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Posted by: Reeth Mar 28 2007, 03:07 PM

Saluting the beautiful and talented leading ladies of yesteryears ....

DEVIKA RANI

She is considered to be the 'First Lady' of the Indian cinema.Grand niece of Rabindranath Tagore she was truly a great beauty..........discovered by Himanshu Rai, who she later married . They together set up the
Famous" Bombay Talkies Studio " beginning with a murder mystery 'Jawani ki hawa' in which Devika Rani
played the lead.........thus began a successful film career...





Some of her most memorable films were

Karma
Jawani ki hawa
Achoot kanya( with Ashok kumar considered to be a classic and a landmark in the history of Indian cinema)
Izzat
Jeevan naiyya
Durga
Savitri
Anjaan
Hamari Baat




Himanshu Rai died in 1940,after which she took control of Bomabay Talkies and kept the banner flying high with hits such as Kangan, Bandhan Jhoola, Kismet, Punarmilan...
In 1945 she quit films to marry the noted Russian painter Dr Svetoslav Roerich and retired to a life of domesticity, in their sprwaling estate 'thatguni' in Bangalore, where she lived till her death in 1994,but maintained her link with the film industry...
She was honoured with the " Padmashri" in 1958, and she became the first film personality to be awarded he Dada Sahab Palkhe Award in 1969.

Devika rani photographed a few years before her death....



Attached image(s)

Posted by: Reeth Mar 28 2007, 03:10 PM

plss fel free to post your comments, feedbacks and any additional information......

Posted by: jassi Mar 28 2007, 05:21 PM

i have no idea abt her nationality..she married to himanshu roy(i guess),they both started a film company..she was the actress of those films..later she even eloped with one of her actor,but come back and the actor was replaced by ashok kumar

Posted by: nasir Mar 28 2007, 10:25 PM

Devika Rani is best remembered for her discovery of DILIP KUMAR. I think she can also be credited as being the First Lady of the Silver Screen and the person who actually kissed her screen hero.

Her tragedy lies in the fact that after her second husband (ROERICH's) demise she found herself surrounded by money-grubbers. Her employees were out to grab chunks of large estate in Bangalore. I wonder now what has happened to her large estate.

Despite being an actress of the Thirties, she was most accomplished and modern in every sense.

NASIR.

Posted by: noorie Mar 29 2007, 01:14 AM

She gave Indian cinema's first 'smouldering' smooch with her first husband Himanshu Rai in the 1933 film Karma if I am not wrong.

Her second husband Dr.Svetoslav Roerich the Russian painter who made his home in India..... I his paintings especially his landscapes.
The Kulu valley has never looked so beautiful as when he painted them.

Here's a painting he did of his celebrated wife entitled ‘Mme Devika Rani Roerich’.



Noorie

Posted by: Reeth Mar 29 2007, 09:33 AM

She was Indian, of course..... did elope with Najam ul Hussain, the hero of her film Jawani ki Hawa....


Thank you for those inputs nasir......apparently Devika Rani suggested Muhammad Yousuf Khan to change his name to DILIP KUMAR........the rest is history
After the legal battle the estate is now in the hands of the State government and as can be expected, is badly maintained...it is a huge place covering 468 acres ....

some views of the Tataguni estate owned by Devika Rani and Roerich....






You are absolutely right about the " Smouldering smooch" ...........what a lady!!!
She was a student of architecture in London and met Himanshu Rai there, where she had agreed to design
the sets for his film production....

Apparently,Roerich was not only an artist but was an environmental engineer with imagination and technical skills......had adopted rainwater harvesting nearly 50 years ago in the estate...
I have seen this place recently and though it is in a state of neglect one can see traces of Roerichs brilliant planning and vision....


That is S.M Krishna the the previous chief minister of Karnataka garlanding the statue of Svetoslav Roerich
at the inaguration of Dr.Roerich's centenary celebrations, attended by the Russian Ambassador..in Oct,2003

Posted by: nasir Mar 29 2007, 11:07 PM

Great people. Great information. Great painting.
Thanks Noorie and Reeth.

Reeth, regarding Yusuf Khan, actually three names were suggested: JAHANGIR, VASUDEV and DILIP KUMAR (quoting from memory). It was the name DILIP KUMAR that created history.

NASIR.

Posted by: noorie Mar 29 2007, 11:51 PM

Cudn't but wonder did sumone do a numerological study b4 Yusuf Khan chose the present name of Dilip Kumar?

Most wannabe 'stars' of today even on the small screen take 2 the numerological route when their celestial stars start failing them.

Noorie

Posted by: jassi Mar 30 2007, 11:00 AM

dunno why she is called first leading lady of indian cinema..there were actresses before her too..ruby mayors(sulochana),who later played mother's roles too...was established actress
and what abt durga khote,shobhana samarth(i guess they made their debut at same time)
may be devika rani can be called first leading lady of talkies...

Posted by: nasir Mar 30 2007, 11:43 PM

Actually, it appears that an astrologer had already predicted that Yusuf Khan would become "NUT' at which he was taken aback. Now we know that it was not NUT in crazy sense, but the Hindi word NUT meaning PERFORMER.

There have been others with the name of DILIP'S. But they could not become the darling of the nation.
Dilip Kumar was destined to be what he was, and what he is - namely the Emperor and Original Legend of the Bollywood industry.

NASIR.

Posted by: noorie Mar 31 2007, 02:28 AM

Did you know that it was Devika Rani's b'day on the 30th of March? That was yesterday!

Here is some more info on her gathered from the Net:

D.O.B - 30th March 1908

Devika Rani came from a distinguished background, grand-niece of the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, her father, Col. M.N. Chaudhuri, was the first Indian Surgeon-General of Madras.

She completed her early schooling in the early 1920s. She then studied drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the Royal Academy of Music in London where she won scholarships. In addition, she studied architecture, textile and decor design and apprenticed under Elizabeth Arden.

She married Indian producer and actor Himansu Rai in 1929. Together they starred in Karma the first Hindi sound film. They soon founded Bombay Talkies whose films challenged the caste system.

There she met Himanshu Rai and agreed to design the sets of his first production Light of Asia (1925).
They got married and after marriage they left for Germany where Rai made A Throw of Dice (1929) in collaboration with Germany's famous UFA Studio.
Rai made a bilingual Karma (1933) with Devika Rani in the lead and the two came to India. Here Rai and Devika Rani set up the famous Bombay Talkies Studio.

Under the painstaking supervision of Himanshu Rai, it purchased the most modern equipment from Germany. Franz Osten, director and a handful of technicians came down from England and Germany. By 1935, stream of Hindi productions began to emerge from Bombay Talkies Ltd. beginning with Jawani ki Hawa (1935), a murder mystery.

Devika Rani played the lead in most of these early productions. Their films were of a high technical standard and had a glossy look to them reminiscent of the films of MGM. (Devika Rani was lit up in a manner not unlike Greta Garbo!) In 1958, the President of India honoured Devika with a "Padma Shri". In 1970, she became the first recipient of the prestigious film prize Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

Devika Rani formed a successful team with Ashok Kumar, which ironically started due to a scandal as she eloped with her hero of Jawani ki Hawa, Najam-ul-Hussain. Rai found her and got her to come back and forgave her but not Hussain and Bombay Talkies Ltd. needed a new leading man. Rai's eyes fell on his laboratory assistant, Ashok Kumar.

The two of them starred in a series of films starting with Jeevan Naiya (1936) but it was Achut Kanya (1936), which capitulated Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar to big time fame. The love story between an untouchable girl and a Brahmin boy was both a critical and commercial success with critics going in raptures over Devika's performance.

Going with the trend she even sang her own songs in films with Main Ban Ki Chidiya with Ashok Kumar from Achut Kanya remembered till today. Devika Rani continued acting till 1943 and when Rai died in 1940 she took over the reins at Bombay Talkies. Among her discoveries at Bombay Talkies was Dilip Kumar.

But eventually the economics of filmmaking and tussles with other studio executives led her to take voluntary retirement. She married famed Russian painter Svetoslav Roerich and stayed at their huge estate near Bangalore in South India.

For her contribution to Indian Cinema, Devika Rani was the first ever recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1970. She remained in Bangalore till her death in 1994. At her funeral Devika was given full state honours.

Here's a B/W still from one of her old movies.



Noorie

Posted by: noorie Mar 31 2007, 03:08 AM

More info: Reeth, I really enjoyed doing this.

Devika Rani Chaudhuri Roerich is not only one of the most colourful personalities of India, but the darling of film fans of more than two generations. She is a gifted artiste, well versed in the techniques of film making. Indeed, she is verily a symbol of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram (Truth, goodness and beauty).

Daughter of Col.M.N.Choudheri, I.M.S., and Mrs.Leela Choudheri, she was born in Waltair. Her father had a distinguished medical career and was the first Indian Surgeon General of Madras.
She was educated in England and while at School, she received a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Royal Academy of Music in London to study acting and music.
She took up the study of applied arts in London, specialising in textile designing and decor, and also studied architecture. At an early age, she was already earning her living as a textile designer at a leading art studio in London.

