Monday, 27 April 2020

Feroz Khan - The Original Khan of Bollywood.


Feroz Khan (25 September 1939 – 27 April 2009), his father belonged to Tanoli tribe from Ghazni of Afghanistan, He was born and brought up in Bangalore. He moved to Bombay to work in films.
He is one of the few actors, who flaunted his surname, those days changing names or no surname was very common and mandatory to stardom.
Right from the first film, he kept his real name, he is the original Khan. Though Dilip Kumar is also a Khan he too changed his name to get stardom in the Bollywood.
 He made his debut as a second lead in Didi in 1960. Through the 1960s, he appeared in mediocre films opposite starlets in fantastical dramas, including Reporter Raju (Chitra), Samson (Ameeta), Ek Sapera Ek Lutera (Kum Kum) and Char Darvesh (Saeeda Khan). In the Guru Dutt-Mala Sinha starrer Bahurani, he played the baddie. 
In his role as the wayward younger brother of Raj Kumar, he was noticed in the black and white  film Oonche Log (1965), He then played the second lead to Rajendra Kumar in Ramanand Sagar’s Arzoo, to Sunil Dutt in the thriller Pyasi Shaam, It was BR Chopra’s Aadmi Aur Insaan towards the end of the decade, in 1969, where he came into his own. It won him the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award.
In 1970 released Safar, in this film the Hero was Rajesh Khanna but Feroz Khan played an important role in this film. In 1971 he appeared in 2 films as the 2nd lead to his younger brother Sanjay Khan( Mela and Upasana).
To improve his career opportunities as a leading man he started his own Production Company. He became a successful producer and director with the 1972 film Apradh, Mumtaaz was his co-star in this film. Apradh was the first Indian movie showing auto racing in Germany, it was a moderate success at the box office. After that, he produced, directed, and starred in the 1975 film Dharmatma, which was the first Indian film to be shot in Afghanistan and was also his first blockbuster hit as a producer, director, and star and marked the appearance of actress Hema Malini in a glamorous avatar. This movie was inspired by the Hollywood film The Godfather. 
Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, he was a leading Bollywood star, directing and starring in many of his films. The 1980 film Qurbani, with Zeenat Aman, was the biggest hit of his career and launched the singing career of iconic Pakistani pop singer Nazia Hassan, with her memorable track "Aap Jaisa Koi". In 1986, he directed and starred in Janbaaz, a box office hit, In 1988, he directed and starred in Dayavan, which was a remake of an Indian Tamil film titled Nayakan. After directing and starring in Yalgaar (1992),He launched his son Fardeen Khan's career with the 1998 film Prem Aggan, which, however, was a box office bomb.  he took a long break from acting for 11 years.
He appeared in over 51 films in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, and became one of Bollywood's popular style icons His last film as an actor was "Welcome" was a roaring hit in 2007. He died from lung cancer on 27 April 2009 at the age of 69. 
In this blog, I am posting some of his forgotten & rare songs
Song of Mein Shaadi Karne Chala 1962


