Folk Dances in Bollywood

We are seeing a controversy in the latest film PADMAVATI,another controversy has emerged about the Ghoomar Dance by Deepika Padukone.In this context I think that Films are more of imagination than the reality,we should see films in that manner and appreciate its creativity.
Bollywood dance is a difficult topic to discuss.It is a mixture of numerous styles.No folk dance shown in films is exactly the same but it has many steps from other folks also.Films before 1960 tended to draw heavily on classical and folk dance.  Since neither "classical dance" nor "folk dance" are homogenous entities.In this blog I have selected some popular folk dances of Bollywood.
The common  folk dances are Bhangra, Rajasthani Folk, Garba, Dandiya, Bihu Lavani etc shown in our films.There are many hit songs and dances in bollywood are worth mentioning.

Song from Khajanchi 1941

Song from  Baadal 1951

Song from Pahli Jhalak (1954)

Song from Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje [1955]

Song from Shree 420 (1957)

Song from Kathputli 1957

Song from Naya Daur 1957

Song from Madhumati 1958

Song from  Mughal E Azam 1960

Song from Ganga Jamuna 1961

Song from Saraswatichandra 1968

Song from Bandhan  (1969)

Song from Bobby 1973

Song from Inkaar 1978

Song from  Lamhe 1991

Song from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam 1999

Song from Mission Kashmir 2000

Song from Zubeidaa 2001

The 11 Emotions of Mohammad Rafi

In Indian classical music, each raga is an inspired creation for a specific mood.In Hindi Film music Mohammad Rafi was a superb vocal artist and could bring a range of emotions into the limited time 3 to 4 minutes a song allowed him.As per Indian classical music there are 9 rasas or 9 major basic emotions/expressions.In music rasa is associated with the emotion of a Raga.There are now a total of 11 rasas and all of them go into the making of a good Bollywood masala flick! And guess what - Rafi Saab’s voice has given us a song for every emotion. So without much ado I give you the 11 emotions or Rasas of Rafi.
One element that is common among all performing arts is their ability to express the emotions which make up different slices of life. Rafi Saab’s voice has given us a song for every emotion. 

Bhakti Rasa-Bhajans, Ghazals, Nagmas, Shairi and Sufi Sangeet are part of Bhakti Rasa. Bollywood has properly used these in its music.Mohammad Rafi sang many songs in this Rasa. Some of the popular are

Man Tadpat Hari Darshan ko Aaj

Insaaf ka Mandir hai yeh 

Tere Dar pe aaya hoon kuchh kar ke jaaonga

Song from Baiju Bawra 1952

Vatsalya Rasa

vatsalya is linked to mother but in Bollywood Parental love  is emoted in many songs sung by male singers also.There are many songs sung by Rafi Saheb in this category
Babul ki duaayein leti ja (Neel Kamal)
O Nanhe se farishtey (Ek Phool Do Maali)
So ja baba mere so jaa” from Koshish

Song from Ek Phool Do Maali 1969

Shringara Rasa
This emotion can be used to paint love for any person, be it specifically sweetheart or anybody else. Rafi certainly was a master at expressing romance and the sheer number of his great romantic songs is a testament to that.Some of his popular shringar rasa songs are
Aaj ki raat yeh kaisi raat ke hum ko (Aman)
“Aise toh na dekho” from Teen Deviyaan
Chaudvin Ka Chaand Ho  
Mere Mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat (Mere Mehboob)

Song from Chaudhvin Ka Chaand 1960

 Karuna Rasa
The sympathy and fellow-feeling.The actual Karuna means the sadness,Karuṇarasa  refers to the “pathetic sentiment”There are many popular songs in this emotion
Kahan ja raha hai (Seema, 1955)
“Main gaaoon tum so jaao” (Brahmchaari)
Chahunga main tujhe (Dosti)
Na tu Zameen ke liye (Dastaan)

Song from Dosti 1964

Hasya Rasa
Teasing and laughing with a friend is one face of “Hasya rasa”. Much has been said about Rafi and Johnny Walker  and their superb comedic partnership. But Rafi did great comedy for others too  like Mehmood and Om Prakash
Sar jo tera chakraye ya dil ( Pyasa )
Chhuri ban kaanta ban (Jaali Note, 1960)
Hamein kale hain to kya hua (Gumnaam)
Chakke pe Chakka (Brahmchaari)

