Happy birthday to Shammi Kapoor.

Happy birthday to Shammi Kapoor.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to rock and roll star Shammi Kapoor on 21st October, 2010. He had remained a dancing sensation in the 60s.

Although in the early part of his career he had mediocre films like Laila Majnu, he bounced back in style with the film Tumsa Nahi Dekha in 1957 and Dil Deke Dekho in 1959. His stylish andaz and dancing mannerisms like Elvis Priestley created a separate image before the viewers. He in fact modernized Indian films.

His combination with Shankar Jaikishan and Mohammad Rafi was very grand. SJ composed music in almost 22 films of Shammi Kapoor and the songs of those films are still considered musical gems. Hit songs include “ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar”, “meri yaar shabba khair” sung by Rafi, composed by SJ in Junglee, “tumse accha kaun hai”, “lal chari”, sung by Rafi, composed by SJ in Janwar, “aye gulbadan”, “awaz deke” composed by SJ sung by Rafi in the film Professor, “tumne pukara aur hum chale aye”, “yeh rang badalti duniya me” composed by SJ, sung by Rafi in the film Raj Kumar, “aasmaan se aya farishta”, “raat ke humsafar”, “akele akele kahan ja rahe ho” composed by SJ and sung by Rafi in the film An Evening in Paris, “mai gayun tum so jayo”, “aajkal tere mere pyar ke charche”, “dil ke jharoke me” composed by SJ sung by Rafi in the film Brahmchari, to name a few. The list can go on.

Shammi Kapoor received filmfare award for best actor only once, for the performance in the film Brahmchari in 1968. But that cannot show his dominance in bollywood films in the 60s. If Rajender Kumar portrayed the sophisticated style of romance in the 60s, Shammi Kapoor portrayed the westernized dimension. Actors like Joy Mukherjee, Biswajeet followed the Shammi Kapoor style and got success in contemporary films like Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, Mere Sanam, etc.

Shammi Kapoor acted opposite all the leading actresses of bollywood films in the 60s, including Sharmila Tagore in Kashmir Ki Kali, Sadhna in Raj Kumar, Asha Parekh in Teesri Manzil, Saira Banu in Junglee, Rajashree in Janwar, Hema Malini in Andaz, Mala Sinha in Dil Tera Diwana, Nutan in Laatsahab, etc. After the 70s, he switched to character roles and there also showed his skills.

Some of his memorable films in old age include Betaab, Bidhata, Prem Rog, Parvarish, etc. His films and songs should be restored to remember the golden age of Indian films with colourful music.

Happy birthday to Asha Parekh.

Happy birthday to Asha Parekh.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Asha Parekh on 2nd October, 2010. She had been a dancing legend of the 60s. Bollywood industry is indebted to her for her brilliant performance in various films.

She started her career opposite Shammi Kapoor in the film Dil Deke Dekho in 1959. The film did great business with hit songs composed by Usha Khanna including “dil deke dekho” sung by Rafi. After that she acted in musical blockbusters most of which were directed by Nasir Hussain. She was sublime in the film Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai opposite Dev Anand. The songs in the film composed by Shankar Jaikishan like “sau saal pehle”, “yeh ankhe uff yumma”, “teri zulfon ki”, “jiya ho” became rich assets of history.

Asha Parekh had a fantastic combination with Joy Mukherjee. Her films Ziddi, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon and Love in Tokyo became superhit. Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon was shot in Kashmir, while Love in Tokyo was shot in Japan. The romantic scenery entertained the viewers. The songs in most of these films composed by OP Nayyar and Shankar Jaikishan stormed box-office. The most famous songs included “banda parwar”, “lakhon hai nigahon me”, “raton ka sila”, “nazneen bara rangin hai wada tera”, “japan, love in Tokyo”, “hume tum mil gaye humdum”, “o mere shahekhuba”, etc. Similarly Asha Parekh’s combination with Biswajeet and Shammi Kapoor was very grand. Her film Mere Sanam with Biswajeet was another musical blockbuster. All the songs of the film like “pukarta chala hoon mai”, “humdum mere maan bhi jayo”, “hue hai tumpe aashiq hum bhala mano bura mano” sung by Rafi stormed box-office in the mid-60s.

Asha Parekh played many serious roles in films like Chirag opposite Sunil Dutt, Kati Patang opposite Rajesh Khanna, Upkaar opposite Manoj Kumar, etc. She got critical acclamation for performance in the film Chirag. Asha Parekh dancing skills gave her a separate recognition during an age when actresses like Vaijayantimala, Rajashree, Mumtaz, Padmini were already created sensation in bollywood.

Asha Parekh’s performance in the film Carwan opposite Jeetender requires special mention. She proved her dancing skills opposite other renowned dancers in the film like Helen and Aruna Irani. She also acted in character roles in films like Bulandi, Kaalia, etc., in the 80s. The viewers expect her to continue the great work in character roles in the years to come.

Rafi's soft numbers for Shammi Kapoor composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

Rafi’s soft numbers for Shammi Kapoor composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

Rafi had sung 341 songs composed by Shankar Jaikishan during his illustrious career with 216 solos. Very significantly 3 of the filmfare awards that Rafi received during 60s had been composed by Shankar Jaikishan. They included “teri pyari pyari surat ko kiski nazar na lage” from the film Sasural, “baharon phool barsao” from the film Suraj and “dilke jharoke me mujhko bithaker” from the film Brahmchari.

But in the list of songs sung by Rafi and composed by Shankar Jaikishan, at least half of the total sungs were composed for Shammi Kapoor. Shammi Kapoor and Shankar Jaikishan worked together for around 22 films, most of which did great business in the 60s.

If Rafi’s songs sung for Shammi Kapoor are remembered for the loud music and melo-dramatic dance numbers, there were lot of songs which were ever romantic and touched the hearts of the viewers. In the film Junglee, Rafi’s songs “ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar” and “meri yaar shabba khair” had very melodious appeal and the sweetness of Rafi haunted the listeners for years.

