Sunday 19 July 2020

Bollywood Actors as Siblings and also Lovers in Films


There are many actors who played siblings in one film and effortlessly slipped into the role of lovers in other films and vice versa. Take the example of Dev Anand and Zeenat Aman who played brother and sister in Hare Rama Hare Krishna and then played as lovers in many films.
Dharmendra and Meena Kumari did many films as the romantic lead but in 1964 they did their first film "Kajal" played brother and sister in the film. 



On the cusp of stardom, Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini starred as siblings in the thriller Gehri Chaal (1973) but after that, they did many films as lovers.



Nanda played Dev Anand’s sister in Kala Bazar (1960) and later played the romantic pair with him in Hum Dono (1961) and Teen Devian (1965). 


In the 1960 Dev Anand had 2 films released with Suchitra Sen. In Bombai Ka Babu, Suchitra Sen plays the role of sister of Dev Anand and in another film Sarhad, she was in a romantic role with him.


In 1963, the film Gehra Daag had Mumtaz playing Rajendra Kumar’s younger sister while Mala Sinha was paired opposite him. In 1972 the duo came together in Taangewaala, produced and directed by Rajendra Kumar’s brother Narendra Kumar
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Shah Rukh Khan & Aishwarya Rai came together for the first time in Josh (2000), where Shah Rukh Khan is the leader of a local gang in Goa and Aishwarya who plays his twin sister, Later in the same year, they come as lovers in Yash Raj Films’ Mohabbatein.  After this, they were seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas.



In 1987 came an action drama Dacait based on the dacoits, Urmila Matondkar plays the younger sister of Sunny Deol in the film. In 1999,  Sunny Deol directed his first film "Dillagi" starring himself and his real brother Bobby Deol, he cast Urmila as his heroine


In 1989, Jackie Shroff and Madhuri Dixit teamed up as a brother-sister duo in Rajiv Rai’s blockbuster Tridev, In 1992 in a beautiful film Sangeet which had Madhuri Dixit in a double role- that of an older woman and a young blind girl. Jackie Shroff falls in love with the blind Madhuri. 


Nargis played Sunil Dutt's mother in Mother India (1957) and his lover in Yaadein (1964).




Shammi Kapoor was Saira Banu’s lover in Junglee but later became her father in Zameer. 


Similarly, Ashok Kumar who worked with Meena Kimari in many films as his silent lover did play her long-lost father Shahabuddin, in 1972 film Pakeezah.



Waheeda Rehman who is the favorite heroine of Amitabh Bachchan was his heroine in Adalat and Kabhie Kabhie also played his mother in Trishul. 

Similarly, Rakhi who played romantic leads in Kasme Vaade, Bemisal and Barsat ki Ek Raat with Amitabh Bachchan also played the mother role in Shakti



Sharmila Tagore and Amitabh Bachchan

Sharmila Tagore plays mother to Big B in Desh Premee (1982) and his wife in Faraar (1975).





