Jagdeep - When Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru Appreciated his Performance

Jagdeep born on 29th March 1939 started as a child artist from B R Chopra's Afsana in 1951. As a child artist h appeared in films like Ab Dilli Door Nahin, K. A. Abbas's Munna, Guru Dutt's Aar Paar, Bimal Roy's Do Bigha Zamin and AVM's Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke. After Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, he received various accolades and high praise for his roles. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru has gifted his personal scarf to Jagdeep for his stellar performance in Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke.
He was launched as a leading man by AVM in the films Bhabhi, Barkha and Bindaya, and went on to do a few more films as a leading man. Many hit songs were picturisation on him as a leading actor.Later he switched to comedy and established himself a com median in many films.Today's generation remembers him as Soon a Bhopal of Sholay and Salman Khan's dad in Andaz Apna Apna (1994). 
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 Saamri.
In this blog I am posting some of the hit songs picturised on him

Song of Bhabhi 1957

Song of Bhabhi 1957

Song of Punarmilan 1964

Song of Punarmilan 1964

Song of  Phir Wohi Raat.

Song of  Baap Bete 1959

Song of  Insaf Ki Awaz 1986

I S Johar - A Versatile Bollywood Personality

I S Johar(16Feb 1920- 10 March 1984) was an enigmatic, unique and idiosyncratic individual. He was a well-known Indian actor, writer, producer and director of his time. He was famous for putting his name in the title of his movies; like in movies Mera Naam Johar, Johar in Kashmir, Johar in Bombay,Johar Mehmood in Goa and Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong. He also worked in a few top Hollywood films like Laurance Of Arabia, HARRY BLACK AND THE TIGER, Death on Nile (1978),
The noted Indian film director Yash Chopra started his film career as an assistant director under I. S. Johar. He will also be remembered for his triple role in Johny Mera Naam.

He was born on 16 February 1920, in Talagang (Now in Pakistan), British India. He completed MA degree in Economics and Politics before completing his LLB. In 1947, during the Partition crisis, Johar was visiting Patiala with his family for a wedding, when riots broke out back home in Lahore. He could never go back, and thereafter he worked in Jalandhar for a while, and his family remained in Delhi before he eventually moved to Bombay, where he made his acting debut with Roop K Shorey's, Ek Thi Ladki (1949).
He also wrote and directed films, including the partition-based Hindi movie Nastik (1954), Johar Mehmood in Goa and Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong, in which he co-starred with comedian Mehmood.
In 1963 he starred as "Gopal" in two Italian films directed by Mario Camerini: Kali Yug, la dea della vendetta (Kali Yug, Goddess of vengeance) and Il Mistero del tempio indiano (The secret of the Hindu temple).His film Nasbandi (Vasectomy) was a spoof on Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's failed policy of population control by coerced vasectomies during the period of Emergency and was "banned" when it was first released. 
He also made a film Joi Bangla Desh immediately after the formation of Bangla Desh. After that, he made 5 Rifles in 1974 in which he took 5 duplicate actors of popular actors such as Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna and Shashi Kapoor.

Gasim in LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 

He was a comedian of a different style, some of his significant films are Hum Sab Chor Hain (1956), Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959),  Bewaqoof (1960), April Fool (1964), Shagird (1967), Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar (1973)and Banarsi Babu 1973.
He got Filmfare Best Comedian Award for his Triple roles in Johny Mera Naam.
He died in Bombay, on 10 March 1984