In Shammi Kapoor’s Professor, the songs “awaz deke hume tum bulayo”, “mai chali mai chali”, probably had set the mood of the film. From that time Rafi, Shammi Kapoor and Shankar Jaikishan created magic in one film after the other. In Raj Kumar, Rafi’s soft numbers for Shammi Kapoor like “yeh rang badalti duniya me”, “tumne kisiki jaan ko jate hue dekha hai” made the viewers speechless.

Even the western numbers of Shankar Jaikishan for Rafi stole the hearts in the 60s. In the film Janwar, Rafi’s number “meri muhabbat jawan rahegi” and “humko hai tumse pyar” had been the most romantic songs in the film, where the landscape of Kashmir and Rafi’s melodious voice complimented each other. In the film An Evening in Paris, Rafi’s songs “akele akele kahan ja rahe ho” and “raat ke humsafar” were the most romantic numbers which were more melodious than the loud numbers which equally became hits.

In Shammi Kapoor’s Brahmachari, probably the best songs included “mai gayun tum so jayo” and “dil ke jharoke mai”. “mai gayun tum so jayo” was sung twice by Rafi in the film, one with a even slower rhythm. Shankar Jaikishan’s background music was as brilliant as Rafi’s singing style for Shammi Kapoor. In the film Tumse Accha Kaun Hai, Rafi’s soft number “janam janam ka saath hai” had remained evergreen and melodious for years. In Latt Sahab, Rafi’s romantic number with Asha Bhosle titled “aye chaand zara ruk ja” haunted the listeners for years after years. Rafi and Shankar Jaikishan combined together in other films of Shammi Kapoor like Prince, Buttameez, Laat Sahab, Bluff Master, Ujala, Chote Sarkar, Hong Kong, etc. There were many more romantic numbers of Rafi sung for Shammi Kapoor, which cannot be covered in a small article.

In Shammi Kapoor’s Jawan Muhabbat, the song “jawan muhabbat jahan jahan hai” was very romantic. The last film where Shankar and Jaikishan worked together for Shammi Kapoor included Andaz. The songs “dil use do jo jaan de de” and “re mamma re mamma re” were brilliant both in form and orchestration. It was very unfortunate that Jaikishan died in 1971,and after that Shammi Kapoor also added weight and switched to character roles in films like Zameer, Parvarish, etc. The magical combination of Shankar Jaikishan, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi ended and the era of romantic songs also suffered a set back.

Some section of listeners argue that Rajender Kumar probably received the more romantic numbers sung by Rafi and composed by Shankar Jaikishan, but Shammi Kapoor’s combination with Rafi and Shankar Jaikishan was phenomenal which swept the youth and took them to a different inspite of Shammi Kapoor being called a rebel star and Shankar Jaikishan providing the most loud bomblastic numbers for Rafi.

The songs and the films of the legendary combination of Shammi Kapoor, Rafi and Shankar Jaikishan should be preserved.

Rafi's soft number composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

Rafi’s soft numbers composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

Mohammad Rafi was the virtual ruler of world of playback singing in the 60s. As far as his combination with Shankar Jaikishan is concerned, generally the loud numbers gather popularity due to the pomp and grandeur of those songs.

For example Rafi’s song “chahe koi mujhe jungle kahen” in Junglee, picturised on Shammi Kapoor, “kaun hai jo sapno me aya” in Jhuk Gaya Aasman picturised on Rajender Kumar, “jiya ho jiya ho jiya kuch bol do” in Jab Par Kisi Se Hota Hai, picturised on Dev Anand, “Japan, Love in Tokyo”, in Love in Tokyo, picturised on Joy Mukherjee, “april fool banaya, in April Fool picturised on Biswajeet , etc., were the most popular songs of those films. Shankar Jaikishan’s innovative orchestrations were involved with all these songs.

But if SJ’s softer numbers are looked at they provided gems for Rafi during the 50s and 60s. In Shammi Kapoor’s Junglee, “ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar” was a masterpiece where Rafi’s romantic presentation can take anyone to a different world. In Rajender Kumar’s Humrahi, “mujhko aapne gale lagalo” was a brilliant song where Rafi’s andaz was as outstanding as that of Mubarak Begum. Aye Milan Ki Bela had evergreen gems embedded in them. All the soft numbers of Rafi like “tum khamseen ho”, “to bura maan gaye”, “o sanam tere ho gaye hum” created everlasting appeal in the minds of the youth of the 60s.

SJ matured into the country most glamourous western composers by mid-60s. Rafi’s brilliant voice was complimented by superlative utilization of western instruments in most of the songs of SJ during that period. In Biswajeet’s April Fool Rafi’s presentation of “aa gale lag ja” showed him to be a Hollywood singer whose rendition had Western andaz. In Joy Mukherjee’s Love In Tokyo, Rafi presented the seductive andaz in the song “aaja re aa zara aa” which can put anyone to sleep. Rafi’s ghazal andaz in the same film “o mere shahe khuba” had equally everlasting appeal.

In Rajender Kumar’s Zindagi, “pehele milethe sapno me” showed Rafi’s effortlessness in rendering romantic songs. All the songs of Rajender Kumar’s Aman were brilliant. Especially “surahidar garden koel si hi awaz”, and “aaj ki raat” had Rafi’s powerful level of intonation to back up SJ’s romantic andaz. Besides the orchestration had Japanese flavor.

In Shammi Kapoor’s Professor, “awaz deke hume tum bulayo” created the tempo for the film. All the duets in that film created sensation including “mai chali mai chali”. Rafi complimented Lata in most of the duets backed by SJ’s effective use of sexaphone. In Shammi Kapoor’s An Evening in Paris, Rafi’s measured number in the duet song “raat ke humsafar” probably had the most intoxicating appeal in the entire film as against the loud numbers like “aasmaan se aya farishta”.

Rajender Kumar’s musical blockbuster Aarzoo, probably had Rafi at his best. If “aye nargisi mastana” showed Rafi’s effortlessness, “aji hum se bachkar” showed Rafi’s classical control, where as “chalke tere aankho sharab aur ziada” showed Rafi’s brilliant ghazal andaz. Rafi was at his best in Rajender Kumar’s Suraj as well. All the songs in the film had grand appeal. Probably the songs “kaise samjhayun” and “baharon phool barsayo” received the viewers’ attention. But “gustaqi maaf” and “itna hai tujhse pyar mujhe” were more melodious.