While in London in 1928, she met the well-known Indian producer Himanshu Rai who produced famous Indian films like "The Light of Asia", "Shiraz" and "A Throw of Dice" for Indian and international markets.
Mr.Rai persuaded Devika Rani to join his production unit, to further the cause of Indian films. She signed a contract in London with Mr.Bruce Wolfe who was then associated with Himansu Rai. She later returned to India with Himansu Rai and his English and German experts to work on "A Throw of Dice" which was scheduled for production for England, Germany and the Continent.

She worked on the costumes and sets of this production under the guidance of the art director Promod Roy and studied the art of production.
In 1929, she married Himansu Rai and returned with him to Germany. Mr.Rai was the only Indian producer with the famous German film concern U.F.A. in Berlin. At the U.F.A. Studios, Devika Rani learnt costumes designing, make-up, decor and other different branches of film production with special training in acting.
She apprenticed in the Eric Pommer production unit at U.F.A., where she studied the art and techniques of acting under the guidance of Germany's great director Pabst, and other famous directors.

She was a U.F.A. at the time of the epoch-making change over from silent to the talkie films, and with Himansu Rai had the rare opportunity of seeing and studying the various changes and experiments in the new talking pictures.
At the time, Devika Rani also acted with Himansu Rai in a play for U.F.A. which took them to Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, where they were received with the highest honours.
She was also a student in the production unit of the famous State producer Max Heinhardt in Germany. From Germany, Devika Rani and Himansu Rai returned to India, to produce their first international talking picture "KARMA" in which Devika Rani, Himansu Rai, Princess Suda Rani of Burdwan and others acted. "KARMA" was produced both in English and Hindusthani and was completed at the Stall Studios in London. It was the first Indian talking picture in English and Hindusthani to be released in England and on the Continent as well as Indian.

"KARMA" was received with the highest approbation by the public of London. The premier was inaugurated by Lord Irwin and attended by the highest officials and England's most distinguished artiste. The same success was accorded to "KARMA" throughout Great Britain and wherever it was released.
The release of "KARMA" in India created a sensation, it was the beginning of a new era in Indian motion picture production.

It was in "KARMA" that Devika Rani established herself as a "star" of first magnitude.
During the screening of "KARMA", Devika Rani was honoured by an invitation of the B.B.C. at London to act in the first television broadcast in Britain which was relayed throughout the country. She was also chosen to inaugurate the first B.B.C. broadcast on the short wave length to India.

The Bombay Talkies Ltd., was founded by Himansu Rai and Devika Rani in 1934 in Malad, Bombay. It was a public limited company formed by eminent businessmen of Bombay including F.E.Dinhsaw, Sir Firoze Sethna and others. The advent of the Bombay Talkies gave an impetus to Indian films.
It was Himansu Rai's idea to attract to films the best elements of society as he believed that education and a cultured background where essential to achieve high standards in art.

The Bombay Talkies set a new standard in motion picture production in India on most up-to-date lines with experts from England, Germany, France who also trained young Indian men and women in the art and techniques of films production. It was responsible for a vast number of famous producers, directors, stars, musicians, writers, poets and technicians who even today rank among the best in the country.
Devika Rani was the star of the Bombay Talkies Ltd.

Her outstanding portrayals, her style of acting and new approach created a distinct form and tradition. She acted in numerous films, many of which have become classics of the Indian screen. Among her most famous pictures were "Jawani-Ki-Hawa", "Jeevan Nayya", "Achoot Kanya", "Savitri", "Jeevan Prabhat", "Durga", "Vachan", "Nirmala" and "Izzat".
She was acclaimed as India's greatest film actress, and was popularly known as the "First Lady of the Indian screen".

During this period, Devika Rani was the recipient of numerous honours, awards, medals and prizes from the film industry, the Press and the public.

After the death of the great founder of the Bombay Talkies Mr.Himanshu Rai in 1940, Devika Rani was made Controller of Production of the Bombay Talkies. She was a partner and also a producer of the concern. She was asked to assume the responsibility of management of the Bombay Talkies including the business.


As producer and controller of production of the company, Devika Rani continued the high standard of its productions with such outstanding success etc as in "Punarmilan", "Kangan", "Bandhan", "Basant", "Kismat", "Hamari Baat", etc.
The shares of the company rose to their highest level during this period. Among some of the outstanding artistes trained and presented for the first time on the screen during the period are such famous names as Leela Chitnis, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Mumtaz, Shanti, etc., as well as many outstanding technicians, producers, directors, story and screen writers and artistes who are among the most successful film personalities of today.

In 1945 at the height of her film career, Devika Rani decided to retire from the Bombay Talkies Ltd.

She married Dr.Svetoslav Roerich, she was a member of the Central Government Audio Visual Education Board. She was also nominated to the National Academy of Dance, Drama, Music and Films, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi, as a nominee of the Central Government and was a member of the Executive Board of the National Academy, Member of the Lalit Kala Akademi and the National Handicrafts Board and Member of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

On Republic Day, January 26, 1958, the President of India conferred the decoration of "PADMA SHRI" on Devika Rani for her valuable contribution to Indian motion picture.

On November 21, 1970, the Government of India conferred on Devika Rani the first Dadasaheb Phalke Award for her outstanding service to the film industry. Equally invaluable is the prestigious Soviet Land Nehru award conferred on her in 1989.


Here are some more stunningly beautiful stylized paintings of her by Roerich:


Dreaming on


The classically beautiful Indian face.


The coy maiden look

Noorie

Posted by: Reeth Mar 31 2007, 02:17 PM

Thanks a lot noorie........the paintings are lovely......

Posted by: Reeth Apr 3 2007, 03:36 PM

Because of the contributions she made and her stature, Devika Rani was called the First Lady of Indian cinema
Pradeep has given details about all the mentioned actresses in his article 'Sirens of the 30's and 40's'
i am just adding a few photographs here....

Shobana Samarth( 1915 - Feb 9, 2000)



Naseem Bano( 1916 - 2002) Considered to be one of the most beautiful actresses ,was popularly called 'Pari Chehra'...

With her daughter Saira bano & dilip kumar




Kanan Devi ( 1916 - 1992 )One of the early singing stars..



Khurshid ( 1912- 2001) singing star of the late 30's and the 40's ....Acted wih Saigal, Motilal...



Sulochana or Ruby Myers ( 1907- 1983)She is one of the earliest female stars of Indian cinema..





Nadia ( 1908 - 1996) popularly known as Fearless Nadia...of Scottish, greek parents...famous as a stuntwoman..

Posted by: Reeth Apr 5 2007, 01:47 PM

NOOR JAHAN

( September 21, 1926 - December 23,2000)

Noor Jehan was probably the Biggest singing star ever...until independence, after which she moved to Pakistan...She came from Kasur area of Punjab( now in Pakistan) she entered films as a child artiste, and continued to act in many punjabi films. She was fully trained in classical singing...In 1939 she acted in a prominent role in a Punjabi film " Gul e Bakhavali " which brought her a lot of fame as an actress also as a singer, and then she acted in her first hindi film " Khandaan" with Pran, which became a huge hit.....



with Pran in Khandaan....


She married her Khandaan dirctor Syed Shaukat Hussain Rizvi, and shifted base to Bomabay....She became established as one of the four leading singing stars, the other three being Shanta Apte, Kanan Devi and Khursheed..
She acted in many hit films with hit music and was adored for both her acting and singing...
She reached her peak with 'Anmol ghadi' which had three singing stars......Suraiya , Surendra and Noor jehan herself......then came Jugnu with Dilip Kumar...
Anmol ghadi had Great songs like " Awaz de kahan..." " Jawan hai muhobat" and "Mere bachpan ke saathi".....and 'Yahan badla vafaa ka' sung with Mohammad Rafi' will be rememberd forever...



with Surendra in Anmol ghadi



with Dilip kumar in jugnu




In 1945 she acted in a film 'Badi maa' with 'Baby Lata Mangeshkar' and 'Baby Asha Mangeshkar' in supporting roles...Noor jehan encouraged lata to sing and prdicted that she would become a sensational singer some day....
Lata mangeshkar admired and respected Noor Jehan . Lata's early singing was inspired by Noor jehan..
Some of Noor Jehan's memorable films wre
Khanddan
Badi maa
Dost
Village girl
Zeenat
Anmol Ghadi
jugnu
Mirza Sahibaan





Noor Jehan migrated to Pakistan following partition...she wanted to be with the country where her birthplace Kasur was..
She went on to direct many films in Pakistan and sang many memorable songs...she hit the headlines many times for her many 'affairs' and marriages....
She came to India in 1982 to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Indian Talkie....
She was ailing for alnmost four years with protracted illness of the Heart and others and had to take treatment at various hospitals, and her last days were painful......On Dec 23, 2000, Noor Jehan died from Heart failure...leaving behind many Great memories and Melodies...













