Music is perhaps the language that has the power to directly connect to our souls and instill some rather mysterious feelings within us right away. I say mysterious because I really don't know what happens when you listen to something so soothing and wonderful, yet at times very lively - is that how people feel when in love, or is that ecstasy? In Hindi films, the music really hit the golden age in the early 50s when the style was completely reformed from that of the 40s, and the words I used in the beginning actually made sense. Shankar-Jaikishen are probably the ones to thank for that, and they are my absolute favourites for reasons more than just that. Yet, for some reason, I am writing my first 'Remembering A Legend' article dedicated to a music-director and it's for the other maestro from the 50s; one who would mesmerize us all with his soulful music for two and a half decades - Sachin Dev Burman.
There has always been something magical in S.D's music, and that was evident right from when he really hit off in Baazi - a fantastic album of eight songs, all so brilliant and different, we knew Hindi music had evolved and a genius was discovered. S.D used both the romantic side as well as the seductive side of Geeta Dutt marvellously in songs like Aaj Ki Raat Piya, Suno Gajar Kya Gaaye and the more popular Tadbeer Se Bigdi Hui and also Shamshad Begum very finely in Sharmaaye Kaahe.
The Anand family had always used S.D.Burman for their movies prior to Baazi and had S.D. perform music right from their first Navketan production. What Baazi would do is just strengthen their belief in this extraordinarily talented musician and use him for all of their 'home movies', and this colloboration would only prove to us youngsters why that time was called the 'Golden Era of Indian film music'.
When Dada Burman composed any song, you could be rest assured of something magical, but there's no doubt that he gave his best for Navketan films. The music would turn out to be evergreen and very, very endearing. Burmanda followed up Baazi with more timeless wonders like Jaayen To Jaayen Kahaan for Taxi Driver, Jeevan Ke Safar Mein Rahi for Munimji, Chup Hai Dharti for House No. 44 and some really different compositions for Funtoosh - Dukhi Man Mere, a lovely tragic song and two crazy numbers; Ae Meri Topi Palat Ke Aa and Denewala Jab Bhi Deta.
A major reason for S.D. producing his best for the Anand brothers and Navketan could be their intelligent sense of music and writing a perfect opportunity for song-setting. This was very much evident in their future collaborations, especially when Vijay Anand would take over the reigns. Some prime examples of this period were the absolute charmers like Maana Janaab Ne Pukara Nahin, which had Dev following Nutan in a cycle in Paying Guest or the more popular song from the same film - Chhod Do Aanchal. The same year had S.D. compose for the Anands in Nau Do Gyarah, and the songs that were to come out from this film would be not only superb, but also so pleasing that they can brighten up your mood any day any time! Songs like So Jaa Nindiya Ki Bela Hai and Aankhon Mein Kya Ji have got to be two of the most romantic duets in the history of Indian Cinema!
The Navketan-Burman combo then went on to provide music for films like Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Kaala Bazaar, Guide, Jewel Thief, Prem Pujari, Tere Mere Sapne and Gambler.
Romantics still sing to Dil Ka Bhanwar, Ek Ghar Banaoonga Tere Ghar Ke Saamne, Rimjhim Ke Taraane, Khoya Khoya Chand, Hai Maine Kasam Li and Rangeela Re with fond affection and feeling. As for Guide and Jewel Thief - what is there for me to speak about music from these films? No matter how much I write, it will be very less. All I want to add is that only S.D. could do something as genius as compose the back-to-back tracks, Saiyyan Be-imaan and Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya, from the same classical raaga to depict the same song from Raju and Rosy's (the characters of Dev and Waheeda) perspectives; and yet give them a distinct feel. Also, Piya Tose Naina Laga Re is such a wonderful musical treat - one does not feel it to be as long as it really is (about 8-9 minutes). As for Jewel Thief, that is another of S.D's best albums. If there is one fun romantic number that is always on everyone's mind, it has got to be Ye Dil Na Hota Bechaara; and what fantastic, energetic music that has in the interludes! And while Rula Ke Gaya Sapna is probably one of the best sad romantic numbers, this film has probably THE best seductress song - Raat Akeli Hai; the two numbers getting the best of the talents of the two sisters Lata and Asha respectively.