Shammi Kapoor’s Brahmchari had the theme music “mai gayun tum so jayo”. The song had been played a number of times by Shankar Jaikishan once too slowly while the other at a faster pace. Rafi was equally romantic in both the songs. Besides “dil ke jharoke me” was an experiment of SJ asking Rafi to sing at a high note which he did in style. In Shammi Kapoor’s Raj Kumar “tumne kisi ki jaan ko jate hue dekha hai” and “yeh rangbirangee duniya me” Rafi’s romantic rendition appealed to the masses.

In Dharmender’s Pyar Hi Pyar, Rafi showed the ghazal andaz in the song “dekha hai teri aankho me pyar hi pyar beshumar”. In Jeetender’s Mere Huzoor, Rafi’s song “rukh se zara naqab, uta do mere huzur” expressed the shy delivery of the hero. In Raj Kumar’s Lal Patthar “unke khayal aye to” showed Rafi’s royal andaz or probably the badshahi andaz in delivering as the characters were related to Indian history of kings.

In Dev Anand’s Pyar Muhobbat, “dil ki awaz khuda khair Karen” had an enchanting appeal. Again Rafi’s seductive andaz in Manoj Kumar’s Gumnaam in “jane chaman shola badan” entertained the viewers and listeners. Rafi presented the songs in Uttam Kumar’s Choti Si Mulakat also with stylish westernized manner. Viewers can also cherish Rafi’s song “tum hi tum ho” in Raj Kapoor’s Ek Dil Sau Afsane picturised on Raj Kapoor. “Khuda bhi aasman se” in Rajender Kumar’s Dharti is still unforgettable even today. The list of SJ’s soft numbers for Rafi can go on.

Some way or the other SJ’s relationship with Rafi never got predominance due to erroneous interpretation of Shankar Jaikishan over the years by the media. Just because SJ were associated with Showman Raj Kapoor in almost 20 films, so the entire focus went to Mukesh and Manna Dey’s songs composed by SJ. But if the rest of SJ’s creations in almost 170 films are analysed it will be seen that Rafi had sung almost 800 songs for SJ, which include more than 20 films of Shammi Kapoor, 10 films of Rajender Kumar, 7 films of Dev Anand, 3 films of Dilip Kumar, to name a few. The films and the songs should be revisited.

Happy birthday to Mala Sinha.

Happy birthday to Mala Sinha.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Mala Singh on 11th November, 2009. She had been a legendary actress of bollywood films and contributed in both bollywood films and Bengali films for more than 40 years.

In the 50s, Mala Sinha had acted in classic films like Parvarish, Phir Subah Hogi opposite Raj Kapoor. These films became immortal for their unforgettable songs like “anshu bhari hai”, “woh subah kabhi to ayegi”, etc. Mala Sinha was sublime opposite Dev Anand in the film Love Marriage. The music of the film composed by Shankar Jaikishan was equally grand. The hit songs included “dheere dheere chal”, “kahan ja rahete”, etc.

Mala Sinha contributed well in Guru Dutt’s classic film Pyaasa. The romantic andaz displayed by Mala Sinha was very significant in the film in the songs “hum aapke aankho me”, sung by Rafi and Geeta Dutt. Mala Sinha continued her dream run in the 60s by performing in historical films like Jahanara opposite Bharat Bhushan. The film was a musical block buster. The songs “baad muddar key eh ghari aye”, “kisi ki yaad me”, etc., composed by Madan Mohan created history. The biggest achievement of Mala Sinha lies in sustaining in bollywood industry amidst high competition from other leading actresses like Nargis, Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Vaijayantimala, etc.

Mala Sinha also acted with the next generation of actors like Rajender Kumar and Dharmender. Her successful films opposite Rajender Kumar included Dhool Ka Phool, Lalkar and Geet. Her successful films opposite Dharmender included Ankhen, Neela Akash, etc. which did great business. She did very well in films opposite Biswajeet like Night in London and Shammi Kapoor in Dil Tera Diwana.

Mala Sinha played a very long innings in Bengali films as well. Her successful films opposite Uttam Kumar included Khelaghar, Shaharer Itikatha, Bandhu, Putrabadhu, Saathihara, to name a few. Her other notable films include Dhuli, Abhaya Srikanto, etc.

She even featured in modern films in the 90s like Khel where she had played character roles opposite Madhuri Dixit. The viewers expect her to continue in character roles in films in future.

Happy birthday to Shammi Kapoor.

Happy birthday to Shammi Kapoor.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to rock and roll star Shammi Kapoor on 21st October, 2009. He had remained a dancing sensation in the 60s.

Although in the early part of his career he had mediocre films like Laila Majnu, he bounced back in style with the film Tumsa Nahi Dekha in 1957 and Dil Deke Dekho in 1959. His stylish andaz and dancing mannerisms like Elvis Priestley created a separate image before the viewers. He in fact modernized Indian films.

His combination with Shankar Jaikishan and Mohammad Rafi was very grand. SJ composed music in almost 22 films of Shammi Kapoor and the songs of those films are still considered musical gems. Hit songs include “ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar” sung by Rafi, composed by SJ in Junglee, “tumse accha kaun hai” sung by Rafi, composed by SJ in Janwar, “aye gulbadan” composed by SJ sung by Rafi in the film Professor, “tumne pukara aur hum chale aye” composed by SJ, sung by Rafi in the film Raj Kumar, “aasmaan se aya farishta” composed by SJ and sung by Rafi in the film An Evening in Paris, “mai gayun tum so jayo” composed by SJ sung by Rafi in the film Brahmchari, to name a few. The list can go on.

Shammi Kapoor received filmfare award for best actor only once, for the performance in the film Brahmchari in 1968. But that cannot show his dominance in bollywood films in the 60s. If Rajender Kumar portrayed the sophisticated style of romance in the 60s, Shammi Kapoor portrayed the westernized dimension. Actors like Joy Mukherjee, Biswajeet followed the Shammi Kapoor style and got success in contemporary films like Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, Mere Sanam, etc.

