Remembering ANAND BAKSHI on his 86th Birth Anniversary

Anand Bakshi  was born in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan, on 21 July 1930.His mother, Sumitra, died when he was five years old. Bakshi's family migrated to India (Delhi) on 2 October 1947, in the aftermath of the partition, when he was 17 years old.Since his childhood he had interest in art & literature,he used to write poems and sing also.He joined Indian Army but he left it after few years because his interest was in singing and writing,He came to Bombay to make a name for himself in writing and singing in Hindi Film Industry but ended up becoming more successful in writing lyrics 

He got his break writing songs in a Brij Mohan's film titled, "Bhalaa Aadmi", 1958, acted by Bhagwan Dada. He wrote 4 songs in this film. His first song in this film was "Dharti Ke Laal Na Kar Itna Malaal" which was recorded on 9 Nov 1956. In his own voice.

           Anand Bakshi Singing his First Song from his First film, BHALA AADMI, on Ameen Sayani show.

He first found success in 1962, with Mehendi Lagi Mere Haath, which was produced by (LimeLight), Music Kalyanji & Anandji,In the same year he wrote a quawali for the film "Kaala Samundar" which became hit.the song was "Meri Tasveer Lekar Kya Karoge Tum".

In 1964 he wrote for Music Director Laxmikant Pyarelal in Mr X in Bombay,later they became a hit JODI,Both of them did 302 films together.

Mere mehboob qyamat hogi from Mr X in Bombay

1965 was a great year for him as a lyricist.His all the songs of the film "Himalaya ki God Mein' became very popular.Another film 'Jab Jab Phool Khile"was a musical hit.Next year the music of "Aye Din Bahar Ke" became popular,his association LP was to make magic in 1967 with the super hit film MILAN and the song "Sawan ka Mahina,Pavan Kare Shor' became the song of the year.By this time he became a lyrics writer of immense caliber. He went on to work as a lyricist of over 3500 songs and 638 films in his career.

Chand si mehbooba from himalya Ki God Mei

                                                                       Ek tha gul aur ek thi bulbul from Jab Jab Phool Khile

                                 sawan ka mahina pawan kare shor

Anand Bakshi’s was widely associated with music Composers such as Laxmikant Pyarelal, R D Burman, Kalyanji Anandji, SD Burman, Anu Malik, Rajesh Roshan and Anand-Milind and his songs have been sung by all the top singers as also other singers like Shamshad Begum, Ila Arun, Khursheed Bawra,Amirbai Karnataki, Sudha Malhotra and more. He is known to have worked with more than one generation of music composers.

song from CID Girl(1959)

Some of his memorable films with Laxmikant pyarelal are Lutera,Farz,Raaja Aur Rank,Aya Sawan jhoom Ke,Do Raaste, Jeene Ki Raah,Jigri Dost,Aan Milo Sajna,Hamjoli,Jeewan Mrityu,Khilona,Aap Aye Bahar Aayi,Haathi Mere Saathi,Mera gaon mera Desh,Bobby,Manchali,Amir Garib,Bidaai,Roti,Pratigya,Dharam Veer,Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki,Satyam Shivam Sundaram,Sargam,Dostana,Karz,Ek Duje Ke Liye,Naseeb,Coolie,Karma,Nagina,Inteqam,Ram Lakhan,Hum,Saudagar,Khuda Gawah,

Wit R D Burman he did 99 movies together and gave memorable songs."Dum Maro Dum" in the movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna(1972).Amar Prem Apna desh,Jawani Diwani,Sita Aur Gita.Heera Panna.Namak Haraam,Aap Ki Kasam,Sholay,Mehbooba,Shaan.Love Storyand many more.

Dum Maaro Dum

Kuchh to Log Kehenge from Amar Prem

Bindiya chamkegi from Do Raaste

Apni Prem Kahaniyan from Mera Gaon Mera Desh

song from Mom Ki Gudiya sung by Anand bakshi

song from Ek Duje Ke Liye

song from Bobby

The song that gave Anand Bakshi his first Filmfare award

song from Satyam Shivam Sundaram

song from Karz

In the 90s some of his important films were  Mohra (1994), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), "Pardes" (1997), Heer Raanjha, Dushman (1998), Taal (1998), Mohabbatein (2000), Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) and Yaadein.

Though Anand Bakshi was writing songs for many Music Directors since 1956  but he had to wait till 1969 for an opportunity to work with SD Burman. It is well known that RD Burman played an important role in the music of Aradhana (1969) After that he went on to work with SD Burman in many other films including Anurag (1972), Jugnu (1973), Prem Nagar (1974) and Chupke Chupke (1975), 

             song from Araadhna

He got his first break as singer in a film directed by Mohan Kumar's Mom Ki Gudiya(1972). The first song he sang was a duet "Baaghon mein bahaar aayi hothon pe pukaar aayi", along with Lata Mangeshkar for music composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal. He also sang the solo " Main dhoondh raha tha sapnon mein" from the same film

Main dhoondh raha tha sapnon mein from Mom Ki Gudiya,sung himself

Anand Bakshi received a record breaking 40 nominations for lyrics written for Hindi films. He has a total of four Filmfare Awards for the best lyricist to his name:

