What fascinated Habib Tanveer ..?

As a student of psychology , I read a number of theories about what motivates people? How we make choices? , How we decide? and so on.Psychologist have devoted a hell lot of their mind to propose plausible solutions.But still some people and their life form exception to all these theories.The path they chose and the life they led ,appears to me ,couldn’t be explained by any of these theories.One of them is famous dramatist Habib Tanveer,who left this world yesterday.
To mourn for his death , people from various sections of society offered their condolences,gratitudes ,affection and homage and many recounted their experiences with him, but here I was blaming him for his sudden departure.Can’t he wait for a couple of years or more as its too early for him to take leave from this world.
Born as हबीब अहमद खान on 1 september 1923 at Raipur.His nom de plume Tanveer became associated with his name and he became हबीब तनवीर.No it was not a drama when i first saw him,but a film Prahaar .It was a intense film.Although i was more impressed by the acting of protagonist of the film played by Nana and Madhuri as the wife of deceased army officer but i certainly noticed Habib who played role of disgusted, disgruntled and reticent father of the deceased army officer.Habib’s serious facial expression with an air of pride ,holding a pipe in his hand, delivering a few but impressive dialogues. His dominate eyes behind heavy glasses ,his calculated moves though looking as natural as they could, all these were signs pointing out that this person is not quite like the other oldies of the bollywood, there is something especial about him.then i saw him in some other movies and serials but never gave him a serious thought.Finally at Bhopal in a news article about him i understood that he is talented theatre artist infact a highly acclaimed one.I lso found that he was from Raipur Chhatisgarh and wrote and performed many Chhattisgarhi Dramas.I was understood the finesse in his acting was result of the midnight oil burned at the theatre. Knowing this made me quite puzzled.How came the Chhatisgarh which i know produce such an acclaimed theatre artist.because even after so man years people here are still struggling to solve questions of livelihood and art dance ,drama, singing still considered jobs of low strata of society (if not in cities atleast in villages).The region has at best produced some shrewd politicians infamous nationally ,how a theatre talent be born here? How come Habib ,that too in 30s,40s ,think of writing and performing drama ?Quite a difficult question even for my generation who calculates every decision on the balance of salary packages.
My doubt was partially answered by my mom who says that though people, at that time 60s,70,came generally from lower strata of society and were put in low esteem, it was not the case always. Some persons from good families (landlords ,priests) could not keep themselves away from the attraction of these arts.Also the crowd and the applause these moving drama companies or naacha/gammat party attracted can’t be compared with todays as television was least affordable.She says village people ,herself too, used to flung to the part of village where the naacha part has arrived.She admits proudly that Dau Ramchandra ,a theatre director being of our own caste , whenever came to perform near our village ,the family was entrusted to provide residence and food to his party.She says these dramas were able to spell magic upon its spectators. A scene from chandeni gonda in which the errant bahu cases troubles to her innocent saas,used to ignite so much anger among the audiences that some would hurl their shoes on the actor playing the bahu.Plays were performed using minimal paraphernalia under petronet lights, but still attracted spectators from far villages.
Knowing this I can guess a little , though crudely, why Habib , a young boy decided to be part of something which had potential to touch heart of a number of people and spark a flare in their eyes. Though i cant say more about the actual reason,as Habib could tell more about it himself .It is reported that he as working on his autobiography "हबीब का सफरनामा" for some time , may be that could provide some greater insight.
Poor people their joys, misery, intrigues and live, always formed part of Habib’s dramas which showed that the youth was also inspire but the spirit.But interestingly Habib in his last decades came to conclusion that “Revolutions cant spark from theatre ,let theatre be theatre”.
Questions like this and many more will remain about Habib in my heart also remain unfulfilled a wish to watch him performing on stage his play चरणदास चोर,a wish I harbored for a long time.Last time I saw him in the Subhash Ghai’s movie Black and White,he looked as quite young and pleasant. His last plat was "Rajrakt" based on a Rabindranath Tagore's "Visarjan"
In words of Habib sahib
“ मैं चला मैं चला
कभी इधर कभी उधर
मेरे संग चला
जिंदगी का सफर ”
May he get ,in the other world, the elusive peace that this world couldn’t provide him.