Shammi Kapoor acted opposite all the leading actresses of bollywood films in the 60s, including Sharmila Tagore in Kashmir Ki Kali, Sadhna in Raj Kumar, Asha Parekh in Teesri Manzil, Saira Banu in Junglee, Rajashree in Janwar, Hema Malini in Andaz, etc. After the 70s, he switched to character roles and there also showed his skills.

Some of his memorable films in old age include Betaab, Bidhata, Prem Rog, Parvarish, etc. His films and songs should be restored to remember the golden age of Indian films with colourful music.

Happy birthday to Asha Parekh.

Happy birthday to Asha Parekh.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Asha Parekh on 2nd October, 2009. She had been a dancing legend of the 60s. Bollywood industry is indebted to her for her brilliant performance in various films.

She started her career opposite Shammi Kapoor in the film Dil Deke Dekho in 1959. After that she acted in musical blockbusters most of which were directed by Nasir Hussain. She was sublime in the film Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai opposite Dev Anand. The songs in the film composed by Shankar Jaikishan like “sau saal pehle”, “yeh ankhe uff yumma”, “teri zulfon ki”, “jiya ho” became rich assets of history.

Asha Parekh had a fantastic combination with Joy Mukherjee. Her films Ziddi, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon and Love in Tokyo became superhit. The songs in most of these films composed by OP Nayyar and Shankar Jaikishan stormed box-office. The most famous songs included “banda parwar”, “raton ka sila”, “nazneen bara rangin hai wada tera”, “japan, love in Tokyo”, “hume tum mil gaye humdum”, etc. Similarly Asha Parekh’s combination with Biswajeet and Shammi Kapoor was very grand. Her film Mere Sanam with Biswajeet was another musical blockbuster. All the songs of the film like “pukarta chala hoon mai”, “humdum mere maan bhi jayo”, “hue hai tumpe aashiq hum bhala mano bura mano” sung by Rafi stormed box-office in the mid-60s.

Asha Parekh played many serious roles in films like Chirag opposite Sunil Dutt, Kati Patang opposite Rajesh Khanna, Upkaar opposite Manoj Kumar, etc. Asha Parekh dancing skills gave her a separate recognition during an age when actresses like Vaijayantimala, Rajashree, Mumtaz, Padmini were already created sensation in bollywood.

Asha Parekh’s performance in the film Carwan opposite Jeetender requires special mention. The viewers expect her to continue the great work in character roles in the years to come.

Happy birthday to Saira Banu.

Happy birthday to Saira Banu.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Saira Banu on 13th August, 2009. She used to be called beauty-queen of the 60s. Acting was there in her blood with her mother Nasim Banu doing well in many films in the 40s.

Saira Banu started her career with the film Junglee opposite Shammi Kapoor in 1961. The brilliant music of Shankar Jaikishan given in the film and exotic locations of Jammu and Kashmir flabbergasted the audience in the early 60s. All the songs in the film were super hit including “suku suku”, “meri yaar shabba khair”, “ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar”, “Kashmir ki kali hun mai”, to name a few.

Saira Banu went on to give hit after hit with Biswajeet and Joy Mukherjee as well. With Biswajeet her film April Fool became super hit. The songs of SJ again created storm including “april fool banaya”, “aa gale lag jaa”, etc. With Joy Mukherjee Saira Banu’s film Shagird stormed box-office in 1967. All the songs of Rafi and Lata were hits including “dil vil pyar vyar”, “woh hai zara khafa khafa”, “o bare miya diwane”, “duniya mehfil hai”, etc.

Saira Banu’s combination with Rajender Kumar was well accepted by the audience. All the three films opposite Jubilee Kumar including Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Aman and Jhuk Gaya Aasman became super hit. The songs of all those films composed by SJ again struck box-office. Prominent songs included “o priya kaun hai jo sapno me aya”, “tum khamseen ho”, “kahan chal diye”, “surahidar garden”, etc. Saira Banu balanced the powerful performance of Rajender Kumar in those films.

After marrying Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu acted in a number of films opposite him including Sagina, Gopi and Bairaag, most of which did well in the box-office. Her films with Raj Kapoor titled Diwana and Dev Anand titled Par Muhabbat did good business mainly due to hit music of Shankar Jaikishan. The songs of those films including “ai sanam jisne tujhe chaand si surat di hai”, “dil ki awaz khuda khair Karen” still remain the landmarks of Indian film music. Even Saira Banu’s comedy films like Parosan opposite Sunil Dutt, Kishore Kumar and Mehmood did brilliant business.

From the mid-70s Saira Banu faded away from the industry before acting in films opposite Big B like Zameer and Hera Pheri. The viewers expect her to contribute in bollywood films in character roles again.

Suman Kalyanpur and Rafi's duets did not get publicity.

Suman Kalyanpur and Rafi’s duets did not get publicity.

The media during the last 60s years had been too kind towards some of the celebrities while remained silent about the others. For example during the golden age 50s, 60s and 70s, other than Lata and Rafi there were other combinations who had given everlasting hits.

Lata Mangeshkar always got the focus of attention and as such her duets with Rafi which covers more than 440 in number always stole the attention. Yet Suman Kalyanpur during the same age of competition had sung almost 170 duets with Rafi most of which became super hit, yet could not get the lime light which they deserved.

The song “ajahu na aye balma” from Saanjh Aur Sawera, picturised on Mehmood and Subha Khote and composed by Shankar Jaikishan showed the compatibility of Rafi with Suman Kalyanpur in classical songs. Rafi could adapt his style of singing with any singer. But Suman Kalyanpur also did a great job with the giant. The song “dil-e-betaab ko seene se lagana hoga” from the film Palki, picturised on Rajender Kumar and Wahida Rehman and composed by Naushad had the ghazal andaz embedded in them and Suman Kalyanpur was unblemmish aside Rafi.

SJ used the same Suman Kalyanpur aside Rafi in fast numbers like “aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche” from Brahmchari picturised on Shammi Kapoor and Mumtaz, “dil use do jo jaan de de” picturised on Shammi Kapoor and Hema Malini in the film Andaz. The biggest tragedy is that the songs did great business and the films became super hit, yet the message relating to Rafi’s combination with Suman Kalyanpur did not reach most of the viewers and the media too did not play a neutral role in that aspect. Half of the people thought the duets were sung by Rafi and Lata as Suman Kalyanpur’s singing style matched with that of Lata.