S.D. always gave his best for Dev Anand; there was no denying that; whether it was for Navketan or not, didn't really matter. S.D. surprisingly (atleast to me) made Hemant Kumar sing for Dev and the results were simply terrific - be it Hai Apna Dil To Awaara from Solva Saal or Na Tum Hamen Jaano from Baat Ek Raat Ki. The songs from Teen Devian have stood the test of time and will in all likeliness, always will - some smash hits being Likha Hai Teri Aankhon Mein, Arrey Yaar Meri Tum Bhi Ho Ghazab, Aise To Na Dekho and Khwab Ho Tum. Two other amazing and timeless duets that were to come from S.D. composing for Dev would be Deewana Mastana Hua Dil from Bombai Ka Babu and the naughty Achcha Ji Main Haari from Kala Pani, which can be heard over and over again continuously. When it came to duets, Rafi-Asha were always unstoppable and they have S.D's tunes to thank to a large extent for that, considering most of their magical romantic numbers were composed by Dada Burman.
If Dev Anand knew how to use S.D. well, how could his good friend Guru Dutt lag behind? While let's not forget Baazi was produced by Guru Dutt, true magic was experienced in probably one of the best albums of all time - Pyaasa. Songs were composed for some of the most unique situations and instructions must have been very strict from Dutt to carry the story forward in tunes that not sound very 'filmy', but in fact sound so natural that the audience don't even realize that a song has been completed right in front of them while watching the movie. Yet, these "musical words or dialogues" have become immortal - Jaane Woh Kaise Log The, Jinhe Naaz Hain Hind Par and Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To Kya Ho being two examples of this. They are simply three of the most fantastically written and composed songs ever! The lyrics have such a strong social meaning, it's hard to imagine how low the level of Bollywood songs have now stooped to, when we listen or even hum these songs. Who can forget Hum Aapki Aankhon Mein - a revolutionary method of picturizing songs in those days, and a song as sweet as that was just apt! His song Sar Jo Tera Chakraye is very popular even today, and always will. Not only is the song so wonderful, it's the subtle musical touches that contribute towards it's sheer brilliance, such as the music that corresponds to Johny Walker massaging (or drumming even) someone's head. Pyaasa is a film that used songs as a means of narrative, and that is always the hardest thing to pass off! While each song in this film can itself be a topic for a separate article, there is just no bigger example of S.D's genuis than Jaane Kya Tune Kahi - Geeta Dutt in a mischevious mood, song fitting the situation to a T and the music in the background - WOW! There are just no words to describe the beats in that song; beats that I can guarantee one would have never heard of in any other song! It is indeed tough to compose for Guru Dutt's extraordinary vision, but when given your heart and soul to it, combined with the kind of innate talent that S.D. possessed, the result would always be spectacular - such magic was re-created when Geeta rendered her voice for Waqt Ne Kiya in Kaagaz Ke Phool - everything in this song spelling G.E.N.I.U.S, be it the haunting tune, the lyrics, the singing or the picturization.
S.D. continued composing some incredible numbers for films like Ziddi, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Talash and Sharmeelee, wherein each song was better and now more legendary than the other.
Burmanda continued his extraordinary run of superhit evergreen songs in films like Jugnu, Anuraag and what is probably one of the most popular albums now, the legendary Aradhana! While all songs in the film stand out, the one song that deserves mention simply for being the first in the sensualism category is Roop Tera Mastana.
But if people thought that the S.D-Navketan form was just not there in his music anymore, S.D. came back with a bang when it was time to compose for Hrishikesh Mukherjee. While the songs of Chupke Chupke were all terrific and apt for the movie situation, Dada would outdo himself in two of Hrishikesh's masterpieces - Abhimaan and Mili. The best known song in Mili today is probably Maine Kaha Phoolon Se, and only S.D. could compose such a fun-loving song; a song with a zest for life like no other. Abhimaan still remains one of the most spectacular albums of all time. This was a movie that had music as the essence of the script, and it would go wrong even if one of the songs would not live up to S.D's high standards. Each song in this movie however surpassed the standard set by him. While my personal favourites remain Teri Bindiya Re and Ab To Hai Tumse, the song that made the movie what it is would obviously have to be Tere Mere Milan Ki Raina. The film was already so emotional and the ending rested on this one song alone, which would unite the separated couple by making them sing together; this song was to be the highlight of the film, the most emotional moment in the film. And what a fantastic scene it made for!
