Neeraj-The great Poet and Lyricist

Gopal Das Saxena"Neeraj "(4 January 1925 – 19 July 2018 )was introduced to the film industry by producer R. Chandra when he turned director with “Nayi Umar Ki Nayi Fasal”. The film was inspired by Neeraj’s poem “Karwaan Guzar Gaya Ghubar Dekhte Rahe”. After that he wrote songs for Cha Cha Cha which released earlier in 1964 with the songs SUBAH NA AAYI SHAM NA AAYI,Ek Chameli Ke Mandve Tale and Wo hum Na The Wo Tum Na
It was Dev Anand  who introduced him to S.D. Burman for “Prem Pujari”. Neeraj took a leave of six days from Dharam Samaj College in Aligarh where he was teaching Hindi and reached Bombay at the invitation of Anand. In an interview he said “He put me in luxurious hotel in Santa Cruz and paid me Rs.1000 even before signing me. Next day he took me to S.D. Burman, who showed apprehensions about a poet’s ability to write to tunes and a given situation. Dev Anand said that he should not worry. He should give the tune and if Neeraj failed he would remain his guest for six days and enjoy Bombay. Burman da gave me a tune and said the song should start with ‘Rangeela Re’ and it is about a girl who sees her beloved coming to a party with another girl. It should have elements of frustration in love, jealousy and satire. I worked the whole night and came up with “Rangeela Re Tere Rang Main Yun Ranga Hai Mera Mann, Chhaliya Re…” Next day he went to Dev Anand’s office and showed what he had written. After reading it, he embraced Neeraj and exclaimed how he could do it in one night. “He immediately took me to Burman da’s home and proudly presented me to him and said: See, I told you, Neeraj has done it. When Burman da listened to it he said ‘Dev you go, now we will sit together.’ After he left, Burman da admitted that he gave me this complex situation to make me give up.
After that S D Burman recommended him to Sharmeeli producer to sign him the lyricist for the film.When he was writing for Prem Pujari he was contacted by Raj kapoor to write a song for Mera Naam Joker.Neeraj wrote A e Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo and even set it to a wonderful tune. "The song is a philosophy of life, which is a circus and we are all jokers,'' 
Neeraj worked with S D Burman in many films like Tere Mere Sapne and Gambler.
Gopaldas Neeraj called himself an unfortunate poet which led to his stopping himself from writing film songs and restricting himself to just writing and getting his poems published. The reason that he gave for this was that at least two or three prominent music directors of the Hindi Film Industry for whom he wrote very successful and popular songs, had expired. He mentioned the death of Jaikishan of the Music Duo Shankar-Jaikishan as well as of Sachin Dev Burman, for both of whom he had penned highly popular film songs. The deaths of these Music Directors when they, along with Gopaldas Neeraj were at the peak of their fame left him very dejected and he made a decision to quit the film industry.
His friendship with Dev Anand continued he wrote songs for the last film of Dev Anand "Charge sheet"
 Gopal Das Neeraj passed away on Thursday 19 th July 2018 evening at the AIIMS trauma centre, his family said. He was 93.
Neeraj used to say" People talk of my five years in film industry. They tend to forget my 65 years of contribution to literature".

Song from Cha Cha Cha (1964)

Song from Nayi Umar Ki Nayi Fasal 1965

Song from Kanyadan (1969)

Song from Chanda aur Bijli (1969)

Song from Prem Pujari (1970)

Song from Prem Pujari (1970)

Song from Pehchan (1970)

Song from Sharmilee (1971)

Song from Tere Mere Sapne (1971)

Song from Mera Naam Joker (1970)

Song from Gambler (1971)

Song from Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971)

Song from Chhupa Rustam (1973)