Khayyam’s composition “thereiye hosh me aaloon to chale jayiega” from the film Mohabbat is ko kehte hai” picturised on Shashi Kapoor and Nanda had another romantic number of Rafi and Suman. Madan Mohan’s tune “baad muddat se yeh ghari aye” sung by Rafi and Suman stunned many listeners of ghazals, as the urdu words were pronounced in style in the film Jahan –ara. Bharat Bhushan and Mala Sinha were sublime in the film. Rafi as usual was unblemish in respect of ghazals. But Suman too had adapted her style of singing which suited the songs of the Mughal period.

Even the fast numbers composed by LP like “tumse o haseena” sung by Rafi and Suman did not get the hype of media which it deserved inspite of Farz ending up as a run away hit of Jeetender. Roshan’s meritorious composition like “maine aye jaane wafa” from the film Bedaag, “chand takda hai idhar” from the film Doojh Ka Chaand remained unnoticed.

Besides there were other hits like “parbaton ke paron par sham ka basera hai” from the film Shagun composed by Khayyam, “tumne pukara aur hum chale aye” from the film Raj Kumar composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “dil ek mandir hai” from the film Dil Ek Mandir composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “tujhe dekha tujhe chaha” from the film Choti Si Mulakat composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “tujhe pyar karte karte” from the film April Fool composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “mujhe yeh phool na den” from the film Ghazal composed by Madan Mohan.

The factor of Suman Kalyanpur being chosen to sing duets with legendary Rafi Sahab by giant composers like Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad, Madan Mohan, Khayyam, Laxmikant Pyarellal, Kalyanji Anandji, proved another fact that she was not any particular composer’s singer. She did a great job with Rafi, but due to passive attitude of the media the songs got recognition with no information relating to the singer. Even in many films when the names of the singers were written Suman Kalyanpur’s name was mentioned at the end without any particular reason for it.

Rafi had proved in his entire life that he was a greater human being than a singer. That was the reason why he could match his singing style with any fellow female artist including Lata, Geeta Dutt, Sumna Kalyanpur, Sharda, Mubarak Begum, Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum, and others.

His combination with Suman Kalyanpur should be preserved and restored.

Demise of Shakti Samanta.

Demise of Shakti Samanta.
Shakti Samanta, the veteran director and producer of successful bollywood films during the 60s and 70s died on 9th April, 2009. He is remembered for the evergreen romantic films he made in the 60s which had entertained the viewers to a great extent.

In the 50s, his film Howrah Bridge with Ashok Kumar and Madhubala did great business in the box-office. The music composed by OP Nayyar with songs like “aiye meherban”, “mera naam chin chin chu” entertained the viewers. The other black and white film included China Town with Shammi Kapoor and Shakila.

In China Town, Shakti Samanta did cast Shammi Kapoor in a double role, with one of the brothers being involved in smuggling activities in China Town. The other brother was used by the police to know the whereabouts of the other members of the gang. Ravi’s music was impressive with Rafi’s song “baar baar dekho” becoming super hit.

In the 60s Shakti Samanta came up with blockbusters like Kashmir Ki Kali and An Evening in Paris. From that time onwards Sharmila Tagore featured in nearly all his films. Shammi Kapoor’s rock and roll andaz was well balanced by westernized tunes composed by OP Nayyar and Shankar Jaikishan in the two films. The hit songs in the films include “diwana hua badal”, “kisi na kisi se”, “tareef karun kya uski”, “isharon isharon”, “aji aisa mouka”, “aasman se aya farishta”, “akele akele kahan ja rahe ho”, “raat ke humsafar”, etc., sung by Rafi and Asha.

In the 70s, all the films of Shakti Samanta were big hits include Rajesh Khanna’s films Aradhana, Amar Prem and Kati Patang. Again romantic stories, picturesque shooting and melodious music entertained the viewers and films became extremely successful.

Shakti Samanta also experiments with films made in both Bengali and Hindi with Bengal’s superstar Uttam Kumar. The films included Amanush and Anand Ashram which were made both in Bengali and hindi. Sharmila Tagore acted well in both these films opposite Uttam Kumar. Shaymal Mitra’s music was also very impressive along with landscapes of Sunderban where most of the films were shot.

The experiment of making Bengali and hindi film on the same subject continued with Shakti Samanta’ use of Big B in the early 80s. The film Anu Sandhan and Barsaat Ki Ek Raat did fantastic business with the action sequences and powerful performance of Big B and Rakhee. Rakhee played the role of blind girl in those films.

Although Shakti Samanta was not known for perfection that was achieved by stalwart directors like Bimal Roy, he is remembered by film historians as one of the grand entertainers who had used soft romantic stories and picturised them with his own dreams. His films should be restored and preserved.

Happy birthday to Jagdeep.

Happy birthday to Jagdeep.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Jagdeep on 29th March, 2009. He had been in the industry for the last 50 years and had worked with probably most of the directors and producers of bollywood films. Jagdeep started his career as a child artist and featured in Guru Dutt’s films in the 50s. In the 60s he got scope of showing his comedy skills as an independent actor. In Shammi Kapoor’s film Brahmchari, Jagdeep played the role of the son-in-law of Dhumal in the film. He was not liked by Dhumal at all and tried his tricks to convince him. Jagdeep featured in many films of Jeetender including Ek Naari Ek Brahmchari, Khilouna, Mere Humsafar, etc., and did well in those films.

In the 70s, Jagdeep got the role of his lifetime in the film Sholay. His character Surma Bhopali has not been forgotten by viewers of bollywood films even today. He imitated the style of communication of muslim moneylenders in Bhopal and other parts of Central India very well. He informed the police about Big B and Dharmender and once they were released the prize money was returned to them by Jagdeep. The film became greatest hit of the last millennium and Jagdeep became automatic choice for leading producers of the country.

In the 80s, Jagdeep featured a lot in Feroz Khan’s films and got prominent roles in those films. In Qurbani, he played the role of a hotel owner, he wanted to be a boxer but due to father’s demise had to settle down with hotel business. He got beaten up by Shakti Kapoor’s men and was rescued by Vinod Khanna in the film. Similarly in the film Jaanbaaz, he played the role of a servant in the house of Feroz Khan.

