Remembering a legend: Shashi Kapoor

He was called the most romantic actor of his times. Female fans could never stop gushing and blushing at his very sight, they still do not when watching any of his movies on DVD/TV today. Male audiences could not help but admire the natural charm of this actor. He had amazing screen presence and a style which is probably the most charming of all. Yet, you get a feeling that Shashi Kapoor has perhaps not got the recognition he deserves.

Shashi, who started his acting career as a leading star in films like Dharmputra and Prem Patra, would obviously count himself unlucky. The films, though wonderful and brilliantly directed by stalwarts like Yash Chopra and Bimal Roy, failed to do well at the box-office. People had clearly not accepted him as a star. Mind you, any actor in 1962 would have a tough time gathering crowds if his name was neither Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand or Ashok Kumar.

However, there was no doubting his talent, for that was certainly noticed by the duo of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory who later went on to have a hugely successful collaboration with Shashi Kapoor. The Householder, though terrific, was clearly ahead of it's times for Indian audiences and did not do well at the box-office.

Lady Luck did not continue to shy away from Shashi, for he came back with a bang with Jab Jab Phool Khile, his first superhit as a sole hero. Yash Chopra cast him again in Waqt, although it was the role of the youngest brother who quite evidently had the smallest part compared to two other actors with incredible screen-presence, Sunil Dutt and Raj Kumar. There was no doubt Shashi left his mark in this movie as well. Things were only going to get better for him now.

What Jab Jab Phool Khile did for Shashi was help him establish his own unique identity. It was obvious if you wanted an actor full-of-life, to infuse sparks on screen, you had to sign Shashi. That became obvious when he did marvels in his first ever crazy comedy movie, Pyaar Kiye Jaa, for he held his own despite sharing screen with Mehmood and Kishore Kumar. No wonder then, that when Yash Chopra wanted an actor to remain calm, to lighten heated moments in a film, he had Shashi signed on for those roles. Who can forget the extremely tense situation in Kaala Patthar, when Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha are fighting over a cup of tea and who should get the tea first and their fight is just about getting heated up and violent, when a joyful Shashi comes in and solves the matter by drinking the tea. Kabhi Kabhie had it's tense moments, especially when Amitabh and Raakhee faced each other after their respective marriages. Once again, it was Shashi who would lighten the mood, with his western-style, enjoying-life-kind-of dialogue delievery, a style which no one can match even today. It was Shashi who stopped matters from going worse when Amitabh faced off against Sanjeev Kumar in Trishul. There is of course the immortal 'Mere Paas Maa Hai' scene in Deewar - you cannot imagine any other actor repeating that line with the kind of honesty and integrity than Shashi did. And how about the 'Bhhaaaiiiiii ... Tum Sign Karte Ho Ya Nahin' scene in Deewar again, where he holds his ground against both Amitabh Bachchan and Nirupa Roy, which is another scene one can't tire watching again and again.

If that is one side of Shashi Kapoor, there was another side of him, which showed style need not be separated from realistic acting. As mentioned earlier, Shashi's ventures with Ivory-Merchant could probably be considered as the beginning of parallel cinema in India. Most of them did not do well in India, and that was not surprising considering the language was English, but the educated classes loved them, and the reason is there for all to see. Some of the gems from this team were Shakespeare-Wallah, Heat And Dust and The House-Holder. Shashi Kapoor turned producer in 1978 and came out with films which are amongst the best from India - Junoon, 36 Chowringhee Lane, Kalyug and Vijeta. New Delhi Times is another movie that will go down as a modern classic. Just being associated with any such movie is a huge thing; another reason why Shashi Kapoor really deserves more attention from film fans and critics today.

And these are only the most famous commercial movies and the critically most acclaimed movies. Who can forget his performances in lesser-known films like Abhinetri, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Pyaar Ka Mausam, Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati, Sharmilee, Aamne Saamne, Prem Kahani (who along with Vinod Khanna totally stole the show away from Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz), Chori Mera Kaam, Chor Machaye Shor, Do Aur Do Paanch, Utsav, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan and Satyam Shivam Sundaram.

And we'd better not forget his performances a sweet, innocent child in films like Awaara and Aag. Very rarely can you find child actors giving such brilliant and intense performances, which immediately touch your heart!

Shashi Kapoor's greatness also lies in the fact that despite being the most sought after and busiest actors of his time, he invested most of his money and time in resurrecting Prithvi Theatre, which was his father Prithviraj Kapoor's dream. Prithvi theatre was closed years back but that was the place Shashi had began his acting career in. He ensured people would flock to the theatre by charging really low admission prices. He was not after money, he was only living his dream; his and his father's. Shashi was only making movies for the satisfaction they gave him. The movies he produced were gems. They were hugely critically acclaimed and brought India global recognition in the world of cinema, but they left him with heavy debts and he had to ultimately stop making films.