S.D's relations with the lead singers of that time were always good and friendly, except for a brief spat with Lata Mangeshkar. Thankfully, that didn't last very long and Lata was back for some soul-touching numbers for one cannot imagine songs of Guide or Abhimaan without her.Kishore Kumar never sang for any actor till the 60s except for Dev Anand, which is why most of Kishore's classics from this era have S.D's credits on the side. Mukesh, a singer who didn't geature in most of S.D's films, is known for his sad songs; and while most of them are for Shankar-Jaikishen, one cannout discount Chal Ri Sajni from Bombai Ka Babu as being one of his greatest; quite easily comparable to the other famous sad songs of his. S.D. used Talat Mahmood very effectively; and the best example is the famous "telephone song" - Jalte Hain Jiske Liye from Sujata. Hemant Kumar too, was used as well by Dada as he used himself! So nice to see a top music director use another top music director to sing for his compositions ... and they were both so much in awe of each other! Geeta Dutt, Mohd. Rafi and Asha Bhonsle's talents were utilized to the maximum by Burman. S.D however knew when the time was most right for a voice that needed to sound a bit folk and in some of the most touching situations; which is when he sang himself. There is just so much pain in songs like Mere Saajan Hai Us Paar from Bandini, Safal Hogi Teri Aradhana from Aradhana and Wahaan Kaun Hai Tera from Guide.
His immense talent is well evident from his vast range of music - while there is the soft and sweet Thandhi Hawaayein from Naujawan and Dekhne Mein Bhola Hai from Bombai Ka Babu, and the utterly romantic Mere Sapnon Ki Rani from Aradhana, there are also some absolutely madcap numbers like Hum The Woh The, Baju Samjho Ishaare and Paanche Rupaiya Baarah Aana from Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. While Guide had a lovely happy romantic number like Gaata Rahe Mera Dil, it also had a very sad (and beautiful) number in Din Dhal Jaaye. Chupke Chupke had a song with unusual beats (the tongue used when expressing sympathy to others in a teasing manner) in the form of Ab Ke Sajan Saawan Mein, while Meri Surat Teri Aankhen had a lovely classical number, Poocho Na Kaise Maine. While S.D. had such soothing, charming numbers like Shokiyon Mein Gola Jaaye from Prem Pujari and Bagiya Mein from Tere Mere Sapne, he also gave music to a faster romantic number like Choodi Nahin Mera Dil Hai from Gambler.
S.D's contributions to Indian Cinema extend even further than his own music or voice. One of the best movie albums of all-time, Hum Dono, was the first movie which his assistant, Jaydev, composed music for; and he would go on to become a big enough name in film music as well. Then of course, his best ever contribution would be his own son, Rahul, known simply as R.D.Burman or Pancham!
I realize now it's been almost three hours since I've been typing about S.D.Burman and am scared to even check my post later simply because I think this is going to turn out to be as long as the script of Sholay! I just want to end this article speaking about an incident I heard from Amit Kumar on Times Now's Total Recall, which I follow religiously (and I hope I remember this incident right - I certainly don't want to provide any false information on my blog). S.D. was very sick and most likely on his deathbed when the recordings of Mili were going on. There was just one song left to be composed - Badi Sooni Sooni Hai, and R.D. had been given the task to go and take his place, but S.D., from his oxygen mask, kept giving instructions to R.D saying when Kishore Kumar starts singing, please make him sing exactly the way I've always talked to you about, the beauty of the song lies in it's subtlety and the way I've imagined Kishore to sing.
