50 Years of Gopi

 

Recall the song 'Gentleman Gentleman Gentleman' sung by Mahendra Kapoor. Yes, this was a very popular song of 1970, picturized on Dilip Kumar in the film Gopi. This film was released on 28th Aug 1970. It stars Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, Pran, Om Prakash, Durga Khote, Farida Jalal, Johnny Walker, Lalita Pawar, and Aruna Irani. The film was a Jubilee Hit with hit music by Kalyanji Anandji. The film had 5 songs, all the songs were very popular. "Ramchandra Keh Gaye Siya Se" and  "Ek Padosan Peechhe Pad Gayi" were very popular. 

According to film expert Rajesh Subramanian, Rajendra Kumar was first signed for the film. The producers felt Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar would make a perfect pair and requested Rajendra Kumar to return the signing amount and quit the film.

Dilip Kumar plays Gopi, who is a simpleton of a village. He lives with his elder stepbrother played by Om Prakash, bhabhi played by Nirupa Roy and younger sister played by Farida Jalal. Om Prakash works for a local Lala played by Pran. Om Prakash keeps all his savings with Pran so that in future he needs for the marriage for Farida Jalal.

 Saira Banu along with her aunt comes to their home for a few days, Saira Banu fell in love with Dilip Kumar. There are a few songs picturized on them'

Farida Jalal's marriage got fixed so Om Prakash goes to the landlord Lala (Pran) to take back money, which he had saved for Nandini's wedding but gets thrown out of the house. Gopi forcibly gets the money but is accused by the landlord of stealing. Sent out of the house by Girdhari, Gopi leaves for the city and vows to come back only after making enough money for Nandini's wedding.

The highlight of the film was the acting of Dilip Kumar and Om Prakash. It is said that when Dilip Kumar heard the script of gopi he felt only Om Prakash could play his older brother. When Om Prakash was offered this movie as Dilip Kumar wanted only him to play this role Om Ji agreed on one condition that he would be paid 1 rupee more than Dilip Kumar. Dilip Kumar gladly accepted his condition. And what a performance by both actors.

The film's music is by Kalyanji Anandji and the lyrics were penned by Rajinder Krishan.

Song	Singer
"Akele Hi Akele Chala Hai Kahan"	Lata Mangeshkar
"Ramchandra Keh Gaye Siya Se"	Mahendra Kapoor
"Gentlemen Gentlemen"	Lata Mangeshkar, Mahendra Kapoor
"Ek Padosan Peechhe Pad Gayi"	Lata Mangeshkar, Mahendra Kapoor
"Sukh Ke Sab Saathi, Dukh Mein Na Koi"	Mohammed Rafi

Song of Gopi 1970

Song of Gopi 1970

Song of Gopi 1970

Song of Gopi 1970

Song of Gopi 1970

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

Remembering OM PRAKASH on his 97th Birth Anniversary

Om Prakash (19 December 1919 – 21 February 1998) was an Indian character actor.He started his career at All India Radio - Lahore, with his famous character "Fatih Din" which was liked through out the Punjb and people started recognizing him with this character.He was paid rupees 25 per month as a salary. 
Starting his career in 1944 film Daasi, he was a popular supporting actor from the 1950s until the 1980s. He was one of the elite of the film industry in the '60s, '70s, and to some extent '80s. His pivotal roles in the films Chupke Chupke, Julie, and Buddha Mil Gaya are considered to be among his best along with Daddu in Namak Halaal and De Silva in Zanjeer. He is known for his roles in comedy films. One of his best performances in his later years was Sharaabi (1984), where he played a role that was pivotal for the movie.Om Prakash had a special rapport with Amitabh Bachchan and both worked in many successful films spanning from Zanjeer to Sharaabi. 

 He had developed a style of his own, a style which was going to take him places, make him a big name in the world of film entertainment for the next forty years.He was good in almost every character he played. He was the comedian, the family man burdened with problems, the munshi, the alcoholic fallen on bad days because of the evil designs of the villain, the nagged husband, the old man in love, the wily politician and the big brother with a heart of gold. He played an assortment of characters with the same ease and had some of the best directors vying for him every time they had a role which they felt only he could play. His role in Gopi is still remembered, some analysts think he has overshadowed Dilip Saab.
It was during earlier 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. He was marked out for his performance in both films in spite of the presence of powerful star personas like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar and Dev Anand.
He acted in more than 300 films and also produced three films  Sanjog (1961), Jahan Ara (1964) and Gateway of India (1957).
He suffered a massive heart attack in his home and rushed to Lilavati Hospital situated in Mumbai where he suffered another heart attack and went into a coma from which he never came out. He died on 21 February 1998.Here is my Tribute to this Great Actor

A Scenes from Tere Ghar Ke Samne 1963

Comedy scene from Pyar Kiye Jaa

 Scene from Namak Halal

Song from Manmauji 1962

Song from Miss Mary 1957

Song from Howrah Bridge 1958

Song from Budha Mil Gaya 1971

Song from Patang

Song from Julie 1975