Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze who essayed the role of Max Lowe in City of Joy (1992, Best Picture of the year), in the best performance of his life, has sadly been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He is only fifty-five years old and is currently undergoing chemotherapy and resting at his ranch in New Mexico.

City of Joy, an inspirational masterpiece, is about a surgeon from the US who loses one of his patients during an operation, flees his problems, or so he thinks, and travels to India. Disillusioned and determined to stay away from the medical field altogether, he runs into British nurse Pauline Collins (Joan Bethel) who runs a free clinic in the most dangerous neighborhood of Calcutta. With much determination, she finally ropes Max into helping her. When the local don brutally threatens the clinic and the livelihood of its neighbors, Max teaches them, in particular an illiterate Indian farmer Hazari Pal (Om Puri) the strength of their unity in overcoming their impoverished situation.

Shabana Azmi plays Hazari’s wife Kamla. Ayesha Dharkar plays their daughter Amrita. A beautiful cinematic piece of art, if you haven’t seen it, you should. If you have, watch it again.

Swayze is trying to complete three films, Powder Blue, Fired Up and The Beast at this time. We wish Patrick and his wife Lisa all the best during this trialsome period in their lives.