" Fly the Flag". tells Dev Anand to Chetan Anand

Chetan Anand (3 January 1915 – 6 July 1997), while he was teaching History, wrote a film script on king Ashoka, which he went on to show to director Phani Majumdar in Bombay.  Phani Majumdar cast him as a hero in his Hindi film, Rajkumar, released in 1944. The film flopped and so his career. He soon took to film direction The first film he directed was Neecha Nagar. Though the film won the Golden Palm Award at the first Cannes Film Festival in 1946 but couldn't be released.No distributor was ready to distribute the film, the cinema halls were asking for heavy rentals.  This being Chetan's first directorial venture went unseen depressed him. He did not get any work offer after that.
After the release of  Ziddi Dev Anand was going great as an actor, a plan came to his mind. Without discussing with Chetan he went ahead to gather money to start a banner where Chetan could direct films.
After he was assured by one of his producers to give him the required money, he approached Chetan and said: " Fly the Flag". He asked him to name the banner where both of them will work together.
He pulled out bundles of notes and showed it to Chetan and said start a film with me as Hero and Suraiya as Heroine. That was the day when he saw a smile on the face of his brother after one and a half years
The fist film Afsar was started in 1949. The film was based on Nikolai Gogol's play The Government Inspector. This play.was played earlier many times by Balraj Sahni and Dev himself in Bombay.

.Unfortunately, the print of this film is not available. The film was an average success.  After this, the next film was Baazi released in 1951. This was directed by Guru Dutt as promised by Dev Anand to Guru Dutt on their struggling days. The film was a hit that established Navketan.  It became a training ground and school for many famous directors, producers, composers, and technicians.

The next film he directed was Navketan's Aandhiyan released in 1952 was again not a successful. So he refused to do the Navketan's next film Humsafar, in this film he plays the role of Vivek who is a good guy. This film also failed. 

The next film he directed was Taxi Driver released in 1954, it was a smash hit film, the first time he experienced success in Bollywood. After Baazi and Taxi Driver, the Navketan was a big banner. The next film of this banner was Funtoosh released in 1956, he directed this film but the film was not a runaway success. During the making of this film, some differences between the two brothers surfaced. He decided to do outside banner films. He directed Anjali (1957), Arpan(1957)and Kinare Kinare (1963) He acted in all the three films. He started his own company with Haqeeqat (1964) banner called Himalaya films. This banner produced films like Heer Ranjha, Hanste Zakhm, Hindustan Ki Kasam, and Saheb Bahadur. He also directed Navketan's Jaaneman after a gap of more than 20 years.
In the 1960s, well after being estranged from his wife, Anand fell in love with Priya Rajvansh, who had made her debut as a heroine of his film Haqeeqat. The two fell in love during the making of this film and their relationship lasted all their lives. 
He died on 6 July 1997, at the age of 76 in Mumbai 

Song of Neecha Nagar 1946

Song of Afsar 1950

Song of Aandhiyan 1952

Song of Taxi Driver 1954

Song of Funtoosh 1956

Song of Kinare Kinare (1963)

Song of Haqeeqat (1964)

Song of Heer Raanjha (1970)

Song of Hanste Zakhm (1973)

Piya Tose Naina Lage Re- An Iconic Dance

"Piya Tose" the song from Guide was composed by Dada Burman using Roopak Taal (7 Beats) which was Dada's most favorite Taal. Waheeda Rehman looked extremely charming with her Gentle Dance Steps while singing "Piya Tose".If you notice carefully this song starts without any prelude which was Dada's typical style. Alaaps within this song were very carefully composed.
This is one of the best dances of Waheeda Rehman in films. Waheeda Rehman in an interview once said that Since this was a very long dance sequence, there was a possibility in final editing, part of this song would have been cut. Realizing this, Waheeda Rehman took a promise from Dev Anand that in the final editing he will cut something else from the movie but will not touch this dance song. And guess what, Dev Kept up that promise and this dance sequence was kept intact and no cuts were made.

This dance song was very long nearly 8 minutes. There are 4 stanzas and each stanza of 5 or 6 lines. It took 21 days to picturize this song. The specialty of this song, it presented a new dance aesthetics that blended Kathak, Bharatnatyam, and different folk dances from across India as also a celebration of different festivals. This dance was choreographed by Master Sohan Lal and his younger brother Hira Lal B, under the guidance of Vijay Anand. The choreography of the song and the picturization by the Cameraman Fali Mistry is simply superb. Vijay Anand is known for the excellence of picturizing a song.

