Showing posts with label junglee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label junglee. Show all posts

Sunday 23 August 2020

Saira Banu - A Devoted Wife

 

Saira Banu in an interview once said"  was all in love with Dilip Kumar right from the age of 12 after watching 'Aan' I was not just another girl smitten by Dilip Kumar. For me, it was no castle in the air because I had given my dream the strong foundation of faith- faith in myself and faith in God.”

She was only 16, had gone for the show, hoping to get a glimpse of her favorite hero in person. But she was heartbroken as Dilip Kumar was unable to come to the premiere. She still remembers her first encounter with Dilip Kumar “When he smiled at me and remarked that I was a pretty girl, I could feel my whole being taking wing and flying rapturously. I knew somewhere deep within me that I was going to be his wife.

After the release of Junglee, her first film in 1961, she became a big star, she was offered heroine roles with all the big stars of that time. Dilip Kumar in his biography told that a few films were offered to him with Saira but he refused because he felt to be her too young as his heroine.

It is said that it was Naseem Banu, her mother played the role of the cupid between Dilip and Saira. She got them closer, thanks to which love blossomed between the two. Dilip Kumar mentioned in his biography that when he fell in love with Saira. It was during a party thrown to celebrate her birthday. The actor revealed, "When I alighted from my car and entered the beautiful garden that leads to the house, I can still recall my eyes falling on Saira standing in the foyer of her new house looking breathtakingly beautiful in a brocade sari. I was taken aback because she was no longer the young girl She had indeed grown to full womanhood and was, in reality, more beautiful than I thought she was. 

It was one day when Saira Banu was shooting for the film'Jhuk Gaya Aasman' Dilip Kumar proposed Saira. He simply stepped forward and shook her hand and proposed. Dilip Saab said, "Saira, you are not the kind of girl I want to drive around with or be seen around with... I would like to marry you... Will you be my wife?" Promptly came the response from Saira, "And how many girls have you said this to?" She, however, said yes.


They married on 12th Oct 1966 and celebrated the Golden Jubilee of their marriage in 2016. She remained her pillar of strength throughout all these years. There was a time when Dilip Kumar married another lady but Saira continued to look after him. The second marriage lasted for two years since then the two have stood beside each other like a rock, considering one another to be the greatest gift of God. 

Saira Banu continued to work in films after the marriage, in fact, Dilip Kumar encouraged her to do films but she restrained herself to one or two films a year. Aman (1967), opposite Rajendra Kumar, was her first release after marriage to the thespian. She acted in three films with Manoj Kumar, ShaadiPurab Aur Paschim, and Balidan. Cult film Padosan, in 1968, opposite Sunil Dutt, catapulted her to the top league and she continued to play the heroine for several years after that. Victoria No. 203 with Navin Nischol is her biggest hit. She acted in three films with her husband: GopiSagina and Bairaag. Only Gopi was successful at the box office. She acted in three films with Manoj Kumar, ShaadiPurab Aur Paschim, and Balidan and six with Dharmendra: Jwar BhataAadmi Aur InsaanResham Ki DoriPocket MaarInternational Crook and Chaitali.

She worked with Amitabh Bachchan in Amitabh Bachchan in Zameer and Hera PheriNehle Pe Dehla. She never worked with Rajesh Khanna though once she was offered the role in Chhoti Bahu in 1971 but couldn't do it due to illness. 

Dilip Kumar told in an interview that she was signed for the role that Mumtaz did in Ram Aur Shyam but he himself asked her not to do that role. She appeared in a cameo opposite her husband in Duniya (1984), wherein the song "Teri meri Zindagi" became very popular. Faisla which was eventually released in 1988 and is officially her last film.
Song of Junglee (1961)

Song of Bluff Master(1963)

Song of Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964)

Song of Pyaar Mohabbat (1966)

Song of Shagird 1967

Song of Padosan (1968)

Song of Jhuk Gaya Aasman (1968)

Song of Purab Aur Paschim (1970)

Song of Victoria No 203 (1972)


Song of Jwar Bhata 1973

Song of  Gopi 1973














Sunday 24 May 2020

"YAHOO" The Yell that Shook the Nation


This iconic foot-tapping song from film Junglee introduced a freestyle dancing by Shammi Kapoor. His sky-breaking scream ‘Yahoo!’ depicts a freedom-seeking soul. This song became a cult song.  The idea of "Yahoo" itself was Shammi Kapoor's who had used it earlier in "Tumsa Nahin Dekha" (1957) and "Dil Deke Dekho" (1959).
You would be surprised to know that the iconic yell "Yahoo!!" in this song was not rendered by Mohammad RafiIn fact, Jaikishan the music director of this film had planned on using his voice for the scream but when he couldn't pull it off, he asked the writer Prayag Raj who happened to be in the. studio and gave that memorable shout. Shammi Kapoor once said it was only Rafi saheb who could sing on such a high scale.
Shammi Kapoor hurt himself while picturizing this song. He badly bruised his knees when he came hurtling down a snow-covered hill while shouting his signature call -- "yahoo" - This song was picturized at Pahalgam in Kashmir.
 It is this musical number alone that solidified Kapoor's reputation as an untamed screen presence (in the style of Dean and Presley) and set the tone for his future movies. 
After picturizing this song, when Rafi saheb saw the song, he hugged Shammi Kapoor and said that he thought of him while singing this song and you have exactly done that. After this song Rafi became his voice in films. 
Junglee was 1961 film which was in color, it was an attraction to those days. Shammi Kapoor was not sure that this film would be such a hit, especially this song. This song became a craze and Shammi Kapoor became a Superstar after this film. Kapoor steadily amassed a huge following that reached its zenith with this film.
This movie was first offered to Jagdeep before played by Shammi Kapoor. Jag deep 'Surma Bhopali' from Sholay fame famous for the comic role did some serious role in his early movies
Song of Junglee 1961