Song of Reporter Raju  1962


Song of Reporter Raju  1962


Song of Char Dervesh 1964


Song of Teesra Kaun  1965


Song of Oonche Log 1965


Song of Ek Sapera Ek Lootera 1965


Song of Tasveer 1966


Song of Woh Koi Aur Hoga 1966


Song of CID 909 1966


Song of Raat Andheri Thi 1967


 Song of Aurat 1967 


 Song of Aaja Sanam 1968


Song of Anjaan Hai Koi 1969

Sunday, 26 April 2020

Five Significant Roles of Moushumi Chatterjee


Moushumi Chatterjee (born 26 April 1948) is an actress who is recognized for her work in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. She made her film debut in the Bengali hit Balika Badhu (1967), and debut as heroine in the Hindi film Anuraag in 1972. Since then she has acted in more than 100 films as the main lead or a character role.
In this blog, we look into some of her memorable roles from Bollywood to Bengali films. She became a household name with the Bengali film Balika Badhu, directed by Tarun Majumdar. She played a child bride in the period drama, which became a platinum jubilee hit with a run of 75 weeks at the box office. In her next film a Bollywood film" Anurag", she played a blind young woman, Shivani, who wants to learn sculpting.
 Balika Badhu (1967) - The film was based on a novel of the same name by Bimal Kar. The film was remade in Hindi as the same name in 1976 also directed by Majumdar. The movie is about child marriage, a custom that still prevails (illegally) among various Indian societies. Set during British Raj in India, the movie tells the story of a village schoolboy Amal, who is married to a younger girl named Rajni. Left together for a few days, as a part of the ritual, the two develop friendship and love. Shortly, Rajni must return to her parents’ house, while Amal continues with his studies at home with Masterji, an elderly teacher. His life is enlivened occasionally when Rajni is permitted to visit.For this role she was given Best Actress for her debut by BFJA


Anuraag (1972) -  is a 1972 Hindi film, directed by Shakti Samanta. The film stars Moushumi Chatterjee and Vinod Mehra in lead roles. Moushumi plays a blind sculptor in this film. She stays in an ashram and makes friends with a small boy (Satyajit), who is suffering from cancer. She falls in love with Rajesh (Vinod Mehra). Rajesh asks his parents to permit him to marry her, to which his mother agrees, but his father refuses under her present condition. Then, an eye specialist reveals that an eye replacement would cure her. Later, as a dying wish, the young boy donates his eyes to her, thus granting her eyesight for the first time in her life.
The film became a semi-hit while doing extremely well in big cities and won the Filmfare Best Movie Award for the year. Moushumi was nominated for the best actress award.




Song of Anurag 1972



Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974) - was written, directed, and produced by Manoj KumarThe film is about a family for which Bharat (Manoj Kumar) attempts to provide for after falling into a financial struggle. The film also stars Amitabh Bachchan as Vijay, the brother of Bharat, and stars Zeenat Aman as Sheetal, Bharat's love interest, Moushumi Chatterjee as Tulsi, a friend of Bharat in poverty, and Shashi Kapoor as Mohan Babu, a wealthy businessman. Moushumi was nominated as Best Supporting Actress for this film.




Song of  Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974)



Angoor (1982) - Moushumi Chatterjee got the chance to hone her comedic skills and timing opposite Sanjeev Kumar. She played Sudha, wife to Sanjeev Kumar’s Ashok. She meets his well-behaved twin, also named Ashok, and mistakes him for her husband. Sudha tries her best to win him over and gives into her husband’s demands, much to the merriment of the audience. As the clueless wife, she hit every note right.




Song of Angoor 1982


Goynar Baksho (2013) -  horror-comedy, directed by Aparna Sen, involved three generations of women with a priceless box of jewels that links them together. The film starred Moushumi Chatterjee, Sen’s daughter Konkona Sensharma and Srabanti Chatterjee.
Moushumi played a ghost in this comedy film. She won a Filmfare East award for Best Supporting Actress for the part, while Konkona Sen Sharma won Best Actress.




Song of Goynar Baksho (2013)

Saturday, 25 April 2020

The Story Behind the Song" Lag Ja Gale"