• 'Aadmi Musafir Hai’ for Apnapan in the year 1977
• 'Tere Mere Beech’ for Ek Duuje Ke Liye in 1981
• 'Tujhe Dekha’ for Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in the year 1995
• 'Ishq Bina’ for Taal in 1999
• He died of multiple organ failure on 30 March 2002, 8:00 PM at Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital, at the age of 72
•                              Some RARE Pictures of ANAND BAKSHI
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Remembering RAJESH KHANNA on His 4th Death Anniversary

RAJESH KHANNA (29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012)

Rajesh Khanna  made his debut in 1966 with Aakhri Khat. Through his career he appeared in more than 170 feature films.He was a Super Star,his film Aradhna(1969) gave him this position,he gave 15 hit films in a row from 1969 to 1971.The films were Aaradhna, Do Raaste, Bandhan, Doli, Khamoshi, Ittefaq, Safar, Kati Patang, The Train, Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna, Mehboob Ki Mehndi, Dushmun, Andaaz and Anand. In 1971, he acted in Haathi Mere Saathi, which became that year's highest grossing film and also the biggest grosser In the year 1972, Khanna acted 11 releases, including a guest appearance in Telugu movie called Bangaru Babu directed by V.B. Rajendra Prasad. His Hindi films Dushman,Amar Prem,Apna Desh and Mere Jeevan Saathi, together earned more than Rs.5 crore.

Rajesh Khanna's real name was Jatin.He  was adopted and raised by Chunni Lal Khanna and Leela Wati Khanna, who were relatives of his biological parents.His adoptive parents belonged to a family of railway contractors who had moved from Lahore to Bombay in 1935.He attended St. Sebastian’s Goan High School with his friend Ravi Kapoor, who later took the Film name Jeetendra.
Rajesh Khanna did his first two years of Bachelor of Arts in Nowrosjee Wadia College in Pune from 1959 to 1961.He later studied in K. C. College,Bombay.He had interest in theatre, did a lot of stage and theatre plays in his school and college days, and won many prizes in inter-college drama competitions.
After his studies he wanted to become a hero in films.Those days an All India Talent Contest used to be organised by United Producers and Filmfare.These United Producers were BR Chopra, Bimal Roy, GP Sippy, HS Rawail, Nasir Husain, J. Om Prakash, Mohan Saigal, Shakti Samanta and Subodh Mukherji and more,they were the leading Producers and Directors of that time.Rajesh Khanna was one of the eight finalists in the 1965 All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare from more than ten thousand contestants.He won that contest,that made his presence felt in the Industry.G.P. Sippy and Nasir Hussain were the first to sign Rajesh Khanna after he won the contest.

Though "Aakhri Khat" Produced and Directed by Chetan Anand was his first film, his first break as a leading actor was in Ravindra Dave's, "Raaz" in 1967.Being under contract with United Producers, he got projects like Aurat, Doli and Ittefaq. He was then noticed for his performances in films like Baharon Ke Sapne, Aurat (1967),Through Aradhana he rose to "instant national fame" and film critics referred to him as the first superstar of India.

During the peak of his career he would be mobbed during public appearances. Fans kissed his car, which would be covered with lipstick marks, and lined the road, cheering and chanting his name. Female fans sent him letters written in their blood.

 Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anand to be Khanna’s most memorable film and character. The terminally ill Anand Sehgal’s kinship with the sober and reticent Babu Moshai (Amitabh Bachchan) was modeled on director Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s friendship with Raj Kapoor. Anand’s role was first offered to Kapoor, then Kishore Kumar and Shashi Kapoor. In hindsight it’s inconceivable to imagine anyone but Rajesh Khanna as Anand.

He was at Peak from 1970 t0 1974,soon he was replaced by Amitabh Bachhan who became the No one hero after Zanzeer.

Music remained one of the biggest attractions of all Rajesh Khanna films throughout his career. Many of the musical scores for Khanna's films were composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal Sachin Dev Burman and R. D. Burman. The trio of Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and R.D. Burman went on to make a number of popular films.

He fell in love with Dimple Kapadia, who was only 16 years old at the time, 15 years younger to him, and they got married after a whirlwind romance in 1973. The marriage lasted 11 years.Twinkle Khanna is his daughter,other daughter Rinkie Khanna also tried her luck in films but couldn't succeed ultimately she married and settled down in Delhi.
Rajesh khanna entered into politics,he joined Congress and became M P(1991-1996) from New Delhi seat,he defeated Shatrughan Sinha (BJP).He was braught in to politics by Rajiv Gandhi in 1984 when he campained for Congress.Amitabh Bachhan also entered in Politics the same year and was elected from Allahabad defeating H N Bahuguna.

 After 1992, he appeared in only 10 films and declined most film offers. He made a comeback as a NRI in Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999), and Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa (2002) and played the solo lead in films Sautela Bhai in 1996, Pyar Zindagi Hai in 2001, Kaash Mere Hote in 2009, Wafaa in 2008 and Riyasaat in 2013. 
 He died at his residence in suburban Bandra after battling ill health for past four months. He was 69.
He won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards, one Filmfare Special Guest Actor Award in 1973, and received a Filmfare Special Award in 1991, after 25 years in the Hindi film industry. He received the Filmfare Life Time Achievement Award at the 50th anniversary Filmfare award ceremony in 2005.