Song from Jaali Note, 1960

Roudra Rasa
Raudra Rasa is one of the important rasa in Natyashastra and the dominant emotion or the Sthayi Bhava in this rasa is Krodha or anger. Rafi was especially adept at expressing anger, his voice could slip into the high notes and quick enunciation of the angry man, with extraordinary control and with such great effect. The songs depicting anger where Rafi excelled in this emotion
O Duniya ke rakhwaale (Baiju Bawra)
Mere dushman tu meri dosti ko tarse (Aye din bahar ke)
Yeh mahalon yeh takthon yeh taajon ki duniya(Pyasa)
Yeh Duniya ye mehfil mere kaam ki nahin (Heer Ranjha)

Song from Aye din bahar ke 1966

Vibhatsya Rasa
The bhava it represents is Disgust or aversion.This emotion is evoked by anything that is a symbol of repugnance, nausea  Rafi at its best to render  this rasa more effective 
Yeh Duniya agar mil bhi jaye to kya hai(Pyasa)
Mere Dushman tu meri (Aaye din bahar ke).
Kya miliye aise logon se (Izzat)

Song from Pyaasa 1957

Bhayanak Rasa
The Sthayi Bhava of Bhayanaka rasa is Bhaya or fright. The outcome of Bhayanaka rasa is through the Vibhavas or determinants such as Vikrta Rava or terrific noise, Rafi Saab brings this rasa effortlessly in the following songs which shows sheer disgust and antipathy towards the atrocities of the society
Guzre hain aaj ishq main us maqam se (Dil Diya Dard liya)
Mili khaak main mohabbat (Chaudvin ka Chand)
Dono ne kiya tha pyar magar (Mahua)
Main apne aap se ghabra gaya hoon (Bindiya)

Song from Bindiya 1960

Veera Rasa
 it deals with the exhibition of energy and enthusiasm with persons of high rank. Most of the patriotic songs are in this Rasa.Rafi’s voice quickens with the strength of his emotions and how heroic and sad the high notes sound in veer rasa.
Kar chale hum fida jan-o-tan saathiyo(Haqeeqat)
Apni Azaadi ko hum hargiz mita sakte nahin(Leader)
Zindabad aye Mohabbat zindabad (Mughal-E-Azam)
Mere desh premiyo aapas main prem karo (Desh Premi

Song from Leader 1964

Adbhuta Rasa
It is about the sentiment of wonderment surprise. The Sthayi bhava of the rasa is Vismaya or astonishment. Rafi has many songs in this Rasa.While most if us are lost in the wonder of his voice, Rafi could be vocally lost in the wonder of discovery in other ways – as this song highlights. "Tumne mujhe dekha hokar meherbaan" (you looked kindly on me) – you can hear the joy and the wonder of a man who, contrary to his expectations, finds himself loved by his beloved.Tumne mujhe dekha (Teesri Manzil, 1966
“Yeh duniya patang nit badley yeh rang koi jaane na udaane waala kaun hai”
Maine poocha chand se (Abdullah)
Wadiyan mera daaman, raaste meri bahaen(Abhilasha)

Song from Teesri Manzil, 1966

Shaanta Rasa
Beyond all these emotions lies the emotion of peace and serenity.“Shantha Rasa“ represents complete harmony among mind, body and the universe. This is a state where the mind is in rest, a state of tranquility.One of my all time favourite songs is “Tere Mere Sapne” from Guide. When Rafi Saab says “Tere dukh ab mere, mere sukh ab tere, tere yeh do naina chand aur suraj mere”, he sounds so utterly reassuring and comforting
.Basti basti parvat parvat (Railway Platform, 1955)
Main Zindagi ka saath Nibhata (Hum Dono)
Tere Mere Sapne (Guide)