Attached image(s)

Posted by: harihar Apr 5 2007, 02:02 PM

Excellent stuff Noorie ji n Reeth ji wonderful pics

Posted by: nasir Apr 5 2007, 09:45 PM

Thanks so much REETH for those picture as well as information.
By the way, speaking of yesteryear actress, do you have anything on REHANA? I haven't seen her name being mentioned as yet since the time I joined HF a year ago.


NASIR.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 7 2007, 02:31 PM

Nasir this is what i found on the net about Rehana........

REHANA





She appeared on the silver screen sometime in the late 30's acting in minor roles but soon took the cine world by storm....Made her major debut as a leading lady in "Hum Ek Hain" with Dev Anand...which was incidentally his first film too ...
With the exception of Dilip Kumar Rehana acted with all top heroes of her era...
Dilruba with dev Ananad
Sargam
and
sunehre Din with Raj kapoor
Cham chama cham with Kishore kumar
Sagai with Premnath
Actress with prem Adeeb
Adaa with Shekar

Some of the best Lata Mangeshkar songs were picturised on her...
Koi kisika deewana na baney.....Sargam
Zamaney ka dastoor hai yeh.....Laajawab
Tum kya jaano tumhari yaad mein.....Shin shinaki babla boo
Preetam mere duniya mein....Adaa
Mohobat mein aise .....Sagaai

Her memrable movies were...
Shehnai
Saajan
Sunehra Din
Sargam
Sagaai
Adaa
Dilruba
Shin shinaki babla boo....

After completing her last films in 1956," Delhi Darbaar "and "Qeemat ", she migrated to Pakistan....
She acted in a few films in Pakistan, but failed to impress......later married a film poducer...
She is widowed and leading a life of seclusion in pakistan now...

Posted by: HumTum Apr 7 2007, 02:59 PM

Reeth great job dost!

Who are you going to feature next?

Posted by: nasir Apr 7 2007, 10:38 PM

Seems even the songs you mentioned above are all mellifluous. Not to speak of those well-known movies.
Of course I don't remember seeing those movies except SHIN SHINAKI BUBALA BOO as a very small kid at the Imperial Theatre or perhaps the Swatik. But don't remember a thing from it. The title song of this movie I do remember the line. I wonder whether this was a mythical movie and whether the swashbuckling RANJAN was her hero.

I specially asked for REHANA's info since my dad had informed me that he had purchased the house of Rehana before her migration to Pakistan.

NASIR.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 10 2007, 03:53 PM

[quote name='HumTum' date='Apr 7 2007, 02:59 PM' post='359306']
Reeth great job dost!

Who are you going to feature next?
[/quote]

Nargis...


[quote name='nasir' date='Apr 7 2007, 10:38 PM' post='359442']



NASIR.
[/quote]


Seems even the songs you mentioned above are all mellifluous. Not to speak of those well-known movies.
Of course I don't remember seeing those movies except SHIN SHINAKI BUBALA BOO as a very small kid at the Imperial Theatre or perhaps the Swatik. But don't remember a thing from it. The title song of this movie I do remember the line. I wonder whether this was a mythical movie and whether the swashbuckling RANJAN was her hero.

I specially asked for REHANA's info since my dad had informed me that he had purchased the house of Rehana before her migration to Pakistan.NASIR.
[/quote]

Nasir,Are you still in posession of that house??

Posted by: Reeth Apr 10 2007, 05:14 PM

NARGIS ( June 1 1929 - 3 May 1981)

Nargis was one of the Greatest Indian Actresses of all times...She is undoubtedly one of the most powerful actresses in Indian cinema....
She was the daughter of Mohanbabu, a mohyaul brahmin from Rawalpindi, Pakistan and Jaddanbhai, who was a singer/actress....

Made her debut in 1935 in Talash e haq, and her first adult role was in Mehboob khan's 'Taqdeer' in 1943, opposite Motilal.Then came 'Humayun' and with ' Andaaz' and later 'Barsat' in 1949 she became a superstar.




With Dilip Kumar and Cuckoo in "Andaz"


Nargis appeared in numerous movies with all the top leading actors Andaaz,Mela, Jogan,Babul and Deedar with Dilip Kumar... Off screen her affair with the already married Raj Kapoorwas a matching of soul and spirit....After Awaara in 1951 she began to work exclusively with him...they did Aag Beawafaa,Shri 420, and Chori Chori....She is supposed to have turned down the role of 'Aan'..
The passion they had for each other poured out on the screen as they romanced each other in several films..Nargis even went and met the then Home Minister Morarji desai to try and get him to sanction a marriage between her and Raj kapoor.The affair was doomed, as Raj kapoor never wanted to divorce his wife..By 1956 the pair had broken up......She however did a special appearence in his 'Jagte Raho' in 1956..

At the height of their romnce....Raj kapoor, Nargis in Shri 420...



Raj kapoor Nargis in 'Awaara'...




With raj kapoor and Dilip kumar in 'Andaaz



With Raj Kapoor out of her life , Mehbob Khan offered her his Magnum opus " Mother India" in 1957.
Mother India is considered to be the ultimate tribute to Indian Womanhood! It was nominated for the Oscar, but lost by a solitary vote to Fellini's Nights of Caberia
While shooting for the film she was trapped amidst lit haystacks, was rescued by Sunil Dutt who was playing her rebellious son in the film....They fell in love during the making of the movie and married in 1958....
They have 3 children actor Sanjay Dutt, Priya and Anju...Nargis gave up acting after her marriage....
She came back with a Brilliant performance in 'Raat aur Din' expertly playing a woman with split personality winning the National award for the same in 1964..


Mother India.....some images...









Her memorable films were
Mela
Anokha pyar
Aag
Lahore
Barsaat
Andaz
Pyar
Meena bazar
Jogan
Bewafa
Aashiana
Anhonee
Deedar
Amber
Shikast
Angaarey
Shri 420
Jagte Raho
Chori chori
Lajwanti
Ghar Sansar
Adaalat
Mother India
Raat aur Din....
She was the recipient of the Urvashy award the highest honour that can be conferred on a movie actress in India.
She was the first film personality to be conferred the 'Padmashri' and she was the first film personality to be given a Rajya sabha seat in parliament..
She has been honoured as the Best Artiste of the Millenium.......
Nargis died of Pancreatic cancer in 1981.....









Attached image(s)

Posted by: nasir Apr 11 2007, 05:12 PM

[quote name='Reeth' date='Apr 10 2007, 03:53 PM' post='360284']
[quote name='HumTum' date='Apr 7 2007, 02:59 PM' post='359306']
Reeth great job dost!

Who are you going to feature next?
[/quote]

Nargis...


[quote name='nasir' date='Apr 7 2007, 10:38 PM' post='359442']



NASIR.
[/quote]


Seems even the songs you mentioned above are all mellifluous. Not to speak of those well-known movies.
Of course I don't remember seeing those movies except SHIN SHINAKI BUBALA BOO as a very small kid at the Imperial Theatre or perhaps the Swatik. But don't remember a thing from it. The title song of this movie I do remember the line. I wonder whether this was a mythical movie and whether the swashbuckling RANJAN was her hero.

I specially asked for REHANA's info since my dad had informed me that he had purchased the house of Rehana before her migration to Pakistan.NASIR.
[/quote]

Nasir,Are you still in posession of that house??
[/quote]

Not today. The fact is that he used to move a lot in and around Bombay itself. But during that period he had many filmy friends and I was a very small kid. Now since you have come up with Nargis..I'll disclose something in that section too.

NASIR.

Posted by: nasir Apr 11 2007, 05:32 PM

I had seen Nargis closely for fleeting moments as a kid at a time when her romance with Sunil Dutt was flowering. (That would be 1957 or so). We were at that time staying at Napean Sea Road, Bombay. In my hazy memory I remember to have seen Sunil Dutt with a black Fiat and looked so dashing and handsome no doubt.
In my opinion, the break-up of RK-Nargis alliance was for the betterment of Nargis: She found true love in Sunil Dutt who had risked his life to save hers during the shooting of MOTHER INDIA - the episode that everyone knows about. It was otherwise too very courageous of Sunil Dutt to marry her since after having played the role of her son. That time some narrow-minded people did not fail to criticise him for playing the role of a son and then marrying her. But this was the happiest of star-couples.

NASIR.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 11 2007, 06:37 PM

Sunil dutt was a gentleman actor, i like watching his films, Humraaz, Waqt, Mera saaya and Chaaya are the few i have seen.........they must have been very happy together......and Nargis was the kind of person one looked upto, there was more to her than being just an actress....

Posted by: nasir Apr 12 2007, 06:28 PM

Yes, Nargis was no snob and didn't have airs despite her very high standing in the film industry. Sunil Dutt was a doting husband. And yes, as you stated, he was a gentleman actor. That quality of his did not diminish even in his political field. Even as an MLA from Bandra to Versova area in Mumbai he was accessible to ordinary folks and did actual work for their cause. I used to attend his meetings in the playground of the VERSOVA WELFARE SCHOOL at 7 Bungalows, Mumbai where I had been then staying.