It's such a pity that he will always be remembered as an actor who got overshadowed by his other co-stars. Deewar, Trishul and Kabhi Kabhie are always considered as Amitabh's films, although it was Shashi's intense performances that made each scene memorable and help bring out the best in Amitabh. Waqt is always known for the roles that Raj Kumar and Sunil Dutt portrayed, along with the songs and the wonderful car race. Shashi came and stole the show in Ijaazat, which is now remembered as Naseerudin Shah's film. The same goes for Prem Kahani, which people recall as yet another Raj Khosla - Rajesh Khanna - Mumtaz collaboration. Do Aur Do Paanch had Shashi Kapoor at his comic best, but that's another role that is very much forgotten, perhaps because of Amitabh's towering presence in it, yet again. Shashi's bad luck was not confined to male co-stars only. Baseraa is always looked upon as a battle between Raakhee and Rekha, but what about Shashi who did such a marvellous job as a man stuck between the two? And talk about Satyam Shivam Sundaram and you immediately imagine a scantily clad Zeenat Aman! What about Shashi Kapoor's wonderful performance as the man who falls in love with Zeenat's voice and gets married to her, yet can't bear the sight of her!
The films he produced have won several National Awards, but then again, a very small percentage of Indians today have even heard of them. He is one of the rare actors you have a lot of respect and admiration, yet some sympathy towards as well.

Shashi Kapoor could emote like no other, be it his loud laughs or his sad scenes, his honest roles or wild comedy scenes. His dancing style remains unparalleled.

Clearly, he is one star who never gotten his due.

You know you are a true Bollywood fan when ...

20. There's a beautiful girl in college who absolutely detests you, but you never mind, as you are convinced that one day she will fall for you. After all, hate is the only the first step towards love.

19. You come from a rich family, but are absolutely convinced that marrying the girl you love, albeit a very poor one, will be the end of all your worries.

18. You don't have the habit of normal conversations; you speak in filmy style, cliche'd dialogues and shayari.

17. You think twice before becoming a farmer because you fear the local zamindar will loot you.

16. You start walking and talking like your favourite stars, be it onscreen heroes or villains.

15. You don't wear clothes keeping the climate in mind - you often wear jackets on hot summer days and bikinis / evening gowns out in the snow.

14. You feel being an underworld don is a cool job.

13. You get completely high and even want to go and rape someone after just one peg of whisky.

12. Your young and extremely rich girlfriend throws a birthday party, but you attend it nervously, as you're dead sure her father is going to insult you in front of everyone and you'll have to sing a sad song while playing the piano.

11. You have a gut feeling your child will grow up to look exactly like you.

10. Everytime you do something or talk with people, you can feel there's a background score going on.

9. You have a song for every situation, and sometimes find singing songs easier than saying words. Even if you're alone with your girlfriend in a park, then the song "Aasman Ke Neeche" is what strikes your mind first. Same goes for other scenarios as well.

8. You are nice to every person you meet, as you think one or two of them might turn out to be long-lost family.

7. There are plenty of crimes going on, but you stay calm because you know that with police officers like Iftekhar and Jagadish Raj, you are always safe.

6. You start confiding in your old, frail, faithful servant, whose name you think is Ramu Kaka.

5. You are convinced the tune you can't get off your head is from a song you heard when you were a two-year old child or one you heard in your previous incarnation.

4. You have a famous dialogue to say for every situation you come across. For eg, when you find someone crying, you go console that person saying "Mat ro Pushpa, I hate tears", or when someone makes a mistake, you say "Don't worry Senorita, badi badi duniya mein choti choti baatein hoti rahti hain".

3. You enter houses and get out of cars but don't have the habit of closing doors!

2. You believe you have made your parents proud by passing First Class in your B.A. exams!

1. Your method of paying tribute to Bollywood is by mocking all the cliches you notice, yet respect these films so much that if someone else were to speak were to make fun of their own observations about movies, you immediately stand up to defend Hindi Cinema and continue to do so till they go back on their words. After all, only you have the right to say anything 'not good' about Bollywood :)

Avatar: An important film of this decade

THERE MAY BE A FEW SPOILERS IN THE ARTICLE.

Avatar released worldwide on 18th Dec 2009 to packed houses and critical acclaim. Fair enough ... this movie is brilliant in terms of it's special effects, direction, story, acting, editing, music ... well, basically there's no department that went wrong; and the result is simply spectacular to say the least. The 3D experience was one to remember and the even thought of making this in 3D deserves huge applause. James Cameron has once again proved he's the best when it comes to making big-budget movies, and that any project he lays his hands on, is going to turn out into a masterpiece.

