Tuesday 31 March 2020

Meena Kumari was also a playback singer


Meena Kumari (1 August 1933– 31 March 1972) who is known as Tragedy Queen of Bollywood was not only an ace actress but also a singer and a poet. She started her career as a child artist. In an interview given in 1962, Meena Kumari explained that the fact she had been supporting her parents from the age of four gave her immense satisfaction. Director Vijay Bhatt cast her in the film Leatherface and on the first day she was paid Rs. 25.
She appeared in many films as a child artist In 1941 Mehboob Khan took her in his film "Bahen" as a child artist and also got her sing for the first time in the films. As a heroine, she rendered her voice to songs from films like Duniya Ek Sarai (1946), Piya Ghar Aaja (1948), Bichchade Balam (1948) and Pinjre Ke Panchhi (1966). She also sung for Pakeezah (1972), however, the song was not used in the film and was later released in the album Pakeezah-Rang Ba Rang (1977).
In this blog, I am posting the songs Meena Kumari sang for herself.
Song of Bahen 1941



Song of Duniya Ek Sarai (1946)


Song of Piya Ghar Aaja (1948)



Song of  Bichchade Balam (1948)


Song of  Bichchade Balam (1948)



Song of Pinjre Ke Panchhi (1966)


                                               CHAND TANHA HAI AASMAAN TANHA- MEENA KUMARI





Sunday 29 March 2020

Jagdeep- An actor who gave us memorable songs



Jagdeep(born 29 March 1939), the comedian of Golden Era started his film career as a child artist extra in B. R. Chopra's Afsana, then went on to do films as a child artist in films like Ab Dilli Door NahinK. A. Abbas's Munna, Guru Dutt's Aar PaarBimal Roy's Do Bigha Zamin and AVM's Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke.
He was launched as a leading man by AVM in the films BhabhiBarkha and Bindaya, and went on to do a few more films as a leading man. We remember him today for some of the hit songs picturized on him like "Paas Baitho Tabiyat Bahal Jayegi" from Punarmilan, "In Pyar ki Rahon Mein" from the same film, "Chal Ud Ja Re Panchhi" and "Chali Chali Re Patang", from the superhit movie Bhabhi, where he is paired opposite Nanda, and "Aa Gaye Yaaro Jeene Ke Din" from Phir Wohi Raat.
He was a hero of 5 films starring opposite Nanda, Azra, and Amita. He got success only as a comedian. He acted in more than 400 films. He is also known for his appearances in many horror movies, especially in projects of the Ramsay Brothers. He appeared in famous hits like Purana Mandir and 3D Saamri.
He was a natural actor, believed in original acting by bringing out his own style. When people make his signature sound from his character Soorma Bhopali in Sholay, everybody knows it is Jagdeep’s style. In this blog, I am posting some of the memorable songs picturized on him.
Song from Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke (1957)


Song from Bhabhi 1957


Song from Bhabhi 1957


Song from  Barkha (1959)


Song from Bindiya (1960) 


Song from Punarmilan 1964


Song from Punarmilan 1964


Song from Khilona 1970

Friday 27 March 2020

Priya Rajvansh - Worked only for Chetan Anand.


Priya Rajvansh acted in only 6 movies in a span of 22 years from 1964 to 1986.  She was introduced to Bollywood by Chetan Anand. Her first film was Haqeeqat released in 1964.  Her next movie Heer Ranjha came 6 yrs later in 1970 which was also a super hit.
Chetan Anand cast her in all his movies, giving her the lead actress roles’ against Raaj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand, and Naveen Nishchal. 
She was born as Veera Sunder Singh in Shimla on 30 Dec 1936. Her schooling and graduation were completed in Shimla. After that, she joined the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London  One of her photographs, clicked by a London photographer, somehow reached the Hindi film industry. A movie maker of that time called Thakur Ranbeer Singh who was also a friend of Chetan Anand brought her to meet Chetan Anand, in 1962 and they cast her in one of their films, Haqeeqat (1964). The film became a hit. 
 Priya Rajvansh was soon in a relationship with her mentor who had recently separated from his wife. Initially, the industry was hesitant to take her because of her anglicized accent and western femininity did not click well with the Indian audience. 
Her next film, Heer Raanjha came out only in 1970, where she acted opposite the rage of that time, actor Raaj Kumar, and the film was a hit. Then came Hanste Zakhm, arguably the finest film of her career, in 1973. Her other noted films were Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973), with Raaj Kumar, and Kudrat (1981), paired opposite Rajesh Khanna, where she had a parallel role with Hema Malini as the lead. She also starred opposite Dev Anand in Saheb Bahadur in 1977. Her last film Haathon Ki Lakeeren came out in 1985, after which she ended her film career.
She was found dead in the bathroom of her bungalow on 27 March 2000. It was Chetan Anand's Ruia Park bungalow in Juhu, Mumbai, India. Police charged Chetan Anand's sons Ketan Anand and Vivek Anand along with their employees Mala Choudhary and Ashok Chinnaswamy with her murder.
Song of Haqeeqat 1964