NASIR.

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 12 2007, 06:35 PM

Wot on earth did she see in RK that she did not see in DK?

Posted by: noorie Apr 12 2007, 06:57 PM

What she and RK felt or allegedly felt, there’s a name 4 that – infatuation.

Reason doesn’t work there.

Noorie

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 12 2007, 06:59 PM

I assure you Dilip wudnt have married her.

Posted by: noorie Apr 12 2007, 07:04 PM

What's a wedding ring got 2 do with 'true love'?

Noorie

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 12 2007, 07:07 PM

You said "infatuation", and 4rom my experience that never lasts. Toughts?

Posted by: noorie Apr 12 2007, 07:12 PM

Sum 'infatuations' last 4ever. Not all folks get 2 experience that.

Noorie

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 12 2007, 07:19 PM

Lucky them.

Posted by: noorie Apr 12 2007, 07:29 PM

Unlucky spouses though!

Noorie

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 12 2007, 07:35 PM

Wot are we talking abt? I mean Im just guttted that DK didnt bed her and you're going on abt wot?

Posted by: Reeth Apr 13 2007, 01:10 AM

Welcome back YM .......... LOL you sound the same,but i like your new tame(d) look...........goes with the new image( much married?) Congrats buddy..

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 13 2007, 03:44 AM

Very much so. Thanks.

Am gonna try and change myself now and hopefully it'll be 4 the better but baby steps tho Reeth

Posted by: nasir Apr 13 2007, 09:35 PM

A Million Dollar question YAARMERE....
What indeed she see in him - a much married man while DK was the most eligible bachelor till as late he celebrated his 44th birthday.
This calls for analysis based on their performance together right from 1948 MELA, then 1949 ANDAAZ, JOGAN and BABUL 1950 and DEEDAR 1951, BABUL 1952 where Dilip keeps on losing her. So also in HULCHAL. Much has also to do with AAN 1952.

NASIR.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 14 2007, 12:03 AM

I guess at that stage ,Dilip Kumar had better things on his mind...

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 14 2007, 12:11 AM

Sunil Dutt ji ka khayal aa gaya so I wont say anything now, otherwise damn Nargis.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 14 2007, 12:16 AM

Great news YM celebrations all round ....Change in what way??? hey don't change, just be what you are........

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 14 2007, 12:39 AM

W8 untill you get married.

I'll tell you a story. few days back I came home and as soon as I turned the key to open the door my cousins were there, they're only kids, they came running (the ice-cream van was parked outside) and started pestering me "ice-cream, ice-cream le ke do" and Im like "pese nahi hai jao Sheetal (ever since I saw that Dilip film I vowed to called my wife by that name) mango." The elder 1 says: woh kyun hai? In a heartbeat I reply "bete woh jo nai kaam karnewali laye hein, woh" and while I was still sayin that I walked into the living room to find my in-laws sitting there. Needless to say that that I put myself in reverse gear and went out to get them their ice-cream. Its little things like that need changing.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 14 2007, 12:46 AM

you seem to be enjoying it.....good for you...

Posted by: desai2rn Apr 14 2007, 03:54 AM

I guess we will never know. As they say love is blind. Other than the fact that Rk was married and DK was
bachelor, they were both powerful personalites. DK it seems could not decide who he wanted to be with.
If I am not wrong he had affairs with Kamini Kaushal (married ??), Madhubala etc. Just when people thougt
he would settle down with Waheeda Rehman ( would have been nice couple) he marries Saira??

Posted by: nasir Apr 14 2007, 10:39 PM

The important point to note regarding DK and Nargis is that DK was paired with her as early as 1948. Maybe Nargis was a strong personality. So there was no chemistry at all. When you look at Kamini Kaushal she seems so pliable, so sweet and willing. The chemistry is evident there. Besides a spate of their pictures and all were hit. Regarding the story why he did not settle down with Waheeda it appears it has something to do with Naseem Bano, and one another male film personality... maybe. Regarding Madhubala, Dk truly was in love with her. But as Shakespeare says: The course of true love never doth run smooth. Regarding Vyjantimala, her pairing with DK was truly fabulous until RK's SANGAM came along. And there are so many shady stories there it seems.
But the fate willed that DK marry Saira. And what a lovely couple they made. They both deserved each other. Many film personalities could not even digest the thought. (A friend of mine who was in the Baraat did here some snide remarks from an eminent film personality). But as they say: KOI JAL GAYA AUR KISI NE DUA' DEE.....May this pair bloom for many many years to come.


NASIR.

Posted by: nasir Apr 14 2007, 10:42 PM

The important point to note regarding DK and Nargis is that DK was paired with her as early as 1948. Maybe Nargis was a strong personality. So there was no chemistry at all. When you look at Kamini Kaushal she seems so pliable, so sweet and willing. The chemistry is evident there. Besides a spate of their pictures and all were hit. Regarding the story why he did not settle down with Waheeda it appears it has something to do with a mother who had her own dreams...... maybe. Regarding Madhubala, Dk truly was in love with her. But as Shakespeare says: The course of true love never doth run smooth. Regarding Vyjantimala, her pairing with DK was truly fabulous until RK's SANGAM came along. And there are so many shady stories there it seems.
But the fate willed that DK marry Saira. And what a lovely couple they made. They both deserved each other. Many film personalities could not even digest the thought. (A friend of mine who was in the Baraat did hear some snide remarks from an eminent film personality). But as they say: KOI JAL GAYA AUR KISI NE DUA' DEE.....May this pair bloom for many many years to come.


NASIR.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 16 2007, 06:57 PM

I was going through some very old Filmfare magazines......happened to read that Nasim bano was very keen on Saira tying the knot with Nawab of Pataudi, this was before Sharmila Tagore came into the scene....
she( Nasim Bano) was initially opposed to Saira marrying Dilip kumar bec of the vast age difference between the 2...22 yrs or so........no matter what,they look good together

Posted by: nasir Apr 16 2007, 09:31 PM

Never heard of the Nawab of Pataudi angle, Reeth Though at one time word did go round that Rajendra Kumar was a contender and that hastened Nasim Banu to marry Saira off to Dilip Kumar.

At the time of her LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT Award, Saira confided to the audience that it was from the age of twelve that she wanted to marry Dilip Kumar. That scene was very poignant with Dilip Kumar literally in tears (SIGH!)

NASIR.

NASIR.

Posted by: noorie Apr 17 2007, 08:35 PM

Wonder what everyone sees in RK? He’s hideous if you ask me.

Noorie

Posted by: desai2rn Apr 17 2007, 08:59 PM

You seem highly Opinionated. !!!!

Raj Kapoor is todate one of the most popular Legend in HF.

A complete film maker if there was ever one in Bollwood.

One of the best Actor/director/producer.

Posted by: noorie Apr 17 2007, 10:38 PM

So I am !

Wud sumone please teach me how 2 sugar-coat the truth ? I'll be very grateful.

Noorie

Posted by: nasir Apr 17 2007, 10:42 PM

But there must be some reasons surely for "bitter truth?"

Nasir.

Posted by: noorie Apr 18 2007, 03:06 AM

Plenty!

Let's say that unlike DK, RK cud never manage 2 look like a gentleman.
Didn't look the part, cudn't play the part either. Not even in his personal life.

Noorie

Posted by: desai2rn Apr 18 2007, 05:08 AM

Since when did your opinion become truth, bitter or sweet.

I happen to be a fan of both DK and RK so I have no intention of comparing their talents and personalities.

They are both great acotrs in their own rights and that is not even debatable in my opinion.

Prefrence is another matter.

But you seem prejudice towards RK.

I have seen plenty of RK movies and interviews and came across as intelligent, articulate, courteous

and friendly. Their personal lives are thier personal. If you dig enough you will find problems with

most bollywood/hollywood and otherwood personalites and these days it is true for lot of other fields too.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 19 2007, 03:11 AM

SURAIYA (June 15, 1929 - January 31, 2004

Suriya was perhaps the last of the Great singing stars...Born in Lahore, she was an only child.She began her acting career by playing bit roles as a child artiste,between the years 1937-1941.Her major film was TajMahal in 1941.....She did playback as a 13 year old for actress Mehtaab in Sharda(1942)
She was launched as a singing star in Bombay talkies Hamaari Baat(1943).She initially started by playing powerful secondary roles in films like Phool, Anmol Ghadi and Dard,..Her singing career found a mentor in music maestro naushad...K.L.Saigal recommended her as heroine for Tadbir in 1945,she co starred with Saigal in Omar Khayyam and Parwana. In 1947 after the partition when Major actresses Noor jehan and Khurshid migrated to Pakistan, more opportunities appeared for Suraiya....



