This BLOG is about the Past of Hindi Films Specially Black and White Cinema We will refresh your memories by bringing out forgotten or unseen songs and clippings of film scenes We will try to give you as much information as we gather from our research.
This Blog was started as a one-man’s passion for film history but has now become an addiction for many music lovers who are equally passionate about Hindi films
Kishore Kumar was eccentric or unusual start from his childhood, when he was studying in a boarding school of Indore,in his hostel room's wall he scribbled Kishore's name, in his own handwriting, in his favorite style, in reverse: Ramaku Rashoki. For several years, one of the walls of his hostel room stood witness to his eccentricity.
He was a rare combination of madness and devotion to work. He was unpredictable, he was a genius, and he was even crazy. He had a relaxed appeal to him evident in films like Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi throughout his music performance he fools around from one corner to another. His madness and frolic become amply resound when in the song Aaake Seedhi Lagi filmed on both him and Pran, he sings the parts of both the male and the female. The song can make anybody laugh in seconds! And who can forget the song from the film Padosan in which he played the music teacher and participated in a hilarious music competition with Manna Dey.
It was said that Kumar would sing only after the confirmation of payment from his secretary was received. On one occasion, when Kumar learnt that he was paid half for the movie he was roped in as an actor, he appeared on the sets with makeup placed on one side of his face. Seeing him when the director questioned him, he replied “Adha Paisa Tu Aadha Makeup (half makeup for half payment)”.
The legendary singer placed a sign ‘Beware of Kishore Kumar’ at the door of his residence. The famous producer of Hindi film industry H.S.Rawail came to his home to pay his dues. After paying the dues, Rawail tried to shake hands with the singer, he took the producer’s hand in his mouth, bit it, and said ‘Didn’t you see what my signboard says?’.
In an interview , he revealed that he preferred talking to his trees. He also introduced the journalist with the trees by their names at his bungalow and said they were his close friends.
Despite all these eccentric behaviors of the singer, Kishore Kumar was loveable and will remain the same forever for his fans.
Please watch the video below, a collection of his comic and funny songs sung or acted by him
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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.
The first film of Ashok Kumar was Jeevan Naiya (1936), a Bombay Talkies production. It was a sheer fluke that he became an actor. He didn't want to become an actor. Those days, actors were really looked down upon. They were believed to come from the lowest strata of society. He came to Bombay to become a director. So he joined Bombay Talkies as a technician. he worked in the camera department. Later, he was made a lab assistant. He worked as Lab Assistant for 8 months, suddenly Himanshu Rai, the owner of Bombay Talkies made him the hero of the film Jeevan Naiya replacing the existing hero Najam-ul- Hussain.
Initially, he was not comfortable in acting but later gathered confidence in his second film Achhut Kanya (1936), where he again paired with Devika Rani became a smash hit established him a great actor. After that, he was a permanent hero of all Bombay Talkies movies In 1943 he played the first anti-hero role in Indian cinema. The film Kismet(1943) was the first super duper hit of Indian cinema, It was the first film that collected more than a crore rupees at Box office. Post Kismet, Ashok Kumar became the most bankable star of the era, delivering a succession of box office successes with movies like Chal Chal Re Naujawan (1944), Shikari (1946), Sajan (1947), Mahal (1949), Sangram (1950) and Samadhi (1950).
, Ashok Kumar has ruled the silver screen and melted millions of hearts with his charismatic screen appearance and personality. He was the first superstar of Hindi cinema as well as the first lead actor to play an anti-hero. He also became the first star to reinvent himself, enjoying a long and hugely successful career as a character actor.
He produced several films for Bombay Talkies during the final years of the company including Ziddi (1948), which established the careers of Dev Anand and Pran, Later on, he quit the Bombay Talkies and started Filmistan Studio with Shashdhar Mukharjee, his desire to return to Bombay Talkies was always there." He re-bought Bombay Talkies in 1947. "Devika Rani had left by then. But the Talkies had fallen on bad days. The debts amounted to Rs 28 lakhs. We made movies like Majboor, Ziddi, Mahal, and Mashal to repay the debts."
With the advent of the 1950s, Ashok Kumar switched over to more mature roles, with the exception of the 1958 classic Howrah Bridge. Despite the arrival of a younger crop of stars like Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, and Raj Kapoor, Ashok Kumar remained one of the stars of the era with hits like Afsana (1951), Nau Bahar (1952), Parineeta (1953), Bandish (1955) and EK Hi Raasta (1956). His most successful film of that era was Deedar (1951), in which he played second fiddle to Dilip Kumar.