Song of Heer Ranjha 1970


Song of Hanste Zakhm 1973


Song of Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973)


Song of Saheb Bahadur 1977



Thursday 26 March 2020

Nimmi - Acted with the Golden Trio of Bollywood


She made her debut in Raj Kapoor’s Barsaat and it was the legendary actor-director, who had given her the screen name of Nimmi. After the super success of Barsaat, she appeared in a string of hit movies in the 50s and early 60s. 
She acted with the top yesteryear stars such as Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, and Raj Kapoor. Some of her memorable movies included Sazaa(1951), Mehboob Khan’s Aan (1952), Daag (1952), Amar (1954), Uran Khatola (1955), Basant Bahar (1956) and Mere Mehboob (1963).
Her original name was Nawab Banoo, her mother was a courtesan, a singer and an actress, known as Wahidan. Her father, Abdul Hakim, worked as a military contractor in Meerut U.P.Nimmi was born on 18th Feb 1933 in Agra. Her mother died when she was only eleven years old. Nimmi was therefore sent to live in Abbottabad near Rawalpindi with her maternal grandmother. The partition of India happened in 1947, and Abbottabad fell in Pakistan. Nimmi's grandmother moved to Bombay.
The famous filmmaker Mehboob Khan who was known to her mother once invited the young Nimmi to watch the making of his current production Andaz at Central Studios where Raj Kapoor met her for the first time. Raj Kapoor was looking for the second lead actress for his film Barsaat opposite Premnath,he offered her that role. Nimmi accepted that role. She played the role of an innocent mountain shepherdess in love with a heartless city man. Barsaat, released in 1949, made movie history. It was a phenomenal critical and commercial success. Despite the presence of NargisRaj Kapoor, and Premnath, Nimmi had a very prominent and well-received role and was an instant hit with audiences.
In 1950, she appeared in 3 films but none of the films were successful, in 1951 her film Sazaa with Dev Anand and Deedar with Dilip Kumar released consolidated her position as the second lead role actress.
Besides Nargis with whom she co-starred in Barsaat and Deedar, Nimmi also appeared alongside many notable leading ladies including Madhubala (Amar), Suraiya (Shama), Geeta Bali (Usha Kiran), and Meena Kumari (Char Dil Char Rahen (1959). Nimmi was also a singer and sang her own songs in the film Bedardi (1951) in which she also acted. However, she never continued singing and recorded songs only for this film.
Mehboob Khan cast her opposite Dilip Kumar in Aan(1952). The film was made with an extremely large budget and was a great hit. It was one of the first Indian movies to have a worldwide release. The film had an extremely lavish London premiere which Nimmi attended. 
After the great box-office success of AanMehboob Khan asked her to appear in his next film Amar (1954). Nimmi played a poor, milkmaid seduced by a lawyer (Dilip Kumar). The film also starred Madhubala as Kumar's wronged fiancée. The film was not a commercial success, Nimmi's intense performance and the film were applauded by critics.
 In Uran Khatola (1955), her last of five films with Dilip Kumar, she starred in one of the biggest box-office successes of her career. In 1956 too she had 2 hit films. Basant Bahar opposite Bharat Bhushan and Bhai Bhai opposite Ashok Kumar and Kishor Kumar. She received the critic's award for best actress for her role in Bhai Bhai
In the late 1950s, Nimmi worked with renowned directors Chetan Anand (Anjali ), K. A. Abbas (Char Dil Char Rahen) and Vijay Bhatt (Angulimala). Prepared to take risks, Nimmi took on controversial characterizations, such as the prostitute of Char Dil Char Raahen (1959). It was during this phase that Nimmi became very selective as she strove for better quality projects and roles. 
She married in 1960 and decided to quit films but at this time K Asif signed her in Love & God even before completing his magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam.The film was shelved altogether when the director K. Asif died.It was later released on 6 June 1986 by that time Nimmi was retired for over 2 decades.
Nimmi died on 25th March 2020 in Bombay  She was 87 years old and had been in and out of the hospital for quite some time. 
Song of Barsaat 1949


