Happy Birthday to the two of the most charismatic actors of Bollywood

Apart from sharing great chemistry in the films Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore also share their birthday 0n the 8th of Dec. The first film they worked together was Anupama in 1966 directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
The same director-actor trio joined together for a second time to give us Satyakam in 1969. The third time the same trio gave us the Hindi cinema's one of its all-time great comedy films Chupke Chupke in 1975.
They worked together as Hero and Heroine in films like Devar, Mere Humdam Mere Dost, Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka, and Yakeen.  Their last film together was Sunny in 1984 Directed by Raj Khosla, the film had Dharmendra playing father to his real-life son Sunny Deol while Sharmila played the prostitute giving birth to Sunny Deol 
Dharmendra, who was born on 8th Dec 1935, debuted with Arjun Hingorani's Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere in 1960. He became a star with Phool Aur Patthar (1966), He formed a successful pairing with Meena Kumari and shared the screen in 7 films namely Main Bhi Ladki Hoon (1964), Kaajal (1965), Purnima (1965), Phool Aur Patthar (1966), Majhli Didi (1967), Chandan Ka Palna (1967) and Baharon Ki Manzil (1968). 
His most successful pairing was with Hema Malini, who went on to become his wife.^[The couple played together in many films including Raja Jani, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sharafat, Naya Zamana, Patthar Aur Payal, Tum Haseen Main Jawaan, Jugnu, Dost, Charas, Maa, Chacha Bhatija, Azaad, and Sholay
Sharmila Tagore is 9 years younger to Dharmendra She is born on  8 th December 1944. She debuted in Bollywood with Shakti Samanta's Kashmir Ki Kali in 1964. Later she did many films with Shakti  Samanta. Samanta cast her in many more films, including An Evening in Paris (1967), in which she became the first Indian actress to appear in a bikini, Samanta later teamed up Sharmila with Rajesh Khanna for movies such as Aradhana (1969) and Amar Prem (1972). The pair of Khanna-Sharmila gave 7 box office hits like  – Aradhana, Safar, Amar Prem, Chhoti Bahu, Daag, "Raja Rani" and Avishkaar

Song of Anupama 1966

Song of Anupama 1966

Song of Devar 1966

Song of Mere Humdam Mere Dost, 1968

Song of Satyakam 1969

Song of Yakeen 1969

Choodi (Bangles) Songs of Bollywood

Choodi or Bangles have always been an inseparable part of Indian culture. It is the most important ornament that an Indian woman wears. For married women, bangles hold a special significance as they are a sign of their Suhaag. 
No wonder, bangles feature in so many of our films as well as folk songs. This topic came to my mind a few days back when I was watching the movie of Ashok Kumar, Achhut Kanya released in 1936. The movie has a song and dance by Mumtaz Ali, the father of legendry comedian Mehmood. In this song, he played a Choodi Wala. I have included this rare song in this Blog.
This song belongs to the time when things were looking up for Mumtaz Ali. It reflects in the easy grace with which he sings and dances to this song.

Song of Achhut Kanya 1937

Another popular Choodi song before Independence is from 1941 film Khajanchi. This song was sung by Shamshad Begam. The song is picturized on Manorama who teases her brother (played by S D Narang) in this song by singing this song about “Choodi”( glass bangles)

Song of Khajanchi 1941

This song is from the 1953 film Paapi, Raj Kapoor played a double role in this film. This Choodi song became very popular, sung by Mohammad Rafi for Raj Kapoor.

Song of Paapi 1953

The next song is from “Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyaan” (1967)  that was produced by Kishore Sahu to launch his daughter Naina Sahu.