He introduced Dimple Kapadia to the farms owned by Feroz Khan and Anil Kapoor in Jaanbaaz. His comedy performance was appreciated by many viewers. In the 90s, he acted in the landmark film of Raj Kumar Santoshi, titled China Gate. He acted along with all the stalwarts of bollywood films including Om Puri, Nasirruddin Shah, Amrish Puri, to name a few. He joined the team of soldiers led by Om Puri who came to a village in North India to fight against the dacoit who was unmanageable. As a retired military officer he lost his flexibility but cooperated with Danny and other soldiers in their fight against the group of dacoits.

In a span of 50 years Jagdeep had acted in more than 200 films. As a comedian he had earned respect for himself and filled up the vacuum that was created by Johnny Walker and Mehmood who dominated the films of 50s and 60s. Viewers expect him to continue his impressive work in the years to come.

Shammi Kapoor, Shankar Jaikishan and Rafi.

Shammi Kapoor, Shankar Jaikishan and Rafi.

When Shammi Kapoor was informed about Rafi’s death in 1980, he was told by the informer that he had lost his own voice. In other words it was said that Rafi’s voice had reached the soul of Shammi Kapoor, whose success in bollywood films was largely dependent on the golden voice of Rafi. Shankar Jaikishan had contributed in around 22 films of Shammi Kapoor and without the magical duo Rafi’s combination with Shammi Kapoor would not have fulfilled the popular demands of the musical audience.

If SJ’s composition for Raj Kapoor mark the music catered to the masses, the composition for Rajender Kumar mark the sophisticated tunes catered towards the cultured audience, the compositions for Shammi Kapoor mark the westernized andaz addressed for the young generations. Shammi Kapoor brought the rock and roll andaz of Hollywood films in hindi films, and SJ and Rafi combined together to bring the energetic andaz of Shammi Kapoor who was considered to be a rebel star in the 60s. In fact his style was imitated by Joy Mukherjee and Biswajeet who were also blessed with melodious songs sung by Rafi in the 60s.

SJ, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi combined together to give superhit songs in the film Junglee, including “ehsaan tera hoga mujhpar”, “meri yaar shabba khair”, “chahe koi mujhe jungle kahen”, etc. Saira Banu made her debut opposite Shammi Kapoor and the Subodh Mukherjee film became a trend setter for other directors of producers of the 60s.

SJ, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi created the same magic in the film Janwar. Songs like “tumse achha kaun hai”, “lal chari maidan khari” became superhit along with romantic performance of Rajashree in the film. SJ, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi combination in the film Raj Kumar was equally sublime with songs like “hum hai rajkumar”, “tumne pukara aur hum chale ayen”, “tune kisiki jaan ko”, to name a few. Sadhna was sublime along with Shammi Kapoor in the film.

SJ, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi created magic again in the film An Evening in Paris. All the songs of the film became super hit including “aji aisa mauka”, “aasman se aya farishta”, “raat ke humsafar”, “akele akele kahan ja rahe ho”, “mera dil hai tera”, “diwane ka naam to pucho”, to name a few. The foreign locations of Paris were as majestic as the European music of SJ and modernized performance of Sharmila Tagore in the film.

The brilliant combination of SJ, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi again created magic in the film Brahmchari. All the songs in the film including “dil ke jharoke me”, “chakke pe chakka”, “mai gayun tum so jayo”, “aajkal tere mere pyar ke charche” created storm in bollywood films. Shammi Kapoor won the filmfare for best actor for his performance in Brahmchari, and Shankar Jaikishan won the film fare for best music director for the same film, while Rafi won the filmfare for best singer for singing the song of the same film. Again Rajashree was sublime in the film.

SJ, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi were equally brilliant in the film Prince where Vaijayantimala acted opposite Shammi Kapoor. Rafi’s songs “muqabla hum se na karo” was as hit as “badan pe sitaren lapete hue”. The same combination came up with brilliant songs in the film Laat Sahab. The songs “sawerewali gari se chale jayenge” and “aye chaand zara chup ja” became superhit. Nutan contributed well opposite Shammi Kapoor.

The magic combination of SJ, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi contributed even in GP Sippy film, Andaz. All the songs of Rafi like “dil use do jo jaan deden”, “hai na bolo bolo”, “re mamma re mammare” became superhit. Hema Malini performed for the first time opposite Shammi Kapoor. The brilliant combination of SJ, Hasrat Jaipuri, Shailendra, Shammi Kapoor and Rafi ended with sad demise of Jaikishan in 1971.

Articles after articles can be devoted on the magic combination who even created magic in other films like Tumse Accha Kaun Hai, Jawan Muhobbat, etc. Critics argue that OP Nayyar and Ravi also contributed in Shammi Kapoor’s films, but their music was also influenced by Shankar Jaikishan’s tunes. The films and the songs of Shammi Kapoor, Shankar Jaikishan and Rafi should be preserved for the future generations.

Concepts of China Town have been used in later bollywood films.

Concepts of China Town have been used in later bollywood films.

Shakti Shamanta’s film China Town in the early 60s, had created a trend for following bollywood directors to make films on similar story lines. Shakti Shamanta banked his resources on the underworld activities in China Town in Kolkata at that time.

Shammi Kapoor had a double role in the film. He played the role of a smuggler in China Town who was arrested by the police after he met with an accident. But while he was kept in custody, another Shammi Kapoor was used by the police for extraction of information from China Town.

The law-abiding citizen played by Shammi Kapoor, was asked to pretend as the don of China Town and gather information about the other associates working in that area including the activity of Madan Puri in the film. This person was the twin brother of the don played by the other Shammi Kapoor.

Due to similarity in get up, most of the group members could not recognize the law-abiding citizen. Shammi Kapoor became successful in giving details of the associates of Smuggling Don of China Town to the police. Ravi gave very attractive music in the film with Rafi’s song “bar bar dekho” becoming a landmark hit. Shakila the heroine of the film did well opposite Shammi Kapoor. Helen also complimented the group members with her villainish performance.