While the story to be honest is not something new (sending in a mole to another group, who in turn falls in love with someone there and fights back against the ones whom he works for), it is the execution of the story and the basic setting of it that makes this much different from the other films of similar storylines.

The setting of another planet (or moon, doesn't matter) and it's inhabitants works wonders. Here is where all the difference is made, as this movie really makes you think - is Pandora really a moon outside Earth? Are the Navis really a clan different from humans? Is the basic relationship between the creatures on Pandora with the Navis something unseen or unheard of?

Pandora is, I think, just another side of Earth. Pandora represents all those habitats on Earth that man has exploited for his own use. The Navis represent those creatures (plants or animals) that are eventually killed so that man can further expand his empire, forcefully cutting down and killing anything that comes in his way of luxury.

Man has probably never been shown to be so selfish in any other movie till date, and it's high time any movie showed this side of him. Why can't man ever be satisfied with the current state of living? Does he really have to kill other beings for his selfish needs, for his "progress"? Can't man ever learn to appreciate nature the way the Na'vis do?

Here, Neytiri is sad after killing wild animals in her first encounter with Jake, but she killed them only because she had to, for his protection. She didn't do it for fun, or for their skin.

The spiritual life shown of the planet inhabitants, especially towards their own planet is something that existed long back in our planet as well, before industrialization started. It is not something no one is aware of, yet it's something we lost over the years, gradually ... so much so that when shown in a movie, the very concept amazes us now!

The Navis have their sacred trees and they worship nature. They don't go about destroying them, and they are ready to protect it come what may.

Where has the emotional connect among humans gone? We have technology that is supposed to bring us all closer to each other, but has it really? Has it not had the exact opposite effect? The Na'vis with their simple lifestyle are much more bonded with each other and the society than any human can ever be now. When humans began to get more materialistic by the day, the planet suffered. Is there anything in the planet more important than the planet itself? These questions are raised while watching the Navis 'connect' with other beings on their planet.

In general, the Na'vi is the ideal human being that James Cameron intends us to be. Pandora is the ideal condition of an inhabited planet ... atleast something we should all work towards.

A common point of discussion among my friends and I, after watching the movie, was that it is perhaps the first movie where humans are shown as villains and the aliens as the heroes. Not saying every human was bad, that obviously wasn't the case, but I hope you're getting my point here. It is the attitude and methodology of doing things of humans that's bad, not the basic intentions.

This is not a movie which will immediately inspire you to give up everything and go live in the forests (of whatever remains!). Yet, there is an inspiration to re-evaluate our priorities, think twice before performing any action and just gradually begin to get a little spiritual. Just a little ... that will do wonders!

People are saying Avatar will change the way we look at movies and will change the way movies are being made. Maybe ... maybe not. However, I think this movie will succeed only when everyone can just change the way they look at their own planet after watching his film. Then, we'll truly be, in James Cameron style, on top of the world!

Remembering a legend: Rajesh Khanna

Imagine this - a filmstar appears in a car but the driver is unable to move the car forward because there is a huge mob surrounding the car. The crowd comprises mostly female fans whose only ambition is to get a glimpse of their favourite star and maybe give him a kiss. Since the windows remain closed, they kiss the car instead; and by the end of the day, this star's car is filled with red lipstick all over! Finally the tired actor reaches home only to find it stocked with mail. All fan-letters, written by girls in blood! His house is filled with flowers on his birthday. Unofficially, he gets married thousands of times, atleast that's what the females believe when they marry his photographs. And when this star indeed gets married, hundreds of female fans commit suicide!

This is no film story. Such was the real-life stardom of our very own Kaka. No other film actor in the world, male or female, till date, has received such fan interest other than him. He was not just an actor, he was not just a star ... he was a phenomenon that took the nation by storm in the late 60s and continued to do so for the next half decade. You only needed to put up a poster of this star outside a theatre to make the film a hit. After all, no other actor in the world has such a huge record of consecutive hits (15!!!).

Even if you watch just a few of his films today, you will not find it hard to understand why this man garnered so much interest, so much fanfare, so much love. Here's celebrating the first (and still the biggest) megastar ever witnessed - Rajesh Khanna.

