Former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee died today after a prolonged illness. He was 93 years old. The prolific and well-respected politician, an orator par excellence and a man well-known for his quick wit became the Prime Minister of India not once but thrice. At the age of 93, Vajpayee was also the oldest living Prime Minister of India and one that was born before India gained Independence.

However, the charismatic leader also had a Bollywood connect and was well-loved and popular amongst film celebrities as well.

Here are some instances:

1.When Atal took a dig at Amitabh Bachchan

Vajpayee was asked that if Amitabh Bachchan had contested Lok Sabha elections against him then what would he do, to this the witty politician had said that he would ask Rekha to contest elections from his party.

2.When SRK, Bachchan, Yash Chopra, Jagjit Singh and Atal ji collaborated

The five of them came together in 2002 for the song Kya Khoya Kya Paya a song from Singh’s album Samvedna – Sensitivity. The song was written by Vajpayee, sung by Singh, the video was directed by Chopra, performed by Shah Rukh and narrated by Amitabh.

https://youtu.be/1sTeazC0x98

3.Dev Anand and Vajpayee

Dev Anand had accompanied the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his Lahore bus trip in 1999.

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4.Lata Mangeshkar and Vajpayee

Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar lent her melodious voice to Vajpayee’s poems and sang the poem Aao Mann Ki Gaanthe Kholein.

5.When Atal ji roped in Dilip Kumar to talk to Nawaz Sharif

Apparently, Vajpayee had roped in Dilip Kumar to talk to Nawaz Sharif about the growing tensions between India and Pakistan during the Kargil war. The legendary actor told the Pakistan head that because of the tensions between the two nations Indian Muslims are having a hard time.

R.I.P...