75 Years(19th July 1943) ago Dev Anand landed Bombay to become Hero in Bollywood

Dev Anand was only eighteen and half years old when he left from Lahore to Bombay to become an actor in Hindi films.He landed at Bombay Central station by frontier mail with 30 rupees in his pocket.In an interview he said that he came to Bombay either to become a journalist or an actor. 
He didn't get the role immediately,he did insignificant  roles in theatre He was noticed by a person who was in Prabhat studio who told Dev that Prabhat Studio is looking for a new hero in their upcoming film. Prabhat studio was in Pune. It was in 1945 he got the role in the film Hum Ek Hain which was made in 1946 but released in 1947 after independence. 
During his struggling days in Mumbai, Dev Anand worked as a clerk in an accountancy firm for a meager salary of Rs 85 to make ends meet. He also worked at the Military Censor Office and earned Rs. 160 before becoming an actor.In the struggling days once he had no money,he had to sell his stamp collection the only possession he had for meager 30 Rs  to a pavement dweller. 
After he got Hum Ek Hain a few other indifferent films ( Mohan and Aage Badho in 1947) followed and it was not until Ziddi in 1948 that he got success.A year later Dev Anand launched his production company Navketan the first film was Afsar directed by Chetan Anand which was average at Box Office and its second film Baazi (The Gamble), directed by newcomer Guru Dutt, became a huge success

Scene from Hum Ek Hain 1946 

from Hum Ek Hain 1946

Song from Aage Badho 1947

Song from Ziddi 1948 First Song of Kishore Kumar of Bollywood

Song from Ziddi 1948 The First Duet of Kishore and Lata

Rajesh Khanna-The heartthrob of the young generation of 1970s,

Rajesh Khanna (29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was the first Super Star of Bollywood.He was a craze among women.Women  would wait for hours to have a glimpse of him, marry his photographs and even name their sons after him.Sharmila Tagore said in interview to Indian Express, “Women came out in droves to see Kaka (Khanna). They would stand in queues outside the studios to catch a glimpse, they would marry his photographs,they would pull at his clothes. Delhi girls were crazier for him than Mumbai girls. He needed police protection when he was in public. Fans kissed his car, which would be covered with lipstick marks, and lined the road, cheering and chanting his name.
 The hysteria he generated was unlike anything seen before and after. As hit followed hit, and women all over the country swooned over him, Rajesh Khanna admitted feeling “next to god”He was the Box Office Badshah at one point of time.He had 15 consecutive super hits between 1969 to 1971, which is still an unbroken record in Indian film history.His greatest acting glory could be marked in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s “Anand”, in which Rajesh Khanna enacts the role of a cancer-patient who knows that his days are being numbered.
He shared a close relationship with R.D. Burman and Kishore Kumar. The trio of Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and R.D. Burman went on to make a number of popular films, including Kati Patang, Amar Prem, Shehzada, Apna Desh, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Aap Ki Kasam, Ajnabee, Namak Haraam, Maha Chor, Karm, Phir Wohi Raat, Aanchal, Kudrat, Ashanti, Agar Tum Na Hote, Awaaz, Hum Dono and Alag Alag

He made his debut in 1966 with Aakhri Khat.but became Super Star only after the release of Aradhna in 1969.He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award three times and the BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) four times.He was also a Lok Sabha member of the Indian National Congress from New Delhi (Lok Sabha constituency) from 1992 to 1996
During his career, Khanna played the lead in 74 films that were shown in cinemas for more than 50 continuous weeks (Golden Jubilee Hits) which includes 48 films which ran for 75 weeks (Platinum Jubilee hits) and 22 films that were shown for more than 25(Silver Jubilee hits), but less than 50 weeks.

Khanna died on 18 July 2012, after a period of illness. Khanna has been posthumously awarded India's third highest civilian honour, Padma Bhushan.He has also been honored with a stamp and statue in his likeness, and a road being renamed after him.

Song from Aradhana 1969

Song from  Khamoshi 1969

Song from  Kati Patang (1970)

Song from  Andaz (1971)

Song from  Amar Prem (1972) 

Song from  Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972).

Song from Dushman 1972

Song from  Aap Ki Kasam (1974)

Song from Prem Nagar 1974

Song from Kudrat 1981

Song from Agar Tum Na Hote 1983

Roothhna-Manaana(Sulking and Cajoling) Songs of Bollywood Part 2

Part 2
Roothhna-Manaana(Sulking and Cajoling)  is a very common situation in Bollywood films. Many songs in this situation were picturized. sometime heroine sulks then hero tries to cajole her by singing song or the vice versa.In the part 1 such songs were selected in which Hero was Manaoing(cajoling) the heroine In this part Heroine is Manaoing the Hero.
The first song is from the film Bawre Nain 1950

Song from Bawre Nain 1950

Song from Baazi (1951)

Song from Aae Paar 1954

Song from Barkha (1959)

Song from Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (1961)

Song from Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)

Song from Junglee (1961)

Song from Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)

Song from Mujhe Jeene Do (1963)