The actor who had by then starred in some very good films like Aakhri Khat, Raaz, Bahaaron Ke Sapne and Khamoshi hit it off only in 1969 when Shakti Samantha's Aradhana took the nation by storm. Hits after hits followed and Rajesh Khanna became the first real superstar the country had ever seen. He was to rule the nation for the next six years; a period which included films of his like Anand, Ittefaq, Do Raaste, Kati Patang, Aan Milo Sajna, Daag - A Poem Of Love, Sachcha Jhutha, Mere Jeevan Saathi, Safar, Dushman, Amar Prem, Baawarchi, Namak Haram, Aap Ki Kasam, Ajanabee, Roti and Prem Kahani. These are just few of his blockbuster films that were released within five years. In all, Rajesh Khanna had worked in 42 films from 1969-1975, of which there remain only a handful of forgettable ones. Why not then? Why not then that the nation would embrace this actor so much? Girls obviously loved him for his extremely good looks, charm, style; everyone were amazed at his ability to light up the screen at his very presence; but at the end of the day he was a great actor with a unique style. Period.

His later years, which were obviously after he was overshadowed by the likes of Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor too were not bad. Few memorable films post '76 included Mehbooba, Anurodh, Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka, Souten, Avtaar, Aaina and Tyaag. While some of these films and most of his others in this period did not do well at the box office, there's no denying that Rajesh Khanna gave his best in them! He tried several comebacks in the 90s, but to no avail. Yashraj Films is the biggest production house in India today ... I wonder how many people know the 'Raj' in Yashraj was named after Rajesh Khanna, who had worked with Yash Chopra earlier in Ittefaq, and the first Yashraj movie was Daag!

Rajesh Khanna though will always be remembered for those glorious years between '69 and '75. Not only were the films outstanding, but so were the music. After Dev Anand, if there is any actor who had such a great record of hit and evergreen songs (both quality and quantity i.e.), it just has to be Rajesh Khanna. No doubt about that. Kaka's songs are a hit even today and continue to endear the listener, no matter what gender or age the listener be.

He was an actor with a wide variety of emotions, but he will most likely be remembered one of the most romantic actors on screen, what with films like Aradhana (how much he makes me cry even when I see the movie for the umpteenth time!!!), Kati Patang, Prem Kahani and Daag in his kitty. He excelled in drama, with films like Amar Prem, Safar, Anand (need I say more???), Bawarchi, Do Raaste and Avtaar to back him up. My favourite role of his will always be that of an accused convict (for murdering his wife) turned mental patient who escapes from the asylum, and while on the run from police, lands into Nanda and her husband's house. The movie is Ittefaq and quite easily (along with Jewel Thief and Teesri Manzil) one of the best suspense thrillers of all time! If there is anybody who thinks that Rajesh Khanna was just a star and not a great actor first, I would just tell them to go and watch Ittefaq and realize what great acting truly is! Arguably, one of the toughest roles to portray on screen ... and he did it so effortlessly in his own inimitable style!

I have always admired writers and directors since they are the visionaries, but when actors are not just puppets of the directors; when they have the ability to take the vision of the writers and directors to a level they could not imagine, that is something admirable. The effect an actor can have when he/she comes on screen is not something that a director can control, this is a gift; and no one was more gifted in that sense than Rajesh Khanna. When he looked in front of the camera with a very boyish charm, gave a smile, winked his eyes, tilted his head and said something in a singing tone, it was sheer magic - enough to make the females swoon over him and to make the males want to be like him. There was a vulnerability in his performance like no other, an innocence; and romance that would make a female aged between 5 and 95 go mad about him. He could come looking dashing in a suit (like in Sachcha Jhootha or The Train) or as a simple middle-class man (Anand or Baawarchi), but whatever the look - he would make you believe he is the character and the superstar Rajesh Khanna that we know of.

Here's a toast - to one of the finest actors ever to embrace the silver screen! Here's thanking Rajesh Khanna for everything he has contributed towards cinema.

Where art thou, O Gulzar?

Shakespeare would certainly have been smiling from heaven in 1982, when he would have seen what Gulzar Sir made out of his play, A Comedy Of Errors. A complete laugh-riot from start to finish, Angoor had us all in splits, for when you have one pair of Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma, things are always going to be good, but throw in an extra pair; and that would always result in sheer madness!

Angoor was a work very different from what Gulzar Sir had done in his career till then. There could be no better a start than working under none other than the great Bimal Roy. Gulzar was just about 25 then, and he was involved in penning down lyrics for Bandini. There could be no bigger a break, for not only did the film turn out into such a huge classic, the songs too remain in people's hearts forever. Gulzaar then went on to work for Bimalda's assistants, and what a memorable output was produced! Gulzaar not only wrote the lyrics, but was also involved in writing the screenplay and dialogues for films like Anand, Guddi, Khamoshi, Shagird and Aashirwad. Each film, one better than the other; timeless classics - movies that can never be remade; or bettered.