The striking stage sets that accompany the song and dance sequence mapped the different stages of Rosie's success as a professional dancer. Beginning from a simple theatrical setting in a rural environment to a further grand scale. The costumes in this song according to the stanzas. Each stanza unfolded a different setting, dance style, music, and background. The innovative cinematography showed the backup dancers in novel ways. First, the camera only caught their moving feet but then their bodies filled the stage in various visual designs. The camera angles also enhanced the dance sequence. The sheer grace and beauty of Waheeda Rehman's dancing, her restrictive movements, and energy made the scene memorable.

Watch carefully the last stanza "Raat Ko Jab Chaand Chamake Jal Uthe Tan Mera" is a turning point of this song, where our soul is lost in the beautiful scene of moonlight of Raag Khamaj and the same in the second stanza about morning sunrise "Bhor Kii Bela" just observe the sound of a flute, what a composition by Dada Burman.
The interludes in "Piya Tose" are very rich and composed very intrinsically. Dada used a wide variety of musical instruments in this song such as Sarangi, Harmonium, Tabla, Ghungroos, and North Eastern Drums. There is also a piece of very interesting information to the readers that the world's best Santoor Player Pt. Shivkumar Sharma played Tabla for this song and flute by Hariprasad Chaurasia.
There is a story that this song was sung and recorded by S.D.Burman himself before he recorded Lata's song. It was a usual practice of Dada to sing the song himself first then tell his singers to sing like him.
There is one more story about this song that this song was already composed 10 years ago for the movie Devdas of Dilip Kumar. It was picturized on Dilip Kumar and Suchitra Sen as a background song. The wordings of the song were a little different. Even music was a little different. Whereas a tabla piece replaced original sitar piece. 

Song of Guide 1965

Raj Khosla came to Bombay to become a Singer

He wanted to become a playback singer but destiny made him an ace director of his time. He had learned classical music from the age of six, and as a student, had joined All India Radio, filling in whenever a singer could not make it. He struggled hard to become a singer,  only one composer gave him a song that too after rehearsing went to Mukesh. He did get a song in 1949 film Bhool Bhulaiya, Bulo C Rani composed it, later in Madan Mohan's debut film Ankhen (1950), wherein he sang the quaint 'Rail Mein Jeeya Mora'.
During his struggle days, he became a friend to Dev Anand, who spotted his talent of direction made him an assistant of Guru Dutt at the time of making of Baazi in 1950. He assisted Guru Dutt in Jaal(1952) and Aar Paar(1954).

 in 1954 got a break with "Milap", starring Dev Anand and Geeta Bali. In this film, not only Raj Khosla made a debut as a Director, but a new Music Director, N. Dutta gave debut music. The next film he directed was C I D (1956) which was a hit From here onwards he never looked back. His next two films Kala Pani (1958) and Solva Saal (1958) were back to bach hit. 
He entered into production also, he co-produced and directed Bombay Ka Babu which was again a hit. Till then he directed 5 films in all the 5 films Dev Anand was his hero. The next film he directed was Ek Musafir Ek Hasina in 1962 for Shashdhar Mukharjee with Joy Mukharjee as a hero. The next film he directed was Woh Kaun Thi (1964) with Manoj Kumar and Sadhana.
Khosla explored a variety of styles be it crime thrillers like CID, suspense thrillers like Woh Kaun Thi, and musicals (Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962). Now he tried melodramas (Do Badan (1966) , he was successful in that too. In 1969 he came out with Do Raste and Chirag both the films were hit. The next genre he tried dacoity with highly successful Mera Gaon Mera Desh in 1971 and Kachhe Dhaage in 1973.
He made films after Mera Gaon Mera Desh and had hits like Prem Kahani (1975) starring the then hottest pair of the day Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz, Nehle Pe Dehla (1976) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). After enjoying big hits like Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) and Dostana (1980) with Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman, and Shatrughan Sinha, Khosla ran into some rough weather as his other films started flopping. The last film he directed was Sunny in 1984, which was not a hit.A dispirited Khosla took refuge in alcohol and died in Bombay on 9 June 1991
 He, along with Guru Dutt and Vijay Anand, was among the directors, who were also responsible for song picturizations being taken to a new high in the Hindi cinema of the 1950s and 6os.

Songs were sung by Raj Khosla in films

Song of Bhool Bhulaiya 1949

Song of Aankhen 1950

Songs of Films directed by Raj Khosla 

Song of Milap 1955

Song of CID 1956

Song of Kala Pani 1958

Song of Solva Saal 1958

Song of Bombai Ka Babu 1960

Song of Woh Kaun Thi 1963

Song of Mera Saya 1965

SANAM(1951)- The Last Film of Dev Anand and Suraiya

If you are a Dev Anand fan and love to see Black & White films, if you like Meena Kumari in a chirpy mood, this is one film you definitely must-see, She plays the role of Suraya's friend in this film. Suraiya in the main lead romancing with Dev Anand, who plays Yogen, an unemployed youth. who  had to rob some money for his mother's treatment,

In real life, Dev Annand and Suraiya were in an affair for two years which was its peak during the shooting of Afsar but coming to an end during the shooting of this film. This remains their last movie together, after this, they never worked together.

