A Tribute To Dev Anand At 10pm on Saturday at Washington Hotel in London’s upmarket district of Mayfair, there was chaos all of a sudden. Outside, two ambulances pulled up. Two paramedics rushed into the hotel lobby. The receptionist shouted “Room 207”. The paramedics headed for the lift with their first aid equipment. But in suite 207, it was…
Tag: Guru Dutt
Badalta Samay… Badalta Cinema – Part 4
How Eastmancolor succeeded over Technicolor in Indian cinema! Remember the hits song Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya from K.Asif magnum opus film Mughal-E-Azam (1960) or Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho Ya Aftab Ho… from Guru Dutt’s Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) or the super hit song Hasta Hua Noorani Chehra from the film Parasmani (1963)? Guess! What is common in these…
Sahir Ludhianvi – A Lyricists Who Brought A Revolution In Film Lyrics
Bollywood’s most versatile and learned film lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi who wrote the classic song Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein Khayal Aata Hai…. And many soulful and hard-hitting numbers like Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalmaan Banega … celebrates his birth centaury this year. On this occasion, the Indian Film Industry (IFH) pays the legendary poet a Salutation! Born as Abdul Hayee…
Flop Actors Who Took To Film Production Turned Successful! – Part 4
True a majority of actors including Amitabh Bachchan who turned producers had to bite the dust. In fact, even Shah Rukh Khan tasted failure when he launched Dreamz Unlimited and had to quit film production with the flops like – Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, Asoka and Chalte Chalte. However, it may surprise readers that actors who failed in the…
‘Do Aankhen Barah Haath’ Is India’s First Film To Win A Hollywood ‘Golden Globe Award
Film legend V Shantaram is regarded as one of the pillars of Indian cinema. His film Do Aankhen Barah Haath has the distinction of being the first Hindi feature film to win the prestigious Golden Globe award under the Samuel Goldwyn category. It may be noted that the Golden Globe Awards are America’s most prestigious award presented by the Hollywood…
Guru Dutt’s ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ Was The First Cinema Scope Film In India
The concept of watching a film on Full –Length Widescreen was first developed in Hollywood by 20th Century-Fox studios. In India, till mid-’70s films were restricted to 35 mm screen i.e. center of the screen with both side edges left empty. However, filmmaker Guru Dutt saw a Hollywood film that was screened on Full Wide Screen! Naturally, the impact was…
O.P. Nayyar’s First Successful Song ‘Baabuujii Dhiire Chalnaa’ Was Copied! – Part 5
In the late ’50s a Music Director O.P. Nayyar created Hungama in Bollywood with his melodious music. His songs were so melodic that he earned the title of King Of Rhythm. Songs like Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu… Howrah Bridge (1958). Taarif Karoon Kya Uski… Kashmir Ki Kali (1964). Pukarta Chala Hoon Main…. Mere Sanam (1965), Aao Huzoor Tumko…. Kismat…
Action King Dharmendra Spent Many Nights On Empty Stomach During His Struggle – Part 3
In the ’60s a young man called Dharam Singh Deol aka Dharmendra got so crazy over Bollywood star Dilip Kumar that he ran away from his small village Nasrali, in Ludhiana district, Punjab to become a film star in Mumbai. Fortunately, he won the Filmfare talent haunt contest and was selected for a film but alas the film was never…
Farah Khan Reinvented The ‘Masala’ Style Of Manmohan Desai – Part 3
Popular choreographer Farah Khan, who won as many as six Filmfare Awards and a single National Film Award for Best Choreography turned director with Main Hoon Na (2004) produced by Shah Rukh Khan‘s the Red Chillies Entertainment. The film was packed with emotion, drama, action, and comedy. In nutshell, it had all the ‘masala’ necessary for a Bollywood potboiler a…
Even Esteemed Filmmaker Used Item Song For Commercial Success – Part 2
Bollywood is an industry where a huge amount of money is pumped to make a film. Hence the filmmaker uses all the tricks of the trade to make a film commercially successful. Song and dance are two key ingredients that not only make the film entertaining but also bring in business. Besides, the sale of music records also gives an…