Ashok Kumar played an important role in several landmark movies in the 1960s and 1970s, including Jewel Thief (1967), Aashirwad (1968) (for which he won a Filmfare Award as well as National Award in 1969), Purab aur Pashchim (1970), Pakeezah (1972), Mili (1975), Chhoti Si Baat (1975) and Khoobsurat (1980).
Ashok Kumar's last film role was in the 1997 movie Aankhon Mein Tum Ho.
. Altogether, he starred in over 275 films. He has done more than 30 Bengali dramas in Dhakuria.He was honored in 1988 with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest national award for cinema artists, by the Government of India and also received the Padma Bhushan in 1999 for his contributions to Indian cinema.
He died at the age of 90 in Mumbai on 10 December 2001 of heart failure at his residence in Chembur. The then Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee described him as "an inspiration... for many generations of aspiring actors.
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One of these aborted projects was Gouri, launched in 1957. Guru Dutt Films Private Limited, fresh from the success of Pyaasa that year, announced a film in Bengali and English. Gouri was to have been directed by Guru Dutt and was billed as the acting debut of his wife, playback singer Geeta Dutt.
Gouri was set in the director’s favorite city, Kolkata. The plot revolves around a successful sculptor of Durga idols who meets a prostitute, who, to him, resembles the goddess. Moved by the woman’s plight, he marries her. They lead a blissful life until one of his friends starts blackmailing him. When his parents find out about their daughter-in-law’s past, they start mistreating her. The woman runs away.
Two scenes were filmed and music director SD Burman had recorded two songs when Guru Dutt stopped production.
Had Gouri been made, it would have been India’s first film in the Cinemascope format, rather than his Kaagaz ke Phool two years later.
Geeta Dutt in Gouri.
Gouri was one of Guru Dutt’s many incomplete projects. Nasreen Munni Kabir suggests in her biography Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema that this indicated “an increasingly disillusioned and fractured state of mind”. Kabir writes, “Guru Dutt’s personal life was in turmoil, and he smoked and drank heavily.” This is borne out by lyricist Kaifi Azmi, who wrote the lyrics for 1959’s Kaagaz ke Phool. Azmi is quoted in the biography as saying, “What he wanted to say in the film [Kaagaz ke Phool] wasn’t clear. His mental state was like that, he wasn’t clear... There were more scenes that were edited out than remained in the completed film.”
Even as Kaagaz ke Phool was underway, Guru Dutt set his assistant, Niranjan, off on another project. The intended film, Raaz, was adapted from the Wilkie Collins classic tale The Woman in White. The film starred Sunil Dutt as an army doctor and Waheeda Rehman in the double role of twins.
Raaz moved in fits and starts, and Guru Dutt eventually replaced Sunil Dutt as the lead. Some scenes were shot in Shimla and two songs were recorded by composer RD Burman, who was making his debut. One track featured three dancing girls and was sung by Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle, and Shamshad Begum. But after shooting and editing five or six reels, Guru Dutt shelved the film since he was unhappy with the way it was shaping up.
Raaz, starring Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman.Another film that got shelved was a Bengali film 'Ek Tuku Chhua' a proposed adaptation of the novel 'Neel Kamal' written by Gulshan Nanda, which was to be directed by Sadiq. One scene was shot but the film was shelved, the reason is unknown.
According to Dutt’s other brother, Devi Dutt, Guru Dutt offered Niranjan another film after the Raaz debacle, titled Moti Ki Mausi and starring Tanuja and future scriptwriter Salim Khan. Moti Ki Mausi hit a wall after Niranjan died from alcohol-related complications.
Some of the projects did finally make it to the theatres with other producers, actors and directors. Professor (1962) was first announced by Guru Dutt a couple of years earlier as a story of a man too young to be a teacher and too old to love. It was to have been directed by Shashi Bhushan with Kishore Kumar and Waheeda Rehman in the leads. Dutt even asked Abrar Alvi to direct the film, but Alvi declined.
Alvi did, however, write the screenplay for the movie, which was eventually made by Lekh Tandon with Shammi Kapoor. Raj Khosla, Guru Dutt’s former assistant, re-worked the shelved Raaz as Woh Kaun Thi? in 1964 with Manoj Kumar and Sadhana.
