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
The 1962 film has music by Sachin Dev Burman, who gave some memorable songs in the films such as "Na Tum Hamen Jano", sung by Hemant Kumar, "Akela Hoon Main Is Duniya Mein", by Mohammad Rafi, and the hit Qawwali, "Kisne Chilman Se Mara Nazara Mujhe", by Manna Dey. The film directed by Shankar Mukherjee, starring Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman and Johnny Walker.
The story of Neela (Waheeda Rehman) is in police custody for committing a murder, which she believes she did. But her mother cried foul and pleads with Rajesh (Dev Anand) to fight her case.
It is during one of her suicide-trials that she comes across Rajesh. This happy go-lucky lawyer saves her from drowning and slowly gets to know more about her. He learns that this woman has lost the will to live. He requests the warden of the jail where Neela is to let her go with him to a mental institution to be treated for depression. He also visits her home and finds out that there are many loose ends to the case. The doctor asks Rajesh to pretend that he in love with her so that she feels happy and rejuvenated again.
While Rajesh and Neela romance each other, S D Burman's songs keep you entertained.there are many memorable songs well picturised.There is Johny walker to entertain you. Dev Anand as a lawyer, sure did do things a wee bit differently. And, though the film was saved at the last moment by the clever inclusion of the smart antics by the director (the funny scenes by Johny Walker and the benevolence by Manmohan Krishna).
Her mother a top heroine of her time Shobhna Samarth wanted her daughter to be a heroine.She was actually dismissed by unfeeling relatives as skinny and ugly.So she launched her as a heroine in Hamari Beti (1950) but the film didn't do well.she got recognition only in 1955 with the film Seema,she received her first Filmfare Award for this role.
Nutan(born on 4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991) continued playing leading roles through the 1960s until the late 1970s and went on to win the award on four other occasions for her roles in Sujata (1959), Bandini (1963), Milan (1967) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978).
She formed a popular screen couple with co-star Dev Anand and the two acted in four films together – Paying Guest (1957), Baarish (1957), Manzil (1960) and Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963).She also worked with Raj Kapoor.Anari1959 and Chhalia in 1960.
In 1959, Nutan married Naval Lieutenant Commander Rajneesh Behl and took a small break when her son Monish was born. She did do a film with her husband, the critically acknowledged Soorat Aur Seerat (1962) and made a stinging comeback to mainstream Hindi cinema with Navketan’s Tere Ghar ke Samne (1963), a refreshing romantic comedy opposite Dev Anand, and Bimal Roy’s masterpiece, Bandini (1963), boasting of possibly her greatest ever performance and certainly one of the greatest performances of Indian Cinema. Nutan’s career shone bright right through the 1960s and 1970s with strong performances in films like Milan (1967) – another Filmfare Award for Best Actress though it has to be said her dual roles in this reincarnation drama were not as challenging as some of the ones she had done earlier – Saraswatichandra (1968), Saudagar (1973) with rising star Amitabh Bachchan, Sajan Bina Suhagan (1978), Kasturi (1978) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). She carries the last film, directed most ably by Raj Khosla, entirely on her shoulders In the 1980s, she played roles in blockbuster films such as Meri Jung (1985), Naam (1986) and Karma (1986). Karma was notable for being the first time she was paired with actor Dilip Kumar. For Mere Jung she won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her last film released while she was alive was Kanoon Apna Apna in 1989. She died in 1991 of cancer.Two of her films Naseebwala (1992) and Insaniyat (1994) were released after her death.
Song from Seema 1955
Song from Paying Guest 1957
Song from Dilli Ka Thug 1958
Song from Sujata 1959
Song from Anari 1959
Song from Chhabili 1960 (audio) Nutan sings & acts
Nargis and Sunil Dutt came from very different backgrounds when they first met each other. Nargis was the daughter of Mohan Babu and Jaddanbai, and Sunil was the son of a Punjabi land-owning family. The two actors met on the sets of Do Bigha Zameen. At that time, Sunil Dutt was an aspiring actor and student while Nargis was already an established star. Sunil and Nargis Dutt crossed each other’s paths at many film gatherings but were officially introduced to each other on the sets of their film Mother India by filmmaker Mehboob Khan. Khan thought it was important for Nargis, who played the title role in the film, to befriend the other actors, particularly Sunil Dutt, who played her errant son Birju.
