar remembered, but he smiled, especially when Jatin said, "I have been a longtime friend of your brother Ayub and sister Saeeda."
Then Dilip Kumar took to the canvas and made a few strokes. "I have always been interested in creative art, but never got the chance to pursue it. I wouldn't say I am heavily inclined. At this point, I am trying to paint the face of a man who has seen time in all its entirety. Maybe the face is mine," he revealed, while putting paint to canvas. "I love to interpret art. I have lots of favourite artists, both foreign and Indian, but as of now, I can only name Jatin and MF Husain."
Jatin, meanwhile, sportingly left most of the canvas to the actor and his wife, Saira Banu. Said Saira, "It took me almost eight months to convince Saab to do this. His age doesn't permit him much liberty, but once he is convinced , he just enjoys doing such things. He has an artistic bent of mind. In earlier days, when my make-up man would be working on me, Saab would always make suggestions and I would listen to him. That aside, he was a great help to my mother, who was a jewellery designer."
The painting, incidentally, will be auctioned and the proceeds will go towards a charity the NGO supports.
caltimes@timesgroup.com