The Year 1948 - 1949 were the best for her career...She had three major hits Pyar ki Jeet, Badi bahen and Dillagi and she became the highest paid Female Star.At her peak Suriaya generated hysteria among the masses...Her songs were a craze....Her songs like Tere nainon ne chori kiya, Woh paas rahe ya door rahe...Bigdi bananewale, murliwale murli bajaa were hummed in every nook and corner of the country..



while shooting for the film Vidya Suraiya fell in love with Dev Anand and the two of them did six films together....Afsar,shayar,Do sitare,Jeet,Nili , none of them hits, suraiya had no regrets as their love flourished...But suraiya's grandmother opposed the relationship . Suraiya remained unmarried all her life...Their love story was the stuff legends are made of...








She made a hit pair with Talat mehmood in movies like Maalik and Waris.... In 1954 she gave her finest dramatic performance in Mirza Ghalib, in the role of a courtesan, the married Ghalib's lover.....her songs in this film are eternal classics...Yeh na thi hamare kismat, Dil e naadan tujhe hua kya hai..

Some of her memorable films
Anmolghadi pyar ki jeet
Waris
Afsar
Sanam
Malik
Mirza Ghalib
Deewana
Mashooqa
Vidya
Shama
Rustom Sohrab


Suraiya's films startrd flopping in the fifties.....followed some indifferent films, and finally in 1963 after acting in Rustom Soharb with Prithviraj Kapoor she bade farewell to the studios....
She retreated into a world surrounded by her close family..
She died in 2004 ,at the age of 75....


Suriya's Films and songs continue to thrive on speculations,lore and memories....

Posted by: parag_sankla Apr 19 2007, 03:55 AM

Reeth, thank you for this excellent piece of write-up with great pictures...

Cheers
Parag

Posted by: desai2rn Apr 19 2007, 07:47 AM

So far I have been able to see Mirza Ghalib with Bharat Bushan.
She was very impressive as was Bharat Bushan as Ghalib.
Great songs by Suraiya, talat, and Rafi saab.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 19 2007, 06:12 PM

Most welcome parag......

Posted by: Reeth Apr 19 2007, 06:14 PM

I have seen a few songs from Mirza Ghalib ......Anmol ghadi is the only film i have seen and to be frank i found her much more charming than Noor Jehan.

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 19 2007, 06:16 PM

Reeth? 1 or 2 pages on Rakhee Gulzar plz coz acting wise, no1 was like her!

Posted by: Reeth Apr 19 2007, 06:20 PM

Sure yaar......... i too like her older movies.....trishul,Kabhie kabhie,sharmilee and Blackmail.....

Posted by: YaarMere Apr 19 2007, 06:33 PM

Yaar Mera. Thatz the only film of Rakhee Ive seen where she is young enuff to play the lead heroine the rest of the time Ive seen doing mother roles or you know the 'elder' role and thatz where she excels!

I seen this film once where she plays the part of very young Akshay Kumar's mum and there is another greast actor in Mukesh Khanna (wotever happened to him??) playin a young Karisma Kapoor's father, I 4get the film's name but my word Rakhee rules!

Posted by: desai2rn Apr 19 2007, 07:32 PM

I have yet to see a Noor Jehan movie but I tend to agree with you.

As for singing I prefer her over NJ.

Posted by: nasir Apr 19 2007, 10:30 PM

Your answer immediately brought before me Dilip Kumar's characters of MANGAL (INSANIYAT), MR. DALIP (ANDAZ), and SHAAMU (DEEDAR). These characters amplify your reply Noorie.

NASIR.

Posted by: NATURE Apr 20 2007, 10:45 AM

reeth, o reeth. where do you get all the informations man ? it's awesome.
thank you very much. write something on deepti naval, smita patil, mousumi(the honey) ...

suraiya is very gorgeous. the 2nd photo is a class one. in the first one, i like her hair.


yeah, yeah. i demand the same. rakhee is adorable. i like her eyes, lips and cheeks.
gulzar connection too. he is someone i take my hat off to.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 21 2007, 02:00 AM

Thank you NATURE......Most of the material i get from the net...you know this hs been a learning process for me....i knew very little about hindi films and actors,but after joining hf i started developing an interest in them......and i find the older films,actors and songs definitely much much more interesting.....

Posted by: RafiKiAwaaz Apr 22 2007, 12:27 AM

The truth as you know it or do you have the ownership on truth. What do you don't give the credit where the credit is due, he made great strides in his career, he just didn't pop out of no where. I love Dilip Kumar as a great actor but he is NOT the only one. What one sees in one is their choice, so try to be FAIR not just blur out your great thoughts.
RKA

Posted by: noorie Apr 22 2007, 12:40 AM

I was stating my opinion;that doesn't mean everyone has 2 agree with it.

As 4 not being competent enough 2 comment on him; allow me 2 be the judge of that.
Reason? I've seen all of his celebrated and not so celebrated movies - acted, directed and produced; this isn't a vain boast either.

Noorie

Posted by: Ummer Apr 22 2007, 07:40 AM

Rehana married Pakistani film director Iqbal Shehzad, later they got divorced... and then she married a businessman Sabir Ahmed. Rehana is leading a widow's life in seclusion in Karachi.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 22 2007, 07:44 AM

As far as Najam ul Hasan is concerned, here is some info :-

One of the major stars of Bombay Talkies, Najmul Hasan was easily the most handsome actor of his time. He was studying law but did not finish and went to Bombay where Himansu Roy, founder of Bombay Talkies, persuaded him to become an actor. He was cast in the first film produced by Bombay Talkies Jawani ki hawa (1935-H) Bo, a regular whodunit with shades of Agatha Christie. Roy's wife, Devika Rani, who was related to Rabindranath Tagore, fell in love with Najmul Hasan and the two ran away, which many say brought on the heart attack that killed Roy. Najmul Hasan also had a roaring love affair with Jahanara Kajjan, another cinema beauty. Migrated to Pakistan after partition and died unsung in Lahore in 1980.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 22 2007, 11:49 AM

Thanks a lot Ummer for all the inputs....

Posted by: nasir Apr 22 2007, 09:02 PM

Reeth, excellent pictures and info.
Just a slight correction, probably an oversight: In Rustom aur Sohrab it was Premnath and not Pradeep Kumar who acted as the unfortunate Sohrab who is unwittingly killed by his own father, Rustom (Prithviraj Kapoor). Suraiyya played the mother of Premnath. The romantic angle was provided by beautiful lass called Mumtaz.

Here, I would like to mention a news item that I had read in a daily many many years ago which would explain the craze for Suraiyya. It appears that a person actually robbed Suraiyya in her flat. No, not the money, but all her songs' records. The police finally nabbed the thief in Khandala. He was enjoying Suraiyya's songs, oblivious of the attendent risks.

NASIR.





NASIR.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 23 2007, 01:58 AM

It was a mistake nasir , i have seen the film ' Rustom Soharb ' in parts only....Just to see the picturisation of 2 songs which i really like 'Yeh kaisi ajab daastan' .... and 'Phir tumhari yaad aayi...
I have made the necessary correction in my posting..( Prithviraj Kapoor)...

Posted by: Ummer Apr 23 2007, 10:36 AM

Suraiya was born in Gujranwala... not Lahore. I haven't seen Mirza Ghalib, but my favorite Suraiya's movie as an actress is Dastaan with Raj Kapoor. As a singer... I like most of her movies. Badi Behan was also a nice watchable movie, but I didn't like Dillagi at all...

Anmol Ghadi was also a nice movie... I also find Suraiya more charming than Noor Jehan in this film + I liked Suraiya's songs better than Noor Jehan. Noor Jehan was pregnant at that time I think, and she looks plumpy and bubbly and her acting was completely wooden in the movie.

Noor Jehan best movies (as an actress) came after partition and she looks very pretty in Koel and Intezar.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 24 2007, 01:26 AM

I have referred to several sources and by all accounts she was born in lahore and later moved to Bombay....wikipedia is the only site on where her birth place is mentioned as Gujranwala, Punjab...

Posted by: Ummer Apr 24 2007, 02:36 AM

Yeah I know that and it is commonly believed that she was born in Lahore... but that is false. She was born in Gujranwala and her father had a furniture shop there. Later she moved to Lahore and then to Bombay.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 24 2007, 03:49 AM

One more correction... Dev Anand and Suraiya did 7 films together, not 6.

Vidya, Jeet, Sanam, Afsar, Shair, Nili and Do Sitare. I have seen Vidya, Jeet, Sanam and Shair... all of them were mediocre or below average films... except their music.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 24 2007, 04:58 PM

MEENA KUMARI (August 1 , 1932 - March 31 , 1972 )

Meena kumari was one of the most beloved acrtreses of all times in the Indian cinema and she continues to
live deep into the hearts of people even today. She is invariably called the 'Tragedy queen' and her work remains immortal even today....She was Beautiful, Mesmerizing and legendary....


