Raj Kapoor- A Big Dreamer

 

Being a big dreamer doesn’t mean that you walk around with your head in the clouds. It means that you’re seeking a purpose for your life. Raj Kapoor was the person who dreamt big and went after them, At the age of 24, he was a director and a studio owner His first film Aag was released in 1948

As a filmmaker, Raj Kapoor produced 16 films and directed 9 of them under his R.K. banner. Most of his films were successful films and received appreciation from critics and the audience. Mera Naam Joker was his biggest dream project  He made it but the film was a failure at the box office putting Raj Kapoor into a big financial crisis.

He didn't stop dreaming, he came up with an idea to get out of this debt. He released the film 'Bobby' in the year 1973. With this film, he launched his 18-year-old son Rishi Kapoor. This trick proved to be really effective and Bobby proved to be a blockbuster hit of that era. After this, along with Raj Kapoor, the days of the whole family and family went back. The film had Dimple Kapadia in the lead role along with Rishi Kapoor.

He had a dream to make a film Henna, for nearly two decades, the showman carried around Henna as an idea, like a dream. In fact, when Raj Kapoor died in 1987,  only the title, the story, and two songs: chitti and mai der karta nahin hoon, der ho jati hai. were ready

His dream lived on when his sons decided to complete the film and got it released on 28th June 1991. This film for the brothers Kapoor was a tribute to Raj Kapoor. It took them 3 years to fulfill the dream of their father. IT wasn't easy. The Cassandras of the film industry labeled the film a non-starter but the sons had the genes of Raj Kapoor of not backing out. 

Raj Kapoor had another film on his wishlist, the title of the film was 'Rishwat' the story was ready and was working on its screenplay. Another dream project was a film on Ajanta caves.

Raj Kapoor had received many awards throughout his career, including 3 National Film Awards, 11 Filmfare Awards and 21 nominations. His films Awaara (1951) and Boot Polish(1954) were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His acting in the former was rated as one of the "Top-Ten Performances of all time", by the Time Magazine.His film Jagte Raho (1956) also won the Crystal Globe award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

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 I am posting some of my Favourite Raj Kapoor's Songs

Noorjehan- The First Female Singing Superstar of Hindi Films

 

Noorjehan ( 21 September 1926 – 23 December 2000  ),  was renowned as one of the greatest and most influential singers of all time, especially throughout South Asia. . American Queen of Pop Madonna once said that "I can copy every singer but not Noor Jehan".

She made her debut as a heroine in Khandan (1942) opposite Pran as the hero. The songs of Khandan (1942) composed by Ghulam Haider became instant hits and established her as the leading singer of films in India. Its success saw her immigrating to Bombay. At that time Shanta Apte was ruling the Hindi Films as a singing heroine.

Noorjehan got her first film in Mumbai as the second lead to Sharda Apte in the 1943 film Duhai, where she shared melodies with the singing star Shanta Apte. She had 2 solos in that film. After that, she gave 3 hits in a row. She became the darling of the masses. In 1945, she became the first Asian woman to sing Qawali in the film Zeenat. This film made her the Singing Superstar. In 1946 her film Anmol Ghadi was a super hit. The film was a musical hit and is still remembered for its music by Naushad, with hits like "Aawaaz De Kahaan Hai", "Jawaan Hai Mohabbat Haseen Hai Zamana" and "Mere Bachpan Ke Saathi Mujhe Bhool Na Jaana". The film also featured playback singer, Mohammed Rafi's first notable song, "Tera Khilauna Toota Balak"

In Jugnu (1947) she starred with Dilip Kumar, then a rising star. The duet 'Yahan Badla Wafa Ka Bewafai Ke Siva Kya Hai' catapulted the then struggling Mohammed Rafi, who also made a special guest appearance in the song 'Woh Apne Yaad Dilane Ko'. 