Song of Johar Mehmood in Goa

Song of Johar Mehmood in Goa

Song of Shagird

Song of Johar Mehmood in Kashmir

Song of Nasbandi

Bhagwan Dada- The Original Dancing Star of Bollywood

When we talk of male dancing stars the name of Hrithik Roshan, Govinda and Shammi Kapoor comes to our mind but the original dancing star was Bhagwan Dada.
He was perhaps the first to introduce Ramba, Samba, Disco, rock-n-roll and other dance forms to Hindi cinema, the first male star to do so in the industry ruled by female dancers. Bhagwan Dada as he was popularly called, created a new grammar of comedy, through the unique style of acting and dancing, which inspired a whole generation of comedians in Hindi cinema.
Bhagwan Abhaji Palav popularly known as Bhagwan Dada was born on 1st Aug 1913 and died on 4th February 2002 was a popular comedian of Bollywood of the Golden Era. He is best known for his social film Albela (1951) and the song "Shola Jo Bhadke".A veteran actor of about 600 films in the course of more than five decades, 
 He was a wide-eyed admirer of the silent cinema and worshipped Master Vithal who was the star of the day. He used to dream of emulating his stunt and fight scenes.
He started his Film Career in the Silent Film Era, in 1930, he got a break. Producer Siraj Ali Hakim gave him a comedian’s role in the silent film "Bewafa Aashiq," based on "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". The film was a hit, but he was without offers for eight months because it was believed that he was really a hunchback!
In 1934 he made his first talkie "Himmat-e-Mardan". After that, he joined another company and directed a film called "Bahadur Kisan", with Hansa Wadkar as the heroine. The movie again was a big hit. During the shooting of the film, he had taken a lanky young man, Chitilkar Ramachandra, as his assistant. He gave him a break as a music director in the three. Tamil films he directed in Madras. He used to call him Anna and there began their long association during which C. Ramachandra, out of gratitude, gave him Hindi film industry’s all-time favourite songs for "Albela," including one of the loveliest loris Dhire se aaja ri, ankhiyan mein.
He produced many films after ALBELA but most of his films flopped, His film "Sahme Hue Sapney" didn’t survive beyond the first show. Then he suffered a heavy loss while making "Hanste Rehna" with Kishore Kumar. He had invested his own money, pawned his wife’s jewellery and withdrawn all his life’s savings. But halfway through, Kishore started dilly-dallying and "behaving crazily" and the project had to be shelved.

His sea-facing Juhu bungalow with 25 rooms along with his fleet of seven cars (one for each day of the week) had to be sold. The family moved to a two-room set in a chawl at Dadar. In his last days, he was being looked after by his unmarried daughter and the family of his youngest son, who is a sound recordist. Bhagwan died of a massive heart attack at his residence in Dadar on 4 February 2002

Song from Albela 1951

Song from Albela 1951

Song of  Bhagam Bhag  1956.

Comedy Clip from Mein Bhi Ek Ladki Hoon 1964

Song from Badlaa 1974

Om Prakash- Widely Remembered for his Versatile Roles

He acted in more than 350 films in a career spanning four decades. His style of delivering satirical dialogues was inimitable. His roles as Sharmila Tagore's 'brother' in the memorable Chupke Chupke and Amitabh Bachchan's 'Daddu' in Namak Halal.his God-fearing drink enjoying Catholic rail engine driver in Julie (1975)
His comic performances in Howrah Bridge, Dus Lakh (he won his first major award for this performance), Pyar Kiye Jaa, Gol Maal and Chameli Ki Shaadi.  His roles in Sharabi, Bharosa, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, Mere Humdum Mere Dost, Loafer and Dil Tera Diwana were also appreciated. His performance as Dilip Kumar’s elder brother in Gopi gave his career new impetus.

Om Prakash (19 December 1919 – 21 February 1998) was born in Jammu, as Om Prakash Chibber.  Since his career began in 1942, he was a popular supporting actor from the 1950s until the 1980s. He also produced Jahanaara starring Bharat Bhushan, Shashikala, Prithviraj Kapoor and Mala Sinha in the title role of Jahanaara.

He got his first break as a villain in a film called Lakhpati. It won him acclaim and got him roles in films like Lahore, Char Din and Raat Ki Rani. It was during this phase in his career that he did Azaad with Dilip Kumar, Sargam with Raj Kapoor and Miss Mary, Bahar, Pehli Jhalak, Asha and Manmauji with Kishore Kumar followed by Howrah Bridge with Ashok Kumar and then Tere Ghar Ke Samne with Dev Anand.
In the movie Dus Lakh(1966) he played the role of a misery father of a large family who loses his bearings after he comes into a lottery of 10 lakhs. Om Prakash won the Filmfare Best Comedian Award
Another memorable role played by him was in Buddha Mil Gaya (1971). he played a character of a mysterious millionaire with a vendetta. 
Chupke Chupke came in 1975 and is one of the most iconic and incredible performances. He performed as Raghavendra Sharma in a suspicious way. He managed to outshine a peak Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan combination.

