Mala Sinha - One of the most sought-after actresses in the 1950s, 1960s

Mala Sinha (Born on 11th Nov 1936) was the highest-paid actress from 1958-65 with Vyjanthimala, Recall the song 'Aapki nazaron ne samjha, pyaar ke kaabil mujhe..'from Anpadh which was Lip-synced by Mala Sinha became so popular, made her the darling of millions of people of film lovers. She became one of the superstars who ruled the celluloid from the era of the 50s to 70s, the actress never defied from taking up roles which her contemporaries feared to touch back then.
As per Mala Sinha Pyaasa 1957 was the turning point of her career. After Pyaasa, her major successe was Phir Subah Hogi (1958) She then appeared in Dhool Ka Phool 1959 where she played the role of an unwed mother, which made her a star.
It was Geeta Bali who introduced her to Kidar Sharma who cast her as a heroine in his Rangeen Ratein. Her first released Hindi film was Badshah opposite, Pradeep Kumar, She was the heroine of many successful films from 1958 to the early '60s such as Parvarish (1958), Ujala, Main Nashe Main Hoon, Duniya Na Mane, Love Marriage (1959), Bewaqoof (1960), Maya (1961), Hariyali Aur Rasta, Dil Tera Deewana(1962), Anpadh and Bombay Ka Chor (1962).
She was regularly paired with Pradeep Kumar but later she paired with Biswajeet.  She worked with many newcomers of her era including Manoj Kumar, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Khan, Jeetendra and Amitabh Bachchan.Her character's power was as much as the heroes and most of the time her roles were more powerful than the hero. In most of her films from the 1960s, 
Her pairings opposite Raaj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Biswajit and Manoj Kumar in woman-oriented films were appreciated by audiences, with her work opposite Biswajit being the most popular. With Raaj Kumar, she gave box office hits like Phool Bane Angaare, Maryada and Karmayogi and opposite Manoj Kumar, gave commercial successes like Hariyali Aur Rasta, Apne Huye Paraye and Himalaya Ki God Mein. The hits with Rajendra Kumar were  Dhool Ka Phool, Devar Bhabhi, Patang, Geet and Lalkar.
With Biswajit, her popular movies include Aasra, Night in London, Do Kaliyaan, Tamanna, Nai Roshni and critically acclaimed films Pyar Ka Sapna, Paisa Ya Pyaar, Jaal and Phir Kab Milogi. She did ten films with Biswajit. 
In 1966, Mala Sinha went to Nepal to act in a Nepali film called Maitighar when the Nepali film industry was still in its infancy. This was the only Nepali film she did in her career. The hero was an estate owner called Chidambar Prasad Lohani with whom she married in 1966.
Some of her best-remembered performances were in  Bahurani (1963), Gumrah, Gehra Daag, Apne Huye Paraye, Nayi Roshni and Jahan Ara.

Song of Pyaasa 1957

Song of Phir Subah Hogi 1958

Song of Parvarish 1958

Song of Ujala 1959

Song of Love Marriage 1959

Song of Dhool Ka Phool  1959

Song of Maya 1961

Song of Dil Tera Diwana 1962

Song of Anpadh 1962

Song of Hariyali Aur Rasta 1962

Song of Gumrah 1962

Song of Jahan Ara 1964

Song of Himalaya Ki God Mein 1965

Song of Aankhen 1968

Song of Geet 1970

Song of Maryaada 1971

Usha Uthup - A Journey from Night Club to Bollywood

Usha Uthap( 8th Nov 1947) came in at a time when people thought that ladies' voices should be pretty and gentle. She became the first female Pop Singer of India. She started her singing career as a Night Club singer in Madras. After that, she began singing in Calcutta at nightclubs such as "Trincas"
I was in my teens when I listened to her very popular song "Scotch and Soda".Those days she was known as Usha Iyer and she used to sing cover versions of many popular songs. In 1968, she recorded covers of two pop songs in English, "Jambalaya" and The Kingston Trio's "Greenback Dollar", on an EP. Her deep husky resonance roused the passions of a million young hearts 
https://youtu.be/Io2a0jnwYTI