Everyone is aware of their dramatic love story that was triggered by a fatal fire on the sets of Mother India in 1957, where Sunil Dutt sensing danger, jumped into raging flames without a thought for his own life to save Nargis and won her heart. She visited him every day at the hospital after shooting. She nursed Dutt back to health for two weeks. In that time, the two got very close, and she even opened up about her past to him. and a few weeks later, when Sunil Dutt proposed marriage to her, she agreed immediately. The two started dating, and wanted to get married, but they played mother and son on screen in Mother India, and the news of their relationship would be disastrous for the film, so they maintained a low profile. In 1958, they got married in a secret ceremony and didn't make the news public for nearly a year. Even after getting married, they stayed with their respective families. They'd meet late into the nights and communicate through letters and telegrams. In 1959, after making the news of their marriage public, they held a reception, and moved in together. Sunil Dutt was once asked about Raj Kapoor and Nargis' equation, to which he had said, "I never knew there was a romance. The only thing I knew was that she came into my life. I was not concerned about her past. I know these questions arise. But I am concerned about the person who comes in my life; what matters from that day on is how true the person is to me. The past is nothing to me." Nargis left films to look after Dutt saheb.The mother of 3 – Priya, Namrata and Sanjay Dutt, Nargis took up the full time job of being a mom and gave up stardom while she was at the peak of her career. She was the one with a modern approach and yet juggled her life amidst the work part, where she was involved in her husband’s production venture and also formed Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe.
Despite the threshold of responsibilities, she was very much active in her individual self which included swimming, watching movies, shopping, getting a massage and constantly being on the phone. She also ditched the burqa and would enjoy paani puri from the street vendors. Yes, she was very much like the young girl inside every woman.Nargis never followed the bandwagon of her contemporaries and was always in sync with global fashion trends. She sported a short haircut when others would go for their long tresses. She ditched jewellery and wore only cotton saris for which she was dubbed as the Lady in White.
Sunil Dutt was not the first love of Nargis, but their years of marriage never once fell in doubt about Dutt being her second love. Nargis and Sunil Dutt loved each other and supported each other during their marriage.Their lovewas pure and forever.
Years later, Nargis was detected with cancer, and went through a lot of treatments for many years. Sunil was always by her side during her struggle. He even took her to America for the treatment. However, she could not win her battle against cancer and died on May 3, 1981.
A film has a long, arduous journey before it finally hits the screens.Not all films complete their journey.Many films are announced in the hope that once a current project will be successful, the next will take off with the same team only to come to a crashing halt.because of unsuccessful of their previous project. Dev Anand was one of the most salable star of his time even then many of his films were shelved or unreleased.There was a movie named "Kaafir"starring Dev Anand and Geeta Bali in the 50s but it was not completed after shooting 6 reels.The film was being directed by Chetan Anand .There was another film Saajan Ki Galiyan(1966) starring Dev Anand and Sadhana which was also not completed,
Very few know that Dev Anand wanted to make a sequel of Hare Rama Hare Krishna.He planned to return to Nepal to film a sequel and was scouting for a younger Zeenat Aman to carry forward Jasbir’s story of a girl swept by the Hippie culture. But the film never took off — on December 3 that year, Dev Anand died in a London hotel.
There was a multi starrer film Ek Do Teen Chaar launched on October 3, 1980 amidst a lot of fanfare at Mehboob studios.Salim-Javed wrote the script for this film Though the film starring Dev Anand, Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor, Rakhee, Hema Malini, Rishi Kapoor, Tina Munim, Parveen Babi and Amjad Khan, never saw the light of day,The film was being produced and directed by Vijay Anand.
There was a film anounced by Dev Anand in 1991 called Purana Paapi in which Amitabh Bachchan was working for the first time with Dev Anand.Amitabh couldn't work because doctors advised him for rest and the film was shelved.
There was another film Jana Na Dil Se Door Itwas an unreleased movie of his brother, Vijay Anand on which he was working before he, Vijay Anand passed away after a massive heart attack.