That is passion! Even on his deathbed, the thing that kept going on S.D's mind was the incomplete song. That is perhaps the reason for his greatness and why his songs have always stood the test of time; and why there will never be music-directors like him anymore!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Average night ... few good memories
So the first award show of the year for Hindi films released in the calendar year of 2009 is over! As usual, the Star Screen Awards had a good attendance, some predictable nominees and a few surprise winners. Nothing too surprising to actually talk about on a blog. However, there were a lot of good memories from the show, which was not bad. Shahid Kapoor, Madhavan, Omi Vaidya (a.k.a Chatur Ramalingam) and Shahrukh Khan did a good job hosting, but quite frankly, the good moments from the show came elsewhere.
Here is the countdown of my favourite moments from the show:
7. Salman Khan dancing with kids. Yes, which other star in the industry can oblige his fans by agreeing to dance with them on stage after their request, and small children that too! In an age where stars prefer to dance either alone or with their co-actors only, Sallu bhai is a bit hatke!
6. Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan's Award speeches. The only reason I've included Vidya Balan in this list is because you could feel her speech being spoken by her heart and not mind. The sheer happiness on the face with the obvious self-realization that she has gotten over her wardrobe sneers and is now on the verge of becoming the star she so truly deserves to be, was something worth watching. Amitabh Bachchan's speech was special because he signed off by praising Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and the entire team of 3 Idiots for making quite possibly one of the best movies of all time. An actor praising a film of which he was not even a part of, while accepting an award, is something you don't get to see very often. Hats off to Amitabh Bachchan and the entire cast and crew of 3 Idiots for making the Big B say so.
5. Vidhu Vinod Chopra making fun of himself by shouting Shut Up, Shut Up, Shut Up, with his fingers pointed at the hosts who prompted him to say so, on obvious reference to the press conference controversy just after 3 Idiots' release.
4. The Prem Chopra tribute. There was a time when SRK and Shahid were talking about heroines bathing under waterfalls and having DVDs of such movies, and that was fine. But the topic then moved to the pose given by heroines of the 70s and 80s while about to get raped in a hotel room. Now obviously, being a major Hindi film fan, the very mention of such a sentence brought up none other Prem Chopra's picture in my mind. It then changed to Ranjeet and Shakti Kapoor after some time but moved back to Prem Chopra again. Looks like the cameramen of Screen Awards too had similar thoughts going in their mind; for there on camera was seated a very smiling Prem Chopra, whose memory I'm sure would have gone back to his fun days as the womanising villain as well (and would have had a hint the cameras would be focussing on him now).
2. At number 2, I have a tie between two great moments. Javed Akhtar's speech for Lifetime Achievement and Vidhu Vinod Chopra paying tribute to Dev Anand.
Javed Akhtar, in his speech, expressed his disappointment over the songs of today, as he rightfully pointed out, there's no meaning in the songs of today. Lyrics are getting crappier day by day, and that songs of today are not an iota of the quality that old songs would have. It's a point one can easily agree on - songs of those times had fantastic lyrics, which would always suit the situation they were placed for; which is why for example, most ad-makers of today reference those older songs in their advertisements. Today's songs just don't fit situations at all! Not only do the songs have no meanings, the words too sound very amateurish! But the point I liked best was the other reality Javed saab pointed - he said that when music directors of today are questioned over the poor quality of their tunes, they immediately reply saying that this is the music the youth of today enjoy; but in reality if you were to ask the youth what they want, they would say they want songs the way they were made back in the good old days. Javed Akhtar couldn't have been more spot on in his observations about today's generation. Every person I know who has heard old Hindi songs (I'm just restricting this to Hindi movies for that's the area I'm most comfortable speaking about) always say that those songs were truly memorable and timeless. In fact, while playing Antakshari, no one even remembers a Hindi song of the same year even if it came out just a couple of months back. But songs from the 40s to the 80s - they are there on everybody's mind and tongue.
