Mumbai, Feb 12: He cannot get over the fact that he has ended up in Dharavi's slums. M S Shinde, the man who has edited over 100 hit films, including Sholay, Seeta Aur Geeta and Sagar, has been living in PMGP Colony, Dharavi, for the last six months.
"I want to get out of this place," said the 81-year-old, lament evident in his voice. His daughter Achla, who takes care of him, said: "We were forced to come here when our building in Parel (where Shinde lived for 48 years) collapsed. The building's owner refused to help us and we had to apply to Mhada, which granted us this 160-sq-ft room."
Shinde recently had femur surgery and has a cataract operation scheduled for next week. Clearly, his magic in Bollywood hasn't helped him much financially. It has also been a question of time: he got a princely sum of Rs 2,000 for editing Sholay, a film with one of the best technical quotient in Bollywood.
"I worked with Sippy Films on a salary of Rs 2,000 (per film) all my life. I didn't mind the salary because they allowed me to take up work outside," he said.
Incidentally, Shinde and Achla were collecting their belongings from the site of the building collapse on the day Sholay marked 35 years.
"Although my father has won awards for the film, he was never invited to any of its celebrations. We stayed at the building site for a couple of days before shifting to Dharavi," Achla said.
Shinde has worked with other top producers like Sultan Ahmed, Sanjay Khan, F C Mehra, I S Johar and Bhappi Sonie. He said: "I have worked with producers for an amount up to Rs 90,000 a film." Interrupting him, Achla said: "Most of them didn't really give him money."
Shinde spent his savings on getting two other daughters married. "My daughters have families to look after, but they help with my medical expenses," he said.
Achla used to sell fruit juice and cakes to make a living.
She said: "It is a seasonal business. After we shifted to Dharavi, I have not been able to earn a living."
'Shinde's daughter did approach the film editor's association for help. "I went there last year all they gave me was a cheque of Rs 5000.''
Shinde lost his wife to cancer in 2006; in the process, he spent most of his savings. Achla said," I had to quit my job because both my parents needed attention. I am looking for a job as I need it now.''
While Shinde does not really like to talk about his condition, it was late Dadasaheb Phalke's great grand daughter-in-law Mrudula who found about their condition and approached the cine wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena which has now offered to help him.
Like A K Hangal, the senior film editor feels that both the government and the film industry needs to plan out something concrete for retired people.