Song from Aarzoo 1965

Song from Mere Sanam (1965)

Roothhna-Manaana(Sulking and Cajoling) Songs of Bollywood Part 1

Part 1
Roothhna-Manaana(Sulking and Cajoling)  is a very common situation in Bollywood films. Many songs in this situation were picturized. sometime heroine sulks then hero tries to cajole her by singing song or the vice versa.There were many situations when some close relative gets sulk in that situation too songs were made.One of such song comes in my mind Dadi Amma Dadi Amma Man Jao  from Gharana (1961),Being a Dev Anand fan I can say that there are many such songs picturised on Dev Anand. In this Blog I have selected few such songs picturized either or hero-heroine or other characters.
The first song in my list is from the movie Aaram !951 starring Dev Anand and Madhubala

Song from Aaram 1951

The second song in my list is from (Kala Pani/1958) Accha ji main haari Maan Jao Na

Song from Kala Pani/1958)

Another Dev Anand song is from Paying Guest 1957 Maana janab ne pukara nahin 

Song from Paying Guest 1957

In continuation of Dev anand's songs another my favourite song was from Tere Ghar Ke Samne

Song from Tere Ghar Ke Samne 1963

Song from Taxi Driver (1954)

Song from Johnny Mera Naam, 1970

 Roothna Manaana is a necessary part of the romantic genre. After Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor was another hero who gave us many such songs, and those who followed in their footsteps (Rajendra Kumar, Joy Mukherjee, Biswajeet...) all thrived on manao-fying their justifiably roothi heroines.

Song from Tumsa Nahin Dekha 1957

Song from Professor (1962)

Song from Rajkumar/1964) 

Song from Teesri Manzil 1966

Song from An Evening In Paris (1967)

Song from Need Hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966)

Song from Mere Humdum Mere Dost 1968

Song from Aas Ka Panchhi (1961)

Song from Sholay (1975)

Song from Sanam Teri Kasam (1982)

Song from Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)

Milestone Songs of Roshan

Roshan Lal Nagrath (14 July 1917-16 November 1967) the father of the actor and film director Rakesh Roshan and music director Rajesh Roshan and paternal grandfather of Hritik Roshan came to Bombay in 1949, became assistant of music composer Khawaja Khurshid Anwar in the film Singaar. He struggled until meeting Kidar Sharma, who gave him the job of composing for his film Neki aur Badi (1949).which was a flop,Kidar Sharma gave him another film Bawre Nain,the music of this film became hit and it opened door of success to Roshan 
His biggest strength was that he was very comfortable in mixing the folk music with the complex classical tunes. He use to make a fusion of folk and classical music and that too with ease. This was the speciality which belonged to Roshan only. It was his approach which made his music stand out from the others. In the 60’s, Roshan gave hits like,Barsaat Ki Raat, which featured hits like 'Na To Karavan Ki Talaash Hai..' and 'Yeh Hai Ishq Ishq..', Aarti ('Ab Kya Misaal Doon..'), Devar ('Baharon Ne Mera Chaman Lootkar..'), Bheegi Raat ('Kahin To Milegi..', 'Dil Jo Na Kehsaka..'), Chitralekha ('Sansaar Se Bhaagte Phirte Ho..', 'Man Re Tu Kahe Na..'), Taj Mahal ('Jo Wada Kiya Who Nibhana Padega.', 'Paon Choo Lene Do..'), Bahu Begum ('Hum Intezaar Karenge..' and 'Pad Gaye Jhoole..'), Dooj Ka Chand ('Mehfil Se Uth Jaanewalon..'), Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal ('Carvan Guzar Gaya..' and 'Dekhti Hi Raho Aaj Tum..' ), Dil Hi To Hai ('Nigahen Milane Ko Ji Chahata Hai..' and 'Laaga Chunri Me Daag..' ) and finally his swan song from Anokhi Raat ('Oh Re Taal Mile..' and 'Mere Beri Ke Ber..').
He did not achieve big commercial success as some of his peers, but for music lovers he was among the greatest, especially as regards his songs for the two titans Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. His compositions were unmistakably identifiable with incredibly beautiful use of the flute and sarangi.
Roshan died at a young age of a sudden heart attack on November 16, 1967. The song Mehlon ka raja mila from Anokhi Raat, which was composed by him, was recorded posthumously. Here are my 15 favourite Roshan-Lata songs as my tribute to him on his Birth Anniversary.