Born as Mahajbeen Bano into a poor family, her mother Prabhavathi devi was a stage actress and a dancer.
Meena kumari's grand mother was married into the Tagore family...Her Father Ali Bux was a dabbler in cinema had hit hard times when Meena was young...He tried to get his daughter into films despite her
protestations of wanting to go to school, she was keen on learning like other children of her age....Meena kumari later developed a Love-Hate relationship for films all her life...


Mahajbeen began her career as a child artiste in Vijay Bhatt's film Leatherface in the year 1939, she being the sole breadwinner of the family she continued to act in films throughout 1940's...Her early adult roles were mainly in mythological films like Ganesh mahima, Veer gatotgach(1950) and fantacies like Alladin and the Wonderful lamp(1952)...
Meena kumari hit the big time in her mentor Vijay Bhatt's classic Baiju Bawra ....the suffering Indian woman found a new face in Meena kumari( her new screen name).Her performance fetched her the Inagural Filmfare Best Actress award in 1953.With Parineeta, Daera,Ek hi Rasta, Sharda and Dil Apna aur Preet parayi Meena went from strength to strength playing the suffering woman, martyr to perfection...



It was a pity that Meena kumari was known for her Tragic roles and she chose more such roles to cultivate the tragedieenne image,because in the few light-hearted films that she did in between Azad,Kohinoor,Miss Mary , Shararat she displayed an uninhibitedness that was refreshing...in thes films her physical movements were free and unrestrained and her dialouge delivery absolutely normal, a stark contrast to the
studied mannerisms and passive posturs of her tragic roles...



It was Tragedy however which saw Meena Kumari's Greatest ever performance and immortalized her. The film was Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam produced by Guru Dutt. It is considered as one of the Greatest performance ever on the Indian screen.....That year Menna Kumari made history by as she garnered all the three best actress nominations for the Filmfare Award- For Aarti, Main chup rahoongi and of course Sahib bibi aur ghulam for which she won the award...She went on to win 4 Filmfare awrds in all
for Baiju Bawra, Parineeta,Sahib bibi aur Ghulam and Kajal





On the sets of one of her films Meena Kumari fell in love with kamal Amrohi one of the the Greatest Film producer/director.He was married and 15 years older than her....They married and she acted in four of his films including Pakeezah which took 14 years to (1958-1972) to hit the silver screen.....
Meena kumari and Kamal amrohi both being highly accomplished and successful , soon began to have differences and relations began to grow sour and finally ended in a divorce in 1964.Meena Kumari increasingly relied on the intimate kindness offered by younger men like Dharmendra and often dulled her senses with liquor....professionally she had hits like Dil ek Mandir, Kajal and Phool aur Patthar



In her later years Menna kumari had lost her looks due to heavy drinking and she began to play character roles in films like Mere apne,Dushman,Jawab, Gomti ke kinare.
She was a talented poetess, and has recorded a disc of her urdu poems- I write I recite
She went on to complete Pakeezah realising that she had limited time...Released in 1972,Pakeezah went on to become a Cult Classic..Meena Kumari gave a stunning performance in a dual role of mother and daughter.
The film was released in February 1972 to a lukewarm response, but after her death on March 31, 1972 the film went on to become a huge success and is regarded as one of her best films
Meena kumari acted in 94 films in a career spanning 33 years...
most memorable films

Baiju Bawara
Daera
Parineeta
Naya andaz
Azad
Ek hi Rasta
Yahudi
sharda
Dil apna aur preet parati
Kohinoor
Babi ki chudiyan
Savera
Saanj aur savera
Aarti
Chitraleka
Dil ek mandir
Kajal
Bahu begum
Phool aur patthar
Mere apne
Pakeezah



On March 31 , 1972 ,Meena kumari was extremely sick , suffering from Cirrohsis of the Liver and died after being hospitalised where she was on oxygen for four hours...
Meena kumari remained the ultimate Tragedy queen in cinema and in real life ......

Posted by: Reeth Apr 24 2007, 05:00 PM

alright...I stand corrected

Posted by: NATURE Apr 24 2007, 07:36 PM

thank you very much reeth for the article on meena kumari, mahajabeen bano was truly beautiful,
a sweet person and a fantastic actor. she lacks absolutely nothing. i recall many and so many things,
bits and bytes of her life my mom used to tell when i was a child/teenager.

her "Chandan ka Palna" is one of her movies that i cherish.

one fact, that i always felt sad is that she was a tragic queen in her real life.
please put more and more about her including pics.

looking forward to your elegant articles.

Posted by: nasir Apr 24 2007, 11:23 PM

The Tragedy Queen - that was Meena Kumari - both in reel life as well as real life. It's pity that she lost interest in life. She was also, it seems, desirous of having children. But that was not to be.

Dharmendra's first big hit came in PHOOL AUR PATTHAR, opposite Meena Kumari. Yes, she was instrumental, somehow or the other, in establishing the struggling Dharmendra. It is significant that Dharmendra maintained silence recently in an interview on a TV Channel though Meena Kumari's name was mentioned to him.

PAKEEZA would have been a flop if it were not for untimely death. She was buried in a Qabrastaan near Mazagaon, Bombay. Her funeral procession was a huge one, showing the love of the people. It wes only after her death that Pakeeza picked up the box office collections and became a super-hit.

It was said that Meena Kumari's little finger in one of her hands (don't remember which) was slightly cut. In her movies it will be seen that she very cleverly hid it under the Sari's hem or some such clothing. The other unique thing about her was her voice and style of dialogue which was totally different from that of other heroines.

All in all, Meena Kumari is still an inspiration for younger generation of movie stars. One such movie star was Manisha Koirala.

NASIR.

Posted by: maheshks Apr 25 2007, 01:30 AM

Visited this thread today only...thanks reeth for the inputs...though many of
them are not correct...but still a good effort considering that you have
ventured into this subject very recently....


Janaab Nasir Saheb....Meena Kumari had six fingers in her right hand and
no other abnormality.

Posted by: maheshks Apr 25 2007, 01:39 AM

Noorie a bit of more information on your post...the man in the picture is nazmul hasan..with whom she eloped momentarily.

Posted by: maheshks Apr 25 2007, 01:55 AM

Nasir Saheb you are very much right here. Nargis was a much stronger personality
than DK at that time. T J S George, who wrote the book "Life and Times of Nargis"
has beautifully analysed her life. It is worth reading.....

COMMERCIAL cinema today puts the accent on commercial, not on cinema. Its star component reflects the general culture. For one thing, body-building is the dominant element in the Net Asset Value of a male lead who, invariably, prefers to go shirtless as often as possible. For another, stars are available on rent to political parties looking for opportunistic propaganda boost and a campaign romp or two. From both artistic and sociological perspectives, it is worth pondering why even an Amitabh Bachchan could achieve only success, not significance. Could it be an inability to see the difference, or a tendency to equate the one with the other? Could it be the absence of a purposeful mission, social or aesthetic, without which success becomes essentially vain-glorious?

The world was different in the 1950s. Idealism energised talent and talent inspired idealism. Technology had not become a substitute for ability. There was no ‘special effects’ department that could make a terminator out of Schwarzenegger, no morphological tricks that could convert a Kamal Hasan into an instant hydra. An actor had to act. It was part of the folk wisdom of the time that dramatic actors like Dilip Kumar and Balraj Sahni, as well as character artistes like Lalita Pawar and Achla Sachdev, would spend hours studying their parts and perfecting the nuances of their performance.

Not surprisingly a thousand flowers bloomed in the years that immediately followed independence. Directors like Bimal Roy and K.A. Abbas pioneered the romantic-neorealist genre of cinema, directly influenced by European masters in general and Vittorio De Sica in particular. Composers like Naushad endowed music with classical dimensions. Lyricists like Sahir Ludhianwi and Shakeel Badayuni were not just film lyricists, but poets of considerable worth. The erratic Kishore Kumar’s simultaneous brilliance in different departments was something of a marvel. For that matter, where has there been a comedian who could rival the versatility and finesse of Johny Walker?

If this sounds like a throwback to the old-is-gold cliche, so be it. The 1950s were indeed a Golden Age, described as such and compared to the Golden Age of the 1930s when New Theatres, Bombay Talkies and Prabhat lit up the skies and filled them with stars of the calibre of Devika Rani and K.L. Saigal. Those decades attained a measure of significance because cinema then recognised its social responsibility. Pictures like Shantaram’s Amrita Manthan (1934), Bombay Talkies’ Acchut Kanya (1936) and Mehboob Khan’s Ek Hi Rasta (1939) found worthy successors in the second Golden Age with Zia Sarhadi’s Humlog (1951), Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin (1953) and Mehboob’s Mother India (1957). A good deal of trash came out of those years, but the thinkers made up for the titillators.





The stars kept pace. On the female side as well as the male. It took a dedicated producer-director-bureaucrat named Mohan Bhavnani to help break the social taboo that kept ‘respectable women’ out of cinema. In Vasant Sena which he produced in 1931, he scored a triumph for which he is yet to be fully recognised; he persuaded the socially prominent Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya and Enakshi Rama Rau to appear before the camera. But that was not enough for him. He wanted an educated lady to take to films as a profession and thereby set an example. This he achieved when Durga Khote, the Cathedral School-educated wife of the upper-crust lawyer Viswas Khote, agreed to star in Bhavnani’s Trapped (1931).

