EXCLUSIVE: Coolie No 1 co writer Rumi Jaffrey questions why Kader Khan has not received a Padma Shri yet

Kader Khan, who is currently hospitalised in Canada, has never been honoured with a Padma Shri, and Coolie No. 1 co-writer Rumi Jaffrey questions why is it so.

By Pinkvilla Desk

Updated on Mar 29, 2019 | 05:20 PM IST | 632.2K

Kader Khan, a renowned actor, who has starred in over 300 films in his 40-plus-year career span, was recently hospitalised in Canada as he developed breathing issues. The doctors reportedly transferred him from a regular ventilator to a BiPAP ventilator. The 81-year-old is suffering from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, which is a degenerative disease. While his death hoax made the rumour mill yesterday, the veteran actor's son Sarfaraz Khan dismissed the nasty speculations and disclosed to PTI, "It is all a lie. It (is) just a rumour. My father is in the hospital."

With an illustrious career in his hands, it's unbelievable that he has yet to receive a Padma Shri. Co-writer of Coolie No. 1 and close friend of Khan, Rumi Jaffrey can't fathom this fact either as he told Pinkvilla, "It is sad that so many of his juniors have higher prestigious awards and Kaderbhai hasn't received even a Padma Shri. I know his PR was not good and didn't keep relations with the politicians but he has made an immense contribution to cinema and deserves to be honoured with one."

David Dhawan, who has collaborated with Kader in over 10 films shared, "He has taught me a lot and treated me like his child. You know, he was probably the only writer who wrote for both Prakash Mehra and Manmohan Desai at the same time."

"He was hugely popular in South and when he landed in Madras there used to literally be a queue, to meet him and that was the strength of his pen," David added.

Here's wishing Kader Khan a speedy recovery.