This iconic song from the 1964 film "Woh Kaun Thi" was almost not recorded. Madan Mohan had composed the song with great care for a haunting romantic situation in the film but the  Director of the film Raj Khosla didn't like the tune, so he rejected it.
Madan Mohan, who was very sure that this song could be one of his immortal songs approached Manoj Kumar, the hero of the film to request Raj Khosla to listen to the tune once again. Manoj Kumar Kumar, who appreciated the tune too felt that this could be a memorable song.
When the second time this tune was played, Raj Khosla got bowled over by the composition. He immediately approved it. He wondered, how could he reject this song. 
This song was written by Raja Mehdi Ali Khan sung by Lata Mangeshkar was recorded in 1963. When the film released, this song was not as popular as today. You would be surprised to note that this song was not among the top 32 songs of the 1964 Binaca Geet Mala final. Two other songs(Naina Barse andJo Hamne Daastan )of this film were on that list, not this one.
There are many songs who are liked and become popular with the passing of time. This song is one such exceptional and inimitable. This song remains one of the favorite songs of Lata Mangeshkar.
The song has not only stood the test of time but has time and again been used by Bollywood and other to accentuate an emotional note in several films, in 1966 the tune of this song was kept in a Tamil film Yaar Nee, a remake of Woh Kaun This, this song was picturized on Jatyalalitha sung by Sushila.In the same year the Telugu movie Aame Evaru, it is rendered as "Andala ee reyi". Even contemporary ones like Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil to the new Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster 3.this song is used, sung by different singers, the tune remains the same.
There are many versions of this song now available on Youtube. Very recently a video of this song sung by e years old toddler went Viral over social media,I present all the versions here including the original.
Song of Woh Kaun Thi 1964



                             Lag Ja Gale | Tamil Version 



Lag Ja Gale by 2 years child


Lag Ja Gale  (Acoustic) Sanam

                          

Lag Jaa Gale from Sahib Bibi Aur Gangster 3

                                        


Lag Jaa Gale from Ai Dil Hai Mushkil


Lag Jaa Gale  by Various Artists (Who Sang It Better?)

                                           

Lag Ja Gale by Anuradha Paudwal



Lag Ja Gale by Shreya Ghoshal










Friday, 24 April 2020

The Bollywood Films Based on Cricket.


Cricket is the most popular sport in India. Cricket fans treat it as a religion and cricketers are treated as God. Despite the craze in cricket, the number of cricket-based movies in Bollywood has been quite limited. In fact, till 1983 there had been virtually no cricket-based Hindi movie except the Subodh Mukherji’s Love Marriage released in 1959, where Dev Anand played the role of a cricketer. It was an unconventional love story in which the heroine Mala Sinha falls in love with the hero Dev Anand during the cricket match. 
There have been cricketers who have worked — often as lead actors — in Bollywood movies. Salim Durrani, the popular allrounder of the 60s was the first cricketer who did the film "Charitra" as a hero opposite Praveen Babi (her debut film) in 1973.

                                                                  Allrounder 

After Love Marriage, it took 25 years when another film ( Allrounder 1984) on this subject came that is only to encash the popularity of Indian cricket due to winning the World Cup in 1983. The hero of the film was Kumar Gaurav and heroine was Rati Agnihotri. 


                                                            Awwal Number

The third cricket movie from Bollywood also involved Dev Anand (Awwal Number in 1994)— this time as the director, as well as an actor who played Vikram Singh aka Vicky —– an ex-Test cricketer, the National Chairman of Selectors, and also the Deputy Inspector General of the Police. Amir Khan who plays Sunny is selected by Dev Anand in the Indian Test team replacing his own brother Ranvir Singh aka Ronny (Aditya Pancholi) Ronny plots revenge against Sunny. This is where the movie just starts. Later there is a terrorist angle in it.

                                                                 Lagaan
Still from Lagaan
The 2001 film Lagaan was another film where a cricket match was organized between villagers and British officers to decide Lagaan to be collected or not.
There was everything a cricket movie needs, including cricket practice by floodlights, match-fixing, a cripple bowling leg-breaks, and even AK Hangal.

                                                                 Stumped 
Stumped is a 2003 Bollywood sport/drama film written and directed by Gaurav Pandey and produced by Raveena Tandon. On the backdrop of the World Cup, the movie displays the emotional turmoil the Major’s wife Reena (Raveena Tandon) goes through, and her lonely helplessness as the other residents of the Society concentrate on the cricket. The movie also features Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, and Yuvraj Singh sending out a social message.