Sadhana was also supposed to have starred in Picnic, with Guru Dutt. The project was to have been directed by RS Tara, with music by N Dutta. Unlike the other incomplete films, of which nothing remains because of our tragic ignorance of the importance of archiving and preservation, snippets of two songs from Picnic have survived. One is this lovely duet sung by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle.
Following the critically acclaimed Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Guru Dutt attempted an Arabian Nights-style adventure, which was to have been his first film in colour. In an essay titled Classics and Cash, Guru Dutt recalled the shock when he announced Kaneez sometime in 1962 or 1963. “I have been trolled by friends and critics for taking up Alibaba as my next film,” he wrote. “‘From a provocative social theme to Arabian Nights? What a fall, Guru!’ they kept on twitting me. I have to explain every time that I want to show that even Alibaba could be a subject with contemporary significance.
Kaneez was to have starred Simi Garewal. But this one also failed to make it to the finishing line and was shelved after initial filming. Garewal complained to the Cine Artists Association and ensured that she recovered her dues.
Simi Garewal in Kaneez.
The two films that Guru Dutt left unfinished at the time of his sudden death on October 10, 1964, were his own production, Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, and K Asif’s magnum opus, Love and God, an epic take on the Laila-Majnu tale starring Guru Dutt as Majnu and Nimmi as Laila. Dharmendra stepped into Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi.
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In the early 50s, Dev Saab didn’t believe in making one singer his ‘voice’ and juggled between Mohd. Rafi, Talat Mehmood, Hemant Kumar, and Kishore Kumar. The super hit combination of Dev with Hemant Kumar under the music direction of Dada Burman gave many Immortal Romantic Songs. He became the romantic voice of Dev Anand. He sang only 16 songs as playback for Dada Burman and 10 of those were on Dev Anand and all of them were hits. What a stupendous record.
Hemant Da in an interview said that it was S D Burman who understood the potential of his voice.The romantic pairing of my voice with his (Dev Anand’s) screen image was created by Sachin Babu (SD Burman). People simply loved it. The first song of this combination was 'from Sazaa (1951) with 'Aa Gup Chhup Gup Chhup Pyar Karen'and then the massive hit next year in Jaal,(1952) 'Yeh Raat Yeh Chandani Phir Kahan, Sun Jaa Dil ki Dastan'.
Though he sang for Dev Anand under the composition of other Music Directors also but here we are talking about the songs of this great trio.
Raj Khosla ( 31 May 1925 – 9 June 1991) came to Bombay to become a singer but he became an ace Director In his autobiography, Romancing With Life, Dev Anand mentions meeting a wannabe singer, Raj Khosla at a coffee joint around Mumbai's Flora Fountain. Dev Anand helped him and gave him a job as an assistant to Guru Dutt for the Navketan film Baazi 1951. He assisted Guru Dutt in his subsequent films. Guru Dutt who was producing CID (1956), had the confidence of Raj Khosla's capabilities and the Golden Touch.
His early background in classical music ensured that most of his films excelled in music. Art of picturizing a song he learned from Guru Dutt. Most of his films would be remembered for their lovely songs. In this blog, I have selected such beautiful songs from his films.
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas is considered one of the pioneers of Indian Parallel orArt Cinema and as a screenwriter, he is also known for writing Raj Kapoor's best films. He set the bar for the filmmakers who came after him. He was an ace story writer, screenplay writer-director, and filmmaker. He was the first who opted to treat cinema in line with their ideological commitments. The first truly realistic films were made in India in the 1940s. After Naya Sansar he made Dharti Ke Lal, and wrote the script for Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani and Neecha Nagar which was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes in France.
He introduced Amitabh Bachchan to Hindi Cinema in his directorial film 'Saat Hindustani'(1969). His contribution to literature and cinema is unforgettableAs a screenwriter, he wrote a number of neo-realistic films, such as Dharti Ke Lal (which he directed),Neecha Nagar (1946) which won the Palme d'Or at the first Cannes Film Festival, Naya Sansar (1941), Jagte Raho (1956), and Saat Hindustani (which he also directed). He is also known for writing the best of Raj Kapoor's films, including the Palme d'Or nominated Awaara (1951), as well as Shree 420 (1955), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby (1973) and Henna (1991).
