Pran - Noorjahan was his Heroine in his First Hindi Film

 

Pran, the greatest villain ever in the history of Indian cinema played hero roles from 1940–47. In the 1940s, romantic duets featuring him, like the songs "Tere Naaz Uthane Ko Jee Chahta Hai" from Grihasti, opposite Shardha, and 'Ud Ja Ud Ja Panchhi' from Khandaan (1942), with Noor Jehan, became very popular. He got his first role in Dalsukh M. Pancholi's Punjabi film Yamla Jat (1940). The film featured baby Noor Jehan. as a child artist, Both appeared in Khandan(1942) as romantic leads. It was Noorjehan's first film as an adult. The film was a great success, Noorjehan shifted to Bombay. She shared melodies with Shanta Apte in Duhai (1943).

Pran was working in Lahore, acted in 22 films from 1942 to 1946 in Lahore; 18 were released by 1947. Due to India's partition in 1947, his career had a brief break. His films from 1944 to 1947 were made in undivided India, but Taraash (1951) and Khanabadosh (1952) (both co-starring Manorama) were released only in Pakistan after Partition. He left Lahore and arrived in Bombay. For a few months, he looked for acting opportunities while doing other jobs. He worked in Delmar Hotel, Marine Drive for eight months, after which he got a chance to act in 1948.

This film was Ziddi released in 1948, He got this opportunity because of his friendship with writer Saadat Hasan Manto and actor Shyam, The movie launched Pran's career in Bombay. Incidentally, it proved to be Dev Anand's big break as a hero. Within a week of Ziddi's success, he had signed three more films – S M Yusuf's Grihasti (1948), which became a diamond jubilee hit, Prabhat Films' Apradhi (1949) and Wali Mohammad's Putli (1949). By then, Wali Mohammad, who was responsible for Pran's first role, had come to Bombay and became a producer, setting up an office at Famous Studios, near Mahalaxmi Racecourse

Pran was among the highly successful & respected veteran actors in the history of Indian cinema. He was also one of the highest-paid actors of his time. He played hero roles from 1940–47, a villain from 1948–1991, and played supporting and character roles from 1967–2007. The decades of late 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s were the peak periods of Pran's villainy, especially the 1950s & 1960s. Pran was the first true personification of "evil" on the Indian screen. He is the original badman of Indian cinema. The intensity of his portrayal of negative/villainous characters on the screen was effective enough to desist the Indian people from naming their children "Pran" in the 1950s & 60s & subsequently thereafter (when Pran was at the peak of his villainy).

He was given Padma Bhushan in 2001 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013

Song of Khandan 1942

Song of Grihasti 1948

If you liked this blog, you would also appreciate my Youtube Channel, the link is given below

https://youtu.be/vTuSFXOjGfU

The Irreplaceable Asha Bhonsle

 

Asha Bhosle, the younger sister of Lata Mangeshkar was born on 8th September 1933 in a Gomantak Marathi Brahmin family in Sangli, Maharashtra. She was the third among five siblings. Her father, Pandit Dinanath Mangeshkar was a renowned classical singer and stage actor. Her first foray into Hindi film playback happened with the song ‘Saawan Aaya’ from the film ‘Chunariya’ with composer Hansraj Behl in 1948. When she was 16,

Initially, her songs were basically meant for the sidelined roles like vamps, cabaret numbers, or C-grade movies but it was O P Nayyar who gave her real break with C I D in 1956. With O. P Nayyar, Asha gave out hits after hits like ‘Aaiye Meherban’, ‘Deewana Hua Badal’, ‘Isharon Isharon Mein’, ‘Aao Huzur Tumko’, ‘Ude Jab Jab Zulfein Teri’, etc.

This talented singer can sing a ghazal and a peppy cabaret number with amazing levels of energy and style. Be it the romantic "Oh Mere Sona Re" or the sensuous "Aaiye Meherban" or the peppy "Kambakth Ishq", Asha Bhonsle can add life to any song.  she has sung in almost all genres including film music, pop, bhajans, ghazals, traditional Indian classical music, qawwalis, folk songs, and Rabindra Sangeet..

Her collaboration with R.D Burman took her to the peak of her career. The duo of Asha and R.D Burman produced hits after hits starting from Teesri Manzil in 1966. A popular song ‘Jaane Jaa’ from the movie Jawaani Diwaani (1972) required her to switch from high pitch to low almost simultaneously which she did with utmost ease and perfection. The song, ‘Dum Maro Dum’ from the movie ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ showed an entirely new side of her talent. 

                                                                    https://youtu.be/xkNXojm0fIA

In the 90's, she experimented with peppy numbers and produced hits like ‘Tanha Tanha’, ‘Yaire’, ‘Kambakth Ishq’, ‘Chori Pe Chori’, with much younger music directors like A.R. Rahman, Anu Malik, and Sandeep Chowta. 

She received the Dada SahebPhalke award in 2000. She was honored with the Padma Vibushan Award by the Government of India in 2008. She won 8 Filmfare awards in the best Female Playback Singer Category in the years 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, and 1979. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Filmfare in 2001. She has won 2 National Awards, in 1981 for the song ‘Dil Cheez Kya hai’ from Umrao Jaan and in 1986 for ‘Mera Kuchh Saman’ from the film Ijaazat. In this Blog, I am posting her Award-Winning Songs

Song from Shikar, 1968

https://youtu.be/6i9YxZKnQeY

Song from Ijaazat 1986

Song from Lagaan 2002

Raj Kapoor & His Songs are Immortal

 

For him, the songs were truly not only audio but audio-visual. He saw music as it were; and only when he could how the song could be filmed, did he okay it's recording. His use of elaborate sets, of light and shade to convey sombreness and technicolor to project joy, were all part of his visual perception.

