As the cold December evening merged into infinity, theater stages wept with an internal hemorrhage. Savaş Dinçel played the curtain call of his final play on destiny’s stage and moved all his admirers to tears. Leaving behind a legacy of numerous friends, hundreds of ideas, and many immortal works, he aimed to guide us towards a more peaceful world through the art that documented his immortality. His purpose of coming into this world was to interpret it differently from most people and, despite the intention to drive new nails into this rusty and wounded world, to exist in this realm with a beautiful heart striving to shed light on it through art. He was a man who could resemble others very well and integrate into their midst, and at the same time, an actor whose talent was confirmed with awards.
“No matter how much you suffer, never forget, there is always a place to be drawn and a place to draw. People can become painters scraping other people’s hearts, or they become paintings like you, being etched by others…”
Being the lead in acting is undoubtedly essential, but what truly matters is the ability to distinguish roles and skillfully perform any given task, even in supporting roles, to achieve immortality, and Dinçel was one of the few who accomplished this. His films, caricatures, theater plays, the characters he portrayed, the plays he wrote and directed, his love and friendship with Nazım; in short, everything he left behind as a gift to this world makes us say, “Thank goodness he was born.” His presence is unforgettable, and even if his real name is forgotten, he will forever be remembered as the physical education instructor in “Hababam,” Nusret in “Ekmek Teknesi,” or Hacı Abi.
“The urge to die came from within me, to die and go! It’s happening again lately, though… But there’s no one here. Who am I losing? Why am I like this again, I don’t know…”
A lover of art and the artist himself, Dinçel suffered in a world where art’s freedom was constrained, and he paid a high price for loving art. Due to his love for Nazım, he was compelled to write plays and draw caricatures, which led to his hands being handcuffed, with his close friend Müjdat Gezen, who shared the common ground of art. Although he was imprisoned in a dark and damp life for a while, he clung to art even tighter, refusing to give up despite the hardships he endured. There are countless sentences that can be written and drawn about his life, but we are grateful for his persistence and for being one of the special individuals that our country raised as an artist. We miss him dearly.
“As long as there are books, the sea, and chocolate, I can live anywhere.”
We hope that wherever he is now, he is still a friend to Nazım, a companion to humanity, watching the sea while reading books, and enjoying chocolate.