That debut led to an opening of the floodgates. Devika Rani, who had teamed up with Himanshu Rai two years earlier in Germany, became the queen of the first Golden Age not only because of her histrionic capabilities, but also her aristocratic pedigree. She was the daughter of Col. M.N. Chowdury, Surgeon-General, who had sent her off to England at the age of nine in order to bring her up as a proper English lady. Trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and later in Germany, she was as educated as anyone could be. She was now joined by a galaxy of stars – Shanta Apte, Leela Chitnis, Shobhana Samarth, Kannanbala, Sadhana Bose. The 1950s saw a lineup just as glittering – Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Kamini Kaushal, Geeta Bali, Waheeda Rahman, Nutan.





And Nargis. How did this progeny of the kothewali class of professional singers transcend her custom-ordained destiny, rise above her extraordinarily gifted fellow artistes, rise even above the aristocratic Devika Rani and become the First Lady of the second Golden Age? K.A. Abbas had noted that she was not a great actress to start with. Yet she became not only ‘the greatest star of our film industry,’ as Balraj Sahni described her, but also an icon of her times with an assured place among the Great Women of India.

Genes certainly had something to do with it, genes and a natural ambition for excellence that grew out of them. Her mother Jaddan Bai, imperious and colourful, was the one who sensed early on that life ought to be more than singing and dancing for the entertainment of northern India’s zamindars. She became so proficient in singing, especially thumri, that when she was on a visit to Calcutta K.L. Saigal listened to her and told friends about the classical character of her music.

Another Punjabi who attended that soiree was smitten by the singer as well as the song. Uttamchand Mohanchand (Mohan Babu) from Rawalpindi was on his way to England to study medicine. He cancelled all plans and persuaded Jaddan Bai, already a mother of two boys, to marry him. From him, daughter Nargis inherited a capacity to both love profoundly and develop a sensitive attachment to books and education. These traits, combined with an ability to dream which she imbibed from her mother, formed the foundations of Nargis’s personality.

It was of course the aesthetic side of that personality that made her a star. But there were other aspects to her life that made her unlike any other star. She made contributions of her own as a woman, as a mother and wife, as a citizen and as a committed social worker. Her multiple involvements gave her a sense of direction which several of her talented contemporaries missed. Waheeda Rahman was one of the few who found fulfilment in her career and went into graceful retirement. Madhubala and Nutan were overtaken by illnesses while Meena Kumari fell prey to excesses with the bottle. Nargis always had worthy causes to pursue. That was why, even though cancer brought her life to a painful end, she filled the 52 years of her life with accomplishments of a lasting kind.





First and foremost she was an artiste. Her appearance in her mother’s production Talashe Haq in 1935 at the age of six may be considered no more than a matter of record. (Her name appeared in the credits as Baby Rani. Among family and close friends she was always known by the pet name of Baby.) At 14 she was dreaming of joining college and becoming a doctor. It took a full day for Mehboob to persuade her to accept the role of heroine in his Taqdeer (1943). Mehboob also gave her a new screen name. She obviously could not be featured as Baby Rani. Nor was her official name, Fatima Abdul Rashid, attractive enough for cinema. Her father had named her Tejeswari Mohan. That too was considered unsuitable. Mehboob finally chose the one-word name, Nargis. Half a dozen indifferent films followed. Then came milestones in the history of Hindi cinema, beginning with Aag in 1948 and Andaz and Barsaat in 1949. The magic had begun.

Any consideration of Nargis’s film career should take two of its essential ingredients into account – the temper of India in the 1950s and the creativity of her association with Raj Kapoor. The euphoria of a newly independent country had a salutary impact on cinema. As a dramatic art that blends myriad skills into a single compendium of experience, cinema needs a confluence of talents and a commitment of the talented.





The artists, technicians and the visionaries who converged in cinema in the years immediately following independence could not have asked for a more propitious moment in terms of opportunities. Despite Gandhian leaders who saw cinema as sinful, optimism was the prevailing mood and everyone was a reformist. Liberal themes, imaginative treatment and creative virtuosity could expect instant acceptance. There was a great coming together of mood and man. There was an all-round striving towards fresh goals, an urge to venture into new areas. Cinema became inspirational.

It was in such an atmosphere that destiny brought Nargis and Raj Kapoor together. No hero-heroine team has given more electric moments to Indian cinema than this pair. There were other pairings like Dev Anand and Suraiya, Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal. But Nargis and Raj Kapoor complemented each other, brought out the best in each other as no other star team did. Nargis told an interviewer in 1954: ‘Before I started work with Raj, my ideas were bottled up. There was no one with whom I could discuss them freely. With Raj it is different. We seem to have practically the same views and ideas, the same outlook on all subjects.’

Raj Kapoor for his part was too conscious of his prerogatives as a man to concede much to a woman. But there can be no doubt that Nargis was the finest artistic asset he had under his R.K. Films banner. This became clear after the two broke up around 1957. Nargis went on to make Mother India that year, considered by many as the zenith of her career. By contrast, not a single film of note came out of R.K. Studios after Nargis left it. Indeed, Ab Dilli Dur Nahi which came out in the year of the break-up, is generally considered the poorest of R.K. Films offerings. Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960) had the usual formula ingredients but without the easy spontaneity that made the earlier movies so heart-warming. Actually, this film pointed to a fundamental shift in Raj Kapoor’s very approach to cinema. He now found a tawdry resort to sex appeal necessary. Padmini’s assets were used with a blatancy never seen during the Nargis phase.





Clearly the Nargis-Raj Kapoor combination was good for cinema just as their break-up was bad for Raj Kapoor’s cinema. While it lasted, it was the most celebrated love affair of the time. So perfect was the chemistry between them that even ordinary poses struck instinctively by them became classic images of India’s entertainment lore. One became the famous logo of R.K. Films with Nargis flowing over the arm of a violin-bearing Raj. Another, a simple shot from Shree 420 showing the two of them sheltering under an umbrella in heavy rain, tugs at hearts for completely inexplicable reasons.

What is undeniable is that Nargis and Raj Kapoor brought to screen romance an unprecedented openness. Meena Kumari, the prototype of the romantic heroine, was forever sacrificing and suffering. She was aptly described as the tragedy queen because romance was inseparable from tragedy.

Nargis and Raj Kapoor revolutionised the concept of romance by boldly projecting love as a prerogative of the young. They looked as though they were made for the part. She was vulnerably feminine if also happily submissive. He was impishly masculine if also happily submissive. Adoring each other unabashedly, they turned romance into a joyous celebration. Instead of feeling guilty, they revelled in it. They did retain the concept of pain as part of the ecstasy of love; it would not be Indian otherwise. But the Nargis heroine was proud of her emotions, full of self-esteem and ready to fight for her right to love and be loved.





In Barsaat an entirely new idiom of screen romance was at work. His fingers tenderly probing around her mouth, her head tilting in a gesture of total submission, his hands fondly rustling her hair, her eyes catching fire as she looked at him – this was intuitive romancing, honest and unpremeditated. In the sixteen pictures in which they starred together, love was not always the central theme. Yet the wondrous aura surrounding the pair gave the films an extraordinary pitch and panache.

Raj Kapoor’s place in Indian cinema is historical, entrenched and unique. It may therefore seem invidious to suggest that his artistic wellsprings were not as deep as Nargis’s. Yet that conclusion is inevitable when their contrasting trajectories after the break-up are taken into consideration. Mother India is proof of Nargis’s unmatched ability to summon up inner reserves of inspiration and propel herself to new levels of excellence, Raj Kapoor or no Raj Kapoor. Her role covered the entire span of life, from a young wife to an old woman. It called for a complete range of emotions, from romance and rustic toughness to a manifestation of womanly resolve that would prompt her to shoot her own son when he tried to abduct a girl. She brought a raw power to bear on her performance. It was a Nargis who had attained the fullness of artistic maturity.

That Nargis scaled the summit of achievement with her performance in Mother India was acknowledged by all. Abroad, she won an award at the Karlovy Vary festival. At home, Dilip Kumar said: ‘Her best picture is Mother India. Her second best picture is Mother India. Her third best picture is Mother India.’ Thirty years after the picture was released, a reviewer wrote: ‘Mother India is to Nargis what The Godfather is to Marlon Brando and The Sound of Music to Julie Andrews. The role and the film are inextricably entwined in the mind of the public so much so that the two are almost one.’





When Mother India was made, Nargis was two years short of 30. The woman in her had been yearning for fulfilment of a different kind and it was not forthcoming from Raj Kapoor. She knew he was married and had children of his own, yet she hoped to marry him and raise a family. She never looked upon her relationship with him as an affair because she was always serious about it. Her intentions were honourable. She wanted to raise a family the right and proper way. Arrangements of convenience such as the Hema Malinis of a later generation would accept were not good enough for her. She had to go about it without compromising her dignity as a woman. But by 1956 it was clear that nothing of the sort was possible with Raj Kapoor. When his attention was openly diverted to ‘variety from the south’, she decided to end the relationship.