K A Abbas(7 June 1914 – 1 June 1987) was born in Panipat, now in Haryana. His grandfather Khwaja Gulam Abbas was one of the chief rebels of the 1857 Rebellion movement and the first martyr of Panipat. Hisfather Ghulam-Us-Sibtain graduated from Aligarh Muslim University, was a tutor of a prince and a businessman, who modernized the preparation of Unani medicines. He attended Hali Muslim High School, which was established by his great grandfather. He gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature in 1933 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1935 from Aligarh Muslim University.
He began his career as a journalist at the National Call, a New Delhi-based newspaper. Later while studying law in 1934, started Aligarh Opinion, India's first university students' weekly. He joined The Bombay Chronicle in 1935. He occasionally served as a film critic, but after the film critic of the paper died, he became editor of the film section. His weekly column called 'Last Page' was very popular, it became the longest-running political column in India's history (1935–87).
In 1936, he joined Bombay Talkies as a part time publicist. He used to write novels in English and Urdu even then, his first novel Outside India: The Adventures of a Roving Reporter was published in 1939. He then wrote a story Naya Sansar in Urdu which was later made into a film by Bombay Talkies in 1941.
1946 was a great year for him, this year he produced and directed his first film . Dharti Ke Lal', wrote the story & screenplay of Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani and Neecha Nagar which became the only Indian film to win the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) at the Cannes Film Festival.
He wrote the screenplay of Awara( 1951) which was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He became a permanent screenplay writer for Raj Kapoor after this film. He wrote the screenplay Shree420(1955), Jagte Raho(1956), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby(1973) and Heena(1991)
After producing Dharti Ke Lal in 1946 he produced Munna (1954),The film is stated to be a sequel to Abbas' debut directorial film Dharti Ke Lal (1946), especially with reference to the beginning of Dharti Ke Lal.Cited as the first Indian film produced without songs and dances, it was acclaimed as an international critical success though it failed at the box office.
In 1964 he wrote and directed Shehar Aur Sapna (1964) which won the 1964National Film Award for Best Feature Film and was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Film. It was based on Abbas's own story One Thousand Nights on a Bed of Stones, which describes the struggle in the life of pavement dwellers in the backdrop of rapid industrialization. The theme of the film signified a marked departure from the films made in 1950s, the opening decade of independent India,
Saat Hindustani(1969) was another important film produced and directed by him. The film portrays the heroic story of seven Indians who attempt to liberateGoa from the Portuguese colonial rule. Amitabh Bachchan was introduced in this film as one of Hindustani. The film won the first The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration
Do Boond Pani is a 1971Hindi social drama film produced and directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. The film won the award for Best Feature film on National integration.
Achanak (1973) directed by Gulzar, written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, and starring Vinod Khanna. Gulzar received a Filmfare nomination as Best Director for this film. Even though Gulzar is an accomplished lyricist, this film did not have any songs in it.K.A. Abbas earned a Filmfare nomination for best story.
He was a prolific writer, and novelist, during his illustrious career spanning five decades, Abbas wrote over 73 books in English, Hindi and Urdu.. Abbas was considered a leading light of the Urdu short story. His best-known fictional work remains 'Inquilab‘.
His autobiography, I Am not an Island: An Experiment in Autobiography was first published in 1977 and later released in 2010. He died on 1 June 1987 in Mumbai,
His books in English, Urdu and Hindi
Outside India: The Adventures of a Roving Reporter, Hali Pub. House, Delhi, 1939.
An Indian looks at America (The Rampart library of good reading), 1943.
An Indian looks at America, Thacker, Bombay, 1943.
Tomorrow is ours! A novel of the India of Today; Bombay, Popular Book Depot, 1943.
"Let India fight for freedom", Bombay, Sound magazine (Publication dept.), 1943.
Defeat for death: A story without names, Padmaja Publications 1944.
"...and One Did Not Come Back!", Sound magazine, 1944
A report to Gandhiji: A survey of Indian and world events during the 21 months of Gandhiji's incarceration, 1944
Invitation to Immortality: a one-act play, Bombay: Padma Pub., 1944.
Not all Lies. Delhi: Rajkamal Pub., 1945.
Blood and stones and other stories. Bombay: Hind Kitabs, 1947
Rice and other stories, Kutub, 1947
Kashmir fights for freedom, 1948
I Write as I Feel, Hind Kitabs, Bombay, 1948
Cages of freedom and other stories, Bombay, Hind Kitabs Ltd., 1952.
China can make it: Eye-witness account of the amazing industrial progress in new China, 1952.
In the Image of Mao Tse-Tung, Peoples Publishing House, 1953