In the 70s, bollywood films were made with similar storyline like that of China Town. The film Don made in the late 70s, also had double role of Big B. One of them was a smuggling don whereas the other person was an ordinary middle-class person. There also Iftekar, the police officer used the middle-class person to pretend as don and give information about the rest of the members of the underworld group. The film also became superhit.

Again the concept was used with modifications in Farhan Akhtar’s film Don made in the recent years. In this case Shahrukh Khan played the double role, with one of them playing the role of don, while the other pretending to be don. The story ended differently for keeping an option open for making a sequel of the film Don –The Chase Begins.

Shakti Shamanta’s trend had inspired the modern directors to make bollywood films with similar ideas. For those reason the black and white crime thriller should be restored.

Concept of Brahmchari had been borrowed in films made later on.

Concept of Brahmchari had been borrowed in films made later on.

Some of the concepts that were set up in the bollywood films of the 60s were borrowed by producers and directors of films in the later years. The film Brahmchari, directed by Bappi Soni, and produced by GP Sippy created a trend that was followed by many directors of contemporary period.

The story of Brahmchari was related to Shammi Kapoor’s concerns for orphans in our country. Just because he did not get the love and affection that he deserved from his parents, he created a small orphan home, where children who were not cared for were given shelter.

He was poor himself, but collected funds to rear up the children and whenever he found spouses who were interested in adopting children, he gave the children to them. Although the film was directed with a romantic flavour with fantastic music composed by Shankar Jaikishan which made the viewers speechless, the serious concerns relating to illegitimate children were addressed in the film. Rafi’s songs in the film composed by SJ like “chakke me chakka”, “aajkal tere mere pyar ke charche”, “mai gayun tum so jao”, “dil ke jharoke me”, became super hit, with Shankar Jaikishan and Rafi bagging the filmfare award for best composer and best singer again for Brahmchari.

There were other twists and turns in the story like modernizing Rajashree to make her acceptable to Pran whom she wanted to marry. Pran again promised to marry Mumtaz and defied her. There were tales related to kidnapping of the orphans from Shammi Kapoor’s orphanage by Pran.

But the part that has been borrowed by most of the producers and directors of the following period include the relationship of the Brahmchari with the children. Shekhar Kapoor borrowed the concept in his film Mr. India with Anil Kapoor playing the same character which Shammi Kapoor played in Brahmchari in 1967.

In Mr. India, there were stories relating to fantasy embedded in them like the concept of a human being becoming invisible by wearing a special watch. There were lot of action sequences created for public satisfaction. There were strong comedy sequences in the film with Anil Kapoor, Shri Devi, Annu Kapoor, playing their parts very well.

But the message relating to a young man creating an orphanage for the cause of destitude children remained the same. The concept of Brahmchari is still young even after 42 years of the making of the film and new producers and directors can borrow the concept even today.

Happy birthday to Pran.

Happy birthday to Pran.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Pran Sikand, the legendary actor on 12th January, 2009. He was one of indispensable personality in bollywood films without whom most of the films of the 50s and 60s could not be thought about. He also was a big star who was as popular as an antihero as the leading stars of 50s and 60s including Showman Raj Kapoor and Tragedy King Dilip Kumar.

Pran had acted in more than 300 films in his career which spanned over 60s years. He was a notorious dacoit in Raj Kapoor’s Jis Desh Me Ganga Behti Hai, who was reformed and persuaded to surrender before the police at the end of the film. He hammered Dilip Kumar all along the film Dil Diya Dard Liya, not knowing his identity. It was later known that Dilip Kumar was the king of the princely estate after the locket in his body was discovered. Dilip Kumar forgave him even after knowing that his affair with Wahida Rehman never blossomed into marriage due to Pran only. Among romantic songs of Rafi and Lata like “sawan aye ya na aye”, “dilruba main ne tere”, “koi sagar dil ko behlata nahi”, Pran kept a balance with his villanish pursuits.

In Ram Aur Shyam, Pran tortured one of the Dilip Kumars who played the role of his brother-in-law. When Dilip Kumar’s twin brother came to his wife he took revenge against the evil deeds of Pran. The film was serio-comic in nature with Dilip Kumar playing a double role for the first time in Ram Aur Shyam.

In the mid-60s, Pran changed his image by playing positive roles like the one he played in the film Upkar. In that film he played the role of a handicapped person but he was an observer who witnessed the good deeds of Manoj Kumar who was a farmer and the bad deeds of his own brother played by Prem Chopra. Pran’s lips in Manna Dey’s songs “kasme wade” is still remembered by cinematic audience today.

Pran was sublime in most of the hit films of the 60s like Shammi Kapoor’s Raj Kumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, An Evening in Paris, etc., Joy Mukherjee’s Love in Tokyo, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, Biswajeet’s Mere Sanam, Rajender Kumar’s Ganwar, to name a few. In the 70s he even matched himself with the action heroes of the other generation like Dharmender and Big B.

His performance in Big B’s film Zanjeer in the role of a Pathan requires special mention. In Amar Akbar Anthony, he was the father of Big B, Vinod Khanna and Rishi Kapoor and he faced the evil operations of Jeevan and his men all along the film. He kept his fit to such an extent that in action sequences, he never looked out of place in a film where Big B, Vinod Khanna who were much younger than him showed their own skills.

Pran continued his villainish performances in films of 80s including Dilip Kumar’s Duniya and Big B and Rajnikant’s Andha Kanoon. With notable actors coming in bollywood industry in the 80s like Amrish Puri, Danny, Paresh Rawal, Kader Khan, Anupam Kher, etc., Pran slowly faded away from the industry. By that time he had performed in more than 300 films.

Viewers remember him for his unique style of dialogue delivery, unique mannerisms and fantastic body. His viewers pay respect to the old actor on his birthday who had already received lifetime achievement award from Filmfare for his unique contribution to bollywood cinema.

Rajashree - the classical dancer of the 60s.

Rajashree – the classical dancer of the 60s.

Rajashree, daughter of famous director V. Shantaram and classical dancer Sandhya, made a notable contribution in bollywood films in the 60s. She faced very strong competition from Vaijayantimala, Sadhna, Asha Parekh, Saira Banu, and yet maintained her stardom in hit films opposite leading stars of bollywood films.