Noor Jehan's last film in India was Mirza Sahiban (1947) which starred Prithviraj Kapoor's (Father of Raj, Shashi and Shammi Kapoor, Grandfather of Rishi and Randhir Kapoor, Great-Grandfather of Karisma Kapoor) brother Trilok Kapoor. Many of the songs were hits like 'Aaja Tujhe Afsana Judaai Ka Sunaye' and the duet with G M Durrani 'Haath Seene Pe Jo Rakh Do To Qarar Aaye'.
During partition in 1947, Noor Jehan decided to migrate to Lahore in the newly created Pakistan.After the holocaust of partition as things settled down, the film industry in Pakistan picked up the pieces and made a beginning with whatever was available. Three years after settling in Pakistan, Noor Jehan starred in her first film in Pakistan, Chanwey (1951) opposite Santosh, which was also her first Punjabi film as a heroine. Shaukat Hussain and Noor Jehan directed this film together making Noor Jehan Pakistan's first lady director. The film was a runaway hit. Most of the songs rendered by Noor Jehan in the film became instant hits, not only in Pakistan but also in India, songs like 'Tere Mukhde Tey Kala Kala Til Ve' composed by Feroze Nizami.

Jehan bade farewell to film acting in 1963 after a career of 33 years (1930–1963),she  made 14 films in Pakistan, ten in Urdu and four in Punjabi as a film actress.
After quitting acting she took up playback singing. She made her debut exclusively as a playback singer in 1960 with the film Salma. Her first initial playback singing for a Pakistani film was for the 1951 film Chann Wey, for which she was the film director herself. She received many awards, including the Pride of Performance in 1965 by the Pakistani Government. She sang a large number of duets with Ahmed Rushdi, Mehdi Hassan, Masood Rana, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mujeeb Aalam.
Jehan suffered from chest pains in 1986 on a tour of North America and was diagnosed with angina pectoris after which she underwent bypass surgery. In 2000, Jehan was hospitalized in Karachi and suffered a heart attack. On 23 December 2000 She died as a result of heart failure. Her funeral took place at Jamia Masjid Sultan, Karachi 

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Song from Khandan (1942) 

Song from Zeenat (1945)

Song from  Anmol Ghadi (1946) 

Song from Jugnu (1947) 

The Film Songs that Incited the Spirit of Nationalism Pre Independance

 

Songs have always played an undisputed role in inciting the spirit of nationalism in the hearts of millions of people. Many patriotic songs, written by literary stalwarts like Tagore or Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. Hindi Films also played a role in uniting the people. Kavi Pradeep was the first songwriter to write patriotic songs for Bollywood. His song ' Chal Chal Re Naujawan", for the 1940 film Bandhan, made waves since the Indian freedom movement was at a crucial juncture.

Kavi Pradeep wrote a song for the film Kismet during the Quit India movement. “Door Hato” was quite literally a demand for the British to quit India. To avoid objections by the censor board, Pradeep used the line “Tum Na Kise Ke Aage Jhukna German Ho Ya Japan” to make it appear that the song was against the Axis powers of World War II. 

 You would be surprised to find our National Anthem Jana Gana Man which was used before independence in a film called 'Hamrahi' released in 1945. The song was recorded by the film’s music director R.C. Boral and rendered by a choir

The first song in my list is the song Chal Chal Re Naujawan from the film Bandhan released in 1940. It was in 1939 that the film studio Bombay Talkies hired a young and energetic Hindi poet, Pradeep, to pen lyrics of the songs. “Bandhan”, Click at the link below to watch this song

                                                                          https://youtu.be/qjMMXWTHG00

The next song in this list, sung by Ashok Kumar and Renuka Devi, is by a poet who would go on to be called Rashtrakavi – Kavi Pradeep for the film Naya Sansar in 1941

                                                                        https://youtu.be/f-7S5CFtcVU

 In 1941, Sohrab Modi’s ‘Sikandar’ hit the screens. Pandit Sudarshan penned the lyrics for the movie while Mir Sahab and Rafiq Ghaznavi composed the music. The soundtrack has a song “Jeete desh humara, Bharat hai ghar baar humara, Bharat hai sansar humara” 

                                                                        https://youtu.be/HTblXjj3aTw

Song of Kismet 1943

Now our National Anthem Jana Gana Man which was used before independence in a film called Hamrahi released in 1945. The song was recorded by the film’s music director R.C. Boral and rendered by a choir. While the original Rabindranath Tagore hymn had five stanzas, the first of which became the national anthem, the film recorded only four stanzas.