Song of Hare Rama Hare Krishna 1971


Song of Heera Panna



Song of Purnima 1965



Song of Bombai Ka Babu 1960


Song of Taangewala 1972


Song of Josh 2000


Song of Mohabbatein  2000

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Wednesday 15 July 2020

Ek Chatur Naar - The Brain Child of Kishore Kumar


This immortal song from Padosan 1968 was the highlight of the film. More than 50 years have passed, it still entertains us. The pivotal role of creating this song goes to Kishore Kumar. He didn't just act or sing in the film, he conducted the proceedings around him. He turned the entire sequence of Meri Pyari Bindu, which was actually a scene into a song. He came up with the tune, polished the words, and even choreographed it on the spot. 
The plan to use the song in Padosan was of Kishore himself. He told Padosan lyricist Rajinder Krishan to do an extended version of the old song sung by his brother Ashok Kumar in Jhoola (1941), which was then picturized so memorably on Saira Banu, Mehmood, Sunil Dutt and Kishore Kumar. A constant companion of brother Ashok in those days, he had heard the song and the tunes stayed with him.
sing for Mehmood and Kishore to sing for Sunil Dutt. When Manna De was approached for this song everybody liked his idea, a situation in the film was created where a music competition to take place between the hero and the music teacher of the heroine. It, being a classical song, Manna De was to by R D Burman with regards to the famous musical face-off number, Manna Dey refused to lose to Kishore, the reality was that he didn't wish to lose to him in the classical song competition since he was a classically trained singer and Kishore wasn't. 
The task of convincing took by Mehmood. He convinced him that its not a real competition but a reel competition. In films, anything is possible when a skinny hero can beat a strong villain why can't this happen in a song. Ultimately Manna De agreed to sing.
 Though the old song was a solo here it will be modified and more catchy to be sung a male duet. Mehmood's voice is also in this song. It was destined to be the most hilarious songs of Bollywood.
Manna De in an interview told,  it took 10 days to compose this song. Everyone who participated in composing this song has contributed. In the final rehearsal of this song, it took 9 hours before they went for a recording. This being a very long song so it was recorded in two parts, later it was merged into one. Manna De further informed that he was surprised when during the recording Kishore Kumar suddenly changed the Sargam and the context by adding his touches like "hmm dhaam.. O Tedhe Seedhe Ho Jaa Re" which took the classical song to a different level.
The song has been composed in the form of a combination of Carnatic and Hindustani music. Mahmood begins with the Aalaap in Carnatic music and the song proper while playing the harmonium. Kishore Kumar sings the Hindustani counterpart for Sunil Dutt. Their preparation for the ‘concert’ itself is funny.
While Mahmood dances, Sunil Dutt moves back towards Kishore Kumar in sync with the rhythm of the song. Kishore Kumar pushes Sunil Dutt in front and simultaneously sings a Bengali song. Beside Kishore, Mukri, Keshto Mukharjee, and Raj Kishore were also part of this song.
Mr. Sadanand Kamath in the book, ” R D Burman – The Man, The Music” by Anirudha Bhattacharjee & Balaji Vittal writes, this song was not only inspired by Ashok Kumar song but also from ‘Van Chale Ram Raghurai’ [SANT TULSIDAS (1939)] for the line ‘….Dekhi teri chaturayee’ and from ‘ Chanda re ja re ja re’ [ZIDDI (1948)] for the line ‘… Kaalaa re ja re ja re’. 
For your reference, I am posting all the three songs
Song of Jhoola 1941



Song of Sant Tulsi Das 1939




Song of Ziddi 1948




Song of Padosan 1968






Monday 13 July 2020

Prakash Mehra- Who Gave Hindi Cinema a New Definition .


Prakash Mehra(13 July 1939 – 17 May 2009)  was a true entertainer. He changed mainstream Hindi cinema with his sense of drama, Indian emotion, and above all his ear for great music. His songs are still thriving, despite being decades-old. He started off his career with Haseena Maan Jayegi starring Shashi Kapoor and Babita, followed by Mela, and Samadhi which were the perfect formula for a commercial hit. 
With Zanjeer, he started his own banner.  His combination with Amitabh Bachchan proved lethal at the box office. After Zanzeer seven films of this combination ruled the Box office.
He seemed to know the magic of Amitabh the actor which he successfully used in films like 'Muqaddar Ka Sikandar', 'Laawaaris', 'Namak Halaal' and 'Sharaabi', all of them major hits, one bigger than the other. 
Amitabh Bachchan once told that he was a dreamer and was never afraid of taking risks. He wanted to make big things in life. He had a film in his mind to cast the boxing legend, Mohammad Ali, with him. He even scheduled a meeting with him and Ali, at the sports icon's US home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
He was the first filmmaker to name Amitabh as Vijay in 'Zanjeer'. Amitabh was Vijay in more than twenty films, some of them made by Manmohan Desai and Yash Chopra.
Music was the strong point of all his films. He always had the veteran music directors Kalyanji- Anandji to score the music for his films but had Bappi Lahiri in two of his most successful films 'Namaak Halaal' and 'Sharaabi' He himself used to write poems, In fact in many of the songs of his films, he wrote the first few lines which formed the themes of the songs and left the rest of the lines to be written by Anjaan, In his first film Haseena Maan Jayegi, he wrote the hit song "O Dilbar Janiye" sung by Mohammad Rafi.
Prakash Mehra also directed & produced Zindagi Ek Jua with actor Anil Kapoor in 1991, which was not a commercial success. In 1996, he introduced veteran actor Raaj Kumar's son Puru Raajkumar in Bal Bramhachari which was also unsuccessful. This was the last film he directed.
 He died on 17 May 2009 in Mumbai of pneumonia and multiple organ failure. 
Song of Haseena Maan Jayegi 1968




Song of Zanzeer 1973



Song of Ek Kunwari Ek Kunwara (1973)



Song of Haath Ki Safai (1974)



Song of Hera Pheri (1976)


Song of Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978)



Song of Laawaris (1981)



Song of Namak Halaal (1982)



Song of Sharaabi (1984)