She was extremely successful opposite Shammi Kapoor, in the film Janwar. Shammi Kapoor brought westernized mannerisms in bollywood films in the 60s, and his style was enhanced by fantastic music composed by Shankar Jaikishan, and colourful locations where the films were picturised. The same thing happened in the film Janwar.

Most part of the film was picturised in Jammu & Kashmir, and the songs of Rafi like “lal chadi”, “tumse accha kaun hai”, etc., became super hit. Rajashree had adequate classical training for exhibiting her dancing skills which she showed in the song “mere sang ga gunguna”.

The second part of the film dealt with the conspiracy committed against Shammi Kapoor, and her marriage with Shammi Kapoor got stuck due to those reasons. Over all her performance was very impressive and the film became super hit.

The same combination was again successful in the film Brahmchari. Shammi Kapoor ran an orphan house where the children were brought by him and he did not marry to help out the orphan children in the film. Rajashree intereacted with Shammi Kapoor in the film and for different reasons, Shammi Kapoor taught her to be modern and arranged her marriage with Pran.

After knowing that Pran had a very bad reputation in society and was also involved with Mumtaz, the marriage was cancelled and Rajashree was saved at the end of the film. Again the scintillating music of Shankar Jaikishan amused the viewers. All the songs of Rafi including “aajkal tere mere pyar ke charche”, “chakke pe chakka”, “dil ke jharoke me tujhko bithakar”, “mai gayun tum so jayo”, became landmark hits in the late 60s.

Rajashree was extremely successful opposite Raj Kapoor in the film Around the World. Raj Kapoor played the role of an innocent person who had to travel all across the world, first as a worker in a ship and then after joining different forms of employments. He was attached with Rajashree during his travel to different places. The fantastic location of West Indies, United States, etc., was balanced by classic music of Shankar Jaikishan once again. Mukesh’s songs “kitna akela hoon mai”, “duniya ka sair kar lo”, “chale jana” became landmark hits in the late 60s.

Rajashree acted in successful films opposite the other leading stars of bollywood films in the 60s, including Biswajeet, Joy Mukherjee, Jeetender, to name a few. Most of those films including Sehnai, became successful. Rajashree faded out from the industry in the 70s. Her films should be restored for the next generations.

Shankar Jaikishan and Shammi Kapoor

Shankar Jaikishan and Shammi Kapoor.

Shankar Jaikishan was probably the most versatile musical duo that India had ever produced in the history of bollywood films. They had given music to probably all the leading actors of bollywood films from 40s to 70s including Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Rajender Kumar, Raj Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Joy Mukherjee, Biswajeet, Shashi Kapoor, Dev Anand, etc., to name a few. They had a special contribution in the films of Shammi Kapoor. Whenever they gave music in Shammi Kapoor’s films, both the music rocked and the film stormed bollywood.

In fact they created the rock and roll andaz of bollywood films and gave Shammi Kapoor his identity in the same lines as Rock Hudson and Elvis Priestley in Hollywood Films. Their music in the film Junglee where Saira Banu acted opposite Shammi Kapoor, was super hit with successful songs of Rafi and Lata including “ehsan tera hoga mujhpar”, “meri yaar shabba khair”, “Kashmir ki kali hoon mai”, etc. The songs of the film Janwar where Rajashree acted opposite Shammi Kapoor, were equally hit with songs of Rafi and Lata like “tumse accha kaun hai”, “lal chari maidan khari”,etc.

All the songs of Professor, where Kalpana accompanied Shammi Kapoor, became super hit like “o gulbadan, o gulbadan”, “awaz deke hume tum bulayo”, etc., again sung by Rafi and Lata. All the songs of Raj Kumar where Sadhna was the heroine of Shammi Kapoor, became super duper hit, like “tumne pukara aur hum chale aye”, “aaja ai bahar”, etc., sung by Rafi and Lata.

SJ and Shammi Kapoor bollywood films with the film An Evening in Paris, where all the songs of Rafi like “aji aisa mauka phir kahan milega”, “akele akele kahan ja raheho”, “raat ke humsafar”, “mera dil hai tera”, “aasman se aya farishta”, became super duper hit. Sharmila Tagore acted opposite Shammi Kapoor, and the locations of France and Niagra Falls in US and Canada amazed the Indian audience.

SJ and Shammi Kapoor were sublime in the film Brahmchari. Shammi Kapoor acted with many small children who were cared by him. Rajashree acted opposite him in the film. The hit songs of Rafi and others included “mai gayun tum so jayo”, “dil ke jharoke me tujhko uthakar”, “chakke me chakka”, “aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche har jawan par”, etc., to name a few. Shammi Kapoor received filmfare award for the best actor in the film Brahmchari. Shankar Jaikishan received filmfare award for the best composer 9 times, and also got it for composition of music for the film Brahmchari.

The SJ and Shammi Kapoor combination again rocked bollywood films with their performance in the film Prince with Vaijayantimala. SJ’s powerful orchestration had encouraged the director to keep a dance competition where Helen performed western dance where as Vaijayantimala performed eastern dance. Shammi Kapoor showed his own style of rock and roll. The successful songs included “muqabla hum se na karo”, “badan pe sitaren lapete hue”, “thandi thandi hawa me urta jaye”, etc.

The other successful films of SJ and Shammi Kapoor included Latt Sahab with Nutan. The successful songs included “sawerewali gari se”, “ai chand zara chup ja”, etc. The other hit film included Tum Se Accha Kaun Hai with Babita. The hit songs included “janam janam ka saath hai”, “kisko pyar karun”, etc.

The last film of SJ with Shammi Kapoor was Andaz in 1971. Jaikishan died in 1971, and Shammi Kapoor added weight and stopped acting as a hero after andaz. Even in that film the songs of Rafi, Suman Kalyanpur and others were super hit like “haina bolo bolo”, “re mamma re mamma re”, “dil use do jo jaan deden”, etc. Hema Malini acted opposite Shammi Kapoor and the film became hit.

With the death of Jaikishan in 1971, it marked the end of an era with exotic locations and rock and roll music. Shammi Kapoor and Shankar Jaikishan had a very unique relationship and the films and music should be restored to acknowledge that relationship.