There was a film Shrimanji (1968) Dev anand was playing a guest appearance for the first time but this film also couldn't see the daylight.Kahin Aur Chal (1968) a film directed by Vijay Anand was released but not in all territories
Mahesh Bhatt started a film"Ab Meri Bari"starring Dev Anand,Rekha Tina Munim and Rishi Kapoor.
Vijay Anand wanted to make a film with Dev,Dilip and Raj Kapoor but it couldn't materialized.The movie got shelved due to ego and dates hassles
Humne jinke khwab sajaaye film Saajan ki Galiyan 1966
Kahin Aur Chal (1968)
Zindagi Sehra Bhi Hai Lata Mangeshkar Film Kahin Aur Chal 1968
Very recently I heard a song "You are my chicken fry"from a film Ragini MMS,immediately in my mind came the idea how in old days our lyricist used to write songs in praise of the beloved.They used to compare the beauty with Moon or the eyes with Sagar or Jheel,. Hair with Reshmi Julfen. There are probably hundreds of songs in Bollywood and more than one-third of them are romantic in nature.The best song for praise of your beloved comes in my mind "Chaudvin Ka Chaand Ho" another beautiful song is Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga from 1942 A Love Story. I sometimes wonder why there are no such lovely songs in the current decade,So, just selecting fifteen songs to appreciate your beloved is an arduous task.There is a slight bias to the old songs compare to the songs of 90s. The first song in my list is "Mein kya Jaanoon Kya Jaadu Hai" from the film Zindagi released in 1940 written by Kedar Sharma.The song about praising the eyes of his beloved.main kyaa jaanoon kyaa jaadoo hai in do matwaale nainon mein ek ek athaah saagar saa hai in do matwaale nainon mein jaadoo hai
Song from Zindagi 1940
Another beautiful song of K L Saigal is "Do nainaa matwaare tihaare
ham par zulm karen" from the 1944 film My Sister the song was written by Pt Bhushan, Music by-Pankaj Mullick
Song from My Sister 1944
The next song in my list is a Rare song " Matwaale nainon waali ghunghraale baalon waali" from Izzat released in 1937 This song is sung and acted by Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani
Song from Izzat 1937
This is the best any poet could write in praise of the beloved.The writer of song is Shakeel Badayuni for the film Chaudvin Ka Chand 1960 "Chaudvin Ka Chand Ho, Ya Aaftaab Ho
Jo Bhi Ho Tum Khuda Ki Kasam, Lajawab Ho Zulfein Hain Jaise Kaandhe Pe Baadal Jhuke Hue Aankhen Hain Jaise Maey Ke Pyaale Bhare Hue Masti Hai Jisme Pyaar Ki Tum, Woh Sharaab Ho
Song from Chaudvin Ka Chaand 1960
The song “Ek but banaaungaa” is sung by Rafi and it is picturised on Dev Anand and Sadhana. Hasrat Jaipuri is the lyricist and music is composed by Shankar Jaikishan. Dev Anand, instead to simply saying “I love you” would go to elaborate lengths and would use flowery and grandiloquent round about ways of expressing his love for the lady.
Song from Asli Naqli (1962)
Song from Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai 1961
Immensely popular song composed by Shankar-Jaikishan with the lyric being of Hasrat Jaipuri. Rajender Kumar sings it in praise of B. Saroja Devi.
Song from Sasuraal – 1961
Rafi's great admiring song which is picturized on Pradeep Kumar who sings it for Meena Kumari in the movie. Roshan has composed the lyric of Majrooh Sultanpuri.
Song from Aarti - 1962
A classic song of Rafi, the singer and Shammi Kapoor, the actor who sings it in praise of Sharmila Tagore. S.H. Bihari’s lyric has been composed by O.P. Nayyar.
Song from Kashmir Ki Kali - 1964
A very touching admiring duet of Lata and Manna Dey, picturized on Mahipal and Anjali Devi, penned by Bharat Vyas and composed by Laxmikant Pyarelal.
Song from Sati Savitri - 1964
This song picturized on Rajender Kumar praising Saadhna through it. Shankar-Jaikishan's composition is for the lyric of Hasrat Jaipuri.
Song from Aarzoo - 1965
An immortal admiring song sung by Mukesh and Lata separately for Maneesh and Nutan respectively on the screen. Indeevar's beautiful lyric has been composed by Kalyanji Anandji.
