Noorie was the film that gave me my actual launch and propelled me into me being recognised, and getting a certain amount of name, fame and acclaim. That role was so beautifully written by him. That character was really lovable and soft. He was there at our shoot, where we were shooting in this very isolated place called Bhaderwah in Jammu and Kashmir. He was fully involved in the film, in the dialogue and how a scene should be executed.

I was very new and inexperienced during the film. I remember him sitting with us for one scene. When you read that scene on paper it was simple. The hero asks: "Tum janti ho tum kitni khoobsurat ho (the hero asks, 'do you know how beautiful you are)?" The girl (her character) nods her head. The girl's 'dialogues' are only shaking of the head. In the end, she says only one line: "Tumhe achi lagti hoon na, mere liye bas yehi kaafi hai (you like me and that is enough for me)". It was such a poignant scene. There were no dialogues or drama. That was his beauty.

His lines, romance, depth of writing in all his films -- whether it is "Kabhi Kabhi", "Doosra Aadmi" or "Bazaar" -- was beautiful. I got to know today that "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai" was also his film (Sarhadi wrote the dialogues). All I can say is that Sagar saheb was not one of the regular people. Industry mein ek kahavat hai ki "Paisa pheko, tamasha dekho (In the industry, there is a saying that 'you give money and watch them perform)." He wasn't one of those who would write for just about anyone who paid him. He was a man of conviction and principles. He needed to feel comfortable, he needed to probably feel that these people would do justice to my writing when they made the film.

Initially, when I was young in the industry, I didn't understand these things but later I remember when they were shooting for "Bazaar", and I had gone on the set a few times, I would observe him. You can make out that this was a man of principles and this was a man who did things only with conviction and not for any other reasons. I am sure he could have done many more films, and accumulated more wealth, which he did eventually. But his principles were of a different kind.

He was a man who came from a theatre background and he was a grounded person. I was so much junior to him that I couldn't discuss things on equal terms with him. I was only 15 or 16 when I did my first film ("Noorie") with him. That's not the age when you discuss films with such a senior person. Over the years I have interacted with him in closer quarters. He was very much a part of Yash Raj Films and that was like family to me. So, I used to see him often. Later when I would go to his house, he would tell me about his films. I had a lot of respect for him. As a human being, I think his talent and commitment to his work is unique.

In his personal life, he was a down to earth man. He was simple and yet had self pride and respect. He wasn't one of those people ki aap bade star hai to aapke saamne beh jayenge (he wouldn't change himself to please a big star). He gave respect, he expected respect and he was simple.

I would go to his house and have a simple meal. All his theatre people would be around him more than film stars. What you saw around him was a meaningful group of friends. What you saw was a genuine person and not someone who would change as per the new hero in town, and try to make the most out of that. He valued friends and gave respect to people. In return he earned a lot of respect from them.

I feel bad that I didn't see much of him in his last years. I think I last met him when Gita Kak had passed away, at the prayer meeting. Gita played my mother in "Noorie". Those relationships mean a lot to me. I wish people get to see some of his incomplete works, which I believe are ready for release. With OTT, people have more chances to see his work.

(As told to Yashika Mathur)