At the same time, Gulzaar, who had already proved his mettle with lyrics, story and dialogues, also wanted to try his hand at direction. And right from his first film, we knew things could only get better. Mere Apne is perhaps the best 'gang-war' film ever made. The character written for Meena Kumari converted a good film to a great one! His next film is quite possibly the best depiction of deaf-and-mute people, Koshish, that then established a long relationship between Sanjeev Kumar and Gulzar. Gulzar followed up with other gems like Parichay and Achanak; yet again, he left us with tear-filled eyes. The relationship between Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Gulzar never deteriorated even though Gulzar himself took to film direction, as he continued to write some priceless gems for Hrishikesh in the form of Namak Haram, Bawarchi, Chupke Chupke and continued with lyrics for Golmaal.
Gulzar went on to work with his usual actors, albeit in deglamourised roles in films like Khushboo and Kinara and saved his best for his favourite. Sanjeev Kumar will forever be remembered for Aandhi and Mausam, and the films will go down as yet again, some of the best ever!
Gulzar kept pleasing both the critics and the audience in films that followed like Meera, Faraar, Khoobsurat, Namkeen, Baseraa, Sadma, New Delhi Times, Masoom, Ijaazat, Mirza Ghalib, Lekin and Rudaali.
Now mind you, these are not just any ordinary films. They are all masterpieces and sheer poetry on celluloid. Not just the films, but the music and lyrics too was outstanding.

In recent years however, Gulzar is still wowing audiences with lyrics like Beedi Jalaaile, Kajra Re, Dhan Te Tan, Jai Ho and Tu Hi Meri Dost Hai. While they are probably the best in today's times, I just wonder where has the Gulzar of Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi, Mere To Giridhar Gopal, Musaafir Hoon Yaaron, Mera Kuch Saamaan, Koi Hota Jisko Apna and Aanewala Pal gone.
Gulzar sir, you have even gifted India one of it's few "nursery rhymes", so to say, with Lakdi Ki Kaati, Kaate Pe Ghoda. When you dared to adapt The Sound Of Music in Hindi (as Parichay), you also did the impossible - pay tribute to Do A Deer in total Bollywood style, with Sa Re Ke Saare Ga Ma Ko Lekar Gaate Chalein, and make a song that is no less in quality or spirit than the original.
For someone who is writing for films like Saathiya and Dus Kahaaniyan, I ask where has the writer of Anand, Bawarchi and Khamoshi gone? For someone who is making some very good movies like Rudaali and Maachis, I ask where has the maker of truly great, evergreen films like Mere Apne, Achanak, Parichay and Aandhi gone?

I beg this extremely gifted artist to go back to his old ways and start making films again. Please Gulzar Sir, give us one more masterpiece to remember!

I think anyone who has followed Gulzar's works over the years, will realize he's capable of much more than what he's doing right now.

Dear Sir, please take your own time, but come back with one more gem. Please make us laugh so hard like we've laughed so only in your films. Please make us cry so much that we've cried so only in your films.

Please sir, one last masterpiece ... that's all we ask of you.

Changing faces of Hindi cinema

Hello guys,
It's been interesting to note the way Hindi cinema has changed over the years. I've just made a few points and tried to club it decade-wise. I won't say Hindi cinema has evolved over the years; evolution would mean a new stage improving over the previous stage; whether Hindi cinema has really improved over the years I leave that to one's personal thoughts. Wouldn't want to get into that debate now.
But here it is, starting from the '50s.

The decade of the 50s produced a lot of good, meaningful movies, that are now always present in every critic's list of Top Movies made in India. These films were huge successes in the international circuit, many of them reaching the competition section in prestigious film festivals like Venice, Berlin and Cannes. Film-makers in the 50s had the rush of patriotic blood flowing through them, starting off fresh after Independence. Hence, most of these movies revolved around the plight of poor people in the nation, usually but not necessarily, the farmers. Shree 420, Do Bigha Zamin, Boot Polish, Naya Daur and Mother India are the most famous examples of this.
The language used was either pure Hindi or Hindi with a touch of English or Urdu, depending on the character. Films were very realistic and with a no-nonsense touch. The songs were very soothing; they often had a classical touch to it. The costumes were simple - either old, torn clothes for the poor people, very frail in built; saris for women, and men were often in kurta-pyjama covered with a coat, or a proper suit in some cases.

