Shakespeare in bollywood

 Shakespeare remains the most filmed author ever in any language.In fact The Guinness Book of Records lists 410 feature-length film and TV versions of William Shakespeare's plays as having been produced,Bollywood has also drawn a lot of inspiration from this great man. The first time in 1935 it was Sohrab Modi who is Credited as "the man who brought Shakespeare to the Indian screen", it was Modi's debut feature film as a director. The story and script were by Mehdi Hassan Ahsan from his Urdu adaptation of Hamlet. Khoon Ka Khoon was the debut in films of Naseem Banu. Khoon Ka Khoon was a "filmed version of a stage performance of the play".

Hamlet After a gap of 20 years in 1954 it was Kishor Sahu  who was influenced by "classic European sources". Though termed a "free adaptation" in the credit roll of the film, Sahu stayed true to the title, its setting, and the original names in the play, remaining as close as possible to Olivier's 1948 film.

Do Dooni Char In 1968 Bimal Roy produced a film Do Dooni Char starring Kishore Kumar and Tanuja which was  a loose remake of the 1963 Bengali film, Bhranti bilas. Both films are loosely based on William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors.The same story was once again filmed by Gulzar in 1982 starring Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma and Moushami Chatterjee.

Shakespeare Wallah is a 1965 Merchant Ivory Productions film. The story and screenplay are by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, about a travelling family theatre troupe of English actors in India, who perform Shakespeare plays in towns across India,Shashi Kapoor was the hero who in real life fell in love with the sister of the  heroine.of the film Felicity Kendal

Vishal Bhardwaj is one producer director who made many films on Shakespeare's plays and characters.

Maqbool  Vishal's most widely-applauded film, Maqbool is a striking, Mafia-based take on Macbeth that is as audacious as it is ambitious, taking whimsical departures from the text to provide a compelling watch that is shouldered by excellent performances, particularly from Pankaj Kapur and Tabu.

Omkara released in 2006.A politically-minded enforcer's misguided trust in his lieutenant leads him to suspect his wife of infidelity in this adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Othello'.The film starring Ajay Devgan and Kareena Kapoor.

Haider released in 2014  is a modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet The film starring Shahid Kapoor,Tabu and Shradha Kapoor.

Romeo and Juliet is one such love story which always fascinated Bollywood.Many films like Ek Duje Ke Liye,Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak,Sanjay Leela Bhansali's opulent and characteristically film, subtitled "Goliyon Ki Rasleela" and Habib Faisal's Ishaqzaade was a well-crafted and well-performed film, which just compounds the exasperation about it being such a shamelessly regressive film, one where Romeo cons Juliet into sex and then ties her up till she falls in love with him.

10 ml Love released in 2010 went unnoticed  was a romantic comedy in Hindi concerning the tribulations of a love quadrangle during a night of magic and madness and a contemporary adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. 

B R CHOPRA - One Of The Architect of Golden Era Of bollywood

B R Chopra was one of the legendary figures of Bollywood, Bombay's film industry. Whether making musicals or dramatic, socially conscious films he combined quality film-making with an ability to cater to popular taste.The first film he produced flopped, he turned to direction. He persuaded one of the most natural actors of the day, Ashok Kumar, to star in his film Afsana (1951), which was a hit.
In 1955 he founded his own production house, BR Films. His first film under his own banner, Ek hi Raasta, took on the issue of widow remarriage. His later films dealt with subjects such as the after-effects of partition and the rights of Muslim women.He became a champion of making Social Movies. B R Chopra was later became a master of the art of storytelling.Some of his best known films are  Naya Daur (1957), Sadhna (1958), Kanoon (1961), Gumrah (1963), Humraaz (1967), Awam (1987) 
Baldev Raj Chopra (22 April 1914 – 5 November 2008) made the great TV Serial Mahabharat which was one of the most successful TV serials in Indian television history.
He directed successful film across genres after 1972, with films like suspense thriller Dhund, comedy film Pati Patni Aur Woh, crime film in Insaaf Ka Tarazu, Muslim social in Nikaah and the political thriller Awam,he also made Dastan in 1972 with Dilip Kumar which was not successful.
He died in Mumbai at the age of 94 on 5 November 2008.He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1998.
His younger brother Yash Chopra, son Ravi Chopra and nephew Aditya Chopra are also directors in the Bollywood industry.

