Shocking! Jagjit Singh Had To Pay a Bribe to Get Son's Body, Mahesh Bhatt Shares: 'He Understood...'

Mahesh Bhatt opened up about Jagjit Singh’s son’s death. For the unversed, Jagjit Singh lost his son Vivek Singh in 1990. The 20-year-old died in a car accident. Mahesh Bhatt, in a chat with Anupam Kher, opened up about Jagjit’s son’s death while talking about the film Saaransh. He noted that Jagjit truly resonate with the film after he lost his only son to the car accident. Mahesh revealed that Jagjit had to pay a bribe to gain access to his son’s mortal remains.

As reported by The Indian Express, the filmmaker said, “When the son of Jagjit Singh passed away in a tragic accident, he told me that he had to pay bribe to junior officers get his son’s body and that’s when he understood the importance of Saaransh. That how much a common man struggles, to get the dead body of their own. All these are living reference points for the film.” Following his death, Jagjit’s wife Chitra Singh, who was also a popular singer, stopped singing. The couple had a daughter as well, who died in 2009.

Saaransh completed 40 years of release on Tuesday. The film starred Anupam Kher and Rohini Hattangadi in the lead. The film revolved around an elderly Maharashtrian couple who lose their only son and are coming to terms with his death. The film sheds light on grief, old age anxiety, loneliness, and corruption.

The film marked Anupam Kher’s debut film and is still considered as one of his best works. The actor was only 28 years old when he took on the role of a 60-year-old man. The film won National Film Award for Best Lyrics, Filmfare Best Actor for Anupam Kher, and Filmfare Best Story (Mahesh Bhatt). Following Saaransh, Anupam Kher and Mahesh Bhatt collaborated on a few more films, including Daddy and Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin.