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Died: Burjor Jehangir Patel, 91, actor, director and producer of Gujarati and English stage shows; in Bombay on January 4, 2022.
"It’s difficult to find producers like Burjor Patel who support innovative ideas that have never been attempted and support them to the hilt year after year,” advertising professional and theater director Bharat Dabholkar told Parsiana on January 10. Calling him a "true doyen of theater” Dabholkar appreciated Patel’s "uncanny feel to know what would work… which is why he produced hugely successful plays.”
Patel had ventured as a producer with the Parsi wing of the Indian National Theatre. Stage successes from that period included Gher Ghungro ne Ghotalo, Tirangi Tehmul, Taru Maru Bakalyu, Lafra Sadan and Hello Inspector.
Under his eponymous production house, his troupes travelled to East Africa and America. Thespian Bomi Dotiwala who was on a 24-day tour of East Africa in the late 1970s with the "very nice soul, kind-hearted producer” remembered how Patel "put us to work doing two shows a day in a small auditorium that held only 250 people… But bau majja aavéli (we had lots of fun).” Backstage whiz and director Sam Kerawala was also on the same tour. Having known Patel for six decades, Kerawala mentioned that they had spoken just one day prior to his demise when they had both resolved to go for a walk starting the next day.
After viewing Dabholkar’s It’s all yours janab, "the first Hinglish play performed by actors from regional theaters,” the producer in Patel "sensed the potential of these actors, and the Hinglish language. He asked me to write and direct a topical, musical revue, that would later revolutionize theater in India and become the longest running franchise in the history of Indian English theater… a combination of talent from English, Marathi, Hindi, Parsi and Gujarati theater in what he called ‘a titillating, topical musical tamasha,’” stated Dabholkar, reminiscing on their collaboration for the musical revue Bottoms Up which first went on stage in the mid-1980s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"In his dual role as producer and actor, he would be there at every rehearsal, every song recording and every dance practice… I was a novice in theater… He had this huge experience, but not once did he correct or suggest something to me in front of the actors… He would make notes, call me at night and give his suggestions. That respect to me as the director was something that I always remembered and cherished,” noted Dabholkar, appreciating the hands-on producer: "In every avatar of Bottoms Up, he would have a suggestion for a new skit, and I would write on those suggestions and they always worked.” Burjor’s actress wife Ruby who passed away in May 2020 (see "Exit Ruby Patel,” In Memoriam, Parsiana, April 7-July 6, 2020) was also on the cast of Bottoms Up.
Burjor had reportedly found himself bitten by the theater bug on earning a prize as Cassius in Julius Caesar when a student at Bharda High School. He started his stage career with editor-writer-director-dramatist Adi Marzban, having landed four lines in Shirinbai Nu Shantiniketan. Burjor met Ruby when Marzban cast him as her father in Piroja Bhavan in 1954. The first run of that play spanned over 30 nights in an era when five to six shows were thought decent business. The Patels went on to become the darlings of Marzban’s Cooperative Players comedies till the mid-1960s.
 "BurjorandRuby — they are one word to me — were a wonderful team, on and off stage… Their bond with Parsi theater stayed strong for well over 50 years and they gave theater all the love that Parsi theater gave them… My thanks to BurjorandRuby for keeping the flag flying over half a century for Parsi comedy,” commented Farrokh Mehta, veteran thespian of the English stage, who was reminded of the hey days of Parsi theater in the 1950s.
Marzban had also offered the young law graduate a job in the advertising department of Jam-e-Jamshed. Then followed stints with The Times of India and The Statesman. At the age of 58, Burjor joined Khaleej Times (KT) and retired from there 20 years later in March 2009, noted an obituary on him dated January 4 in the newspaper. He "made an impressive impact in the media sector in the United Arab Emirates helping KT along its journey to becoming a media powerhouse,” stated the write-up.
 "While Ruby was ever the intuitively sparkling actress, Burjor was every bit the astute producer-actor. He was a barometer, gauging theater audiences spot-on, both Gujarati and English,” commented journalist and theater chronicler Meher Marfatia who got to know them professionally and personally after they returned to Bombay post their UAE stint. For her book Laughter in the House, as well as two seasons of the eponymous stage production that followed (see "Hilarity in the house,” Parsiana, March 7, 2017), Marfatia stated that "those of us lucky to brainstorm, plan and assist backstage learnt valuable life and stage lessons… The discipline and passion that should govern any task at hand…the rigor of repeated practice…the power of generosity of spirit that places teamwork center-stage.”
Burjor was never overly critical but didn’t believe in too-lavish praise either while reviewing a script or performance, observed Marfatia. "Though measured in assessment, he was brilliantly encouraging, particularly of young talent. He sincerely believed in the next generation, nursed great faith in what they can contribute. A man full of hopes, dreams and wise decisions.”
Valuing his mentorship, Meherzad Patel, actor and partner in Silly Point (SP) Productions that stages new-age English and Gujarati shows, wrote in the online weekly Parsi Junction on January 9 that Burjor was "somebody who was looking out for us like his own children.” Danesh Irani, actor and also partner at SP, told Parsiana that he will he will miss his senior’s long and honest reviews after an opening night. During their weekly phone chats they would discuss "work, the pandemic, his health and his strong determination to get back on his feet.”
One of Burjor’s cherished dreams was to stage a "Bawaji Bottoms Up” with an all Parsi cast and dancers, mentioned Dabholkar appreciating that "at 90, he had the enthusiasm to say ‘I know lots of young talented bawas who can perform brilliantly.’ We had started working on it… He wanted that as his last hurrah… I hope one day we will make a Bawaji Bottoms Up happen as a tribute to Burjor.”
The talented thespian is survived by his daughters Shernaz and Feeroza Kapoor and son Marzban.