No one expected a woman in a saree singing in a nightclub but that was the fact. People were surprised to see a typical South Indian Girl singing Pop Songs. After Trincas, her next engagement took her to Delhi where she sang at the Oberoi hotels. Here in Oberoi Hotel once Shashi Kapoor and few unit members of Navketan heard her singing the English songs and were influenced with her unique voice.
As a result, she started her Bollywood career with Ivory-Merchant's Bombay Talkies (1970) in which she sang an English number under Shanker-Jaikishan and then Hare Rama Hare Krishna. Originally, she was supposed to sing Dum Maro Dum along with Asha Bhosle for Hare Rama Hare Krishna. However, as a result of internal politicking on the part of other singers, she lost that chance but ended up singing an English verse.
Uthup sang several songs in the 1970s and 1980s for music directors R D Burman and Bappi Lahiri. She also reprised some of R.D. Burman songs that were sung by others such as Mehbooba Mehbooba and Dum Maro Dum and popularised them to a distinct end.
She has 200 albums under her belt and soundtracks for 150 Hindi and regional films. She has sung French, Spanish, Italian, Swahili, Zulu, Russian, Creole, Hebrew, Sinhala and Chinese. 
Usha married Jani Uthup, who was her fan in Kolkata. The couple has a daughter, Angeli and son, Sunny. The diva is a grandmother now

Summertime by Usha Iyer

Fever by Usha Iyer

Song of Hare Rama Hare Krishna 1971

Song of Shalimar 1978

Song of Shan 1980

Song of Pyara Dushman 1980

Song of Wardat 1981

Song of Arman 1981

Song of Disco Dancer 1982

Song of 7 Khoon Maaf 2011

Rahi (1952) - India's First Film to Venice and Moscow International Film Festivals in 1954

The film starred Dev Anand and Nalini Jaywant with Balraj Sahni produced and directed by K A Abbas. The film was based on Mulk Raj Anand's novel "Two Leaves and a Bud". It was produced as a bilingual in Hindi as Rahi and in English as The Wayfarer, under the Naya Sansar banner. It was also dubbed in Russian. The Russian version called Ganga was released in the USSR

The story revolved around an ex-army man played by Dev Anand, who takes up a job in a tea estate, only to get disillusioned with the management, and his situation. Nalini Jaywant played his love interest as a tea leave picker. Her acting was appreciated in the film getting "great critical acclaim".

Dev Anand sans mannerisms delivers a sincere and honest performance, Balraj Sahni shines as usual in his cameo, David proves his brilliance in villainy
The songs melodiously tuned by Anil Biswas are rendered by Hemant Kumar, Geeta Dutt.

Song of Rahi 1953

Song of Rahi 1953

Song of Rahi 1953

Song of Rahi 1953

Sohrab Modi - His films always carried Social or National Message

Sohrab Modi (born 2 November 1897) a great filmmaker of the 1930s 1940s.and 1950s. He launched Minerva Movietone in 1936. His early films at Minerva dealt with contemporary social issues such as alcoholism in Meetha Zaher (1938) and the right of Hindu women to divorce in Talaq(1938). His greatest film was Sikander(1941), which immortalized Prithviraj Kapoor playing the title role.

He started his career as a Parsi theatre actor with some experience in silent films. He earned quite a reputation as a Shakespearean actor, travelling throughout India with his brother's theatrical company and enjoying the tremendous sense of fulfilment every time the curtain came down and the audience applauded.

Sohrab Modi was also known for making Historical films. He made  Pukar (1939),it was based on Mughal Emperor Jehangir. The charisma of its stars, Chandra Mohan and Naseem Bano, and Kamaal Amrohi's oration, with its literary flourish and innate grace, ensured the film's popularity. Following Pukar came Sikander in 1941. The film, due to its underlying theme of nationalism at a time when India was still some years away from freedom, proved a hit among the masses, wherein it was later banned from some theatres.
Prithvi Vallabh was his next film released in 1943, it was based on K.M. Munshi's novel of the same name. The film's major highlights were the confrontations between Modi and Durga Khote, the haughty queen Mrinalvati, who tries to humiliate him publicly but then falls in love with him.
In 1945 he made Ek Din Ka Sultan. The film was a "minor historical" using a small incident from the time of Emperor Humayun's reign. Gangar cites that Ek Din Ka Sultan was hailed as a "well-directed" film with "some beautiful production values.
In 1950, when Sohrab Modi's Sheesh Mahal was being screened at Minerva Theatre in Bombay, the actor was present at the hall. Mr. Modi noticed a man sitting in the front row with closed eyes. Upset with such a reaction, he asked an attendant to let the viewer out and to return his money. The employee came back to say that the person was blind but had come just to hear Sohrab Modi's lines.