Song of Hare Kaanch Ki Choodiyaan 1967

Song of Do Raste 1970

Song of Gambler 1971

Song of Jaani Dushman” 1979

Song of Chaandni (1989) 

Song of Aaj Ka Arjun 1990

Song of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)

The Story Behind the Song "Chaudhavin Ka Chand Ho"

In the 1960 Annual Binaca Geetmala, there was a tough competition for the No 1 song, it was between the song "Chaudhavin Ka Chand Ho" and "Zindagi Bhar Na Bhulegi Barsaat Ki Woh Raat". Both the songs were solo and both the songs were sung by Mohammad Rafi. Both were Title songs.
There was a trend in those days that every film must have a title song. This trend was started by Shailendra from the film Barsaat in 1949. In this case, the Mukhada was the title of the film. The composer of this song was Ravi who was also a lyricist but for this film, Shakeel Badayuni was the lyricist. Composer Ravi made the tune of this song with the title as Mukhada but was not finding the exact words to complete the Mukhada, he then talked to Shakeel Badayuni and asked to complete the Mukhada and the song. This song remains one of the most romantic songs of the Hindi Film Industry.
What sets ‘Chaudhvin ka Chand’ apart? The classical romanticism that the song demanded found expression in the ‘period’ scene-setting and cast. But most importantly, the central character of the sequence is Waheeda. This is where it leaves other ‘very good’ or ‘great’ classical romance song-sequences behind.
Chaudhavin Ka Chand was a comeback film of Guru Dutt after the disastrous box office performance of Kaagaz Ke Phool.  He was not the director of this film, he produced the film and gave direction to Mohammed Sadiq. The film was a super hit and became a classic.
Another interesting fact that though the film was in Black & White but this song was picturized in colour. Waheeda Rehman in an interview told that the Censor Board objected to chaudavii.n kaa chaa.nd ho when Guru Dutt re-released a version of the song shot in color? As the color version was being filmed, Waheeda Rehman’s eyes became irritated from the heat of the high-powered lights used during the shoot. Upon seeing the red color of the heroine’s eyes, the Censor Board claimed that the colored picturization of the song contained suggestive and lustful implications inappropriate for audiences.
This song got two Filmfare awards, one for the Lyrics to Shakeel Badayuni and the other to Mohammad Rafi as a playback singer. This was the first Filmfare Award to Mohammad Rafi after debuting 15 years ago. It is the warmth, passion, and soul in his voice that renders this song a timeless masterpiece.

Song of Chaudhvin Ka Chand 1960

The Milestone Songs of Salil Chowdhury

Very few know that Bimal Roy's classic film Do Bigha Zameen was written by him. He also gave the music of this film. This film took his career to new heights when it became the first film to win the Filmfare Best Movie Award and won the International Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Bollywood got a genius like him. 
Salil Chowdhury (19 November 1923 – 5 September 1995) was an accomplished composer and arranger who was proficient in several musical instruments, including flute, the piano, and the esraj.
Popularly known as Salil Da made his debut in the Hindi Film Industry in 1953 as the Music Director for Do Bigha Zamin.

Salil Chowdhury's contribution to modern Indian music is not as well known as it deserves. The composer's 96th birth anniversary falls on November 19,2019. A tribute.with his Milestone Songs

Song from Madhumati 1958

Song from Parakh 1960 

Song from Usne Kaha Tha 1960

Song from Chhaya 1961

Song from Maya 1961

Song from Kaabuliwala 1961

Song from Anand 1971

Song from Rajnigandha 1974

Bollywood's Love for Darjeeling started with Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai

It was the song Jiya Ho Jiya Ho Kuchh To Boldo from the 1961 film Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai picturized on Dev Anand sitting on top of a car that popularized Darjeeling to Bollywood. The whole film was based on the backdrop of Darjeeling. This film was the first film to showcase the beauty of Darjeeling on screen..
Since then. Darjeeling with its pleasant and scenic beauty has always attracted filmmakers. The toy train is always synonymous with romanticism. Many songs were shot here. Of late the town has not been featured much in the movies. The reason can be that the makers prefer foreign locales these days. Here is a list of movies or songs shot in Darjeeling.

Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)

It was written, produced, and directed by Nasir Hussain. it featured Dev Anand and Hussain fixture Asha Parekh in the leading roles. Pran played the villain in the film and Rajindernath starred in a supporting role. Many of the songs went on to become classics and are still remembered even now, particularly, "Jiya O Jiya" and "Teri Zulphon Se Judai", sung by Mohammad Rafi, were big hits as well as "Sau Saal Pehle", by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar.

Song of Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)

Professor (1962)

The next Bollywood film directed by Lekh Tandon, starring Shami Kapoor and Kalpana. The entire movie was made in and around the town of Darjeeling. The famous song “Mai Chali Mai Chali” was shot at Batasia Loop and Chowrasta.

Song of Professor (1962)

Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966)

Aaye Din Bahar Ke is a 1966 Hindi film produced by J. Om Prakash. It became a box office hit. The film stars Dharmendra, Asha Parekh, Nazima, Sulochana Devi, Balraj Sahni, and Rajindernath. The film is a musical romance with music given by Laxmikant Pyarelal. Anand Bakshi is the lyricist. This movie had covered and showcased the beauty of Tea Gardens of Darjeeling.

Song of Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966)

Jhuk Gaya Asmaan (1968)

Jhuk Gaya Aasman is a 1968 film directed by Lekh Tandon. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Saira Banu,

Another movie directed by Lekh Tandon was shot in Darjeeling. It seems that the directors love the Queen of Hills.. The song Kaun Hai Jo Sapno Mei Aaya was shot here.

Song of  Jhuk Gaya Aasman 1968

Aradhana (1969)

Aradhana is a 1969 Indian romantic drama film directed by Shakti Samanta, starring Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna. An extensive part of the movie was shot in Darjeeling. Its song “Mere Sapno Ki Rani” which was shot on the streets of the hill town of Darjeeling. Rajesh Khanna rode a jeep and followed Sharmila Tagore on the Toy Train by singing a song..

Song of Aradhanaa 1969

Main Hoon Na (2004)

Main Hoon Na is a 2004 Indian action-comedy film, co-written and directed by Farah Khan in her directorial debut. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Zayed Khan, Sushmita Sen, Amrita Rao, and Sunil Shetty. The song “Chale Jaise Hawayein” was shot in the campus of St. Pauls in Darjeeling.

Song of Main Hoon Na

Parineeta (2005

The film featured Vidya Balan (In her Bollywood Debut), Sanjay Dutt and Saif Ali Khan in the lead roles. Years after Sharmila Tagore enjoyed the song of Rajesh Khanna from the toy train, her son Saif Ali Khan sings a song on the Toy train relieved the journey in the UNESCO world heritage Darjeeling Himalayan railways. However, no other parts of the film were shot at Darjeeling, but the single song captured all the emotions of the actors and beauty of Darjeeling well.

Song of Parineeta (2005)

Barfi (2012)

The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, and Ileana D'Cruz in the lead roles, The film is directed by Anurag Basu. It is one of the latest and hit movies that were shot in the Himalayan town of Darjeeling.