                                                                     Iqbal

Iqbal is 2005 produced by Subhash Ghai, written and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. A very well made film.The film received the National Film Award for Best Film on Other Social Issues. The story follows a cricket-obsessed deaf and mute boy from a remote Indian village as he aims to overcome difficulties to become a cricketer and fulfill his dream of playing for the Indian national cricket team.


                                                                   Hattrick

Hattrick is a 2007 Indian Hindi sport-drama film directed by Milan Luthria, starring Paresh RawalRimi SenKunal KapoorNana PatekarDanny Denzongpa.It is a tale of three sets o  is a 2007 Indian Hindi sport-drama film directed by Milan Luthria, starring Paresh RawalRimi SenKunal KapoorNana PatekarDanny Denzongpa.It is a tale of three sets of people — the first involving an ex-cricketer David Abraham (Danny Denzongpa) and the cynic Dr Satyajit Chavan, who opposes the idea of people watching cricket; Hemu Patel (Paresh Rawal), a wannabe English immigrant, Besides these there is a young  f people — the first involving an ex-cricketer David Abraham (Danny Denzongpa) and the cynic Dr Satyajit Chavan, who opposes the idea of people watching cricket; Hemu Patel (Paresh Rawal), a wannabe English immigrant, Besides these there is a young couple,Sarbajeet "Saby" Singh and Kashmira Singh they are about to marry.Sarabjeet Singh (Kunal Kapoor), an avid cricket-lover, and his wife Kashmira (Rimi Sen), who thinks cricket is a waste of time. Cricket eventually solves the problems in all these cases.

                                                                  Patiala House i

Patiala House is a 2011 sports drama film directed by Nikkhil Advani and starring Rishi KapoorDimple KapadiaAkshay Kumar and Anushka Sharma in the lead roles. The movie featured cricket stars like Shaun Tait, Kieron Pollard, Herschelle Gibbs, and Nasser Hussain, but the longest and the most important role was played by Andrew Symonds. Sanjay Manjrekar and Nikhil Chopra also acted as commentators, and for some reason, often commented in Hindi for an Australia-England ODI at Lord’s.


                                                        Ferrari ki Sawari 

Ferrari ki Sawari (2012), written and directed by Rajesh Mapuskar, and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It stars Sharman JoshiBoman Irani and Ritvik Sahore in the lead roles. The story says the young Kayo (Ritwik Sahore) gets selected for a camp at Lord’s,  but his father Rusy doesn't have enough money. To fulfill his son's dream of playing at the Lord's Cricket Ground,Rusi (Sharman Joshi) is coaxed into a unique plan — to steal Sachin Tendulkar’s Ferrari and get the required one-and-a-half lakh rupees. Rusi’s father Debu (Boman Irani), an ex-cricketer, also joins in the mission

                                                                    Azhar

Azhar is a 2016 Indian Hindi biographical sports drama film directed by Tony D'Souza. The story is written by Rajat Arora and is inspired by the life of Indian cricketer and former national team captain Mohammad Azharuddin. The film is produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor

                                                M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story 

M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story is 2016, biographical sports film written and directed by Neeraj Pandey. It is based on the life of former TestODI and T20I captain of the Indian national cricket teamMahendra Singh Dhoni. The film stars Sushant Singh Rajput as Dhoni, along with Disha PataniKiara Advani, and Anupam Kher



Sachin: A Billion Dreams  2017, The film is a documentary on the life of Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. It captures Tendulkar's cricket and personal life in substantial detail. The movie had "everything" to make its audience "nostalgic".The music is composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics written by Irshad Kamil,

Cricket Songs of Bollywood
Song of Love Marriage 1959



Song of Awwal Number 1990


Song of Stumped 2003


Song of  Iqbal 2005


Song of Hattrick (2007) 


Song of  Patiala House 2011



Song of  Ferrari ki Sawari 2012


Song of M.S. Dhoni the untold story 2016


Song of  Azhar 2016


Song of Sachin: A Billion Dreams 2017