Song of Hamrahi 1945

This song is from the film Humjoli released in 1946. The song was Composed by Hafeez Khan and written by Anjum Pilibhiti, song is sung by Noor Jehan,

Song of Humjoli 1946

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1955 In Indian Cinema

SHAKEEL BADAYUNI- Lo Aa Gai Unki Yaad

 

He was a great lyricist of the Golden Era of Bollywood. That was the time when most of the poets were writing about the downtrodden sections of society, their upliftment, the betterment of society, and depressive songs. But Shakeel had an altogether different taste – his poetry was romantic and close to the heart.

in his first film, he wrote the song Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon. sung by Uma Devi(TunTun), became immortal, In the 1949 film Dulari, he wrote 'Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki'.He was the lyricist of many immortal songs 'Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya' , 'Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho Ya Aftab Ho', Husnwale Tera Jawab Nahin' (Gharana), 'Kahin Deep Jale Kahin Dil' (Bees Saal Baad), or 'Mere Mehboob Tujhe Meri Mohabbat Ki Kasam' 

Shakeel shared a close friendship with Naushad, he and Naushad became one of the most sought-after composer/lyricist duos in the industry. Among the scores they churned out together, are those of Deedar (1951), Baiju Bawra (1952), Mother India (1957), and Mughal-e-Azam (1960), that stand out. Other films they scored together include Dulari (1949), Shabab (1954), Ganga Jamuna (1961), and Mere Mehboob (1963)He also collaborated with Hemant Kumar and Ravi to give us many memorable songs.

Below is a List of Shakeel's Memorable songs with a link

1 Afsana likh rahi hoon/Uma Devi/Naushad/Dard

https://youtu.be/D7XJy4bSNRY

2 Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki Na - Dulari Song - Naushad - Mohd Rafi

https://youtu.be/RPNMFQDISIY

3 Man Tarpat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj - Naushad-Rafi (Baiju Bawra) 

https://youtu.be/4c9yzRB5pPc

4 Madhuban Me Radhika Naache Re (Kohinoor)

https://youtu.be/krDhXUtL7Zg

5 Ghunghat nahin kholu saiyya tore aage/Lata Mangeshkar/Naushad/Mother India

https://youtu.be/HgxzXkuHfu0

6  Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya? (Mughal- E- Azam)

https://youtu.be/FzVG01dDTCA

7  Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho (Chaudvin Ka Chand)

https://youtu.be/wRbBORKhGYg

8  Nain ladh gayi hain hain toh /Mohammed Rafi/Naushad/Ganga Jamuna

https://youtu.be/xVp4ziT5ufI

9 Kahin deep jale, kahin dil/Lata Mangeshkar, Hemant Kumar/Bees Saal Baad

https://youtu.be/kKnyg_ZkFlY

10  Na Jao Saiyaan (Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulaam)- Geeta Dutt

https://youtu.be/TCDbIT13MRY

11 Mere Mehboob Tujhe Meri (Mere Mehboob) (1963)

https://youtu.be/BJNRyWh30jE

12  Tumhe Paa Ke Hum Ne (Gehra Daag)

https://youtu.be/CrDyRTrMDvU

13 Dil Laga Kar Hum Ye Samjhe (Zindagi Aur Maut)

https://youtu.be/0MQlso1ww9Y

14  Lo Aa Gai Unki Yaad (Do Badan)

https://youtu.be/HNsItgvVun4

15 Koi Saagar Dil Ko (Dil Diya Dard Liya)

https://youtu.be/XisFzdMbGGY