In Namak Halal (1982) he played as the grandfather who goes undercover to check up on his grandson. His role was small but still, his camaraderie with Bachchan remains incredible.
Om Prakash had a special rapport with Amitabh Bachchan and both worked in many successful films from Zanjeer to Sharaabi
Om Prakash suffered a massive heart attack in his home and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai where he suffered another heart attack and went into a coma from which he never recovered. He died on 21 February 1998
Some of the great songs of Om Prakash

Song from Miss Mary 1957

Song from Howrah Bridge 1958

Song from Budha Mil Gaya 1971

Song from Budha Mil Gaya 1971

Song from Annadata 1972

MEHMOOD - The Original Bhaijaan

Today Salman Khan is known as the Bhaijaan of Hindi Film Industry but the original Bhaijaan was Mehmood. At his peak, he was paid more than the film’s hero. Mehmood had a big heart too. He helped many struggling actors find work in the industry. When Amitabh Bachchan was new to Mumbai and still struggling to find a foothold in the industry, it was Mehmood who helped him and offered him a room at his own house. He gave Amitabh the hero’s role in Bombay To Goa in 1972. It was due to this movie that writer duo Salim- Javed picked Amitabh for the iconic role of  Inspector Vijay Khanna in the action film Zanjeer.
There was a time It was difficult to imagine Hindi film comedy without Bollywood’s original Bhaijaan. His movie comes with an assurance of fun, frolic, drama, dance and great music. Well, dancing came naturally to him and so did acting and performance. There was no movie without a song of Mehmood.
In this Blog I have included some of the forgotten hit songs of Mehmood.this will refresh your memory.

Song of  Parvarish (1958)

Song of Howrah Bridge (1958) 

Song of Chhoti Bahen (1959)

Song of Pyase  Panchhi 1961

Song of Pyase  Panchhi 1961

Song of Sasural 1961

Song of Aarti 1962

Song of Grahasti (1963)

Song of Hamrahi (1963)

Song of  Shabnam 1964

Song of Bhoot Bangla 1965

Song of Pati Patni' (1966)

Song of  Around the World 1967

Song of Jawab 1970

Song of Main Sundar Hoon (1971)

The story of Badruddin Qazi to Johnny Walker.

He started life in Mumbai as a bus conductor. And he would have continued to be so if the late actor Balraj Sahni had not spotted him entertaining passengers in a bus.
Those days Balraj Sahni was penning the script for “Baazi, he thought that if he brings this character in the script it will give a boost to the film. He asked Badruddin Qazi about working in films.

It was on the sets of “Baazi” that Badruddin Qazi met director Guru Dutt, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Those days it was the practice of changing the names of the actors, this was also done to him. So the new name for him was planned. It is said that the director of the film Guru Dutt was drinking the most popular brand of scotch whisky at that time, the idea came to his mind why not the brand Johny Walker should be given to this new comedian. Everybody sitting with him liked this name. So Badruddin Qazi became Johnny Walker.

“Baazi” gave him a foothold into the industry and the other films, which followed, established him forever. Thereafter he was doing all the films of Guru Dutt. Films like Taxi Driver(1954) CID, Pyaasa, Madhumati, Naya Daur and Mere Mehboob made him a star.

.He was sought after by the best banners and the best directors and was equal to the task of acting with the best of the stars. 

He was offered many films(around 12) as a hero such as JOHNNY WALKER, Mr Cartoon, These, of course, had comic themes but were embellished with wonderful music and did well at the box office. 

His Golden Period was the 50s and 60s when he gave memorable and great performances.
He was a natural comedian, his comedy was never crude or vulgar. But, from 1970 onwards, comedy began to change. Some of the comedians indulged in lewd gestures and relied on double-entendre. Johnny Walker never tried that type of comedy, In an interview, he said that though he acted more than 300 films and the Censor Board never cut even one line of his character. His drawing power at the box office was such that Distributors insisted the Producers and Directors to have at least one song to be done with him.

Here are a few popular songs of Johny Walker

Song from Taxi Driver 1954

Song of Mr & Mrs 55 1955

Song from CID 1956

Song from Chori Chori 1956

Song from Pyaasa 1957

Song from Chaudavin Ka Chand 1960

The earlier Years of Mehmood

Mehmood, son of character actor Mumtaz Ali, who was having a dance troupe "Mumtaz Ali Nites" performed all over India. His career slumped due to his alcoholism, leading Mehmood to work as a child artist and daughter Meenu Mumtaz to work as a dancer in his stage shows and later movies. He had a tough time when starting out in the Hindi film industry.
He did every kind of odd job from becoming a driver for director PL Santoshi.He also assisted him on the sets. If Santoshi sent him out to buy cigarettes or other small things, he would invariably keep the change.  He also got the job of teaching Table Tennis to Meena Kumari.
He also worked as assistant cameraman with Arjun Desai, as an assistant set designer with Kamleshwar Sehgal, as an assistant editor with DN Desai.He also worked with Hemant kumar as office assistant for some time.Hemant Kumar who knew the hardship he was facing once even let him sing in the chorus so that he could make some money.
It was in 1954 when Hemant Kumar was giving music for Nagin,in a song  ‘O Zindagi Ke Denewale’ he took Mehmood as a chorus singer but he was singing so badly that Hemant Kumar’s assistant Ravi asked him to leave. Mehmood begged Ravi to let him stay, but Ravi was adamant. However, Hemant Kumar knew of Mehmood’s dire straits, so he asked to remain and merely lip-sync the song without any sound.
In his childhood Mehmood worked in few films of Bomay Talkies as a child artist(Kismet of Bombay Talkies was his first film as child artist) so he thought of to switch to acting and started going to one producer to another to beg for work.
He was first offered a small role as a murder victim in CID and then acted in films like “Do Bigha Zameen” and “Pyaasa”. He got his first major break in the film Parvarish in 1958. After Paravrish, Mehmood’s comic talent was recognized in the industry.