Song from Afsana 1951

Song from Ek Hi Raasta (1956)

Song from Naya Daur (1957)

Song from Sadhna (1958)

Song from Dhool Ka Phool (1959)

Song from Gumrah (1963)

Song from Waqt (1965)

Song from Humraz (1967)

Song from Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978)

Song from Nikaah (1982)

Song from Baghban (2003)

If Hollywood can be punctual, why can't Bollywood

Bollywood is always been known as the most undisciplined and mismanaged Industry. A handful of actors like Amitabh Bachchan do come on time for every event, but we can count professionals like him on our fingers.On the other hand the Hollywood actors, with fan followings across the globe and with tons of commitments reach the venue bang on time. 
In Hollywood, not just interviews, even red carpet events with thousands of fans go as per schedule. If the premiere is at 7 pm, the talent will start coming one by one at 7 pm. The event will end at 8 pm.
In Bollywood even during the Golden Era the indiscipline was there.We have heard horror stories of stars making even filmmakers wait. Isn't it funny that the production crew is on time, the dancers are always waiting in their costumes, the entire set crew is ready, but the lead star is always stuck in traffic? 

Kishore Kumar  was infamous for being always late,Raj Kumar was also infamous for his tantrums. Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar were known for their discipline and professionalism.In the 70s Rajesh Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha were infamous for their late comings while the most discipline star remains Amitabh Bachchan. There are many stories about his punctuality.Many time he reported at the studio well before production team or the gatekeeper arrives.Due to his punctuality, he occasionally opens the gate of Filmistan studio all by himself.

Of the present lot Akshay Kumar and John Abraham are very punctual.Out of three Khans Aamir Khan is always on time. Salman Khan is infamous for coming late.Before him it was Govinda who was infamous for coming late on the sets.

Among the heroines Kajol and Karina Kapoor are  late comers. During an interview with Aamir Khan, he mentioned he is not too fond of working with Kajol because she is one of the most non-punctual actresses to work with. Is that why we haven't seen them together after Fanaa  while Anushka Sharma and Priyanka Chopra are very disciplined.

Shakeel Badayuni - The Creator of Immortal Love,Romance and Dejection Songs

Shakeel was Naushad’s discovery; it was the composer who got the struggling poet a break in Kardar’s Dard, ending days of poverty for young Shakeel’s large family.He used his experiences of deprivation with painful intensity in his early lyrics.
He confined all his creativity to love, romance and dejection, resisting all temptation to write about social causes. 
Shakeel reached his zenith as lyricist in Mughal e Azam, with each song a lyrical cosmos in itself, the line ‘pyar kiya toh darna kya’ easily the most popular. Another great creation was penning a bhajan as authentic as ‘Man tarpat Hari darshan ko aaj’ from Baiju Bawra.
As the name suggest Shakeel Badayuni was born at Badayun U P on 3rd August 1916.When he joined Aligarh Muslim University in 1936, he started participating in inter-college, inter-university mushairas and won frequently. After completing his BA, he moved to Delhi as a supply officer, but continued participating in mushairas, earning fame nationwide. He was interested in to write songs for films so he moved to Bombay in 1944 where he was introduced in films as lyricist from the film Dard in 1947.
 The songs of Dard proved to be very successful, especially Uma Devi (Tun Tun)'s Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon. Only a few are so lucky that they attain success in their first film, but Shakeel deserved success which started with Dard and continued on over the years. He formed a lasting partnership with Naushad. Together, they would give many hits over the next 25-odd years.
 Among the scores they churned out together, are those of Deedar (1951), Baiju Bawra (1952), Mother India (1957), and Mughal-e-Azam (1960), that stand out. Other films they scored together include Dulari (1949), Shabab (1954), Ganga Jamuna (1961), and Mere Mehboob (1963). Although Shakeel Badayuni worked most extensively with Naushad, he also collaborated with Ravi and Hemant Kumar as well. His lyrics for the song Husnwale Tera Jawab Nahin and Ravi's music score both won Filmfare Awards for the hit film Gharana. His other notable film with Ravi is Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960), while Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) is his biggest hit with Hemant Kumar. The title song from Chaudhvin Ka Chand, rendered by Mohammed Rafi, won Badayuni the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist in 1961.He received 3 Filmfare Awards in 1962 for the song husnwale tera jawab nahin in the film Gharana and in 1963 for the song kahin deep jale kahin dil in the film Bees Saal Baad
Shakeel also wrote a substantial chunk of his songs for music director Ravi Sharma. Prominent amongst those were Gharana (1961), Ghunghat,Grahasti (1963), Nartaki (1963), as well as Phool Aur Patthar and Do Badan.
Shakeel Badayuni succumbed to diabetes complications at the age of fifty-three, died on 20 April 1970, at Bombay Hospital.

