The Films that are 50:GUIDE-A poetry on celluloid.

I am starting this series with this film which will be 51 on December 2016.Backed by S.D. Burman’s evergreen melodies, ‘Guide’ became a super hit and was also critically acclaimed. It was India’s official entry for the Oscars in 1966. At the Chicago International Film Festival, Waheeda Rehman won the Best Actress Award. Both Dev and Vijay Anand refused to send ‘Guide’ for the National Awards as they abhorred malpractices by the jury.
In 1962 Dev Anand went to attend Berlin Film Festival where he met Author Pearl S. Buck who was very much impressed by R. K. Narayan’s novel, ‘The Guide. ’ The story was appealing. So when she interacted with Bollywood actor Dev Anand at the Berlin Film Festival in 1962, she talked about doing an Indo-U.S. film venture based on the book.
This excited Dev Anand, who was basking in the glory of ‘Hum Dono,’ which had won acclaim at Berlin.As soon as he returned to India, Dev Anand called on R.K. Narayan, whose book had already made him a Sahitya Academy winner. Dev Anand successfully convinced R.K. Narayan about creating a classic on celluloid based on the book and the author sold the rights of ‘The Guide,’ to the actor.

Trailer  of English version of Guide

It was decided that the film would be made in two languages, Hindi and English.the English Version was co-produced by Pearl S Buck.She penned the script of the English version and Directed by Tad Danielewski it starred Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman and Kishore Sahu. It was Navketan’s most ambitious and expensive venture in colour. Chetan Anand was supposed to direct the Hindi version simultaneously. But Chetan wanted Leela Naidu as the heroine and intended to shoot her dance sequences in long shot, to which Dev Anand disagreed, as he felt that only Waheeda Rehman was ideally suited for the role of Rosy Marco. Chetan also had differences with Tad Danielewski and left the project.

Extra Scenes from Guide

Dev anand gave direction of Hindi Version to his younger brother Vijay Anand.The combination of the Anand brothers with Kishore Sahu, Shailendra, S.D.Burman and Fali Mistry created history. Shot in exclusive locales of Udaipur, ‘Guide’ was poetry on celluloid.
Backed by S.D. Burman’s evergreen melodies, ‘Guide’ became a super hit and was also critically acclaimed. It was India’s official entry for the Oscars in 1966. At the Chicago International Film Festival, Waheeda Rehman won the Best Actress Award. Both Dev and Vijay Anand refused to send ‘Guide’ for the National Awards as they abhorred malpractices by the jury.

The film GUIDE is one of the earliest efforts in Indian Cinema to actually depict both its hero and heroine in negative shade. While Dev Anand, the hero of the movie is shown going errant after acquiring wealth on the other hand the heroine Waheeda Rehman dares to desert her husband who is high headed and a womanizer, and elopes with her lover who helps her in her ambition to become a famous dancer.The subject of extra marital relation when infidelity was considered a forbidden subject in India. Most people assumed that Indian audience was not ready to confront the story on adultery. 

Vijay Anand presented the subject on the silver screen with such competence that viewers were bowled over by his simple narration laced with dance and superlative music. GUIDE today is regarded as perhaps the best film that Vijay Anand has ever made.Guide was also first film to win all four of the major awards (Best Movie, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress) at the Filmfare Awards.Surprisingly S D Burman was not given the Best Music Director award for this film.That Award was given to Shankar Jaikishan for the film Suraj.The film's music was composed by Sachin Dev Burman, the songs were written by Shailendra and they were sung by Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey and Sachin Dev Burman. The soundtrack was listed by Planet Bollywood as number 11 on their list of 100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks.
Dev Anand played Raju and Waheeda Rahman played Rosie and her husband's role was done by Kishore Sahu.

Raju's love and support gives the unfulfilled Rosie the courage to make bold and defy societal norms by leaving the oppressive atmosphere of her husband's house and moving into Raju's abode. Her sheer exultation in her new freedom is beautifully captured in her crucial song --- Kaaton se kheench ke anchal, chhod ke bandhan bandhe payal. It is evident in her dancing on the edge of a ledge in keeping with her dangerous new desires; in her riding in a cart and breaking a pot, thereby metaphorically breaking all conventions.

With Raju's glib managerial skills, Rosie becomes a dancing star. But insecurity soon manifests itself. Raju takes to drinking and gambling. His fear of losing his love makes Raju forge a cheque in Rosie's name. She finds it hard to forgive him, and he is sentenced to prison.

When he emerges from prison, he rejects his earlier life. He is mistaken as a holy man by some villagers and goes along with their belief.Circumstances make Raju go on a 12-day fast to propitiate the Gods for rain, and leads him to ponder over and seek answers to the ultimate spiritual question. In the end, the Guide finds the path to his own emotional salvation.

All in all, Guide was an effective film, quite different from your stereotypical Bollywood love story, and quite sensitive, This is one of the best films of Bollywood.

Songs from GUIDE

wahan Kaun Hai Tera

Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Rang Hai

Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya

THEME SONGS- Train Songs

PART -1

Railways remains the important part of an average indian.We all have been fascinated with trains and its journies.Bollywood has given us some iconic scenes shots or songs inside a train or on a railway platform.I am presenting here some selected songs of Golden Era as well as Modern Era.
The first Song comes in my mind is Toofan Mail from the 1942 film JAWAB sung and acted by Kanan Devi

Toofan Mail from Jawab 1942

Next in my list is Aayi Bahar Aaj by Pankaj Mallik. This must be one of the oldest Bollywood song filmed on Indian Railways, if not the oldest. This movie is called Doctor (1941) and one can see Punkaj Mullick singing joyously aboard a narrow guage train with wooden bodied coaches,later joined by the fellow passengers as well. As one can see, the coaches are much different from what we see today.

