Alok Nath remembers Richard Attenborough

Richard Attenborough, the actor, director passed away on Sunday night at the age of 90. He won two Academy Awards for directing Gandhi. Actor Alok Nath, who worked with him in Gandhi remembers, "Sir Richard Attenborough's Gandhi was the first film I did. I was still at the National School Of Drama when I had the chance to be part of the film. It was casting director Dolly Thakore who chose me. It was a small role, that of a character named Tyeb Mohammed. Amrish Puriji played my father.

I played one of Gandhiji's associates when he is shown to be joining the coal-miners' agitation in South Africa. It's interesting that I was allowed to work in Gandhi although I was still a student at the NSD because the rules said we couldn't do any film while at the NSD. Maybe because it was an NFDC film or maybe because it was film on the life of Mahatma Gandhi I was allowed to act in the film. We shot in Delhi and then Pune.

I was required for only 2-3 days. But the entire experience of being part of such a monumental film and of working with Sir Richard was extremely satisfying. Sir Richard was a very calm controlled and clear-headed director. He knew exactly what he wanted the actors to do.We all simply obeyed his command. None of us thought we were part of a film that would have such an impact."