One beautiful moment came when Vidhu Vinod Chopra called the legendary Dev Anand the biggest idiot in the industry for still making films at this age (he meant it in a nice way of course. And by the way, Dev Anand is 87 years old now). He went up to him and asked him if he could ask a question. (Meanwhile SRK saw Dev Anand, rushed towards him, and touched his feet).Dev Anand immediately stood up from his seat (good manners!) and confidently asked him to ask whatever he wanted to. 87 years, and still speaking so well. He truly is evergreen! Anyway, coming back to the scene, VVC asked Dev sir for his inspiration, what keeps him going despite his age. Dev Anand replied saying it's good filmmakers and actors like you that make me want to compete with you. And the feeling you get that whatever I've done, I've given it my best! A perfect tribute to the never-say-die spirit of Dev Anand. I'm personally happy atleast someone approached him during the ceremony. A guy of his age and stature, sitting alone, can be a depressing sight for his fans ... I was real glad this conversation happened.
1. The highlight of the evening for me were the Salman-Aish moments. It all started with the nominations for Jodi Of The Decade. And the first nomination was Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Aishwarya Rai, who was sitting next to her husband Abhishek and holding hands with him, had the shock of her life. You could see her getting nervous for a brief moment. But the expression on her face was something to look at! Surprisingly, it was more of happiness and pride than embarassment or anger. Well, there were plenty of surprises to come. And they arrived when the show saved for the last happened. Salman Khan was dancing with his fans and quite expectedly, the camera kept zooming towards Shahrukh and Aishwarya alternately. But Aishwarya's expressions kept surprising us each time the camera fell on her. At first, she looked really happy seeing Salman dance, later her expressions were those of pride and respect for Salman and I can swear the last couple of zoom-ins on her, she was actually blushing! She looked like a shy bride on her wedding night each time! And this is something you can verify as well. That is a sight I'll never forget in my entire lifetime!
Well, looking forward to the Filmfare Awards now. But I doubt anything could better Aishwarya blushing at the sight of Salman :)
Here is the countdown of my favourite moments from the show:
7. Salman Khan dancing with kids. Yes, which other star in the industry can oblige his fans by agreeing to dance with them on stage after their request, and small children that too! In an age where stars prefer to dance either alone or with their co-actors only, Sallu bhai is a bit hatke!
6. Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan's Award speeches. The only reason I've included Vidya Balan in this list is because you could feel her speech being spoken by her heart and not mind. The sheer happiness on the face with the obvious self-realization that she has gotten over her wardrobe sneers and is now on the verge of becoming the star she so truly deserves to be, was something worth watching. Amitabh Bachchan's speech was special because he signed off by praising Rajkumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and the entire team of 3 Idiots for making quite possibly one of the best movies of all time. An actor praising a film of which he was not even a part of, while accepting an award, is something you don't get to see very often. Hats off to Amitabh Bachchan and the entire cast and crew of 3 Idiots for making the Big B say so.
5. Vidhu Vinod Chopra making fun of himself by shouting Shut Up, Shut Up, Shut Up, with his fingers pointed at the hosts who prompted him to say so, on obvious reference to the press conference controversy just after 3 Idiots' release.
4. The Prem Chopra tribute. There was a time when SRK and Shahid were talking about heroines bathing under waterfalls and having DVDs of such movies, and that was fine. But the topic then moved to the pose given by heroines of the 70s and 80s while about to get raped in a hotel room. Now obviously, being a major Hindi film fan, the very mention of such a sentence brought up none other Prem Chopra's picture in my mind. It then changed to Ranjeet and Shakti Kapoor after some time but moved back to Prem Chopra again. Looks like the cameramen of Screen Awards too had similar thoughts going in their mind; for there on camera was seated a very smiling Prem Chopra, whose memory I'm sure would have gone back to his fun days as the womanising villain as well (and would have had a hint the cameras would be focussing on him now).
2. At number 2, I have a tie between two great moments. Javed Akhtar's speech for Lifetime Achievement and Vidhu Vinod Chopra paying tribute to Dev Anand.