Song from Saraswatichandra - 1968
This super hit song sung by Md Rafi picturised on Rajesh Kanna in Do Raaste released in 1969,beautiful words written by Anand Bakshi
Prithviraj Kapoor( 3 November 1906;– 29 May 1972) started his career as an actor in the Silent era of Hindi cinema and starred in the first Talkie film Alam Ara.He acted as an extra in his first film, Do Dhari Talwar, though he went on to earn a lead role for his third film, titled Cinema Girl, in 1929.His performance in Vidyapati (1937) was much appreciated.His best-known performance is perhaps as Alexander the Great in Sohrab Modi's Sikandar (1941). Our generation know him for his performance in Mughal E Azam. He began his acting career in the theatres of Lyallpur and Peshawar. Later he shifted to Bombay.There he joined the Imperial Films Company. He also joined the Grant Anderson Theater Company, an English theatrical company that remained in Bombay for a year.Through all these years, Kapoor remained devoted to the theatre and performed on stage regularly. He developed a reputation as a very fine and versatile actor on both stage and screen. He established Prithvi Theatre in 1944 which staged memorable productions across India. The plays were highly influential and inspired young people to participate in the Indian independence movement and the Quit India Movement. In over 16 years of existence, the theatre staged some 2,662 performances. Prithviraj starred as the lead actor in every single show. One of his popular plays was called Pathan (1947), which was performed on stage nearly 600 times in Mumbai. It opened on 13 April 1947, and is a story of a Muslim and his Hindu friend. As he progressed into his 50s, he gradually ceased theatre activities and accepted occasional offers from film-makers, including his own sons. He appeared with his son Raj in the 1951 film Awara as a stern judge who had thrown his own wife out of his house. .His major films include V.Shantaram`s Dahej (1950), Raj Kapoor`s Awaara (1951), Aasmaan Mahal (1965), Teen Bahuraniyaan (1968), Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971) and the Punjabi film Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai (1969). He lost his voice while directing a film entitled Paisa, as a result Prithvi Theatre was closed and he even gave up films. He was also the patriarch of the Kapoor family, five generations of which have played active roles in Bollywood.Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor are his great grandchildren. He passed away on 29th May 1972. The government of India honored Prithviraj Kapoor with the Padma Bhushan in 1969. For his unparalleled contribution to Indian Cinema, he was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1971. Prithvi Theatre was later revived in his honor by his son, Shashi Kapoor.
It is to Mehboob’s credit that from his humble beginnings as a spot boy, he went on to acting, writing, directing and producing films and owner of Mehboob Studio. Mehboob Khan got several roles as an extra and even went on to being cast as a junior artist and then in a supporting role. In fact, Ardeshir Irani almost took him as the hero of Alam Ara,India’s first talkie.He realised that destiny is not in favor of making him a hero,there was something else he could do.So he decided to write a script and pitch it to a few studios.His script was rejected by various studios,he decided to produce and direct his own script.He went on to direct milestones such as the bold saga Aurat (1940), the romantic drama Andaz (1949), the swashbuckling musical Aan (1951) and the grand social epic Mother India (1957). Hewas born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan in Bilimora in Gandevi Taluka of Baroda State (now Gujarat) on 9 September 1907. He started as an assistant in the Silent Film era and as an extra in the studios of the Imperial Film Company of Ardeshir Irani, before directing his first film Al Hilal a.k.a. Judgement of Allah (1935), when he started directing films for the Sagar Film Company.Notable films he directed include Deccan Queen (1936), Ek Hi Raasta (1939) and Alibaba (1940). Directorial features such as Aurat (1940) followed, with the studios Sagar Movietone and National Studios. In 1945, Khan set up his own production house – Mehboob Productions. In 1946 he directed the musical hit Anmol Ghadi, which featured singing stars Surendra, Noorjehan and Suraiya in leading roles. He introduced and helped establish the careers of many actors and actresses who went on to become big stars in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s such as Surendra, Arun Kumar Ahuja, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Raaj Kumar, Nargis, Nimmi and Nadira. He died in 1964 at the age of 57 and was buried at Badakabarastan in Marine Lines, Mumbai. His death occurred the day after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India. His last film as a director was 1962's Son of India.