The 60s gradually changed into more melodramatic times, with the acting style shifting from the subtle and realistic to each actor creating his/her own style; however there's no denying that the acting was still extremely good. Films on social issues still remained, but directors began experimenting with other genres as well. This decade will be remembered for the usher of romance it brought in. Colour was the in-thing. By now, filmmakers had targeted the states of Jammu And Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh for their outdoor shooting, while the Brindavan Gardens of Mysore featured in songs from almost every movie produced. The rich were shown living in huge bungalows driving imported cars, usually convertibles shown with the roof down.
The major change that the 60s brought in was that of the comedian, who by now often behaved as the second hero of the film. Men now started wearing Western attire (shirt and pant). Women moved on from saris to chudidhars, pretty tight ones too :)
The 60s can be defined by films like Junglee, Aradhana, Kashmir Ki Kali, Waqt, Padosan and Jab Jab Phool Khile.

The 70s were a stark contrast - while on the one hand, you had rebels fighting against the system, living their every moment with revenge on their mind, going against corruption, you also had films depicting the common man, telling simple tales beautifully. This decade will be remembered as one which produced the finest action movies as well as the finest comedies. While there was a huge craze over certain actors, who became superstars, the concept of a hit-pair was also catching on.
Music changed gradually; it soon became a perfect blend of Indian and Western, with most of the songs of that decade being chosen for remixes today.
The clothes were now bell-bottoms for men, often wearing very colourful shirts. Women continued their tight-chudidhar trend, but you could sense the Western culture soon catching up in the second half of this decade. Heroines now started showing off their assets, something which until the 60s was restricted to the cabaret girl or the vamp only; but hats off to the directors who never once made it look vulgar on unsuitable for family-viewing.
The contrast spoken about the films of the 70s is evident from the films that described that decade - while you have Deewaar, Trishul, Zanjeer, Sholay, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Don, Aandhi, Qurbani and Karz on one hand, you have Chupke Chupke, Golmaal, Anand, Bawarchi, Guddi, Choti Si Baat and Rajnigandha on the other.

The 80s will probably go down as the worst decade as far as commercial cinema goes. While the first few years continued from where the 70s left off, with formulaic films like Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai and the common-man theme going well with films like Chashme Buddoor, Ghar and Katha, the mid 80s soon went into the social films mode again, but nowhere close to the level of the 50s. What this decade did do good, however, was open up a new face of cinema - parallel cinema was soon impressing the critics. While there was no difference between parallel cinema and the common-man cinema, general masses considered them different, probably because parallel cinema was more into depicting reality of the rural people of the country; usually not depicting the life of middle-class people in cities, which I think, was what most of the theatre-going crowd wanted. If you ask me, that is just an assumption. I really don't know what the difference between the two forms of cinema is; all I know is good cinema and bad cinema. That is probably why I'm disappointed that the so-called art films were restricted to a niche audience only.
Parallel-cinema will be known for it's gems like Arth, Ardh-Satya, Junoon, Kalyug, Manthan and Aakrosh.
The last two years of the 80s revived commercial cinema again; both Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Maine Pyar Kiya took the nation by storm, created new stars, brought in a fresh feel of film-making and music, and pretty much set the tone for the decade to follow.

The 90s was no different from the end of the 80s. Romantic films became the order of the day, each film differing in the narration stlye and not the story. Remakes now started in plenty, not just of movies but also music :)
The underworld depiction trend also can be contributed to the 90s.
The 90s will always be known for it's three ruling male stars. This decade also started the now very visible trend of limited shelf-life for female actors. Branded clothes were becoming the new trend for clothing.
The films depicting this decade well are Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Damini, Sarfarosh, Satya and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Finally, the 2000s. This decade is probably the most different from any of it's predecessors. There are now atleast a couple of films releasing every Friday, most of them by a new, young director. Usually small-budget films, they are released keeping the multiplex audience in mind; a trend started very recently. The big budget films are getting bigger and bigger in terms of budget, but lower and lower in terms of quality. The big-budget movies are usually rip-offs from Western and Asian films; the same can be said about their music as well.
However, there have been a few films that will go on to become classics eventually. Every year, we have a thousand bad films and either one or two films that stand out.
Marketing your film by using the media and reality shows has become the new style of gaining audience. The clothing is often nil; females have to wear bikinis and turn very skinny; while the males are no more capable of realistically depicting any character (after all, it's not often that the day-to-day 'common man' characters depicted in films have a certain number of abs to display, have huge biceps!)
The setting of the movies are very rarely in India, and the language spoken is bascially Hinglish.
While this decade will always be known for disasters at the box-office, let us try to look at the bright side of things by remembering films like Rang De Basanti, Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Chak De India, 3 Idiots, and the Munnabhai series, which will definitely go down as some of the best ever in Hindi cinema!

As I started out saying, I really can't say which decade is the best, which is the worst. I also can't say whether there has been any gradual improvement in the graph depicting the quality of films versus the decade made in; but I, actually WE can certainly hope and wish that Hindi cinema doesn't go to the dogs in the next decade and the ones to follow after that.