Saturday 11 July 2020

The Unforgettable Slaps of Bollywood


Recently I was watching the movie Thappad of Tapsi Pannu in which  Taapsee plays the role of an educated, upper-middle-class woman who is forced to take stock of her relationship after being slapped by her husband. The impact of the slap scene could leave the audience in shock.
Our films are melodramatic, We love drama and emotions, whenever we have a dramatic scene that too ending with a slap, it resonates the entire cinema house. even the dialogues like ‘Jab Ye Dhai Kilo Ka Haath Padta Hai Na, to Aadmi Uthata Nahi Hai Uth Jata Hai’ have made the audiences whistle and clap. 
In 1942, as a part of a scene in the movie Jung-E-Azadi, actor Bhagwan Dada was to slap her hard. Being a new actor, he accidentally slapped her very hard, which resulted in facial paralysis and a burst left eye vein. Three years of treatment later, she was left with a defective left eye; thus she had to abandon lead roles, and switch to character roles, which won her much of her fame later in life
Let's look into the most impressive slap scenes of Bollywood.
In 1949 film Andaj, starring Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Nargis. There was a confrontation scene. In the scene, Raj Kapoor was supposed to slap Kumar. He lands a heavy slap across Kumar's face. Not content he whacks him with a tennis racket 
A scene from Andaz 1949

The other onscreen slap that comes to my mind was from the 1951 film AwaraBollywood superstar Raj Kapoor slapped Nargis in a scene not once but many times. This was his way of venting out his frustration of loving the unattainable
Clip of Awara 


There was a story about a slap scene in the Navketan film Aandhiyan, directed by Chetan Anand. In the script, there was a scene where character actor Akhtar Hussain had to slap Dev Anand. This was not shot because Dev Anand refused to shoot for this scene and insisted to remove this from the script. Dev felt that this scene will spoil his film image, so this scene was never shot.
dev

In the 1952 film, Anhonee Raj Kapoor once again slapped Nargis. Nargis played a double role in the film. She was highly appreciated for enacting both the roles and her performance garnered critical acclaim.
Slap Scene from Anhonee 1952

There are many types of slaps. In Aar Paar (1954), A Parent slap, for example( Baap Ke Gusse wala slap), when Nikki’s (Shyama) father disapproves of her relationship with Kalu (Guru Dutt), he slaps her. 

Slap scene from Aar Paar 1954

Sometimes the expressions are totally opposite but mean the same thing. The slap from Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham showed the love of a father and how much he misses his son. Unable to express otherwise sometimes howsoever hard you try, feelings find a way to express themselves.
Slap of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gum


Recall the slap of Raj Kumar to Dilip Kumar in the 1959 film Paigam. This scene was so impactful that the audience still remembers.


A scene from Paigam 1959

 There was a scene in which Salim was supposed to slap Anarkali. Kumar slapped Madhubala so hard that the latter had tears in her eyes.
A scene from Mughal e Azam 1960

In 1960 film Sarhad, starring Dev Anand and Suchitra Sen, there was a slap scene in which Dev Anand slaps Suchitra Sen
A scene from Sarhad 1960


Recall the scene of Guide when Rosie visits the site of Marcos she tells him that she has decided to dance, this makes Marcos angry and there is a long confrontation between them. Rosie slaps Marcos in a scene.
A Scene from Guide

There was a scene in 1969 film Ram Aur Shyam where Pran asks Dilip Kumar to sign the papers thinking that he is Ram but he does not sign, he slaps Dilip Kumar who in return also slap him.


A Scene from Ram Aur Shyam 1969

During the film, Reshma Aur Shera where Amitabh Bachchan was playing the younger brother of Sunil Dutt Bachchan got a tight slap from Waheeda Rehman 

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Recall the scene from Ketan Mehta's film Mirch Masala.  Sonbai played by Smita Patil Slaps the newly arrived village subedar played by Naseeruddin Shah as he chases her across the river and woos her to agree to his proposition. Sonbai blatantly refuses his advances and slaps him hard!

A Scene from Mirch Masala

Shatrughan Sinha slaps Jaya Bachchan on the wedding night to take revenge in the 1973 film Gaai Aur Gori

A Scene from Gai Aur Gauri 1973

In the 1974 film Aap Ki Kasam, Rajesh Khanna slaps Sanjeev Kumar out of anger and sheer doubt

A Scene from Aap Ki Kasam 1974

There is a very intense scene from the Mafia Movie, Satya.  In this movie, there is a scene in which Manoj Vajpayee comes to his home along with his friend, his wife confronts him, he slaps her.
 
A Scene from Satya

Another memorable slap was from Dilip Kumar to Amrish Puri in the 1984 film Mashal
 
A scene from Mashal 1984

Another memorable slap by Dilip Kumar in 1986 film Karma. this time to Dr Dang played by Anupam Kher


A scene from Karma 1986


In 2002 film Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, Shahrukh Khan starts doubting Salman Khan & Madhuri Dixit, due to which he overthinks things. He slaps Salman. This slap can be said Dosti Todne wala slap.

