Rajendra Krishan- A Low Profile Lyricist and Script Writer

 

Over 200 films as a lyricist; and an incredible 100-plus as a dialogue writer, a huge track record of hits in each capacity in a span of 50 years, Rajendra Krishan was a low profile giant.Though he never formed a prolific team with any specific composer,he wrote hits with generations of composers, from Husnlal-Bhagatram, Shyam Sunder and Anil Biswas to C.Ramachandra and later Hemant Kumar, Madan Mohan, S.D.Burman, and R D Burman.

He wrote all types of songs from philosophical to peppy songs like 'Enna Menna Dekka'(Asha), Gore Gore Banke Chhore(Samadhii)'Aa Jaan-E-Jaan' (Intequam) . Check out a few perennial pearls from his treasury: 'Chup Chup Khade Ho' (Badi Behen) Yeh Hawa Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni(Sangdil), 'Yeh Zindagi Ussiki Hai' (Anarkali), 'Chal Udd Jaa Re Panchhi' (Bhabhi) and 'Yun Hasraton Ke Daag' (Adalat), Woh Bhooli Dastaan' (Sanjog), 'Man Dole Mera Tan Dole' (Nagin) or Mere Saamnewali Khidki Mein' (Padosan), 'Govinda Aala Re' (Bluffmaster), and the patriotic 'Jahaan Daal Daal Par' (Sikander-E-Azam).

He was born on  6 June 1919. In the mid-1940s, he shifted to Bombay (now Mumbai) to become a screenwriter in the Hindi film industry. His first screenplay was Janta (1947). His first film as a lyricist was Zanjeer (1947). He was first noted for the script and lyrics of the Motilal-Suraiya starrer Aaj Ki Rat (1948). He consolidated his position as a lyricist with the films Badi Bahen (1949) and Lahore (1949) and the song he wrote after the death of Mahatma Gandhi,Suno Suno Aye Duniyawalon, Bapu Ki Yeh Amar Kahani. The song was sung by Mohammed Rafi and composed by Husnlal Bhagatram, and was a great hit. 

At his peak, he was called the King of Madras He became a favorite of the South Filmmakers who made remakes of south hit films in Hindi. He reworked these scripts and penned the Hindi dialogues with a pan-Indian appeal, and among such blockbusters were Nazrana, Rakhi (produced by South titan Sivaji Ganesan), Shaadi, Main Chup Rahungi, Waris, Gopi and of course the classic Pyar Kiye Jaa. 

Rajinder Krishan won Filmfare Award for best lyricist for the movie Khandan (1965) for the song "Tumhi mere mandir, tumhi meri pooja". Some of his popular songs are 'Bholi Surat Dil Ke Khote' and 'Shola Jo Bhadke' (Albela), 'Aplam Chaplam' (Azaad), Itna Na Mujhse Tu Pyar Badha' (Chhaya), and 'Aaj Ki Mulaqaat Bas Itni' (Bharosa) in the '60s and in the 70s  'Sukh Ke Sab Saathi' (Gopi), 'O Mere Raja' (Johny Mera Naam), 'Dal Roti Khaao' (Jwar Bhata), 'Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas' (Blackmail), 'Rafta Rafta' (Kahani Kismat Ki), 'Dekha Na Haaye Re Socha Na' (Bombay To Goa) and many more.

He also wrote songs in a few films of the 80s. The last film was Aag Ka Dariya released after his death in 1990. He died on 23 September 1987 in Mumbai. 

Song of Badi Bahen (1949)

Song of Albela (1951)

Song of Sangdil (1952)

Song of Anarkali (1953) 

Song of Nagin (1954)

Song of Azad 1955

Song of Bhai-Bhai (1956)

Song of Asha (1957)

Song of Jailor 1958

Song of Adalat (1958)

Song of Chhaya(1961)

Song of Bharosa(1963)

Song of Sharaabi (1964)

Song of Jahan Ara (1964)

Song of Khandan (1965)

Song of Padosan (1968)

Song of Blackmail (1973) 

Why Bollywood is Lagging Behind on Films on Environment ?