Remembering a legend: Vijay Anand (Part II)

Well, I've spoken about Vijay Anand as a great director, writer and actor in my last post; however the one talent about Goldie Sir which is always talked about by critics and his fans today is definitely his song picturization skills. There's no doubt he put in a lot of effort to make his songs look extra-special; something that took creativity to another level altogether!

Here, I am not going to list some of his songs in my ranking in terms of picturization; they are all brilliant in their own rights and cannot be compared. So I'm just going to go about writing about some excellent song picturizations of his chronologically.

1957: Film - Nau Do Gyarah.I had already spoken the song Hum Hai Rahi Pyar Ke in the previous post. Not going to speak much about it; but you can't help admire the picturisation when you see it. All it has is Dev Anand driving a truck, with a cigarette in his mouth, whistling and singing. As I had mentioned in an earlier post, simple is beautiful!
And who can forget his other gem from the movie (mind you, they're all one better than the other!) - Aankhon Mein Kya Ji - nobody can guess this is Vijay Anand's first ever film! Such wonderful romance depicted between Dev Anand and Kalpana Karthik (Dev's real life wife)besides a well, and then on a haystack ... what a concept ... and what amazing chemistry ... the song just about a right mixture of naughtiness, freshness of first love and of course very VERY romantic! So realistic that you can totally imagine yourself to be one of the actors and fall in love with the other instantly! Songs like these and Kali Ke Roop Mein, Kya Hai Phir Jo Din and O Soja Nindiya Ki Bela Hai from this fresh, debut film of his showed signs that this was a director who is a genius in the making.

1960: Film - Kala Bazaar. Vijay Anand was just about getting into the genius level when it comes to shooting songs from this film. Henceforth, almost all the songs in all the films from his prime period (until 1973) are worthy of talking about, but I'm only going to talk of a few of them. Well, back to Kala Bazaar, the style in which Upar Wala Jaan Kar Anjaan Hai was shot was simply extraordinary. This was a case of very intelligent song-writing and film-making, where Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman are sitting in the lower and upper berths in a train, and Dev is obviously flirting with Waheeda, but Waheeda's mother, who's sitting right opposite Dev, thinks Dev is singing songs for 'Uperwala' (God) and appears to be very happy with him for doing so. One of the songs you just HAVE to check out!
With great difficulty, I'm only choosing one more song from this film to write about. Khoya Khoya Chand, simply because this is the song that gave Dev his unique walking and running style. Shot very beautifully, amidst a foggy hill, this song just has Dev trying to impress Waheeda through his song. Of course, the walking and running was only because he was so much in love, and couldn't help but 'break free'!

1963: Film - Tere Ghar Ke Saamne. What else but the much talked about title song. Very ahead for it's times technically, this song has Dev Anand drinking and imagining Nutan in the bottom of his glass. A must-watch song again; and watch out for the scene where he puts a few ice cubes in the glass and imagines Nutan shivering in cold with the ice falling on her.
The other great picturized song from this film is obviously Dil Ka Bhanwar. First of all, this is THE only song ever picturized inside the Qutub Minar. No one is actually to shoot inside the Qutub Minar (now I hear we're not even allowed to go inside, but I'm not too sure), but the Government could easily make an exception for Dev saab! This song just has Dev romancing Nutan while climbing down the stairs of the Qutub Minar. Keep a look-out for a 'Hitchcock-ly' appearance from the great director himself in this song!

1965: Film - Guide. What do I talk about the songs of this film? Whether it's the evergreen Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, with Dev and Waheeda romancing with some excellently shot scenes of landscapes in the background, or the two of them in Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Rang Hai, with Dev promising Waheeda how much he loves her and will continue to do so. Or do I talk about Din Dhal Jaye, which has Dev Anand pouring his heart out in sorrow at night after a few drinks, when their relationship begins to turn sour, and he has only his servant for company; until of course Waheeda wakes up when she listens to Dev singing this song and watches him from the top of the stairs with both of them being so near yet so far, physically. There is of course the extraordinary two-song part in the film, with Saiyaan Be-imaan immediately being followed by Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya, which takes you into the mind of Dev Anand's character, with utmost care taken to ensure the lyrics match the situation perfectly! Who can also forget the song which appears along with the credits, Wahaan Kaun Hai Tera, the lyrics of which determine the state of Dev's character's thoughts, as he wonders whether to go home or make a new way for himself. A song which will definitely leave goosebumps on every audience member!
It's real tough to talk about those two songs without revealing the twists in the story, so I won't.
The two songs I will talk about are Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai and Piya Tose Naina Laga Re. Aaj Phir which depicts Waheeda's character shedding her inhibitions, freeing herself from her husband and breaking free, and the breaking of the pot was so metaphorical! Hats off to Goldie Sir's creativity yet again. Piya Tose is brilliant because it is used to carry the story forward several months in fast forward instead of subjecting the audience to an extra half-an-hour of movie time. In that very song of approximately 6 minutes duration, Waheeda starts dancing in front of audiences for the first time, they start converting small amounts into large sums thereby becoming rich and she becomes a nation-wide sensation towards the middle and end. Terrific thought process by Vijay Anand!