Song of Sazaa 1951


Song of Aan 1952


Song of Amar 1954


Song of Udan Khatola 1955


Song of Basant Bahar 1956


Song of  Bhai Bhai  1956



Wednesday 25 March 2020

Nanda: Her popular songs


Nanda(8 January 1939 – 25 March 2014) started her career in films as a child artist. It was her father who took her in his film Mandir (1948). While making the film her father expired, the film was completed by Dinakar Patil. After her father's untimely death, she decided to do films besides attending the school. First, she did Jaggu (1952) as a child artist in which Shyama was playing the heroine. In 1954 she did Jagadguru Shankaracharya. In the same year, she did Angaray directed by K.B. Lal that starred Nargis and Nasir Khan 
V Shantaram took her as a leading actress in her film Toofan Aur Diya released in 1956. But after that, she was offered roles of sister or side roles in many films. Dev Anand took her in his sister's role in Navketan's Kala Bazarin 1960 with a promise he would cast her heroine in his next film. It was in Hum Dono released in 1961, she was one of the heroines in that film.
After Hum Donobig banners started approaching her with good offers. Nanda went on to rule the screen space from 1960 till 1973 with Nutan, Waheeda Rehman, and Sadhna. Some of her most memorable roles were in 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', 'Gumnaam' and 'Hum Dono'.She was once again one of the heroines in Dev Anand's Teen Deviyan.
In 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', Nanda played her career's first westernized role and paired up with Shashi Kapoor with whom she went on to do eight films.
She worked with Rajesh Khanna in 'The Train' when he was just starting out as an actor. She also worked with him in Ittefaq and Joru Ka Gulam.
Manoj Kumar took her in Shor released in 1972. She made a brief return to acting in 1982 as a character actress where she played the onscreen mother of Padmini Kolhapure in 'Ahista Ahista', 'Mazdoor' R K Films Prem Rog 
Nanda was nominated for Filmfare Award five times for her performance in Bhabhi (1957), Aanchal (1960), Ittefaq (1969), Ahista Ahista (1981) and Prem Rog (1982)
She won Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for 'Aanchal' 
Song of Toofan aur Diya 1956


Song of Chhoti Bahen 1959


Song of Dhool Ka Phool 1959


Song of Usne Kaha Tha 1960


Song of Hum Dono 1961


Song of  Mehndi Lagi Mere Haath 1962


Song of  Nartakee 1963


Song of  Aaj Aur Kal 1964


 Song of  Jab Jab Phool Khile 1965 


Song of Teen Deviyan 1965


Song of Gumnaam 1965



Song of Parivar 1967


Song of The Train 1970


Song of Shor 1972


Song of Joroo Ka Ghulam' 1972



Sunday 22 March 2020

The Great Love Triangle Films of Bollywood


After Love Stories, the love triangle is another popular subject of Hindi film lovers. Since its early days' Hindi cinema has showcased love triangles in an ethereal spectrum. The movies with this subject are very common since the 80s onwards, every 3rd movie is a love triangle.
Not many love triangles of the 50s and 60s have a happy ending, however, in Bollywood movies the unthinkable happens, and over the years there have been love triangle movies that have left audiences rather happy than teary-eyed.
Another peculiar feature of the love triangle films was its sad songs and dialogues. The characters portrayed by actors and actresses in love triangle movies often connect with audiences that have experienced a similar phase in their past.

The first great Love Triangle film of Bollywood was Anmol Ghadi released in 1946  directed by Mehboob Khan, starring SurendraSuraiya and Noor Jehan

Andaz After the success of this film, Mehboob Khan made another Love Triangle with Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Nargis as Andaz in 1949. At the time of its release, Andaz was the highest-grossing Indian film ever.

Aan This subject was dear to Mehboob Khan, he made another Love triangle with Dilip Kumar, Nimmi, and Premnath in 1952 film Aan which was a technicolor film and was a great hit.

Aar Paar  In 1954 Guru Dutt directed himself in Aar Paar with a love triangle with Shyama and Shakila. Guru Dutt plays Kalu in this film who is a migrant taxi-driver in Mumbai. He has two women who love him and would like to marry him. 