Aayi Bahar Aaj from Doctor 1941

 This song is from 1954, when India had just become independent, and people were full of patriotic zeal and energy and they were busy building the nation. It is that immortal song with music of Hemant Kumar, lyrics and voice of kavi Pradeep. Movie is Jagriti (1954)

Aao bachchon tumhe dikhaye

One of my favorite Train songs is Talat-Suraiya duet from Waris (1954), picturized on Talat-Suraiya themselves. Music by Anil Biswas.Here I am presenting Suraiya's Version

Rahi MatwaleI  from Waris 1954

This is one of the greatest train songs of Bollywood,picturised on Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehmaan in 1958 movie Solva Saal.This song topped 1958 Binaca Geetmala Final in 1958, Singer-Hemant Kumar,Lyrics-Majrooh Sultanpuri,Music- S D Burman

Hai apna dil to awara na jaane kispe aayega

Another Train song from the same pair .This time from the film Kala Bazaar,.Music by S D Burman,Lyrics by Shailendra and it is sung by Rafi

Apni to har aah ik toofan hai

-This time, Dev Anand is alone with the girl ( Asha Parekh) in the first class coupe, An argument develops between the two and Dev Anand threatens to jump off the train. Hoping to call his bluff, Asha Parekh dares him to jump off. " Go on, jump, what are you waiting for"- she taunts Dev Anand. And Dev Anand, before Asha parekh knows what happened, jumps off. He sings this song on the top of a car.

Jiya Ho, jiya ho jiya kuch bol to, dil ka parda khol Do

This song is from 1960 film Love In Shimla.In this delightful song, Joy Mukherji manages pretty well, in sheer anticipation of meeting his girl.

Dil thhaam chale hum aaj kidhar

 Another offbeat train song. This one isn’t a love song or a philosophical song; it’s just a nonsense song Kishore Kumar – as singer and actor – is at his lunatic best here, leading a group of passengers on a mad dance through the coach.The song is from Half Ticket 1962

Cheel-cheel chillaake kajri sunaaye

This is again a Kishore song from Hum Sab Ustaad Hai 1965.Sung and acted by Kishore kumar. The song is sung by Kishore Kumar and music is given by Laxmikant Pyarelal 

Pyar Bantte Chalo

This song is from the film Bahare Phir Bhi Aayengi(1966),sung by Mahendra Kapoor and acted by Dharmendra

 Badal jaaye agar maali 

IN Part 2 I will be presenting the songs from 1970 onwards

50 years of TEESRI MANZIL

Teesri Manzil  is a 1966 Bollywood musical thriller directed by Vijay Anand and produced by Nasir Hussain."Teesri Manzil” is one such thriller which has stood the test of time.Nasir Hussain produced and wrote the film under his home banner. The film was released in the month of September.
Vijay Anand is said to have met Husain through his brother Dev Anand and Husain liked his keen eye for detail. Husain originally offered the film to Dev with his brother as a director but after Dev cancelled a few schedules, Husain asked Vijay if he would like to continue to which Vijay seemed to have asked him if the veteran had taken him on board because of his brother. Search for a new actor began and Husain zeroed in on his faithful Shammi Kapoor.

Teesri Manzil is a musical thriller,all the songs of this film were hit. It was Pancham's first brush with a big banner after assisting his father for many years.There is a story behind R D Burman's entry into this film.It was Majrooh Sultanpuri who pushed his candidature with Husain but Shammi Kapoor  who was at the prime of his career then, was not too happy having a fresher on board.He sugested Shankar Jaikishan for this film,Vijay Anand who was director of the film wanted Pancham.so a meeting of Pancham and Shammi Kapoor was arranged where Pancham  intoduced some of his tunes .Once Pancham opened his Pandora's box, it became hard to resist the temptation of freshness! Kapoor's nod comes through as he goes berserk in his steps in “Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar Tera”.
Popularly called Goldie, Anand deftly combines the various elements of romance, comedy and mystery into a cohesive unit. The mystery part is particularly well handled keeping the audiences guessing. The red earrings are intelligently interspersed as one tries to guess the identity of the true killer — a near-perfect exercise in shifting moods. Shady dealings, jealousies and murder are set up in contrast to the protagonists Anil and Sunita's bright romance on Mussoorie hills — combining the best of the both worlds to have a profitable equation at the box office.

This was the first movie of Nasir Hussain/Majrooh Sultanpuri/R.D. Burman Combination which went on to produce many musical gems in the future.
Script writer and Salman Khan's father Salim Khan made a brief appearance in the movies as Shammi Kapoor's friend. Incidently the movie also stars Helen who is Salim Khan's second wife
The song O mere sona Re is the first Shammi Kapoor song in which he is angry and the heroine is wooing him.Shammi suggested the idea of using the bag as a prop to keep him occupied while the girl tries to console him
Shammi Kapoor's wife, actress Geeta Bali died during the making of Teesri Manzil.
Teesri Manzil was also the last Hussain film in which Mohammed Rafi sang all the songs. By Yaadon Ki Baraat, Kishore Kumar had temporarily become the dominant singer in Hussain's movies, but Rafi always had a special place in Hussain's films and would later win major awards for the song "Kya hua tera wada" in Hussain's Hum Kisise Kum Naheen.
Teesri Manzil is enjoyment guaranteed: With suspense, drama, thrills, romance and comedy neatly packed in.

Aaja aaja Mein Hoon Pyar Tera

O Mere Sona Re

O Haseena Julfon Wali

Tumne Mujhe Dekha

Deewana mujh Sa nahin