Yogin (Dev Anand), comes across Sadhana (Suraiya) in a chance encounter in a book shop.Sadhana's father is the advocate in the case against Dev Anand. Dev Anand has jailed for this case after knowing the news of his mother was serious, he runs away from the jail. He rescues Suraiya from a fire on a stage where she was performing a dance. Suraiya brings him to her home  She fell in love with him. Her father was against the relation of Sadhana with Jogin. The story takes many twists and turns with lots of songs and a dance number. 

The movie was directed by Nandalal Jaswantal who also gave us the blockbusters like Nagin and Anarkali in 1953 and 1954. I grade this movie as a seven out of ten.

The film's music was composed by the duo Husnlal Bhagatram and all songs were written by lyricist Qamar Jalalabad. 

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Sanam 1951

Song of Sanam 1951

Manna Dey Songs for Dev Anand

When we think of Dev Anand songs, what we get in mind is S D Burman as Music director and Rafi or Kishore Kumar as Playback singers. But, he has lip-synced with all the great singers of the Golden Era.
One of the great singers of Bollywood was Manna Dey. He started working as an assistant music director first under Krishna Chandra Dey, and then under Sachin Dev Burman. He composed music for a few films also, one of these movies was 1948 film Hum Bhi Hain Insaan starring Dev Anand. In this film, he sang for Dev Anand for the first time.
In this Blog, I have rare songs Of Manna Dey sung for Dev Anand.
Dev Anand became a star after the release of Ziddi in 1948. Kishore and Mohammad Rafi became his screen voice. Hemant Kumar and Talat Mahmood also sang for Dev Anand in the 50s. Manna Dey sang for him after 10 years in the 1958 film Amardeep.
SD Burman took Manna Dey for Dev Anand in Manzil 1960, in this film Burman Da experimented three different singers for the same hero. Manna Dey sang one solo and one duet with Asha Bhosle.Rafi and Hemant Kumar also sang in this film for Dev Anand.
The next film was Kala Bazar in 1960 having a duet with Asha Bhosle"SAANJH DHALI DIL KI LAGI ". In the same year, Bombai Ka Babu released, in this film also the song Tak Dhoom Tak Dhoom was sung by Manna Dey.
Dev Anand – Manna Dey were brought together, once again. for one of the all-time classics Chale Jaa Rahein Hai Kinare Kinare (Kinare Kinare, 1964; Lyrics: Nyay Sharma) by Jaidev.

Song of Hum Bhi Insaan Hain 1948

Song of Amardeep 1958

Song of Bombai Ka Babu 1960

Song of Kala Bazar 1960

Song of Manzil 1960

Song of Manzil 1960

Song of Kinare Kinare 1964

The Bollywood Films Based on Cricket.

Cricket is the most popular sport in India. Cricket fans treat it as a religion and cricketers are treated as God. Despite the craze in cricket, the number of cricket-based movies in Bollywood has been quite limited. In fact, till 1983 there had been virtually no cricket-based Hindi movie except the Subodh Mukherji’s Love Marriage released in 1959, where Dev Anand played the role of a cricketer. It was an unconventional love story in which the heroine Mala Sinha falls in love with the hero Dev Anand during the cricket match. 
There have been cricketers who have worked — often as lead actors — in Bollywood movies. Salim Durrani, the popular allrounder of the 60s was the first cricketer who did the film "Charitra" as a hero opposite Praveen Babi (her debut film) in 1973.

                                                                  Allrounder 

After Love Marriage, it took 25 years when another film ( Allrounder 1984) on this subject came that is only to encash the popularity of Indian cricket due to winning the World Cup in 1983. The hero of the film was Kumar Gaurav and heroine was Rati Agnihotri. 


                                                            Awwal Number

The third cricket movie from Bollywood also involved Dev Anand (Awwal Number in 1994)— this time as the director, as well as an actor who played Vikram Singh aka Vicky —– an ex-Test cricketer, the National Chairman of Selectors, and also the Deputy Inspector General of the Police. Amir Khan who plays Sunny is selected by Dev Anand in the Indian Test team replacing his own brother Ranvir Singh aka Ronny (Aditya Pancholi) Ronny plots revenge against Sunny. This is where the movie just starts. Later there is a terrorist angle in it.