Song from Guide, 1965

Nehru's Love For Indian Cinema

When the young generation film directors  of today blame Nehru for his so called ‘mistakes’, they speak out of ignorance, not knowing how great a visionary he was in laying for them the foundation of the largest film industry in the world.Nehru took cinema very seriously.
After independence when Nehru began to build the nation he deployed all available means in the process of nation building. That included using a vast pool of cultural assets to revive the glorious past of its various civilizations and communities.Cinema could become its powerful engine.
He wanted Indian Films to Flourish not only in India but also internationally.He started inviting foreign film personalities to India. he started the International Film Festival in India. The first International Film festival held in 1952. Films from the USSR, USA, UK, France, Italy, Germany and Japan were screened to audiences in Bombay, Calcutta, Madras and New Delhi. Leaders of the Indian film industry joined hands to support the effort.India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the first Film Festival held in the auditorium of the National Physical Laboratory.
The first International Film Festival did not lay the foundation for holding international film events in the country. However, it did leave an indelible impact on the Indian film industry. 
It was Nehru who insisted to establish an Institute for training of various aspects of cinema.The Film Institute of India was opened in 1961.He also constituted Acadmies for arts, literature and music with a similar one in mind for Indian cinema. He asked the Sangeet Natak Academy to organize a national seminar on Indian Cinema. Indira Gandhi was made the Secretary for this seminar. Prithviraj Kapoor and Devika Rani were appointed directors, representing the film industry.
It was his dream that Indian films to be seen all over the globe.A seminar on Development Of Indian cinema was organised in 1955 which was inaugurated by Nehru Ji .On his innaugral speech he said-
‘I see a great future, a glorious future, for Indian films. Before long I expect Indian films to be exhibited to crowded houses all over the world, and they will earn not only money for our country but also a reputation for beauty, goodness and truth. India must, and will make a distinctive contribution to the film art of the world and I am confident, it will’.
Nehru did not see many filmsduring his lifetime. We know that he did see the long feature documentary film on Netaji’s Subhash Chandra Bose’s struggle in Burma and Malaya as a fighter for India’s freedom. This documentary had been smuggled into India by Vallabhbhai Patel for an early morning winter screening in the local Regal Theater in Delhi.
Nehru Ji wanted a feature film on Gandhi.Do you know that before Richard Attenborough's dream project,  in 1952, Gabriel Pascal, a Hungarian film producer and director had secured an agreement with the Prime Minister of India at that time, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to produce a film on Mahatma Gandhi's life. However, Pascal passed away in 1954 and the film could not be made.
Nehru saw Achhut Kanya, Doctor Kotnis Ki Amar Kahaniin 1949. In 1955, he saw the Japanese filmThe Last Warbased on the effects of nuclear warfare and Battleship Potemkin. He was the Chief Guest at the Bombay premiere of Charlie Chaplin’s film Limelightin New Excelsior cinema. He also saw Mehboob Khan’s Mother India,Bimal Roy’s Sujata,Abbas’s Munnaand Satyajit Ray’s PatherPanchali. He was a great fan of Devika Rani.He even wrote a fan letter to Devika which finds mentionin Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’sI am Not anIsland: An Experiment in Autobiography.
As we all know that it was Lata Mangeshkar's patriotic song Aai mere watan ke logon...that made our first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru cry but it may come as a shock to you that even before Lata Mangeshkar sung this song in 1963, long before in 1948 
a Mohammad Rafi song had such overwhelming effect on Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru that tears rolled down his cheeks!The song was Suno suno aye duniya walo bapu ki yhe amar kahani...'written by Rajendra Kishen and music composer Hussan Lal Bhagatram.
In 1957 Raj Kapoor produced Ab Dilli Dur Nahin  in search of justice a boy Ghaseeta decides to go to Delhi with Rattan to plead Hariram's case before Pt. Nehru. Similarly in 1967 film Naunihal a song was picturized over the funeral procession of Prime Minister of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru.

Song from Naunihal 1967

Suno suno aye duniya walo bapu ki yhe amar kahani.

Aye Mere watan Ke Logo

Non Filmy Song of Mukesh On Nehru Ji

Remembering AMJAD KHAN on his 77th Birth Anniversary

Born on 12th Nov 1940 Amjad Khan was an actor who made the character of Gabbar Singh an Immortal.He played many good roles in Bollywood as well, but is still popularly known as the most dreaded villain.On the birth anniversary of the iconic actor, here are some of his famous dialogue that make him the best Bollywood villain till date.

