His enthusiasm at the age of 70 could put a die-hard journalist to shame. But, age has never been a dampener for Pramod Navalkar. Even as he enters the 50th year of his column Bhatkyachi Bhramanti in Navshakti on Friday - the Marathi newspaper of the Free Press Journal group - the Shiv Sena MLC laid down his future plans. He plans to write two books and a campaign to clean up the Byculla jail. Efforts are on from friends and family to ensure that his non-stop writing task enters the Guinness Book of World Records.
Kickstarting his writing in 1956, the Navalkar column has chronicled every aspect of the never-say-die Mumbai attitude. How did he hunt for subjects? "This city changes its colour every kilometre," explains Navalkar sitting in his drawing room full of mementoes in a Girgaum residence. "For example, every road between Dhobi Talao and Byculla has its own culture," he adds. Writing without charging a penny, Navalkar worked with 12 editors.
An uncomfortable politician and more of a policeman is what the veteran calls himself. No wonder Bhramanti became a perfect destination for Navalkar's famous exploits teaming up with cops - exposing gold smuggling, prostitution dens, bars, not to forget his famous writings on eunuchs, underworld dons like Karim Lala and Haji Mastan. Incidentally, Navalkar also wrote a woman's column under the byline of Vaneeta Vahini. "But soon I started getting letters from women asking my help on personal issues and family problems. So I gave it up," he laughs.
Asked about his famous expose, he said, "When I dressed up as an Arab to enter the nude cabaret dance held in Hotel Fariyas, and the rounds of private brothels run for the super-rich." Asked about his now legendary disguises, Navalkar states that it was very easy. "I always had the clothes of postman, fireman etc., ready with me. I never faulted even once!"
A long association with Bal Thackeray, who was then a cartoonist in Free Press Journal, ended in Navalkar joining the Shiv Sena. He even became a minister in the 1995 Manohar Joshi Government. But it was his tough stance against the timings of discos and pubs, which invited the tag of "culture police".
"I'm proud of it. Thank you, very much!" comes a firm reply. "I don't like this open culture in which young boys and girls drink and smoke. I believe many parents would agree with me." Family friends told DNA how Navalkar wrote his column before going in for his bypass surgery. Busy with modernisation of hospitals, police stations and Nana Nani parks, Navalkar is enthusiastic about his latest project for Byculla jail.
Close friends visiting him say he should slow down. "Why? Who says I'm 70? I feel like 17!"
