The hard work and determination what made Amitabh Bachchan the Shehansha of Bollywood

 A tall and thin young man who known for his voice entered the city of dreams had to face rejections because of these two qualities of his. Film makers rejected him for being 6 feet 3 inches and had no confidence in him. He auditioned for a voice test at All India Radio but was rejected.But he did not give it up.He got his first break with the movie Saat Hindustani.

After that he gave 11 flops in a row,even then he continued to work till he got Anand and Zanjeer which changed his life.

Amitabh Bachchan is a perfect role model for us all, not only to the ones who want to become movie stars, but also for the rest of us to extrapolate the learnings and wear the same attitude to fight adversities in our own lives.

He became the Top Star after Sholay. He was giving one hit after another but suddenly  in 1982 Amitabh had a near death experience, the doctors and his family had lost hopes after he met with an accident on the sets of the movie ‘Coolie’.

He survived and recovered to become the a superstar for the coming years. He stopped working in films for few years but when he returned back in early 1990s his films did not perform well in Box Office.He was diagnosed Myasthenia Gravis, an ailment which struck him after the fatal accident, the disease makes one feel weak and the person keeps dropping his head but he was able to recover as it was in remission state
Then came another huge downfall in his life at the of 57, in the year 2000 when his movies flopped and he faced another major financial crisis in his life where he lost almost everything he had.

It was Amitabh Bachchan who came back once again by signing the TV serial Kaun Banega Crorepati.In such circumstances and after so many downfalls, anyone can lose strength to move on but he came back and made a fresh start.He even went to Yash Chopra's house to get him a role in his next film.He was given a role in Mohabbatein.On his decision for KBC his wife Jaya Bachchan doubted the transition of a silver screen mega star heading to make a TV show. To which he exclaimed “beggars can’t be choosers”.
He accepted his failures and dealt with his health issues and which helped him to keep going,At 75 he is still in demand,he is one of the top earning heroes of Bollywood

Karva Chauth In Hindi Cinema

Karva Chauth is an Indian festival observed by the women in our country to pray for their husband’s long life.The festival has been celebrated in most family-oriented Bollywood dramas with the participation of the entire clan,There is a joke that Yash Chopra and Karan Johar can not make a film without a situation of Karwa Chauth in their film.Researching on this I found that the first time this festival was picturised in 1965 film Bahu Beti. Remember the song Aaj Hai Karwa Chauth Sakhi ReThis was the first song that was picturised in Hindi Cinema.Another old song I remember Aaj Hai Karwa Chauth Ka Vrat from the film Karwa Chauth released in 1978.
The trend started in 1990s with the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,1992, Hum Apke Hain Kaun 1994, later it was Punjabitised by Yash Chopra from DDLJ. From elaborate dresses to fancy make-up and royal sets, Hindi movies have romanticised the festival so much that no se Bollywood fan wants to miss a chance to ape the stars. The fast is traditionally celebrated in the states of Rajasthan, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab.Every state has his own style of celebrating this fast but in films only Punjabi style is shown.In 1994 film Chand Ka Tukda a song was picturised in Gujarati style.
Here are some of the best Karwa Chauth songs from some of our favourite Hindi movies.

Song from Bahu Beti 1965

Song from Karwa Chauth 1978

Song from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, 1992

Song from Aashiq Awara 1993

Song from Dil Wale Dulhania Le Jayenge  1995

Song from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gum 2002

A Clipping from Baghban

Begum Akhtar-The Queen Of Ghazal

Begum Akhtar was born Akhtari Bai Faizabadi in Faizabad on 7th Oct 1914.She took the music world by storm with her maiden performance at the tender age of fifteen.She acted in some Hindi movies in the Thirties. She rendered her songs herself in all her films.She disappeared from the Music world for five long years after her marriage.In 1949, she returned to the recording studios, the Lucknow Radio Station and soon after, to stage performances.She was amongst the early female singers to give public concert, and break away from singing in mehfils or private gatherings, and in time came to be known as Mallika-e-Ghazal (Queen of Ghazal)
She was a regular performer on All India Radio. She usually composed her own ghazals and most of her compositions were raag based.She  was the one who brought Thumri and Dadra to the common man through public concerts. Her voice matured with time, adding richness and depth.  She has nearly four hundred songs to her credit.She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for vocal music, and was awarded Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan (posthumously) by Govt. of India.She died on 30 October 1974 in the arms of Nilam Gamadia, her friend, who invited her to Ahmedabad, which has become her final performance.
Some Of Begum Akhtar's Most Popular Ghazal

SAIYAN GAYE PARADESH : BEGUM AKHTAR THUMRI : LIVE CONCERT RECORDING

MEHMOOD-The Man Who Taught the Nation How to Laugh!