Gabbar Singh's dialogue from sholay

                             Jo Daar Gya Samjho Mar Gya- Gabbar Singh Dialogue

                           Yeh Haath Humko Dede Thakur | Film - Sholay | Gabbar & Thakur

Scene from Kaalia

Song from Yaarana

How Badruddin Qazi Became JOHNY WALKER

On his 97th Birth Anniversary we look back how the legendary comedian got his new name JOHNY WALKER.He reigned the Hindi Film Industry in the 1950s and 60s. No film was complete without a cameo from the son of a mill worker in Indore.He made his audiences smile gently and laugh uproariously without resorting to a single vulgarity or double entendre.
He started life in Mumbai as a bus conductor. And he would have continued to be so if the late actor Balraj Sahni had not spotted him entertaining passengers in a bus.
Those days Balraj Sahini was penning the script for “Baazi,he thought that if he brings this character in the script it will give boost to the film.He asked Badruddin Qazi about working in films.

It was on the sets of “Baazi” that Badruddin Qazi met director Guru Dutt, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Those days it was the practice of changing the names of the actors,this was also done to him.So the new name for him was planned.It is said that the director of the film Guru Dutt was drinking the most popular brand of scotch whisky at that time,the idea came to his mind why not the brand Johny Walker should be given to this new comedian.Everybody sitting with him liked this name.So Badruddin Qazi became Johnny Walker.

There was no looking back after that. The talented actor-director and the fledgling comedian had an enduring partnership and went on to make great films like “Pyaasa”, “CID”, “Mr and Mrs 55” and “Sahib, Bibi aur Ghulam”.

The great comedian once said: “If it was not  Guru Dutt sahib, I would have remained a bus conductor. I had a great understanding with him that made my career.”

“Baazi” gave him a foothold into the industry and the other films, which followed, established him forever.

He was last seen in 1997 in Kamal Haasan’s “Chachi 420”, a remake of the Hollywood comedy “Mrs Doubtfire”, for which he returned to the screen after a gap of 14 years.

Song from Mr & Mrs 55 (1955)

Song from C I D 1956

Song from Chori Chori 1956

Song from Pyaasa 1957

Song from Gateway Of India 1957

Song from Choudhavin Ka Chaand 1960

Amazing Facts About Bollywood

Before Bollywood came the term "Tollywood".The name that was used to refer to the cinema of West Bengal. Dating back to 1932, "Tollywood" was the earliest Hollywood-inspired name, referring to the Bengali film industry based in Tollygunge, Calcutta.
 The term "Bollywood" itself has origins in the 1970s, when India overtook America as the world's largest film producer. Credit for the term has been claimed by several different people, including the lyricist, filmmaker and scholar Amit Khanna, and the journalist Bevinda Collaco.

Here's a shocking fact--Bollywood was born 11 years before Hollywood! Bollywood’s first production was an 1899 short film, whereas Hollywood’s first film came out in 1910.


Initially the cinema industry was still considered a low profession in the 40s, music director Naushad was introduced by his parents to his bride as a tailor. And ironically, the music that played in his ‘baraat’ was from ‘Rattan’ (1944) – that had been composed by him. 

We all Know that Colour era in Indian Cinema (Hindi and Tamil) started in the mid 1950s but Kisan Kanya (year 1937) was known as India's first colour film,before that attempts to shoot the first Indian colour film(1933) failed when the negative for Sairhandri, directed by Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram, was ruined during processing in Germany. The colour era started  with Aan(1953), a Dilip Kumar- Nimmi starrer by Mehboob Khan, was the first Indian film, the prints of which were in Technicolor, the most expensive colour format of that era, or ever. It was shot in 16 mm and later blown up to 35 mm. It was a landmark success.

The masala film was pioneered in the early 1970s by filmmaker Nasir Hussain, along with screenwriter duo Salim-Javed, consisting of Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar. Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973), directed by Hussain and written by Salim-Javed, has been identified as the first masala film and the "first" quintessentially "Bollywood" film.Masala films launched Amitabh Bachchan into the biggest Bollywood movie star of the 1970s and 1980s. The "Curry Western" trend that began with Sholay (1975), written by Salim-Javed, also falls under the masala film genre.