Song from Parvarish (1958)

His first breakthrough film as a comedian was Chhoti Behen in 1959. The movie also created one of the most successful comedy pairings of the sixties – Mehmood and Shubha Khote.Their next film was Sasural in 1961 which was hit and thus Jodi became super hit for years to come.
Here are some of the great songs of Mehmood and Shubha Khote

Song from Chhoti Bahen (1959).

Song from Sasural 1961

Song from Sasural 1961

Song from Grahasti (1963)

Song from Hamraahi 1963

Song from Ziddi (1964)

Song from Saanjh aur Sawera (1964),

Song from Beti Bete.1964

Song from Love In Tokyo (1966)

Song from Tumse Achha Kaun Hai (1969)

Uma Devi(TUNTUN) was a Singer before becoming the First Ever Woman Comedian of Bollywood

She arrived in Bombay (Mumbai) at the age of 23(Born on 11th July 1923), having run away from home, and knocked on composer Naushad Ali's door. She told him that she could sing and that she would throw herself in the ocean if he didn't give her a chance. He auditioned her, and hired her on the spot. She made her debut as a solo playback singer in Nazir's Wamiq Azra (1946).
With the song  "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon Dil-e-Beqarar Ka" she became popular and became household name.In fact, a gentleman from Delhi was so mesmerized  by her song "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon", that he stayed with her in Bombay. They got married, and the couple had two daughters and two sons; her husband, whom she called Mohan, died in 1992.
The success of Dard meant that she next received Mehboob Khan's Anokhi Ada (1948), which again had two hit numbers, "Kahe Jiya Dole" and "Dil Ko Lagake Humne Kuch Bhi Na Paya". This brought her into the league of highly rated playback singers.She reached her peak as a vocalist in director S.S. Vasan's Chandralekha (1948) made by Gemini Studios, Chennai. Her seven songs, which include hits such as "Saanjh Ki Bela" remain her most accomplished work in her singing career, though signing for the film also meant a breach of contract with producer-director Kardar, which led to her dwindling fortunes in the industry 
.Uma's career as a singer was short-lived. New singers entered the industry. It was impossible to keep pace with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. "Rakhi"-brother Naushad used to compose songs to suit her range. But that could not have continued for long.

It was Naushad who encouraged her to start acting because he felt that  she had a very bubbly personality and wonderful comic timing.He also knew that she was a great fan of Dilip Kumar he in fact asked Dilip Kumar to cast her in one of his films, and she appeared in Babul (1950) with him, which had Nargis as the lead actress; it is he who renamed her "Tun Tun" to suit her comic persona,the name stayed with her, and a comedic legend was born. 
She had a fan in Guru Dutt and acted in almost all his films. Her favourite role too was from Guru Dutt's Mr and Mrs 55 in which she played a Christian lady.She acted in nearly 200 films.She died on 23 November 2003 in Andheri, Mumbai, after a prolonged illness at the age of 80 and is survived by her four children and four grandchildren.
In her career spanning five decades, she acted in Hindi/Urdu and other languages like Punjabi etc., pairing with top comedy actors of her times such as Bhagwan Dada, Agha, Sunder, Mukri, Dhumal, Johnny Walker and Keshto Mukherjee. She was last seen in Hindi films in Kasam Dhande Ki (1990).
Owing to her popularity, the name Tun Tun has become synonymous with fat women in India.

Song from Dard (1947)

Song from Dard (1947)

Song from Chandralekha (1948)

Song from Chandralekha (1948)

Song from Chandni Raat (1949)

Song from Anokhi Ada (1948)

Song from Saudamini (1950)

Song from Dholak (1951)

Song from Taksaal (1956)

Song from Passing Show (1956)

Song from Jungle King (1959)