He turned 87 yesterday but more than the surprise birthday party thrown for him, ageless Raza did not cease to amaze one and all with his energy and enthusiasm. “I am 27,” he said. “And the secret of my energy and zeal is women. I simply love them.”
The birthday celebrations saw Yash Kohli, hosts Bharat and Renu Patel, Nisha Jamwal, Bachi Karkaria, artists Prafulla Dahanukar, Akhilesh, Madhuri Bhaduri, Bijon Das Gupta, singer Rupali Dalal, French Filmmakers Luke and Raphael Naseem, writer Ashok Bajpai who is also penning Raza’s biography among others.
The painter who cut the cake with a smile on his face, still works with energy and gusto bringing meaning to the colours on the canvas everyday. “I am happy,” he said simply, sipping glass of wine, sitting in a corner watching all the festivities that marked his birthday. “I simply love being back home.”
Host Bharat Patel phrased it right when he enthused, “we wanted to surprise the Raza who simply never ceases to surprise us.” True indeed!