A scene from  Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam 2002

A similar slap was seen in Dil Chahta Hai. This slap changed the relationship of friends. It came in the movie when the audiences were not expecting a high-end drama. Akshay Khanna slaps Amir Khan who is a friend
Slap scene from Dil Chahta Hai



Raanjhana, a 2013 film Sonam Kapoor slaps the hero Dhanush 16 times separately in the film

A scene from Raanjhana 2013





DDLJ Slap



Slap Scene from Thappad 2020

















Thursday 9 July 2020

Jagdeep - Mera Naam Soorma Bhopali Aise Hi Nahin Hai


Jagdeep(29 March 1939-8 July 2020) the comedian of Golden Era started his film career as a child artist extra in B. R. Chopra's Afsana, then went on to do films as a child artist in films like Ab Dilli Door NahinK. A. Abbas's Munna, Guru Dutt's Aar PaarBimal Roy's Do Bigha Zamin and AVM's Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke. After Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, he received various accolades and high praise for his roles. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru has gifted his personal staff to Jagdeep for his stellar performance in Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke.
His most memorable character is Soorma Bhopali in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay. His catchphrase in the film “Mera Naam Soorma Bhopali Aise Hi Nahin Hai” is still remembered by fans. 
 Recall the famous scene of Sholay in which our heroes, Jai and Veeru, come upon Soorma Bhopali telling a bunch of spellbound listeners of how he beat the two with a stick, and how he’s found out: his paan-stained teeth, that Bhopali lilt and comfort in a role meant strictly for laughs, made his Soorma unforgettable. It was a small guest appearance but became immortal.
In a span of 6 decades, he performed nearly 400 roles, this role became so popular that even after 45 years, people still remember that role. His son Naved was so inspired by his father that he produced a film with the same title 'Soorma Bhopali' in 1988. It was not a box office success but did relatively better in the state of Madhya Pradesh. This film was a hit in the city of Bhopal and the surrounding regions.
 Jagdeep’s last on-screen appearance was in the 2017 movie Masti Nahi Sasti co-starring Kader Khan, Johnny Lever, Shakti Kapoor, Ravi Kishan, and others in the lead roles.
A scene from Sholay 1975

Wednesday 8 July 2020

Neetu Singh - Retired Too Early



Neetu Singh(8th July 1958) was only 21 when she took retirement from Bollywood. She was 15 when her first film as a Heroine opposite Randhir Kapoor was released. She appeared next in Yadon Ki Barat in the same year in the song 'Lekar Hum Diwana Dil' as a guest performance.
Her second film as a heroine was in the 1974 film 'Hawas' opposite Anil Dhawan. The same year she appeared with Rishi Kapoor as Heroine in.' Zehreela Insaan'. Their next film was 'Rafoochakkar' released in 1975 was a hit, this team repeated the success in 'Khel Khel Mein'  The hit pair were further fortified by, Kabhi Kabhie(1976) and Amar Akbar Anthony(1977).

Hugely popular with the public and within the industry, the bubbly Neetu Singh signed many films opposite the heroes like Amitabh Bachchan (Adalat, Parvarish, The Great Gambler, Yaarana), Rajesh Khanna (Chakravyuh), Vinod Khanna (Yuvraj), Randhir Kapoor (Kasme Vaade), Shatrughan Sinha (Kaala Patthar) and Jeetendra (Dharamveer, Priyatama).
Within 3 years she was among the top heroines of that time like Hema Malini, Rekha. and Zeenat Aman.
Rishi Kapoor in his biography said that he went abroad to shoot for his film Barood, a sense of loneliness gripped him. It was then that he realized the true essence of Neetu Singh in his life and poured his heart out in a telegram. Neetu Singh was elated and they began dating.
They dated for five years before tying the knot. At the time of marriage, Neetu Singh was at the peak of her acting career and was nominated for a Filmfare Award as Best Supporting Actress for Kaala Patthar (1979). But she decided to bid adieu to the film industry, raising murmurs about restrictions in the Kapoor family. She dismissed all the allegations, stating that it was her independent choice. They got married on Jan. 22, 1980,
The decision of quitting acting was her own, in 1979, when they decided to get married, she stopped accepting offers for more films. She decided to complete all the projects in hand. Even after marriage, she worked in a few films left uncompleted. Her last film released was
'Ganga Meri Ma' released in 1983 opposite Shatrughan Sinha.

She was seen in a guest appearance after a gap of 26 years in the 2009 film Love Aaj Kal, later in Do Dooni Chaar(2010)
Neetu Singh started acting at the age of 8 under the name Baby Sonia, and made her acting debut in 1966 with the film Suraj. Her other early roles included starring in the films Dus Lakh (1966), starring in a double role in the film Do Kaliyaan (1968), as well as appearing in Waris (1969) and Pavitra Paapi (1970). 
Song of Do Kaliyan 1968


Song of Rikshawala 1973


Song of Yadon Ki Barat 1973


Song of Rafoochakkar1974


Song of Khel Khel Mein 1974


Song of Kabhie Kabhie 1976


Song of Amar Akbar Anthony 1977


Song of Priyatama 1977


Song of Parwarish 1977