Zohra Sehgal celebrated through arts festival

Zohra Sehgal, the grand old lady of Bollywood and international films was all of 102 when she died on July 14, 2014.  But she's not passé -- film buffs well remember her roles in films like “Dil Se”, “Sawaariya” “Cheeni Kum” and “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam”. 

She also achieved an international presence with “Bend It Like Beckham” and “Bhaji on the Beach”. Her occasional appearances in TV series such as “The Jewel in the Crown” and “Dr Who” were an added bonus for viewers.

To remember her, days before what would have been her 104th birthday, the Zohra Sehgal Festival of The Arts was recently held at India International Centre. “Our objective was to keep her memory alive,” says her daughter Kiran Sehgal, a well known Odissi dancer. 

Sehgal's own memories of her mother have not faded with time. “Since her passing away, flashes of her life with me have been passing through my mind and every memory has brought me to tears. Although we used to fight and disagree a lot I miss her now more than ever!

Sehgal's moving tribute to her mother spanned a photographic exhibition, panel discussion, film screening of “Bend It Like Beckham”, Odissi dance pieces by her great granddaughter Madhyama Sehgal, Dastangoi and two stage performances.

The art forms were eclectic -- much like Zohra herself who was a successful dancer before she turned actress. For many the highest point in the festival was Dastangoi, a 16th century Urdu storytelling form. The witty “Dastan-e-Choubuli” was an adaptation of a Rajasthani folk tale by noted author Vijaydan Detha.

For those who turned out for the recent festival it was two days well-spent and a good way to remember the 'great attention seeker', as Kiran describes her mother.