Song from Dard 1947

Song from Dulari (1949)

Song from Babul (1950)

Song from Deedar (1951)

Song from Baiju Bawra (1952)

Song from Dil - E - Nadan (1953)

Song from Shabab (1954)

Song from Mother India (1957)

Song from Mughal-e-Azam (1960)

Song from Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960)

Song from Ganga Jamuna (1961)

Song from Sahib  Gharana 1961

Song from Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) 

Song from Bees Saal Baad 1962

Song from Mere Mehboob (1963).

Song from Leader (1964)

Song from Ram Aur Shyam (1967)

CHANDULAL SHAH-The Founder of Ranjit Studio,From Silent Cinema to Talking Cinema

Chandulal Shah was born in 1898 in Jamnagar, Gujarat,he entered the film industry purely by chance.It was in 1925,  he was called by the Laxmi Film Company to direct a film Vimla (1925), as its director Manilal Joshi was bedridden.Before that while waiting to get a job he helped his brother, J. D. Shah, who was a writer for mythological films.
Shah not only directed the film but also went on to do two more pictures for the company, Panch Danda (1925) and Madhav Kam Kundala (1926) The first film independently directed by him at Kohinoor was Typist Girl (1926) starring Sulochana and Gohar which was made in 17 days. The film did extremely well at the box-office leading Shah to direct another five films for the studio all featuring Gohar. Of these, the most famous was Gunsundari (1927).

In 1929 Chandulal Shah founded Ranjit Studios at Bombay, Maharashtra. It produced films between 1929 and mid-1970s. The company began production of silent films in 1929 under the banner Ranjit Film Company and by 1932 had made 39 pictures, most of them social dramas. The company changed its name to Ranjit Movietone in 1932 and during the 1930s produced numerous successful talkies at the rate of about six a year. At this time, the studio employed around 300 actors, technicians and other employees.
Along with Bombay Talkies, New Theatres and The Prabhat Film Company, Chandulal Shah’s Shree Ranjit Movitone Company was one of the great institutions of the studio era. With stars like Gohar, E Billimoria, Madhuri, Motilal, Khurshid and KL Saigal on its payroll, the studio’s boast like MGM in Hollywood was, “There are more stars in Ranjit than in the heavens!”

Chandulal Shah with his son

Besides filmmaking, Chandulal Shah also devoted a lot of time to the organizational work of the Indian Film Industry. Both the silver jubilee (1939) and the golden jubilee of the Indian film Industry (1963) were celebrated under his guidance. He was, in addition, the first president of The Film Federation of India, formed in 1951, and even led an Indian delegation to Hollywood the following year.
Shah's approach of producing films was a factory approach.This  enabled him to be the biggest producer in India in those times. During the 1930s he produced numerous successful talkies at the rate of about six a year. 
The company brought an assembly line approach to their film-making. Mid-budget socials, satires and the stunt film were their cup of tea. Their films suggest the solid entrenchment of genres associated with the post World War II Hindi Cinema, ranging from films around Nirupa Roy’s mythological mother figure to those with Motilal and Saigal. Important films of the company include Sati Savitri (1932), Barrister’s Wife (1935), Achhut (1940), Tansen (1943), Moorti (1943) and Jogan (1950).
The last film of Ranjit Movietone was Meena Kumari-Rajendra Kumar starrer, Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963), the last co-directed with Nandlal Jaswantlal,

Unfortunately by the end of 50s the company was facing financial crisis.Their films were not doing well,in fact he tried unsuccessfully to achieve a comeback as a director with the Raj Kapoor-Nargis starrer, Papi (1953) after a gap of 13 years.