Bollywood films are mostly musicals and are expected to contain catchy music in the form of song-and-dance numbers woven into the script. Indrasabha released in 1932 has world record for maximum no of songs. It has over 70 songs.

Raja Harishchandra (1913), by Dadasaheb Phalke, is known as the first silent feature film made in India. 

The first kissing scene in Bollywood was shot 84 years back and it was in the film Karma. Today, actor Emraan Hashmi is considered as the kiss symbol of Bollywood.Karma was released in 1933 and Bollywood actors Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani had shot the first kissing scene in front of the camera. The 4-minute long kissing scene was not part of any romantic scene or lovemaking scene but the heroine was trying to recover hero from unconsciousness by kissing him.

Today Sequel in Bollywood are very common but Hunter Wali film series was the movie series to have a sequel. First movie was released in 1935 and its sequel in 1943.This was an action movie with Fearless Nadia as lead role. This movie is one of the earliest female-lead movies.

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Leela Chitnis, who passed away recently, had her first role as a leading lady was in Master Vinayak's Hindi melodrama Chhaya in 1936. She became the first Indian actress to model for Lux, which till then used only foreign models. Chitnis did her first Lux campaign in 1934. Since then Lux has continued the tradition of using film stars to promote the soap.

Mughal-e-Azam' was a multilingual movie - with all scenes shot thrice in Hindi, Tamil & English. When the Tamil one flopped miserably, the English language one was aborted almost immediately!

Ashok Kumar was a lab assistant in Bombay Talkies before he became an actor in 1936.His film Kismet released in 1943 The film is one of the biggest hits in the history of Hindi cinema. The movie was the first native blockbuster movie in India. It ran for 187 continuous weeks at Roxy Cinema in Calcutta, a record that stood for 32 years.

Indians buy 2.7 billion movie tickets annually, the highest in the world. But our average ticket price is among the lowest in the world, so revenues are a fraction compared to Hollywood!

 Raj Kapoor’s ‘Mera Naam Joker’ was the first Hindi movie to have not one but two intervals!It is the lengthiest film.

Waheeda Rahman has played both mother and lover to Amitabh Bachchan. She played his love interest in ‘Adalat’ (1976) and mother in ‘Trishul’ (1978).

 Sunil Dutt initially used to be an RJ for Radio Ceylon and wanted to interview his favorite actress Nargis. But he could not say a single word in front of her & the interview had to be cancelled. Years later, when he finally got a chance to work with her in ‘Mother India’ (1957), they fell in love and got married.

‘Kaho Naa.. Pyar Hai’ was added to the Guinness Book of World Records 2002 edition for winning the most number of awards for a movie. The movie won a total of 92 awards!

The song ‘Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon’ in the film by the same name is the longest Hindi film song. The length of this iconic song is 20 minutes and the song is featured in 3 installments in the film.

Our Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan comes from the pedigree of a very famous revolutionary& eminent writer, none other than, Maulana Abul Kalam Azaad.

Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin's great-grandfather Maurice Koechlin, was the Chief engineer for the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and also the iconic Statue of Liberty.

In the film ‘Heroine,’ Kareena Kapoor wore over 130 different dresses by top fashion designers from all over the world. It has been reported that Kareena’s wardrobe for the film was one of the most expensive out of all the Bollywood movies ever created!

Dimple was only sixteen years old when Raj Kapoor introduced her in ‘Bobby’ (1973). She also got married to Bollywood superstar Rajesh Khanna at the age of 16. Despite the enormous success of ‘Bobby’, she then took a sabbatical from acting to raise her children.

Amitabh Bachchan is so punctual that many a times he used to open the gates of Filmistan Studios himself for he used to reach the place before the watchman or gatekeeper.

Rare Songs

                                    Gauhar Jaan, the very first Indian recording (1904)

      Lata Mangeshkar's first song sung in the year 1942 for the movie Pahili Mangalagaur

Lata's First Hit Song 1949

                  Prem Nagar Me (K.L.Saigal)

.                   ek baat batton..from Jhula.1942

                                 Pankaj mullick..prem ka nata tuta. from nartaki.1939

Heer Ranjha 1948 : Kahe Ko Biyahi Bides : Lata Mangeshkar : Md Aziz Khan