There were many  comedians in Bollywood before him.But he made the comedian’s role an integral part of the story line.Often the comedian’s plight proved more interesting than even the hero’s romance.For a brief period in the 1960s, thanks to him, comedy was king. And Mehmood was the uncrowned King of Comedy. A time came, when he was so much “in demand” that producers approached him, offering him full-length comedy films. He teamed up with  Shubha Khote,I S Johar and Kishore Kumar gave us some great comedy films.
Mehmood was the son of character-actor/dancer Mumtaz Ali and used to tag along with his father to the film studios. He began acting as a (reluctant) child actor. After he grew up, he pursued several odd jobs -- including that of a car driver.  For a short while, he was a chauffeur for director P.L. Santoshi. 
As an adult actor he first appeared in Guru Dutt’s suspense thriller – CID. After that, Guru Dutt gave him a small part in Pyaasa. After that he got his first noticeable “break” in Parvarish (1958), in which he landed a role as the brother of the hero, Raj Kapoor. His first breakthrough film as a comedian was Sasural, a melodramatic mega-success. The movie also created one of the most successful comedy pairings of the sixties – Mehmood and Shubha Khote. Both did more than 15 films together and gave many hit songs.The most famous films are Saural 1961,Dil Tera Diwana (1962),Hamrahi (1963) ,Grihasti (1963) ,Ziddi (1964),Love In Tokyo (1966) and Pockit Maar (1974).Mehmood and Shubha Khote gave fans endless hours of laugh riot,
SONGS of Mehmood and Shubha Khote

Song from Sasural 1961

Song from Dil Tera Diwana 1962

Song from Grihasti (1963)

Song from Beti Bete 1964

Song from Ziddi (1964)

Song from Love In Tokyo (1966)

SONGS of Mehmood and I S Johar

Both of them worked together in 8 films,first time they came together in 1954 film Nastik,this film was directed by I S Johar, Mehmood  at that time was not an established comedian.In 1965 both appeared as comedians in 2 films."Johar Mehmood in Goa" and "Namaste Ji".After that they came together in Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong.

Song from Johar Mehmood In Goa 1965

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Song from Johar Mehmood In Hong Kong 1971

SONGS of Mehmood and Kishore Kumar

Both of them came together in 8 films ,the most popular are Pyar Kiye Ja,Saadhu Aur Shaitan.Padosan and Hungama

