Biography
Joy Mukherjee became an actor accidentally Assistant film director R.K. Nayyar who had been working for S Mukherjee’s film production once narrated a romantic story that he had written for Mukherjee Banner. The script was a novel love story of an ugly girl, who is discarded by the hero and how she compels the hero to marry her after she transforms her repulsive looks into an attractive and gorgeous woman. After reading the story S Mukherjee felt the script demanded a new girl. Hence he launched a hunt for a new heroine. While the hunt was on; one day Joy Mukherjee saw a picture of a young beautiful girl in the filmy weekly newspaper Screen and immediately called the girl to meet him. The girl was Sadhana. She was finalized and Dharmendra was finalized as the hero but when the film shooting was to commence Dharmendra got busy with another assignment! Shooting had to be postponed and the hunt for a new hero began when one day R.K. Nayyar was discussing the songs of the film with the seniorMukherjee at his house he saw Joy Mukherjee and was dazed by his charming personality and exclaimed – We have got the hero! Thus Joy Mukherjee got his debut film in his father’s home production! The film was Love in Simla. It was the directorial debut of brilliant filmmaker R.K. Nayyar. The movie was a huge hit! An ugly taunt made Joy Mukherjee an actor! Since Joy Mukherjee was selected accidentally for the film hence he was not much interested in the film. Also, he was just 20 years old hence he was more interested in enjoying life than being serious! As a result on the first day of the shoot, he had to face bitter humiliation from the film crew as he was not able to deliver his shots correctly. In an interview, Joy confessed, “I had given around 10 re-takes and yet I was not able to deliver the right shot as per the director Nayyar Sahab's demand. Cut after cut, I was frustrated and took a break.” “When I was sipping coke I heard somebody from the crew whispering “Arre S. Mukherjee ka bêta hai. Jitna re-takes dena hai do. Kaun unko star banese rokh sakta hai! (He is the son of S. Mukherjee. He can give as many re-takes. Nobody can stop him from becoming a star!). Hearing this taunt I was shaken and pledged to work hard and give my best. Next day I tight-lipped everybody,” he added. Joy Mukherjee becomes a star! After the mega success of Love in Simla, Joy Mukherjee’s next film Hum Hindustani (1960) opposite versatile actor Sunil Dutt was released and was an instant hit. Two years later all three films Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963) and Ziddi (1964) were super hit and Joy Mukherjee became the most sought-after star! Joy Mukherjee had the opportunity to star with maximum top heroines of the 60’s like Vyjayanthimala in Ishaara; Saira Banu in Shagird; Mala Sinha in Humsaya; Sharmila Tagore in Dil Aur Mohabbat, Sadhana Ek Musafir Ek Hasina. In fact with Asha Parekh, he did four hit films Hum Hindustani, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, Ziddi and Love In Tokyo and all of them were super-hits
Career & Achievements
Love In Tokyo immortalized Joy Mukherjee in Indian Cinema The most successful film that Joy Mukherjee did in his entire career was indeed Love In Tokyo (1966) which has immortalized him forever in Indian Cinema. Filmmaker Pramod Chakravorty after the success of Ziddi (1964) decided to make the sequel of Joy Mukherjee’s first mega-hit film Love in Simla. Hence the same writer Agha Jani who scripted Love In Simla was roped in to pen Love In Tokyo. However, unlike Love in Simla which was made on shoe string budget with newcomers, Love In Tokyo was a big budget lavishly mounted film and was made in colour. The movie boosted top stars of that era Joy Mukherjee, Asha Parekh, Mehmood, Pran. In addition, the top music director of the 60’s Shanker Jaikishen gave the films music. The movie was shot exclusively in many parts of Japan. The audience was left dumbfounded watching the dazzling malls, stunning escalators, breathtaking tube trains and new sports like bowling alleys which they had never seen before! To add the cherry on the cake the tight screenplay by Sachin Bhowmick (He was a master of such films) and brilliant songs like Sayonara Sayonara….O Mere Shahe Khuba …. Le Gayi Dil Gudiya Japan Ki …and the sensual and seductive romantic number Aa Ja Re Aa Zaraa…. Made the movie biggest commercial success of the ’60s.