                                                                 Lagaan

Still from Lagaan

The 2001 film Lagaan was another film where a cricket match was organized between villagers and British officers to decide Lagaan to be collected or not.
There was everything a cricket movie needs, including cricket practice by floodlights, match-fixing, a cripple bowling leg-breaks, and even AK Hangal.

                                                                 Stumped 

Stumped is a 2003 Bollywood sport/drama film written and directed by Gaurav Pandey and produced by Raveena Tandon. On the backdrop of the World Cup, the movie displays the emotional turmoil the Major’s wife Reena (Raveena Tandon) goes through, and her lonely helplessness as the other residents of the Society concentrate on the cricket. The movie also features Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, and Yuvraj Singh sending out a social message.


                                                                     Iqbal

Iqbal is 2005 produced by Subhash Ghai, written and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. A very well made film.The film received the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues. The story follows a cricket-obsessed deaf and mute boy from a remote Indian village as he aims to overcome difficulties to become a cricketer and fulfill his dream of playing for the Indian national cricket team.


                                                                   Hattrick

Hattrick is a 2007 Indian Hindi sport-drama film directed by Milan Luthria, starring Paresh Rawal, Rimi Sen, Kunal Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Danny Denzongpa.It is a tale of three sets o  is a 2007 Indian Hindi sport-drama film directed by Milan Luthria, starring Paresh Rawal, Rimi Sen, Kunal Kapoor, Nana Patekar, Danny Denzongpa.It is a tale of three sets of people — the first involving an ex-cricketer David Abraham (Danny Denzongpa) and the cynic Dr Satyajit Chavan, who opposes the idea of people watching cricket; Hemu Patel (Paresh Rawal), a wannabe English immigrant, Besides these there is a young  f people — the first involving an ex-cricketer David Abraham (Danny Denzongpa) and the cynic Dr Satyajit Chavan, who opposes the idea of people watching cricket; Hemu Patel (Paresh Rawal), a wannabe English immigrant, Besides these there is a young couple,Sarbajeet "Saby" Singh and Kashmira Singh they are about to marry.Sarabjeet Singh (Kunal Kapoor), an avid cricket-lover, and his wife Kashmira (Rimi Sen), who thinks cricket is a waste of time. Cricket eventually solves the problems in all these cases.

                                                                  Patiala House i

Patiala House is a 2011 sports drama film directed by Nikkhil Advani and starring Rishi Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Akshay Kumar and Anushka Sharma in the lead roles. The movie featured cricket stars like Shaun Tait, Kieron Pollard, Herschelle Gibbs, and Nasser Hussain, but the longest and the most important role was played by Andrew Symonds. Sanjay Manjrekar and Nikhil Chopra also acted as commentators, and for some reason, often commented in Hindi for an Australia-England ODI at Lord’s.


                                                        Ferrari ki Sawari 

Ferrari ki Sawari (2012), written and directed by Rajesh Mapuskar, and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It stars Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani and Ritvik Sahore in the lead roles. The story says the young Kayo (Ritwik Sahore) gets selected for a camp at Lord’s,  but his father Rusy doesn't have enough money. To fulfill his son's dream of playing at the Lord's Cricket Ground,Rusi (Sharman Joshi) is coaxed into a unique plan — to steal Sachin Tendulkar’s Ferrari and get the required one-and-a-half lakh rupees. Rusi’s father Debu (Boman Irani), an ex-cricketer, also joins in the mission

                                                                    Azhar

Azhar is a 2016 Indian Hindi biographical sports drama film directed by Tony D'Souza. The story is written by Rajat Arora and is inspired by the life of Indian cricketer and former national team captain Mohammad Azharuddin. The film is produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor

                                                M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story 

M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story is 2016, biographical sports film written and directed by Neeraj Pandey. It is based on the life of former Test, ODI and T20I captain of the Indian national cricket team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The film stars Sushant Singh Rajput as Dhoni, along with Disha Patani, Kiara Advani, and Anupam Kher. 

Sachin: A Billion Dreams  2017, The film is a documentary on the life of Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. It captures Tendulkar's cricket and personal life in substantial detail. The movie had "everything" to make its audience "nostalgic".The music is composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics written by Irshad Kamil,

Cricket Songs of Bollywood

Song of Love Marriage 1959

Song of Awwal Number 1990

Song of Stumped 2003

Song of  Iqbal 2005

Song of Hattrick (2007) 

Song of  Patiala House 2011

Song of  Ferrari ki Sawari 2012

Song of M.S. Dhoni the untold story 2016

Song of  Azhar 2016

Song of Sachin: A Billion Dreams 2017