You will inspire me and my art forever: Arjun Mathur pays beautiful tribute to Farhad Humayun

Celebrated musician Farhad Humayun passed away Tuesday at 42. The former Overload frontman's sudden passing away prompted tributes from close friends and industry peers. Several musicians, artists and actors paid rich homage to Farhad, remembering him as a kind, talented individual. 

One of the most heartfelt tributes was penned by Arjun Mathur - a renowned Indian actor. The Made In Heaven star took to Instagram and recalled his most favourite memories with Farhad. Sharing the late artist's pictures and a few screenshots of his WhatsApp chat, Arjun began, "What does one say about a comet? Or a shooting star? My first memories of Farhad Humayun, or ‘Fadi’, as I knew him, are from when I was just a toddler and my parents’ best-friends - Shahzad Uncle and Nivi Aunty - visited from Pakistan. We would wait for the parents to leave for their parties so we could hit ‘Excite-Bike’ on the 8-bit NES, or watch our favourite movies from the time.. ‘Jaanbaaz’ and ‘Veerana’, no less."

He went on to reminisce about the times when his family visited them in Lahore. "I remember the largest Aloo-Parathas I had ever seen, at their home.. and the best post-swim chicken sandwiches at Lahore Gymkhana. As we grew up, Fadi and I, both turned out to be the ‘artists’ in our respective families. I saw him as my own reflection from across the border (so much so that we even had our weddings around the same time and were getting divorced from our short and brief marriages around the same time)."

"Fadi became a musician - a drummer par excellence, to be precise - and formed a fusion Pakistani rock band called ‘Overload’ that pounded hearts with their drum and traditional dhol beats and shredded heartstrings with their electric guitars and Fadi’s golden voice," the Ankur Arora Murder Case star wrote, adding, "I watched him rise from strength to strength. He became a bonafide rockstar in Pakistan. As tensions between our countries grew and the mutual visits became less frequent due to bureaucratic and political processes, I saw him more on posters, in music-videos and on Coke-Studio, than I would in real life."

Like good times, Arjun also remembered the time Farhad had stayed with the Indian actor at the former's apartment and how the police raided his home once the musician had moved to a hotel. "He got to visit me in Bombay one time. He stayed with me in my tiny 1 BHK at the time and we went together to hear Roger Waters live in concert. When he moved out of my home and into a hotel, I had the police visit my home to inquire about ‘the Pakistani national that just stayed in my home.' Fadi was not as shocked by this as I was and we were able to laugh about it after I had expressed enough anger towards the State."

He continued, "Three short years ago and completely out of the blue, Fadi - one of the fittest, best-looking, healthiest people I knew - got diagnosed with a cancerous brain-tumour. After two brain surgeries over two years and no real sign of getting any better, Fadi finally surrendered and decided to end the treatments and medication. Today, the world has lost him. And it will never be the same again."

Speaking of his last "real exchange with Farhad, Arjun revealed that the ace musician had sent him a new song that he made after two brain surgeries. "It was not mixed or mastered, very removed from anything he had done before and it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever heard. In our next conversation, he was to explain the lyrics and inspiration to me. That conversation will never happen now. But help me god, I will get to the bottom of it. And hopefully, have you all hear this beautiful song someday..
So, what does one say about a comet or a shooting star?"

"Nothing… you just thank the heavens that you were fortunate enough to witness it, that you existed together even for a moment. Rest In Peace, my dearest Fadi," Arjun concluded. "All I can say now is that any place that has Shahzad Uncle, Mama AND you (all the fun from our two families) in it, can no more be anything to be afraid of, but a place one looks forward to getting to. I love you and always will, and you will inspire me and my art forever, just as you always have. Safe travels, my brother and oldest friend."