I remember, during Qurbani, we weren’t shooting together every day. But we would make it a point to drop by at each other’s house. No day was complete without meeting. We remained thick friends throughout — we lost touch only when I was at the ashram. But as soon as I returned, he was the first one to offer me work. I then did his Dayavan.

I may not have been able to be there in Bangalore today, but I’m glad I met him before I left for Punjab for the election campaign. He was in hospital and when I went to visit him, I told him that I didn’t like what I saw. He replied: ‘Kya karein, VK?’ I told him that he’s always been a fighter and he has to fight this too. And he did. To his last breath.

(As told to Dipti Nagpaul-D’Souza in Mumbai)