Javed Akhtar, in his speech, expressed his disappointment over the songs of today, as he rightfully pointed out, there's no meaning in the songs of today. Lyrics are getting crappier day by day, and that songs of today are not an iota of the quality that old songs would have. It's a point one can easily agree on - songs of those times had fantastic lyrics, which would always suit the situation they were placed for; which is why for example, most ad-makers of today reference those older songs in their advertisements. Today's songs just don't fit situations at all! Not only do the songs have no meanings, the words too sound very amateurish! But the point I liked best was the other reality Javed saab pointed - he said that when music directors of today are questioned over the poor quality of their tunes, they immediately reply saying that this is the music the youth of today enjoy; but in reality if you were to ask the youth what they want, they would say they want songs the way they were made back in the good old days. Javed Akhtar couldn't have been more spot on in his observations about today's generation. Every person I know who has heard old Hindi songs (I'm just restricting this to Hindi movies for that's the area I'm most comfortable speaking about) always say that those songs were truly memorable and timeless. In fact, while playing Antakshari, no one even remembers a Hindi song of the same year even if it came out just a couple of months back. But songs from the 40s to the 80s - they are there on everybody's mind and tongue.
One beautiful moment came when Vidhu Vinod Chopra called the legendary Dev Anand the biggest idiot in the industry for still making films at this age (he meant it in a nice way of course. And by the way, Dev Anand is 87 years old now). He went up to him and asked him if he could ask a question. (Meanwhile SRK saw Dev Anand, rushed towards him, and touched his feet).Dev Anand immediately stood up from his seat (good manners!) and confidently asked him to ask whatever he wanted to. 87 years, and still speaking so well. He truly is evergreen! Anyway, coming back to the scene, VVC asked Dev sir for his inspiration, what keeps him going despite his age. Dev Anand replied saying it's good filmmakers and actors like you that make me want to compete with you. And the feeling you get that whatever I've done, I've given it my best! A perfect tribute to the never-say-die spirit of Dev Anand. I'm personally happy atleast someone approached him during the ceremony. A guy of his age and stature, sitting alone, can be a depressing sight for his fans ... I was real glad this conversation happened.
1. The highlight of the evening for me were the Salman-Aish moments. It all started with the nominations for Jodi Of The Decade. And the first nomination was Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Aishwarya Rai, who was sitting next to her husband Abhishek and holding hands with him, had the shock of her life. You could see her getting nervous for a brief moment. But the expression on her face was something to look at! Surprisingly, it was more of happiness and pride than embarassment or anger. Well, there were plenty of surprises to come. And they arrived when the show saved for the last happened. Salman Khan was dancing with his fans and quite expectedly, the camera kept zooming towards Shahrukh and Aishwarya alternately. But Aishwarya's expressions kept surprising us each time the camera fell on her. At first, she looked really happy seeing Salman dance, later her expressions were those of pride and respect for Salman and I can swear the last couple of zoom-ins on her, she was actually blushing! She looked like a shy bride on her wedding night each time! And this is something you can verify as well. That is a sight I'll never forget in my entire lifetime!
Well, looking forward to the Filmfare Awards now. But I doubt anything could better Aishwarya blushing at the sight of Salman :)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Remembering a legend: Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor ... what do I say about him? Just the very mention of his name and I imagine a healthy man swinging to some of the most wonderful songs you can hear, a man probably the most energetic I've ever seen on celluloid, a man whose antics on screen can never make you stop laughing or smiling, a man whose hair could dance better than most of the actors India has ever seen, a man whose films will always remain evergreen, a man who could rule the industry for over a decade despite being slightly overweight, a man who paid as much attention for the various subtleties in his songs and provided a right action or step for it. This was a man who had broken away from the Kapoor tradition of socialist idealogies to the typical filmy lost-and-found themes and later on to comedies that would stand the test of time, and of course a classic suspense movie, regarded as the benchmark for thrillers. Here's celebrating the never-say-die attitude of Shammi Kapoor, a man whose love for cinema and celebrities is contagious, a man whose films and songs are so addictive!
Shammi Kapoor was quite a struggler in the beginning of his career, despite having been part of films like Laila Majnu and Jeewan Jyoti in 1953, but none of them left their mark at the box-office. It was only four years later, when Nasir Hussain cast him in Tumsa Nahin Dekha (which Dev Anand refused) that his luck changed. This movie completely rejuvenated Shammi - he now had a new look (unshaven moustache), a new style (that of the playful Shammi Kapoor we all know and love, having been forced to move out of the Raj Kapoor style of acting), a new kind of music (energetic, foot-tapping), a new singer (and from now on someone who would sing ALL his songs and form one of the most formidable partnerships the industry has ever seen - Mohammed Rafi) and for probably the first time an actress who was more junior than him in the film industry. The film became a huge hit and Shammi followed the success of this film with immediate hits like Dil Deke Dekho, Dil Tera Deewana, Basant and Chinatown. Acting talent was never at doubt as far as Shammi Kapoor went, right from the beginning, but the 'Shammi Kapoor touch' was exactly what his films and the audiences wanted.