 

India is the biggest producer of films in the world but very few films are made on this subject. The Government of India introduced an award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation in 1989 to encourage films in this genre. The first film awarded on this subject was an Assamese Film 'Bonani'  directed by Jahnu Barua. Since its inception, the award has been present only nineteen times to unique films. It has been presented for films in eight languages with the highest being six in Malayalam, followed by five in Kannada, two each in Assamese and Odia, and one each in Bodo, Manipuri, Marathi, and Tamil.

The first Bollywood film on this subject awarded was 'Irada' in 2017 directed by Aparna Singh starring Naseeruddin Shah. The same year another film . Kadvi Hawa'  starring Sanjay Mishra, Ranvir Shorey and Tillotama Shome was also released on this subject. This film was  also got a Special Mention at the 64th National Film Awards .

It is surprising that Bollywood, the oldest and the largest producer of films in India has not made many films in this subject but many regional filmmakers have made many films on this subject. In southern languages like Kannada and Malayalam, many National Award-winning films are being made every year. Interestingly a Malayalam film 'Valiya Chirakula Pakshikal' 2015 was made on an incident in a small village in Kasaragod in the state of Kerala where thousands of people were infected with fatal diseases due to the effects of endosulfan, a pesticide used to protect cashew nut trees. 

Irada (2017) raises the contemporary ecological issues of uranium poisoning, reverse boring, fertilizer poisoning due to the green revolution and their immediate adverse impact on the people who live in Malwa region.

Kadvi Hawa (2017) is the story of a blind, old man (played by Sanjai Mishra), who lives in a Bundelkhand village where it hasn’t rained for 15 years. He lives in the fear of his son, Mukund (essayed by Bhupesh Singh) committing suicide in the face of back-breaking debt.

Kedarnath(2018) was a film based on the actual Kedarnath flood tragedy in the year 2013. This being a commercial film, a Love Angle  added between two inter-faith Lovers.

Many Bollywood films had natural calamities in their stories but not outright an environmental story. The floods or droughts were the part of many great films like 'Mother India' or 'Guide' but these do not come in this genre. Bollywood has a massive potential to reach out to the masses and create awareness about the same. It has the power to influence people’s actions and thus make a difference. The films can represent environmental issues and community problems efficiently and convey to the people the aftermath of their current deeds. 

Nutan- She Made 'Kalyani' of Bandini an Immortal

 

Nutan's portrayal as Kalyani, which is regarded as one of the finest performances in the history of Indian cinema. The film won the Filmfare Award for Best Movie and she received her third Best Actress Award for this film. This film was the last directorial film of Bimal Roy. 

Nutan was pregnant with Mohnish Bahl when Bimal Roy (who had worked with her in Sujata) offered her Bandini. She wanted to have a break from the films during that time but this role tempted her to work during pregnancy. She gave an ultimate performance and made Kalyani an immortal. Bandini revolves around Kalyani and was also the only film to have depicted the sacrifice made by ordinary rural women during the Indian independence struggle.

The film begins with Kalyani (Nutan), a thin cotton-sari-clad bandini in jail. She's outwardly subdued but there is passion obviously raging within her.  She volunteers herself to care for a severely ill and contagious TB patient, with evidently little concern for her own life. The acting by Nutan was nuanced in a way that is rare for today barring certain screams, she sticks to an internal rhythm, letting her eyes, her slightly downturned lips, and her listless expression convey all the grief as she goes about her work. 

 Kalyani, the all suffering, selfless, sacrificing, and strong, yet weak Indian woman. She must make a choice between two very different men, Devendra (Dharmendra), the loving prison doctor, and Bikash (Ashok Kumar), a man from her past.

Surprisingly, Nutan is given no songs in the first half; “O panncchi pyaare and Ab ke baras bhej bhaiyya ko babul” were reserved for the second half.

She was an actress who could change gears with well-oiled efficiency: She was the very essence of featherweight froth in films like Paying Guest and Anadi and made a splash by posing in a swimsuit for Delhi Ka Thug. Nutan also gave cry-from-the-soul performances in Sone Ki Chidiya (as an exploited actress) She acted in Shammi Kapoor extavaganzas like Laat Sahab clad in skirts and pants, sari-clad, self-sacrificing Saraswatichandra mould, secretly wiping away a tear and singing Main toh bhool chali babul ka desh. This hit garba song was one of Nutan's few, full-fledged dance numbers.
 Nutan continued to get interesting roles even after she crossed 40. She could portray strength of character --- as seen in her award-winning role in Raj Khosla's Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki and others like Saajan Bina Suhagan, Saajan Ki Saheli, Teri Maang Sitaron Se Bhar Doon, Rishta Kagaz Ka.