Scene from Saadhu Aur Shaitan 1968

Song from Padosan 1969

LATA MANGESHKAR-The Voice for every major leading lady of Bollywood

As a teenager, she struggled to help support her family and to establish herself as a playback singer in the Hindi film industry of the 1940s, at a time when the profession was dominated by such divas as Shamshad Begum and Noor Jehan.
She represented every generation of Hindi cinema from Nargis and Waheeda Rehman to Madhuri Dixit and Kajol.
Mangeshkar was trained from age five by her father Dinanath Mangeshkar, a disciple of the Gwaliorgharana (a community of performers who share a distinctive musical style), and she was also tutored by maestros such as Aman Ali Khan Sahib and Amanat Khan.
Her first song as a playback singer in Hindi films was in 1947 - Aapki Sewa Mein (paa laagu kar jori...)but this song did not give lata recognition as a singer, Her first major break was in 1948-Majboor (Dil Mera Toda) given by Music Composer Ghulam Haider. After she recorded the hit “Uthaye ja unke sitam” in Andaz (1949), her destiny was sealed, the year 1949 was the turning point of a great career. The year saw the rise of Lata Mangeshkar The song Aayega Aane Wala from Mahal and the songs of Barsat came the same year. After that, she never looked back. She became the voice of all the Major Heroines. In an interview when asked who according to you enacted your songs really well onscreen?. She said that Actresses like Sadhana, Meena Kumari, Nargis, Madhubala, and Kajol, took the effort to understand the song and act accordingly. Jaya Bachchan observed me well and got my mannerisms right - starting with how I stand, how I sing, and how I drape my sari. In Abhimaan (1973), she even chose to wear white saris like me. It was commendable.
From the 1940s to the 1970s, Mangeshkar sang duets with Asha Bhosle, Suraiya, Usha Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, and Mahendra Kapoor. In 1964, she sang "Chanda Re Hoga" with P.B. Sreenivas from Main Bhi Ladki Hoon. she continued to sing with Shabbir Kumar, Shailendra Singh, Nitin Mukesh (Mukesh's son), Manhar Udhas, Amit Kumar (Kishore Kumar's son), Mohammed Aziz, Vinod Rathod, and S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, and Sonu Nigam
In the 2000s, Mangeshkar's duets were mainly with Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam. 2005-06 were the years of her last well-known songs: "Kaise Piya Se" from Bewafa and "Shayad Yehi To Pyaar Hai" from Lucky: No Time For Love, with Adnan Sami and " Lukka Chhupi" in Rang De Basanti (2006 film) with A.R.Rahman. She sang "Ek Tu Hi Bharosa" from Pukar. Other notable songs of this decade were from Veer-Zaara, sung with Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Jagjit Singh, Roop Kumar Rathod, and Gurdas Mann. One of her latest songs was "Jeena Hai Kya" from Dunno Y2 (2014).
Lata Mangeshkar has won several awards and honors, including Bharat Ratna (India's Highest Civilian Award), Padma Bhushan (1969), Padma Vibhushan (1999), Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1989)
SONGS VIDEOS  FOR SADHNA

Song from Parakh 1960

Song from Asli Naqli 1962

Song from Mere Mehboob 1963

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Song from Woh Kaun Thi 1964

Song from Rajkumar  1964

Song from Arzoo 1965

Song from Mera Saaya 1966

Song from Anita 1967

Song from Inteqam 1969

Song from Ishq Par Zor Nahin 1970

Song from Geeta Mera Naam 1972

YASH CHOPRA-The man who introduced the lush green meadows, snow-capped Alps, pristine lakes of Switzerland to Bollywood

Today on his 85th Birth Anniversary how can we forget his love for Switzerland.Its a known fact that Yash Chopra loved to shoot his films in Switzerland, and is credited for highlighting the beauty of the country to Indians. He chose Switzerland as his honeymoon destination and toured the country with his wife Pamela in 1970. Mesmerized by the landscape he decided to introduce Switzerland through his films, he turned to Switzerland regularly for his movies which he produced under his banner Yash Raj Films.Since the 1980's, many film directors have chosen Switzerland. And none managed it more (and better) than Yash Chopra.

Switzerland and its snow-capped mountains were first showcased in Indian cinema through Raj Kapoor's Sangam in 1964.After that  few scenes were shot in Switzerland in An Evening in Paris  (1967). Dev Anand followed the trend. He shot several scenes and a famous song inside Switzerland.in his first directorial film Prem Pujari in 1970.
Hundreds of Indian movies have been shot to this date, but the 1995 hit Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge(produced by Yash Chopra) happens to be the most famous movie shot in Switzerland.Since then, there has been a steady flow of Indian tourists visiting Switzerland. And for those who also happen to be cinema fanatics, Bollywood packaged trips to places like Gstaad are arranged.
Switzerland Govt. honored the role of Yash ji to promote Tourism in Switzerland among the Indians. A beautiful lake, where he shot many movies, is famously known as Chopra Lake.  He was felicitated with the honorary Swiss Ambassador Award by the Embassy of Switzerland and honored with the title “Amabssador of  Interlaken”,  his favorite town in Switzerland. A train named after Yash Chopra was also launched in Jungfrau Railways in Switzerland.
The shooting locations of DDLJ are now become Indian tourist location.  “Jara Sa Jhoom Loo Main” song was shot in the town of Gstaad. You can also see famous Candy store “Early Beck” in the song.