He made Jhansi Ki Rani in 1953. It was  India's first technicolour film, Modi had technicians flown in from Hollywood. Mehtab starred as the young queen of Jhansi who took up arms against the British during the Mutiny of 1857 with Modi playing the role of the Rajguru, her chief advisor. The film was notable for its authenticity in creating the right period and delineating historical events, its spectacular battle scenes and Mehtab's stirring performance though she was far too old for the role. 

Next year released his another film Mirza Ghalib. The film, based on the life of the great Indian poet who lived during the reign of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last of the Mughal Emperors, won the President's Gold Medal for Best Feature Film of 1954. 

Modi's later films did not reach the heights of his earlier work though Kundan (1955), Nausherwan-e-Adil and Jailor (1958) had their moments. The last he made was Mera Ghar Mere Bachhe released in 1969 but he was acting here and there in very selected films till 1983. he last appeared in Kamal Amrohi's Razia Sultan.

Sohrab Modi received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1980. He was the tenth recipient of the award. He suffered from cancer of the bone marrow and succumbed to the disease on 28 January 1984.

Song of Sikandar 1941

Song of Jhansi Ki Rani (1953)

Song of Mirza Ghalib (1954)

Song of Mirza Ghalib (1954)

The Song "Gata Rahe Mera Dil" was the Last Addition in Guide

You would be surprised to know that this super hit song was originally not in the film. Vijay Anand in an interview said that the song Gata Rahe Mera Dil was inserted later, like a patchwork. We shot that song after the film was completed and then it was added. He said he along with Dev Anand thought that there was no song of Kishore Kumar, in fact, Kishore had not sung for Dev since Paying Guest in 1957.
It happened just like that. Firstly, Kishore Kumar was preoccupied with Madhubala’s health. He was not being able to devote time to rehearsals and recordings. And then with Rafi Sahab, their association was working perfectly. But Dev Bhai was missing Kishore for a long time and so he went to meet him. And then caught hold of him and sort of dragged him to Burman Dada’s home.
 The moment he saw Kishore he said in Bengali, ‘why didn’t you come all these days’ and hugged him. They loved each other a lot. Burman Dada then said let us start the rehearsal, we are going to record a song.
That time S D Burman was composing a song for Teen Deviyan and the song was Khwab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat. This song was the first song Kishore recorded for Dev Bhai after a long hiatus under Burman Dada’s music direction. Kishore sang it so wonderfully, he won everyone’s heart. This is exactly what all of us, including Dev Bhai, was missing. Burman Dada kissed his (Kishore’s) head. He was delighted.
Guide was completed and about to release earlier than Teen Deviyan because there was some work still left with the latter. Besides, Teen Deviyan was being made in black and white and on a much smaller canvas. Guide had been mounted on a large scale and it was in colour and thus it was a much-awaited film. So why not include a song by Kishore in Guide.
So immediately Shailendra was called to write a romantic song thus this song was recorded in a record time. The song was a very big hit. It was the only song of Kishore Kumar in the film.

Song of Guide 1965

S D Burman - A glimpse of his singing career

SD Burman started working as a radio singer on Calcutta Radio Station in the late '20s when his work as a singer-composer was based on Bengali folk and light Hindustani classical music. Consequently, his compositions were mainly influenced by his huge repertoire of folk-tunes from present Bangladesh and later other parts of India and around the world. His first record was also released in 1932
Not many of us know that he sang for other music directors also. He made his film debut singing in Yahudi ki Ladki (1933) but the songs were scrapped and re-sung by Pahari Sanyal. Then in 1934, he recorded some songs for the film ‘Seeta’ produced by the East India Film Co., under the music direction of KC Dey but the recording is not available. As early as 1941, he had rendered a song for a Hindi film under the music direction of Madhulal Damodar Master. This song happened to be his debut song for Hindi films.
The song is ‘Prem ki pyaari nishaani’ from TAJ MAHAL (1941). The film was produced under the banner of Mohan Pictures and directed by Nanabhai Vakil. S D Burman has rendered this song in slow tempo emphasising on phonetics of some words in keeping with the mood of the song. The song does not have any musical interlude.