He was very fond of composing tunes, he composed tunes with Ram Ganguli with whom Shankar, Jailishan used to play Harmonium and Tabla. It was there the birth of the Team of Shankar Jaikishan and Raj Kapoor took place, that entertained the music lovers. He had a sharp music sense. Raj Saab was a complete musician. He played the tabla, the harmonium, and the piano. He composed songs and sang them in his own voice before handing them over to professional playback singers.

His music journey started with Papaji (Prithviraj Kapoor) in theatre in Calcutta. When he came to Bombay he learned classical music playing Harmonium, Tabla, and Sitar at Narayan Rao Vijay Academy. He was also with Anil Biswas for some time.

Raj Kapoor's song sittings were very famous, all the stakeholders of the song used to be invited on the sittings, time was no limit, everyone present cold give his suggestion. He loved to listen to tunes, to prune and trim the compositions, to correct the singers. He also sits with the Lyricist to change a particular line or word which is not matching the tune, he perfected the compositions to suit his taste.

Songs in RK films were never just 'there'; they were seamlessly woven into the fabric of the film, used intelligently and sensibly to complement the narrative.

Song of Aag 1948

Song of Barsat 1949

Song of Awaara 1951

Song of Shree 420 1955

Song of Chori Chori 1956

Song of Anari 1959

Song of Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai 1960

Song of Sangam 1964

Song of Teesri Kasam 1966

Song of Mera Naam Joker 1970

Pran- Started his Second Inning from the film Ziddi(1948)

 

Ziddi(1948) was the first hit film of Dev Anand and was also the first Bombay film of Pran. Before this film, Pran was working in Lahore Film Industry. His first film was Yamla Jatt, a Punjabi film released in 1940. His first Hindi film was Khandan made in Lahore was released in 1942, he was the hero of this film and Noorjehan was his heroine.

He had acted in 22 films from 1942 to 1946 in Lahore; 18 were released by 1947. After the partition of India, he moved to Bombay and had to struggle for livelihood.  For a few months, he looked for acting opportunities while doing other jobs. He worked in Delmar Hotel, Marine Drive for eight months, after which he got a chance to act in 1948. He got this opportunity because  of his friendship with  writer Saadat Hasan Manto and actor Shyam, 

Within a week of Ziddi's success, he had signed three more films – S M Yusuf's Grihasti (1948), which became a diamond jubilee hit, Prabhat Films' Apradhi (1949) and Wali Mohammad's Putli (1949). By then, Wali Mohammad, who was responsible for Pran's first role, had come to Bombay and became a producer, setting up an office at Famous Studios, near Mahalaxmi Racecourse.

As a villain, Pran's initial successful films were Ziddi and Bari Behan (1949).  He became the favourite of the directors like M. V. Raman, Nanabhai Bhatt, Kalidas, Ravindra Dave, I. S. Johar and Bimal Roy repeatedly cast him in the 50s. He was now regularly offered the role of the main villain or of a negative character in films with Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor as the lead hero in the 1950s and 60s. Some of his memorable films with  Dilip Kumar in the 50s  Pran's trademark blowing of smoke rings first appeared in the latter film. were Aan (1952), Azaad (1955), Devdas (1955), Madhumati (1958), with Dev Anand were Munimji (1955), Amar Deep (1958), and with Raj Kapoor were  Aah (1953), Chori Chori (1956), Jagte Raho (1956), 

In the 50s he was also offered many films as hero,  Pilpili Saheb (1954) and then Halaku in 1956, were his hit films as a hero. . He had roles in several genres, like as a pirate in Sindbad the Sailor (1952) and Daughter of Sindbad (1958); He played comic roles with Kishore Kumar in Chham Chhama Chham (1952), Aasha (1957), Bewaqoof (1960), Half Ticket (1962) and Man-Mauji (1962).

In the late 1960s, Pran played Malang Chacha, a veteran war hero, in Manoj Kumar's film Upkar (1967). The Kalyanji Anandji song "Kasme Waade Pyaar Wafaa" was picturised on him. In this film, Pran played a more sympathetic role. He received his first Filmfare Award for Upkar. Kumar continued to cast him in pivotal roles in films such as Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Be-Imaan (1972), Sanyasi (1975) and Dus Numbri (1976).

From 1969 to 1982, Pran was one of the highest-paid actors of Bollywood. He played the lead role in the film Aurat, (1967) paired opposite Padmini, with Rajesh Khanna in a supporting role. He was paid more amount than Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer(1973). Later he acted with Bachchan in about 14 films with notable ones being Zanjeer, Don (1978), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Dostana (1980), Naseeb (1981) and Sharaabi (1984).

Pran had a six-decade career in Hindi cinema and is one of the most celebrated actors of the industry.r He appeared in over 350 films. At the age of 78, Pran suffered a heart attack in 1998,after which he started rejecting film offers due to age-related problems.

Pran has received many awards and honours in his career. He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award in 1967, 1969 and 1972 and was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He was awarded as the 'Villain of the Millennium' by Stardust in 2000.The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 for his contributions to the arts. He was honoured in 2013 with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest national award for cinema artists, by the Government of India.
.He died on 12 July 2013 at the age of 93 of pneumonia after suffering from a prolonged illness in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital

Song of Munimji 1955

Song from Half Ticket 1962

Song of Upkar 1967

Song of Nanha Farishta 1969

Song of Adhikar 1971

Song of Victoria No 203 (1972)

Song of Zanjeer 1973

Song of  Dharma 1973

Song from Kasauti 1974