Shammi Kapoor was now hot property and his stock went highest when we were to first see him in colour, and what a sight that was - Shammi Kapoor sliding down the snowy hills of Shimla (projected to be Kashmir in the movie) shouting Yahooooo at the top of his voice. Junglee was one of the biggest hits of that year, and a star had just been born. Shammi Kapoor then followed it up with some other huge hits like Professor, Kashmir Ki Kali, Jaanwar, Bluff Master and Rajkumar. All these films had memorable storylines, evergreen music and of course, the Shammi Kapoor touch.
By now, it was a fact that if any producer/director wanted to cast a new leading lady, Shammi Kapoor had to be the star to act alongside. This is a trait not many people have; giving breaks to newcomers and putting your own stardom at risk. But Shammi's risks (and the producers' of course!) paid off and how - we got some legendary actresses like Asha Parekh, Sharmila Tagore and Saira Banu.
The films by now had established Shammi Kapoor as an actor who could pull off comedy like no other. He had also proven his mettle in melodrama and romance, and is often considered one of the most romantic actors of all time.
However, if there was any person who was his biggest critic, he was proven wrong when Shammi Kapoor followed up these light-romantic-family movies with Teesri Manzil, which easily goes down as one of his toughest roles. A drummer accused of murder, Shammi got his act perfect when it came to balancing romance and mischief in scenes with Asha Parekh, a suspect when it came to scenes with Rashid Khan and Helen, comedy in the very famous train scene with Asha Parekh and Ram Avtar, a young naive man when it came to scenes with Prem Nath, a state of shock when he unravels the murderer's true identity (and what a scene that was!) and a true hero in the climax. He is now remembered best from that movie as a drummer and dancer who totally revolutionised the industry. The mere mention of Teesri Manzil reminds us of the rock-and-roll, foot-tapping music that took place in clubs, songs like O Haseena Zulfon Wali, Aaja Aaja and Tumne Mujhe Dekha.
However, this period saw the untimely death of Shammi Kapoor's wife, the great and legendary Geeta Bali, from small-pox, which led to Shammi's period of depression and him putting on oodles of weight. This period, even though had him being a bit overweight, saw some other great movies coming out, like Prince, An Evening In Paris and Brahmachari. In fact, Brahmachari swept many Filmfare Awards that year, including a very well-deserved Best Actor for Shammi. Shammi Kapoor's last major hit as a leading actor came in 1971; Andaz was a huge hit and a film that made stars out of Hema Malini and Ramesh Sippy, the director.
Post Andaz, Shammi voluntarily stepped down from leading roles. However, his mere screen presence was enough to delight audiences in films like Yeh Vaada Raha, Prem Rog, Shalimar, Vidhaata (for which he won his second Filmfare), Hero, Betaab, Sohni Mahiwal, Ijaazat, Prem Granth and Jaanam Samjha Karo.
With such a wonderful filmography, it's no wonder that Shammi Kapoor is rightfully considered as one of India's top stars. Many actors have come and gone, but none have left an impression quite like Shammi Kapoor has; and that impression was a product of his good nature, the true friendship he had with his colleagues, his acting work, his songs which are sung and danced to till today and a style which NO mimicry artist has ever been able to copy, and chances are, never will.
A toast ... to the most distinct star cinema has ever seen!
