There are times when we all feel helpless. And this is one of those for me. I’ve lost a very close friend and I’m sad that I cannot pay him my respects in person. I’m at an election rally in Punjab right now while Feroz is in Bangalore, making his last journey.

We first met over 35 years ago. Back then, the industry was smaller and everyone knew everyone. However, it was only later that we became good friends, and over the years, our bond only strengthened. He’s one of the few close friends I had in the industry. He has of course also been my colleague, director and producer. We always used to address each other by our initials — I used to call him FK and he used to call me VK.

The industry has always had immense respect for him. To have worked here for five decades is not a small accomplishment. He not only established himself as an actor but was also an accomplished filmmaker. Feroz has given me some of my biggest hits, including Qurbani and Dayavan. He had a style so unique and vision so clear that most of his films have seen successful.

The charismatic actor was popular among all and was also known for his candidness and fearlessness. As a producer and director too, he shared a great rapport with his unit and was known to look after them. His sense of humour was what we most looked forward to on the sets. When meeting him, what was bound to strike you about him was that he was a voracious reader. His respect for all religions and cultures and his knowledge about them was admirable.

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