When Ketan Desai Helped His Father Manmohan Desai Find Love Again

Bollywood is full of interesting stories. One such story of a director is no less than a Hindi film. It involves the life story of a director who gave back-to-back 7 Silver Jubilee and 4 Golden Jubilee films. When the wife of this director passed away, he was drowned in grief. His son could not see this sorrow. Later, the son came to know that his father was secretly in love with an actress Nanda. He went to her and presented the marriage proposal of his father. The director in conversation here is none other than Manmohan Desai and his son Ketan Desai.

Manmohan Desai directed several superhit films with Amitabh Bachchan including Coolie, Mard, Ganga Jamuna Saraswati, Desh Premee, Naseeb, Suhaag and Amar Akbar Anthony. Manmohan Desai made a total of 23 films in his career out of which 15 were blockbusters. The director fell in love with a girl named Prabha who lived in his neighbourhood. The couple agreed to the marriage, but the family was against the relationship. Later they agreed and got married. After marriage, they had a son named Ketan. He grew up to become a film director. When Manmohan Desai was reaching the heights of fame, his wife died in 1979.

After his wife’s death, Manmohan Desai was completely shattered. He couldn’t focus on his work and decided to shift away from films. After Ketan Desai encouraged his father this led to films like Coolie and Desh Premee.

After the loss of his wife, Manmohan Desai lived a lonely life. Meanwhile, his eyes fell on actress Nanda. He started liking Nanda secretly. When son Ketan came to know about this, he also talked to Nanda’s close friend Waheeda Rehman. She invited Desai and Nanda for dinner. Sensing the right opportunity, Manmohan Desai told Nanda about his feelings. A few months later, they got into marriage.

“Both I and my wife Kanchan had gone to Nanda ji with father Manmohan Desai’s proposal. I was ready to do anything for my father. My father was very romantic at heart but was unable to express his feelings to Nanda Ji. I told Nanda Ji that she could have a happy life with our family. I asked her to marry my father. Nanda Ji was very dignified and cheerful. People from both sides attended their engagement. After the engagement, Manmohan ji lived for about two years.” said Ketan Desai while talking to the media.

Manmohan Desai died on Match 1, 1994, two years after he engaged with Nanda.