Devdas Another great Love triangle was the 1955 film starring Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen, and Vyjayantimala. the film was directed by Bimal Roy. Devdas and Paro were childhood friends.Devdas goes away for some years to live and study in a boarding school. After finishing school, Devdas (Dilip Kumar) returns to his village, Paro (Suchitra Sen) looks forward to their childhood love blossoming into their lifelong journey together in marriage. Devdas meekly seeks his parents' permission to marry Paro, but Devdas' family was against him.In a weak-minded state, Devdas then flees to Calcutta where he meets Chandramukhi (Vyjayanthimala).

Pyaasa 1957 was another great love triangle starring Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, and Mala SinhaIt is also surmised that the story is based on the life of the film's lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi who had a failed affair with poet and writer Amrita Pritam.
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai was a 1960 film starring  Raaj KumarMeena Kumari and Nadira as leads. The film tells the story of a surgeon who is obligated to marry the daughter of a family friend, while he is in love with a colleague nurse, played by Meena Kumari. It is one of the noted acting performances of lead actress Meena Kumari's career.
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam was a 1962 love triangle film produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Abrar Alvi. This was a  friendship between a beautiful lonely wife (Bibi) of an aristocrat (Sahib) and a career-driven low-income part-time servant (Ghulam). The film stars Guru DuttMeena KumariRehmanWaheeda Rehman 

Sangam 1964 was another love triangle starring Raj Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar, and Vyjantimala. Sundar (Raj Kapoor), Gopal (Rajendra Kumar) and Radha (Vyjayantimala) have been friends since childhood. As they grow into adults, Sundar develops an obsessive romantic attraction to Radha, but she prefers Gopal, who is also in love with her. Yet, as Sundar has confided his feelings for Radha to him, Gopal decides to sacrifice his love for his friend's sake.

Shagird 1967 was a love triangle but with comedy. Professor Brij Mohan Agnihotri (I. S. Johar) is a confirmed bachelor, and he firmly refuses to get married. He has a student named Ramesh (Joy Mukherjee), who considers him his mentor. On a visit to his friend out of town, Brij meets his friend's beautiful daughter, Poonam (Saira Banu), and falls in love with her. Throwing all caution to the winds, he changes his appearance and attempts to conquer Poonam, but he later finds that Punam is attracted to his student, Ramesh. Now the professor has to decide whether to get rid of Ramesh, or to reverse their roles and make him his mentor

Silsila was a 1981 romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra. It stars Amitabh BachchanJaya BachchanRekhaShekhar Malhotra (Shashi Kapoor) and Amit Malhotra (Amitabh Bachchan) lead independent lives. Shekhar is a squadron leader with the Indian Air Force, and Amit is an emerging writer. Shekhar has fallen in love with the lovely Shobha (Jaya Bachchan), while Amit seeks to woo the attractive Chandni (Rekha). Chandni's parents prepare to arrange her wedding to Amit. Both Shekhar and Amit plan to marry at the same time, but Shekhar is killed in air combat against PAF, leaving a pregnant Shobha behind. Taking pity on Shobha, Amit marries her and writes to Chandni to forget him

Saagar is a 1985 film directed by Ramesh Sippy. The film stars Rishi KapoorKamal Haasan, and Dimple KapadiaMona (Dimple Kapadia) runs a small restaurant in Goa. Raja (Kamal Haasan), who lives close by, is a good friend. He is in love with her but is unable to profess his feelings. Ravi (Rishi Kapoor) is from a rich industrialist family who moves to Goa from the US. Mona and Ravi fall in love with which Raja knows nothing.

Saajan is a 1991 romantic drama film directed by Lawrence D'Souza and produced by Sudhakar Bokade. It stars Madhuri DixitSanjay Dutt and Salman Khan

Darr: A Violent Love Story is a 1993 psychological romantic thriller film directed and produced by Yash Chopra The film stars Sunny DeolJuhi Chawla, and Shah Rukh KhanKiran (Juhi Chawla), a beautiful college student, Kiran's boyfriend Sunil (Sunny Deol) is a Navy-Marine Commando. Rahul (Shahrukh Khan), her classmate who has a crush on her. Rahul tries to be friendly with Sunil in order to be closer to Kiran. When Rahul receives the news of Kiran and Sunil's engagement, he tries to shoot and kill Sunil 
Kiran and Sunil get married but Rahul still refuses to give up on Kiran.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is a 1999 romantic drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.The film stars Aishwarya Rai in the lead role playing the role of a young girl Nandini. The film also stars Salman Khan and Ajay DevgnThe film has been described as a loose adaptation of Maitreyi Devi's Bengali novel Na Hanyate and is based on a love triangle.