Song of TAJ MAHAL (1941)

                               Dakley Kokil Roj Bihaney--Sachin Dev Burman (1932)

In 1944, Burman moved to Mumbai, at the request of Sasadhar Mukherjee of Filmistan, who asked him to give a score for two Ashok Kumar starrers, Shikari (1946) and Aath Din. Staying close to KL Saigal, KN Singh and Manna Dey in Bombay, he would sing at private get-togethers with friends. And then on their suggestion, the song “Dheere Se Jaana Bagiyan Mein” was recorded and found immense success with the listening public.

Dheere Se jaana bagiyan mein by S D Burman

                             Jhan Jhan Jhan Manjira - Classical Song by SD Burman

                                             S.D.Burman sings for Anil Biswas

                                 S D Burman-Ummeed Bhara Panchi(Aath Din)-1946

                                  SD Burman Bengali Folk Song - Bandar Chharo 1943

                                                     Biroho Boro Bhalo Lage

                                             Zindagi aye zindagi tere hain do roop

The Original of Hum Bekhudi Mein Tumko Pukare from Kala Pani

                      Ghum Bhulechhi Nijhum Nishithe Jege Thaki -S.D.Burman

The Great Car Songs of Golden Era of Bollywood

A few weeks ago I posted a blog on Bicycle songs of Bollywood, that post had 4000 views in a day. Looking at the popularity of the theme songs, I am posting today another theme, the Car songs of Bollywood.
Like bicycles, cars have featured in many songs. All the songs would have to take place for at least 50% in a moving car. You would be surprised to note that Dev Anand did many Car songs in Bollywood films. Next to Dev Anand was Shammi Kapoor and Guru Dutt.
When I started researching the earliest car song I got a song of the film "Grahsthi released in 1948 the song was " O Motor Waali Chhori, Dil Le Ja Chori Chori " The song was sung by Shamshad Begum and Hamida Bano,  the male voice is not identified. It's a fun song, it's a song about motor cars and their owners. And how the other people react to them in the 40s. Not only that it is a very interesting give and take, but also captures the arrogance of the motor car owners. And mind you, we are being presented these thoughts from an era when owning a motor car itself was a rare thing.

Song of Grahsthi) (1948) Audio only

Taxi Driver was released in 1954 and the car song Chahe Koi Khush Ho Chahe Koi Gaaliyan De was very popular

 

Song of Taxi Driver 1954

Yeh lo main haari piya (Aar Paar, 1954) In this song Guru Dutt is driving a car and Shyama the heroine is singing the song It was a super hit song worth mentioning

Song of Aar Paar, 1954

Recall the immortal song of Kishore Kumar "Jeevan ke safar mein rahi milte hain bichhad jaane ko" (Munimji, 1955)

Song of Munimji 1955

One of the best car songs with such classic music instruments is Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke from Nau Do Gyarha, though there is another car song from this film Kali Ke Roop Mein Chali ho Dhoop Mei Kahan only one song from a film is sufficient.

Song of Nau Do Gyarha, 1957

Next in the list with the quintessential ‘car’ song featuring the Ganguly brothers. A paean to their khatara car, this madcap song has the brothers traversing through the streets of Bombay.

Song of Chalti Ka Naam Gadi, 1958

This song from Kaagaz ke Phool , 1959 has a whole bunch of people off on a picnic. The entire song is in transit, and the singers themselves are in some sort of a vehicle (a truck? tempo? van?) while there are two people in a car, listening to this song of love. 