Shah had an addiction of Share Market and also of Races which  led to massive financial losses. Things came to a head when he was left with no option but to allow the takeover of his famous studio. In later years, he was reduced to traveling by Bombay’s public transport and finally died in Mumbai on November 25th, 1975 in poverty, a sad end to a truly great film pioneer of yesteryear.

Song from Achhut (1940) Audio only

Papi (1953)

Song from Zameen Ke Taare (1960)

Song from Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963)

G S Nepali-The Forgotten Lyricist

Born in 1913 at Bettiah Bihar, Gopal Singh Nepali was one of the most renowned Hindi poets of all time. His poems evoke patriotism, love for nature and humane values. He also wrote lyrics of a few Hindi films.  His association with Bollywood spanned around two decades, beginning in 1944 and ended with his death in 1963.During the 1962 Indo-China war, Nepali lifted the spirits of Indian citizens and Indian soldiers via his Patriotic Poems and Songs and he went to the border in order to recite them. The patriotic songs and poems include Savan, Kalpana, Neelima, Naveen Kalpana Karo,etc.
In 1944 he was hired by Filmistan for 4 years at the salary of Rs 200 per month.The first film he wrote lyrics was Majdoor. He wrote nearly 400 songs in 60 films.He also gave music for few of his songs.He also made few films Nazrana(1949),Sansani(1951)and Khushbu(1955).

Nakul Singh Nepali, son of Gopal Singh Nepali, has filed a suit at the Bombay High Court against the makers of Slumdog Millionaire, saying that Danny Boyle they wrongly credited poet Surdas for writing the song Darshan Do Ghanashyam. According to the suit, Nepali says his father, a poet, wrote the song.He died on 17 th April 1963 after attending a Kavi Sammelan.

Some Of the Songs written by G S Nepali

Song from Safar 1946

Song from Gajre 1948

Song from Anokha Pyaar 1948

Song from Narsi Bhagat 1957

Hasrat Jaipuri- The Poet who Defined Romance in Bollywood

Hasrat Jaipuri the great Lyricist started his Film career with the immortal song Jiya Beqaraar Hai for the film Barsaat in 1949.It was also the first film of Shankar Jaikishan, That was the beginning of a lifelong association." Yet, there was an unstated agreement that Jaikishan would often prefer Jaipuri to pen lyrics for his tunes, while Shankar would turn to Shailendra. 
He wrote  a whole range of songs like "Sayonara sayonara" (Love In Tokyo)," Aao twist karen" (Bhoot Bungla)." Ajhoon na aaye baalma" (Sanjh AurSavera), "Duniya bananewale"(Teesri Kasam) to Romantic songs like Yeh Mera Prem Patra (Sangam).In this Blog I have selected some of my favourite Romantic Songs of Hasrat Jaipuri Ji.

Song from Barsaat 1949

Song from Saiyan 1951

Song from Aah 1953

Song from Patita 1953

Song from Chori Chori 1956

Song from Parvarish 1958

Song from Love Marriage 1959

Song from Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai 1961

Song from Junglee1961

Song from Sasural 1961

Song from Asli Naqli 1961

Song from Professor 1962

Song from Hamrahi 1963

Song from Tere Ghar Ke Samne 1963

Song from Rajkumar 1964

Song from Aarzoo 1965

Song from Suraj 1966

Song from Andaz 1971

Celebrating Baisaakhi Bollywood Style

Baisaakhi  is one of the most colorful, and full of fun and music and dancing festival of Punjab.This day is reserved for ‘Bhangra’ and ‘Gidda’, the traditional dances of Punjab. Bollywood would never leave any opportunity to use this situation with a dance number.In my memory Kedar Sharma used this situation  for the first time in 1946 film Duniya Ek Sarai. Later in many films this situation is used with dance and songs.Here are few such songs picturised for Baisaakhi Celebration.

Song from Duniya Ek Sarai 1947

                                        O Jatta Aae Besakhi... (Kode Shah 1953)

Song from Imaan Dharam 1977

Song from Soldier

                                       Song from Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001)

Song from  Rang De Basanti

                                              Gurdas Maan-baisakhi vala mela

                  Hit Song Of Mika Singh 'Baisakhi Di Raat