Song from Dil Wale Dulhania Le Jayenge 1995

…In the song “Mere Khwabon Me Jo Aaye”, Shah Rukh Khan is running behind a plane. That scene was shot at Sannen Airport.

Song from Dil Wale Dulhania Le Jayenge 1995

…The railway station where Kajol misses her train was shot at the Zweisimmen Railway Station, while When they finally make peace, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol wait at the railway station in Saanen for the next train to Zurich.

…The scene, in which SRK apologies to Kajol was shot in the town of Interlaken.

....During the climax scene of the Dhoom 3 movie, Sahir jumps off the Verzasca Dam in Ticino Switzerland. An interesting information here is that the opening scene of the 1995 James Bond film 'Golden Eye' featured Bond jumping off this dam. 

Jumping off the Contra Dam in Switzerland

Raj plays the DDLJ tune to a group of people on the streets of Gstaad.  Bachna Ae Haseeno  They join in with their music as well. Mahi hears this and is romantically drawn to the site where she sees Raj for the first time and 'falls' in love. 

Yashji's first films were made under the BR Films banner. Dhool ka Phool (1959) Yashji's second film, Dharamputra(1961).Encouraged by the success of both films, the Chopra brothers made several more movies together during the late fifties and sixties. Chopra rose to prominence after his commercially and critically successful drama, Waqt (1965).In 1971, Chopra founded his own production company, Yash Raj Films, and launched it with Daag (1973),His success continued in the seventies, with some of Indian cinema's most successful and iconic films, including the action thriller Deewar (1975), which established Amitabh Bachchan as the leading actor in Bollywood; the romantic drama Kabhie Kabhie (1976) and Trishul(1978).The 1980s was a lean phase in Yash ji's life most of his films didn't do well in Box Office in spite of Kala Pathar and Silsila.

In 1989, Chopra directed the commercially and critically successful cult film Chandni, which became instrumental in ending the era of violent films in Bollywood and returning to musicals.He made Lamhe in 1991 which was critically acclaimed but was not successful.Chopra directed three more romantic films, all starring Khan; Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Veer-Zaara (2004) and Jab Tak Hai Jaan(2012), before he announced his retirement from directing in 2012.His last film Jab Tak Hai Jaan was also shot in Switzerland

Yash.Chopra, who captured the breath taking locales of Switzerland in his films for decades, was given this prestigious honour by the Swiss government. A sculpture made of pure bronze, and weighing about 350 kilos, shows Yash Chopra in his iconic pose with the camera by his side.
               SONGS SHOT IN FOREIGN LOCATION
Yash Chopra shot the evergreen 'Dekha ek khwab....' song from his 1981 film 'Silsila' in Netherlands, and his film 'Faasle' (1985), in Switzerland. He kept coming back later for films like 'Chandni' (1989), 'Mohabbatein' (2000), 'Veer Zaara' (2004) but it was the iconic 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' in 1995, which popularised Europe as a staple destination for Bollywood romances.

Song from Silsila 1981

Song from Faasle' (1985)

The 1989 blockbuster Chandni had made headlines because of Sridevi’s costumes. But the scenic beauty of Switzerland in the scenes can not be missed. The iconic lake Alpenrausch was one of the few locations of the shoot.

Song from Chandni 1989

"Humko Humise Chura Lo" song at Lake Amsoldingen in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland. The lake is small waterbody surrounded by gentle rolling hills and wavy trees

Song from Mohabbatein' (2000),

Song from Veer Zaara' (2004)

"Zara Gungunalein Chalo" song from 2007 film LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG sung by Vibha and Rohan at the ancient city of Lucerne in Switzerland

Song from LAAGA CHUNARI MEIN DAAG 2007

"Aahista Aahista" song from Bachna Ae Haseeno  begins with both Mahi and Raj taking a scooter from Gstaad and driving all the way to Rougemont. Picture perfect scenes all across the way

Song from Bachna Ae Haseeno 2008

Song from Jab Tak Hai Jaan 2012