Song from Bawre Nain 1950

Song from Malhar (1951)

Song from Anhonee 1952

Song from Anhonee 1952

Song from  Naubahaar. 1952

Song from Aji Bas Shukriya” (1958).

Song from Barsat Ki Raat” (1960)

Song from Aarti (1962)

Song from Taj Mahal” (1963) 

Song from Dil Hi to Hai 1963

Song from Chitralekha” (1964)

Song from Bheegi Raat” (1965)

Song from Mamta” (1966)

Song from Bahu Begum (1967)

Song from Anokhi Raat” (1968)

How Waheeda Rehman nearly walked out of CID because of a costume

We all know that CID released in 1956 was the first film of Waheeda Rehman. Though she was not the Heroine of that film but she played an important character.She  played Kamini, the good-hearted moll. Though she’s a bit raw with a singsong dialogue delivery, just a glimpse of that luminous face and the hand gestures that Zohra Sehgal made her perform for the Shamshad Begum classic Kahin pe nigahein let me tell that she was, indeed, destined for a memorable innings.
There were the moments during the shooting of CID she decided to move out of the film.The reason of quitting was the costume she had to wear in the song Kahin Pe Nigahen Kahin Per Nishana. She had to wear a long skirt with a long sleeved lace blouse for Kahin pe nigahein.. The problem was the blouse had no lining.. She had no intention of wearing a see-through blouse.She refused to wear that dress.Zohra Sehgal tried convincing her as did Bhanu Athaiya (then Bhanumati) who designed the costumes, but nobody could change Waheeda Rehman’s mind. RajKhosla  the director was most irritated 
Finally Khosla called Guru Dutt, who was writing Pyaasa with Abrar Alvi somewhere in Khandala, to intervene. Dutt returned to Bombay and came to see Waheeda Rehman in her make-up room, who was adamant. Athaiya informed it would take half a day to have the blouse altered and since Dev had to leave for Switzerland, the unit was in a fix. The solution came from Waheeda Rehman.who suggested that she wear a dupatta. And that’s what was decided. If you see the song, you’ll notice she is wearing a dupatta over the blouse,
Raj Khosla wasn’t too happy with Rehman’s work in CID and even told Dutt, “CID will be her last film.” Sure enough, he had to eat his words. Rehman narrates how after he saw the rushes of Pyaasa’s Jaane kya tune kahi, Khosla commented to Dutt, “How is it possible? She is so bad in my film and has done such a good job here.
After CID Raj Khosla took her in Solva Saal in 1958 here also some controversy took place between her and Raj Khosla.

Song from CID 1956

Bimal Roy was a complete school of film making unto himself

Bimal Roy who gave Bollywood some of the iconic films like Do Bigha Zameen, Devdas, Madhumati, Bandini Sujata and more.He also gave Indian Cinema many great filmmakers and writers such as Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Gulzar, Nabendu Ghosh, Salil Chowdhury and Basu Bhattacharya 
He  was born on 12 July 1909, to a Bengali Baidya zamindar family in Suapur, Dhaka, which was then part of the Eastern Bengal and Assam province of British India and is now part of Bangladesh.He moved to Calcutta and entered the field of cinema as a camera assistant with New Theatres Pvt. Ltd.. During this time, he assisted director P.C. Barua as Publicity Photographer, on the hit 1935 film Devdas, starring K.L. Saigal. 
 Bimal Roy’s debut feature film Udayer Pathe was made in Bengali in 1944.which was made in hindi as Hamrahi in 1945 by New Theatres Calcutta.Our National Anthem Jana Gana Mann before it was made the National Anthem was introduced in this film.  Maa in 1952 was his first Bollywood film for Bombay Talkies. A year later, his own production company came into being with ``Do Bigha Zamin'' about a farmer struggling to survive the industrial revolution. His another film Parineeta was also released in the same year.
The immortal ``Devdas'' in 1955 based on Sarat Chandra's classic, has been fodder for several films over the years.Unlike film-makers of today, directors of that era made sure to not get stuck in a groove. So after the heartbreaking ``Devdas,'' Bimal Roy made a frothy musical, ``Madhumati'', probably the first film on re-incarnation.
He believed that there was no medium like cinema to promote the idea of human struggle. Noted for his realistic and socialistic films - Do Bigha Zamin, Parineeta and Biraj Bahu - legendary filmmaker Bimal Roy is a celebrated institution in Hindi Cinema and has inspired many a movie maverick from Shyam Benegal to Hansal Mehta.
He was a very silent person,he spoke through his films.His works stand out for their photography. He took great care to reveal the light source and introduced a sense of time. More importantly, it connected one to reality. You could tell what time of the day a situation was taking place.
He is the only director who got Filmfare Best Director Award continuously for 3 years twice.