Okay, I realize this post is running long, so I'll try to cut it short here on.

1966: Film - Teesri Manzil. This film had amazing songs, with Vijay Anand doing full justice to each and every one of them. While it Main Inpe Marta Hoon picturized on a giantwheel (!!!) and O Mere Sona Re shot in the hills with Asha Parekh trying to lighten up a sulking Shammi Kapoor (delightful picturization), a lovely romantic song Tumne Mujhe Dekha (shot after Geeta Bali, Shammi's real-life wife's death), a mischevious Deewana Mujhse Nahin, a pep and extremely energetic Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar Tera, the one song that really stands out is O Haseena Zulfonwali. The use of the 'eye set' works wonders, and also the slide that Helen makes her appearance in. The dance was perfectly in accordance with not only the lyrics, but also the interlude music! Watch for Shammi's antics in all the interludes to realize that.

1967: Film - Jewel Thief. I think this film had the most real picturizations, yet we can imagine these to be the toughest songs to have shot. A song only showing Vyanjthimala rowing a boat and Dev Anand following her on another, Rula Ke Gaya Sapna Mera, can surely not be easy. Nor can Ye Dil Na Hota Bechara which has Dev Anand trying to 'play a bit' with Tanuja and her friends or Aasman Ke Neeche, which starts off with Dev Anand and Vyjanthimala lazing on a garden and Dev teasing the heroine. Same goes for Dil Pukare in which Dev and Vyjanthimala are only walking around the hills of Gangtok, which has never looked more beautiful ever! Raat Akeli Hai is perhaps the best seductive song ever seen on cinema, and yet the picturization is so naughty, yet real and clean. But where Vijay Anand goes an extra step is Hothon Pe Aisi Baat, a lovely song with a fantastic dance, but it's the way the lyrics and scenes carry the story forward that is extremely remarkable!

1970: Film - Johny Mera Naam. Vijay Anand made another double-meaning song, O Mere Raja (where Dev is confronting Hema about a diamond heist she did, while the police surrounding them think they are two lovers arguing), and another classic seduction song, Husn Ke Laakhon Rang, but somehow we got the feeling that Vijay Anand might not surpass his previous work in this film. Well, we only had to wait a little longer. No one apart from Vijay Anand could have converted a bhajan to a thriller, and Govind Bolo Hari Gopal Bolo is exactly that. But the song that is most remembered is, without a shadow of a doubt, Pal Bhar Ke Liye. This song is shot inside a house with Hema Malini inside and Dev Anand just mischeviously trying to get inside through all the doors and (numerous) windows that the house had and Hema's trying her best not to let Dev in. This song is something that just needs to be watched to be believed!

1971: Film - Tere Mere Sapne. Vijay Anand made simple look sweet yet again, with Hai Maine Kasam Li, where Dev Anand just takes Mumtaz around village fields on his cycle. Beautiful!

1973: Film - Chuppa Rustam. Not exactly a song, but you know you're in for a treat right from the credits appear, with a very engaging background score, along a rail-track! Can't really say much about this, except for PLEASE WATCH IT!

1973: Film - Blackmail. Raakhee reading Dharmendra's love-letters, and a breeze carries one of them outside to a plant, where it sticks on in perfect reading condition; Raakhee dreaming of Dharmendra throughout; Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas is a classic admired by even today's generation. And this is all actually happening in Dharmendra's dreams!
But I'll tell you what was the stand-out song from this film, in terms of picturization in my opinion - Mile Mile Do Badan. While the married Dharmendra and Raakhee had reached an agreement wherein they would never indulge in uh, marital acts, at the climax, while in hiding from Shatrughan and his henchmen and sniffer dogs in a jungle, covered by a few logs, the couple is clinging on to each other and gradually, they realize their love for each other and finally do it. This is simply Vijay Anand at his best!

No wonder then, that Vijay Anand is till-date remembered as a very intelligent film-maker, who always knew exactly what he wanted. And of course, someone who is always looked upon as the greatest director when it came to picturizing songs! The Hitchcock of Indian Cinema went beyond creating great thrills and suspense in scenes, and how!