Nutan was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 1990.^] In February 1991, she was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after she fell ill. At the time, she was filming Garajna and Insaniyat. She died at 12:07 p.m. (IST) on 21 February.

Bollywood Journey of Bicycles.

 

In the 50s and 60s, much of the romance in Bollywood bloomed on bicycles. There are many great romantic songs bloomed on bicycles.  When we think of the Golden Era immediately the song Mana janab ne pukara nahin  from Paying Guest comes into our mind.

The earliest cycle song was 'Sawan Ke Nazare Hain' of 1941 film 'Khajanchi'. The film starts with this song picturized on S D Narang, Ramola, and their friends who are cycling on the road. Since then The cycle romance kept blooming and almost all heroes and heroines had a cycling song in their career. In this blog, I have selected a few cycling songs picturized on various heroes.

Song of Khajanchi 1941

Dilip Kumar

Song of  Gopi 1970

Dev Anand - 

Song of Paying Guest (1957)

Song of  Baat Ek Raat Ki 1962

Pradeep Kumar

Song of Adalat (1958)

Raj Kapoor & Nutan

Song of Anari (1959)

Raj Kapoor & Vyjantimala

Song of  Nazrana 1961

Rajendra Kumar

Song of  Aas Ka Panchhi 1961

Sunil Dutt

Song of Ek Hi Rasta 1956

Kishore Kumar

Song of Bewaqoof 1960

Joy Mukharjee

Song of Ishara 1964

Biswajeet

Song of Mere Sanam 1965

Dharmendra

Song of Lalkar 1972

Manoj Kumar 

Song of Shor 1972

Rajesh Khanna

Song of Palkon ki Chhaon Mein 1977

Amitabh Bachchan & Shashi Kapoor

Song of Shaan 1980

Saira Bano

Song of Padosan (1968)

Rishi Kapoor

Song of Prem Rog 1982

Vinod Khanna

Song of Aarop 1973

Govinda

Song of Bhabhi 1991

Aamir Khan

Song of Jo Jeeta Woh Sikandar 1992

Shahrukh Khan

Song of King Uncle 1993

Ranbir Kapoor

Song of Barfi 2012

Salman Khan

Song of Bajrangi Bhaijan 2015

Raj Kapoor & His Songs are Immortal

 

For him, the songs were truly not only audio but audio-visual. He saw music as it were; and only when he could how the song could be filmed, did he okay it's recording. His use of elaborate sets, of light and shade to convey sombreness and technicolor to project joy, were all part of his visual perception.

He was very fond of composing tunes, he composed tunes with Ram Ganguli with whom Shankar, Jailishan used to play Harmonium and Tabla. It was there the birth of the Team of Shankar Jaikishan and Raj Kapoor took place, that entertained the music lovers. He had a sharp music sense. Raj Saab was a complete musician. He played the tabla, the harmonium, and the piano. He composed songs and sang them in his own voice before handing them over to professional playback singers.

His music journey started with Papaji (Prithviraj Kapoor) in theatre in Calcutta. When he came to Bombay he learned classical music playing Harmonium, Tabla, and Sitar at Narayan Rao Vijay Academy. He was also with Anil Biswas for some time.

Raj Kapoor's song sittings were very famous, all the stakeholders of the song used to be invited on the sittings, time was no limit, everyone present cold give his suggestion. He loved to listen to tunes, to prune and trim the compositions, to correct the singers. He also sits with the Lyricist to change a particular line or word which is not matching the tune, he perfected the compositions to suit his taste.

Songs in RK films were never just 'there'; they were seamlessly woven into the fabric of the film, used intelligently and sensibly to complement the narrative.

Song of Aag 1948

Song of Barsat 1949

Song of Awaara 1951

Song of Shree 420 1955

Song of Chori Chori 1956

Song of Anari 1959

Song of Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai 1960

Song of Sangam 1964

Song of Teesri Kasam 1966

Song of Mera Naam Joker 1970