Song of Barfi 2012

Laxmikant of Laxmikant Pyarelal - A Musical Prodigy

 Laxmikant(3rd Nov 1937- May 25, 1998)  spent his childhood amidst dire poverty in the slums of Vile Parle (East) in Mumbai. He lost his father very early in his life.
His father’s friend, a musician himself, advised Laxmikant to learn music. Accordingly, Laxmikant learned to play the mandolin from the well-known mandolin player Hussain Ali and later from Bal Mukund Indorker and violin from Husnalal (of the Husanlal Bhagatram fame). When he was only 10 years old, he played mandolin in a Lata Mangeshkar concert in Radio Club, Colaba. Lata was so impressed that she talked to him after the concert and asked him to join  Sureel Kala Kendra, a music academy for children, run by the Mangeshkar family. Here he met the young Pyarelal, who was 3years younger to him. They used to spend long hours at the recording studios, sometimes getting work for each other and even playing together whenever they got the opportunity.
Lata Mangeshkar saw talent in him and Pyarelal, helped them to fight poverty by recommending them as a musician to the music directors of that time like Shankar Jaikishan,, OP Nayyar, etc.
In 1953, they became assistants to Kalyanji-Anandji and worked with them as assistants till 1963. They worked as music arrangers for many music directors including Sachin Dev Burman (in Ziddi) and also for his son Rahul Dev Burman (in his first film Chhote Nawab). Laxmikant–Pyarelal and R D Burman remained very good friends, even when Laxmikant–Pyarelal started giving music independently. R D Burman played mouth organ for all songs of Dosti. Laxmikant once made a guest appearance playing the role of himself as a Composer of Song “Dil Ki Baat” in Teri Kasam (1982), which had music by R D Burman.
Laxmikant was a diehard fan of Shankar Jaikishan, in fact In their early days, Laxmikant–Pyarelal's music was very similar to Shankar-Jaikishan's music,  Laxmikant–Pyarelal's first film as music director was not released. The first released movie which featured them as music directors was Babubhai Mistry's Parasmani (1963), all the songs of the film became immensely popular, esp. "Hasata Hua Nurani Chehara", "Wo Jab Yaad Aaye".In the third quarter of 1963, LP’s first-ever songs Hasta Hua Nurani Chehara form Parasmani hit the “Binaca Geet Mala”.
Laxmikant–Pyarelal hit the big time with Rajshri Productions' 1964 film Dosti. The film had two newcomer heroes who never became popular, and the film was a success due to its music. They won their first Filmfare Best Music Director Award for this movie, ahead of stalwarts like Shankar-Jaikishan (for Sangam) and Madan Mohan (for Woh Kaun Thi?). Then came Lootera, a superhit musical non-star cast film, which is remembered only because of Lata Mangeshkar's superhit songs with Laxmikant–Pyarelal.
In 1966 L-P consolidated its place in Hindi film music. L-P's first musical hit film, with a big star cast, Aaye Din Bahar Ke was released, followed by Pyar Kiye Jaa.In the same year few more of their films released such as Sant Gyaneshwar (Songs: "Jyot Se Jyot Jagate Chalo",); in Hum Sab Ustaad Hai (Songs: "Pyar Batate Chalo", "Ajanabi Tum Jane Pehachane Se"); in Mr. X in Bombay (Songs: "Mere Mehboob Quayamat Hogi", "Chali Re Chali Re Gori", "Khoobsurat Haseena"); and in Shriman Fantush..(Songs: "Sultana Sultana Tu Na Ghabarana", "Yeh Dard Bhara Afasana"). 
In 1967 LP received their second Filmfare Trophy for Milan without any stiff competition. That year this Jodi gave a series of hits, one after another. Non-star cast film Farz was L-P's first golden jubilee musical hit, followed by big star cast films such as Anita, Shagird, yet another Golden Jubilee hit, Patthar Ke Sanam,
They dominated the music industry along with R D Burman in the 70s and 80s.theycomposed over 3000 songs, or even more, in nearly 500 films. After Milan, they won 5 more Filmfare awards. for Best Music Director.
Their music in Bobby has been rated the 17th best soundtrack ever by Planet Bollywood on their "100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks". Other soundtracks in the list include Amar Akbar Anthony (25), Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (27), Dosti (32), Hero (36), Ek Duuje Ke Liye (44), Karz (50), Ram Lakhan (59), Kranti (61), Tezaab (65), Do Raaste (74), Milan (75), Khalnayak (77) and Prem Rog (85).
Laxmikant died on May 25, 1998, Pyarelal went to self retirement.

You would also appreciate my Youtube channel Link is given below 

The Iconic Mirror Scenes of Bollywood

https://youtu.be/tcAAE7QwScA

Here are the songs of their Award-winning films of LP

Song of Dosti 1965

Song of Milan 1967

Song of Jeene Ki Raah 1970

Song of Amar Akbar Anthony 1977

Song of Satyam Shivam Sundaram 1978

Song of Sargam  1979

Song of Karz1980