• 1953: Filmfare Award for Best Director – Do Bigha Zamin
• 1954: Filmfare Award for Best Director – Parineeta
• 1955: Filmfare Award for Best Director – Biraj Bahu

• 1958: Filmfare Award for Best Director – Madhumati
• 1959: Filmfare Award for Best Director – Sujata
• 1960: Filmfare Award for Best Director – Parakh

He died of cancer on 8 January 1966 at the age of 56. He was survived by four children,Just before his death Roy was working on one of his most ambitious project, a bi-lingual film titled Amrit Kumbh Ki Khoj Mein based on Samaresh Basu’s novel. He had shot one schedule with his unit during an actual kumbh mela in Allahabad in the early 60s.

Song from Maa (1952)

Song from Parineeta (1953)

Song from Do Bigha Zamin (1953)

Song from Devdas (1955)

Song from Madhumati (1958)

Song from Sujata (1959)

Song from Parakh (1960)

Song from Bandini (1963)

Uma Devi(TUNTUN) was a Singer before becoming the First Ever Woman Comedian of Bollywood

She arrived in Bombay (Mumbai) at the age of 23(Born on 11th July 1923), having run away from home, and knocked on composer Naushad Ali's door. She told him that she could sing and that she would throw herself in the ocean if he didn't give her a chance. He auditioned her, and hired her on the spot. She made her debut as a solo playback singer in Nazir's Wamiq Azra (1946).
With the song  "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon Dil-e-Beqarar Ka" she became popular and became household name.In fact, a gentleman from Delhi was so mesmerized  by her song "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon", that he stayed with her in Bombay. They got married, and the couple had two daughters and two sons; her husband, whom she called Mohan, died in 1992.
The success of Dard meant that she next received Mehboob Khan's Anokhi Ada (1948), which again had two hit numbers, "Kahe Jiya Dole" and "Dil Ko Lagake Humne Kuch Bhi Na Paya". This brought her into the league of highly rated playback singers.She reached her peak as a vocalist in director S.S. Vasan's Chandralekha (1948) made by Gemini Studios, Chennai. Her seven songs, which include hits such as "Saanjh Ki Bela" remain her most accomplished work in her singing career, though signing for the film also meant a breach of contract with producer-director Kardar, which led to her dwindling fortunes in the industry 
.Uma's career as a singer was short-lived. New singers entered the industry. It was impossible to keep pace with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. "Rakhi"-brother Naushad used to compose songs to suit her range. But that could not have continued for long.

It was Naushad who encouraged her to start acting because he felt that  she had a very bubbly personality and wonderful comic timing.He also knew that she was a great fan of Dilip Kumar he in fact asked Dilip Kumar to cast her in one of his films, and she appeared in Babul (1950) with him, which had Nargis as the lead actress; it is he who renamed her "Tun Tun" to suit her comic persona,the name stayed with her, and a comedic legend was born. 
She had a fan in Guru Dutt and acted in almost all his films. Her favourite role too was from Guru Dutt's Mr and Mrs 55 in which she played a Christian lady.She acted in nearly 200 films.She died on 23 November 2003 in Andheri, Mumbai, after a prolonged illness at the age of 80 and is survived by her four children and four grandchildren.
In her career spanning five decades, she acted in Hindi/Urdu and other languages like Punjabi etc., pairing with top comedy actors of her times such as Bhagwan Dada, Agha, Sunder, Mukri, Dhumal, Johnny Walker and Keshto Mukherjee. She was last seen in Hindi films in Kasam Dhande Ki (1990).
Owing to her popularity, the name Tun Tun has become synonymous with fat women in India.

Song from Dard (1947)

Song from Dard (1947)

Song from Chandralekha (1948)

Song from Chandralekha (1948)

Song from Chandni Raat (1949)

Song from Anokhi Ada (1948)

Song from Saudamini (1950)

Song from Dholak (1951)

Song from Taksaal (1956)

Song from Passing Show (1956)

Song from Jungle King (1959)