Pritish Nandy Death: Jaya Bachchan, Rakhee Gulzar, Manoj Bajpayee Remember 'The Rupert Murdoch Of India' - EXCL

On 09 Jan 2025 11:05:01

Pritish Nandy's impact on Indian media is unmatched. He revolutionised print journalism in the 1980s with his bold,

Pritish Nandy's impact on Indian media is unmatched. He revolutionised print journalism in the 1980s with his bold, informative style. He died at 73 on Wednesday. In an exclusive chat with Zoom, Jaya Bachchan, Rakhee Gulzar, and Manoj Bajpayee, paid tribute to him and talked about his legacy in journalism and the arts. Read on!

The loss of Pritish Nandy to the media world is irreplaceable. When he stormed into the print medium in the 1980s simultaneously editing several publications including the high-profile The Illustrated Weekly Of India (which he took over from the other formidable journalist Khushwant Singh) and Filmfare, he ushered in a much-needed revolution in print journalism: irreverent, iconoclastic, audacious bold, in-your-face, erudite and informative, he was the embodiment of that reform which journalism badly needed at that time.

Celebs remember Pritish Nandy

Besides being a media baron, Pritish Nandy was also very close to many of the biggest Filmistan personalities, among them actresses Jaya Bachchan and Rakhee Gulzar.

Remembering the legend, Jaya Bachchan told Zoom, "Pritish Nandy brought in a new language, a new rhythm of expression into popular journalism. He was not just an entertaining journalist but also a very erudite man. He could discuss any topic under the sun with authority. Some of his interviews were sensational and historic. I remember my interview with him where I said things that got me into trouble. He was a rabble-rouser in the most positive way. There was a time when he just took over! Many media persons were envious of him."

Rakhee Gulzar remembers Pritish Nandy as a man of letters. "He loved cinema, poetry and theatre. He was a true connoisseur of the arts. He was a visionary. But all the knowledge sat very easily on his shoulders. His interviews, including the ones with me, brought out the side of the interviewee’s personality that no one else could. His interviews with Lataji and Kishore Kumarji are timeless."

Manoj Bajpayee remembers the awe that the man and his name evoked. He told us, "I came much after his days as a media baron. But Pritish Nandy was a name that evoked awe and respect. I think every ambitious journalist wants to be like him. We can compare him to Rupert Murdoch."