Shammi Kapoor was quite a struggler in the beginning of his career, despite having been part of films like Laila Majnu and Jeewan Jyoti in 1953, but none of them left their mark at the box-office. It was only four years later, when Nasir Hussain cast him in Tumsa Nahin Dekha (which Dev Anand refused) that his luck changed. This movie completely rejuvenated Shammi - he now had a new look (unshaven moustache), a new style (that of the playful Shammi Kapoor we all know and love, having been forced to move out of the Raj Kapoor style of acting), a new kind of music (energetic, foot-tapping), a new singer (and from now on someone who would sing ALL his songs and form one of the most formidable partnerships the industry has ever seen - Mohammed Rafi) and for probably the first time an actress who was more junior than him in the film industry. The film became a huge hit and Shammi followed the success of this film with immediate hits like Dil Deke Dekho, Dil Tera Deewana, Basant and Chinatown. Acting talent was never at doubt as far as Shammi Kapoor went, right from the beginning, but the 'Shammi Kapoor touch' was exactly what his films and the audiences wanted.
Shammi Kapoor was now hot property and his stock went highest when we were to first see him in colour, and what a sight that was - Shammi Kapoor sliding down the snowy hills of Shimla (projected to be Kashmir in the movie) shouting Yahooooo at the top of his voice. Junglee was one of the biggest hits of that year, and a star had just been born. Shammi Kapoor then followed it up with some other huge hits like Professor, Kashmir Ki Kali, Jaanwar, Bluff Master and Rajkumar. All these films had memorable storylines, evergreen music and of course, the Shammi Kapoor touch.
By now, it was a fact that if any producer/director wanted to cast a new leading lady, Shammi Kapoor had to be the star to act alongside. This is a trait not many people have; giving breaks to newcomers and putting your own stardom at risk. But Shammi's risks (and the producers' of course!) paid off and how - we got some legendary actresses like Asha Parekh, Sharmila Tagore and Saira Banu.
The films by now had established Shammi Kapoor as an actor who could pull off comedy like no other. He had also proven his mettle in melodrama and romance, and is often considered one of the most romantic actors of all time.
However, if there was any person who was his biggest critic, he was proven wrong when Shammi Kapoor followed up these light-romantic-family movies with Teesri Manzil, which easily goes down as one of his toughest roles. A drummer accused of murder, Shammi got his act perfect when it came to balancing romance and mischief in scenes with Asha Parekh, a suspect when it came to scenes with Rashid Khan and Helen, comedy in the very famous train scene with Asha Parekh and Ram Avtar, a young naive man when it came to scenes with Prem Nath, a state of shock when he unravels the murderer's true identity (and what a scene that was!) and a true hero in the climax. He is now remembered best from that movie as a drummer and dancer who totally revolutionised the industry. The mere mention of Teesri Manzil reminds us of the rock-and-roll, foot-tapping music that took place in clubs, songs like O Haseena Zulfon Wali, Aaja Aaja and Tumne Mujhe Dekha.
However, this period saw the untimely death of Shammi Kapoor's wife, the great and legendary Geeta Bali, from small-pox, which led to Shammi's period of depression and him putting on oodles of weight. This period, even though had him being a bit overweight, saw some other great movies coming out, like Prince, An Evening In Paris and Brahmachari. In fact, Brahmachari swept many Filmfare Awards that year, including a very well-deserved Best Actor for Shammi. Shammi Kapoor's last major hit as a leading actor came in 1971; Andaz was a huge hit and a film that made stars out of Hema Malini and Ramesh Sippy, the director.
Post Andaz, Shammi voluntarily stepped down from leading roles. However, his mere screen presence was enough to delight audiences in films like Yeh Vaada Raha, Prem Rog, Shalimar, Vidhaata (for which he won his second Filmfare), Hero, Betaab, Sohni Mahiwal, Ijaazat, Prem Granth and Jaanam Samjha Karo.
With such a wonderful filmography, it's no wonder that Shammi Kapoor is rightfully considered as one of India's top stars. Many actors have come and gone, but none have left an impression quite like Shammi Kapoor has; and that impression was a product of his good nature, the true friendship he had with his colleagues, his acting work, his songs which are sung and danced to till today and a style which NO mimicry artist has ever been able to copy, and chances are, never will.
A toast ... to the most distinct star cinema has ever seen!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
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 :)
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 :)
Monday, December 21, 2009
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!
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!
Monday, December 14, 2009
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.
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.
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