Song of Kaagaz ke Phool , 1959 

One of my all-time favourite songs extremely melodiously rendered by Mohd Rafi from Dil Deke Dekho

Song of  Dil Deke Dekho 1959

This song starts with a car and ends in the car not fully car song

Song of Dhool Ka Phool 1959

This song is my favourite song since my childhood days.  It has lot of energy and freshness and a positive approach. Mohd. Rafi sab and Dev Anand sab have mesmerised us for decades. Its the first song picturised in Darjeeling Here Dev Anand is not driving the car but on the top of a car.

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Song of jab pyaar kisise hota hai 1961

 This particular song has Shammi Kapoor in a car, driving, singing, dancing through the pretty landscape of Kashmir, looking for true love. 

Song of  Kashmir Ki Kali, 1964

A typical Shammi Kapoor type song but in this song Vishwajeet is singing this car song

Song of  Mere Sanam 1965

This is a typical Dev Anand song with his style In this song he is not driving but he is always in front of a moving car 

Song of Jewel Thief 1967

Watch this classic romantic Hindi song "Hum Tum Yug Yug Se" from the Bollywood classic romantic drama old Hindi movie Milan (1967) starring Sunil Dutt, Nutan & Pran. Half of this song was picturised in a car and remaining on a boat

Song of Milan 1967

One of the most evergreen and intoxicating car songs of the Indian cinema voice of the legend Mohammad Rafi Saab and performed by the legend Mr Rajinder Kumar and great music too.

Song of  Jhuk Gaya Aasman  1968

Another Shammi Kapoor car song from 1968 film Brahmchari

Song of Brahamchari 1968

This song became a craze in the 70s Rajesh Khanna became a superstar with this song

Song of Aradhana 1969

Another beautiful romantic but a car song from 1970 film Safar

Song of  Safar  1970

Watch & enjoy Hum To Hain Rahi Dil Ke Full Video Song from the movie Caravan starring Jeetendra, Asha Parekh,

Song of Caravan 1971

Another masterpiece car song by Dev Anand from the film Gambler, our ageless Dev Saab singing this song “choodi nahin mera dil hai dekho toote naa” while driving a car

Song of Gambler 1971

Kishore da, Pancham da and Rajesh Khanna the best of the best in their field, this is pure magic and timeless

Song of  Mere Jeevan Saathi 1972

Song of Hanste Zakhm 1973

Song of Janeman 1976

Dev Anand's First Film was the Amar Akbar Anthony of Pre Independence Bollywood

Hum Ek Hain was the first film of Dev Anand released in 1946. A Prabhat Film directed by P L Santoshi and Music by Husnlal Bhagatram.The story of unity in the face of religious and class differences, Dev Anand shared equal screen space with a host of others, including debutants Rehman, Rehana, and Kamala Kotnis, all saplings in the shade of a banyan tree-like figure that is Durga Khote.

Dev Anand plays Shankar who is the son of Durga Khote the three adopted children are Yusuf played by Rehman, John played by Rane and Durga played by Ranjit Kumari. The children, although encouraged to practice their separate religions, are taught to remain united at all times. 

On an outing, Vidya (Kamla Kotnis) witnesses Chhotebabu’s haughty behavior and is not impressed. She instantly falls in love with the upright Shankar who puts his foot down at Chhotebabu’s domineering ways. Shankar reciprocates Vidya’s feelings. In the meantime, other two brothers also find their ladyloves—Nargis (Rehana) and Dolly (? actor), respectively, and both alliances are fixed.

The villain Chhote Babu, who wants to marry the girl who is engaged to the eldest of the three boys Shankar but couldn't marry her. All the three sons got married and were living a happy life. One day Shankar leaves for a town with his new wife to visit his ailing father-in-law, Chhote babu visits John at the clinic and tells him that the place is too run-down for practice and that he needs to build a bigger hospital. He instigates John to write to Shankar for money, and introduces him to an engineer who will head the construction work., he sows discord and hatred, causing great enmity between the trio until reason prevails and they reunite.
 It was a movie with a strong matriarch, which may have inspired other movie makers of the future to come up with movies of this theme. The movie clearly paves way for future movies with the theme of unity in diversity. “Amar Akbar Anthony” is an example that readily comes to mind.

Song of Hum Ek Hain 1946

Song of Hum Ek Hain 1946

Song of Hum Ek Hain 1946

Song of Hum Ek Hain 1946

Song of Hum Ek Hain 1946