Initially the parting must have wrenched her emotionally. But the challenge of Mother India gave her something to concentrate on. Her own strength of character shored her up. Work and personal resoluteness helped her emerge rapidly as a complete woman. She went through a renewal. On the sets of Mother India she met Sunil Dutt. His genuineness and simplicity made an impression on her. Her compassion for his sick sister moved him. In early 1958 they got married according to Arya Samaj rites.

From Nargis’s point of view, the importance of that union cannot be overstated. There was nothing in life she wanted more than marriage and children. As a teenager, she was a tomboy but she used to spend every spare moment with the children of her two brothers in their Marine Drive flat. When she began acting in the early films, she took charge of the children, financing and supervising their education, choosing their clothes and toys, organising their outings. Her sense of family was as strong as her maternal instincts. With Sunil Dutt now as husband, she could at last realise her lifelong ambition. As her friend and co-star K.N. Singh put it: ‘With marriage, it was like she had reached home. She thought God had come to earth in the form of Sunil Dutt. So much did she worship him.’ Nargis, the heart-throb of a generation, would glow with excitement if someone called her ‘Mrs Dutt’.

She did make a film or two after marriage. This was to help her brothers. These exceptions apart, her retirement from the film industry was real. Sunil Dutt would not have it any other way for he was conventional enough to insist that, as husband, it was his duty to be the family’s provider. Nargis’s own resolve to remain a wife and mother was beautifully underlined by her when the great S.S. Vasan of Gemini Studios in Madras approached her with a film offer. Vasan was a kind of King Emperor of cinema. He never approached a star directly. He flew to Bombay to make an exception of Nargis, hoping that the gesture alone would clinch the matter. He gave her a blank cheque leaf as well. Nargis teased him for a while and then said: ‘Vasan Saab, I am completely tied up with three films right now. They are called Sanju, Anju and Priya. I just cannot do another film now.’ Vasan was speechless for a moment.





The award of Padma Shri to her in 1958 kindled a latent desire in husband and wife to play an active role in public life. In separate and different ways, both had already come under the influence of Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. Sunil Dutt was inspired by what he perceived as idealism in Nehru. Nargis became close to Indira so much so that she and her husband remained steadfast supporters of the Emergency and of Indira when she was out in the wilderness after the electoral defeat that followed it. In time Nargis would become a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha and Sunil Dutt an elected member of the Lok Sabha. But both essentially were political innocents, motivated only by their friendship with Indira on the one hand and their desire to be of some service to the country on the other.

Eventually it was not in politics but in work for the handicapped that they found their forte. There was a strong instinct in Nargis to acquire medical qualifications. Perhaps it was a continuation of her father’s aborted ambitions to become a doctor. Even after marriage, Sunil Dutt recalled, she had expressed a desire to go abroad and become a qualified nurse so that she could attend to the sick and needy.





In the event, she found herself involved in social work focused on underprivileged children and the handicapped. She discovered that it was an interest that absorbed her husband as well. Together they set up a school for poor children in a plot of land they bought in Bandra. They also set up the Centre for Special Education for Spastics. When the Spastics Society of India was established in Bombay, she was nominated as one of the promoters. Neither she nor Sunil Dutt took this work as mere social feathers in their caps. They were seriously committed to it. Nargis conducted herself as a nurse when she was involved in the care of spastic children. She was, in the opinion of colleagues, ‘professional’ in her approach. Never missing a committee meeting, she always studied the files, understood the details and was ready with ideas on how to expand and improve the Spastics Society’s work.

She also immersed herself in the activities of the Bharat Scouts and Guides, the War Widows Association and the Meena Kumari Memorial for the Blind. This kind of social service was rare then, rarer today. Among the busiest stars of the time, Nargis and Sunil Dutt found the time to work for the less privileged, often spending their own money to see the programmes through. It was an approach to life that contrasted with the approach of today’s stars, be they of film or cricket, who make more money but have less interest in the suffering of their fellow humans.

For Nargis life was incomplete without her social work. The way she threw herself into it was indicative of the transformation of her persona after marriage. Only now did she seem to have come into her own. It was a new Nargis, a complete Nargis, happy and satisfied in a way she never was when she was at the pinnacle of filmic glamour. The film star had metamorphosed into an independent woman with clearcut views about life, people and priorities. Nargis had found herself.





But the sense of fullness was short-lived. Tragedy struck in 1979 when Nargis was diagnosed as having, first, obstructive jaundice and then, cancer of the pancreas. The best of treatment in New York brought only temporary relief. Nargis was in prolonged pain necessitating sedation. Her plight turned pitiable with her beloved son, Sanjay Dutt, sinking into the half-life of hallucinogens. In time he would bounce back and become a health freak and a macho screen hero. But Nargis was denied the pleasure of witnessing her son’s triumph. All she had in her last days was the feeling that the idyll of her family life was crumbling around her even as she lay fighting for her life. It was a fight she could not win. She slipped into the silence of her final sleep on 3 May 1981.

Arundhati Roy has said that thirty-one is a viable die-able age. Maybe it is. But fifty-two certainly was not a die-able age. Not when the life that death snatched belonged to someone like Nargis who was still brimming with promise and plans. When it did happen, it seemed to highlight not so much the majesty of human suffering as its pointlessness. But in a poignant kind of way, even the shadow of death brought out the uniqueness of Nargis’s mind.

After weeks of despair in the cancer ward in New York, with kidney and heart complications adding to the hopelessness of the situation, with five surgical operations shattering her mentally as well as physically, the Dutts could only think of going home where she could at least die in the bosom of her family. When the doctors allowed them to travel, they spent a few days preparing for the long flight home. On one of their outings, she surprised her husband with the remark, ‘You never did the right thing in bringing me here.’ Pressed to explain, she said: ‘There must be millions of sufferers in our country who must be as important to their families as I am to you. But they don’t get medical facilities like I got... If I live, I must take this up with the government and with Madam Gandhi. Such facilities must become available in India.’





The human qualities that added value to Nargis’s work as a film personality were emphasised by all the public figures, film industry leaders and editorial writers who assessed her career after her passing. No star of her time – indeed, no star of any time – devoted time and attention to public and social causes as Nargis did. Compassion came naturally to her. At one level, she was famous for getting from home oversize food containers so that light boys and stage hands on the set could get a hearty meal during lunch breaks. At another, news that a colleague’s wife or child was sick would see Nargis taking charge of the patient until recovery was assured. If a child was handicapped in any way, she would drop everything and make arrangements for the child’s care and treatment. This was a humanist who happened to become a star.

That the connections and resources she garnered as a star were used for her humanitarian programmes was the key to Nargis’s success as a social worker. That was also part of the importance she achieved in the context of her time. But of course the main plank of that importance was her contribution as an artiste. She embodied the period in which Indian cinema grew out of its staginess and took its place on the world scene. The romantic-neorealist genre of cinema reached its apotheosis through the authenticity imparted to its portrayal by stars like Nargis.

Substance in cinema is considered to be the natural domain of directors, not actors. Yet, stars who give wing to new concepts in their metier exert influence not inferior to that of directors. It would be difficult, for example, to look upon Marlon Brando as just another actor who did well in his time. This is more so in Indian cinema because stars often participate in the conceptualisation of story development. Nargis’s contribution to the making of the R.K. Films classics was by no means inconsequential. The achievements of Raj Kapoor were, without exception, the achievements of the Raj-Nargis team. Without her, the R.K. banner simply lost its wind.

The significance of stars who go beyond their immediate career demands and become part of a larger artistic current, be they Greta Garbo or Humphrey Bogart, Devika Rani or Nargis, needs to be examined in a context that transcends the exigencies of popular taste and the particular years of their action. Nargis’s effectiveness as an artiste was related to, and enhanced by, her integrity as an individual. By embracing a wider domain than her contemporaries did, she became larger than the sum of her parts. The best actors embody the characteristics of their own cultures. Nargis epitomised the Indian woman in both her strengths and her weaknesses, her aspirations and her inherent dignity. Inasmuch as these are deathless values, her representative status is unrestricted by time. She lives.

Posted by: noorie Apr 25 2007, 02:05 AM

Thanks 4 the info Mahesh.

Noorie

Posted by: noorie Apr 25 2007, 02:14 AM

Beautifully written. Loved reading it.
Thanks 4 sharing it.

Noorie

Posted by: Reeth Apr 25 2007, 02:15 AM

Thanks a lot for all the invaluable inputs mahesh.....

You will have to be more specific......afterall one has to refer either the net sources or old magazines for gathering info....not possible to have first hand knowledge......

Posted by: RafiKiAwaaz Apr 25 2007, 04:41 AM

Wow!!! Great work, I enjoyed reading your article immensely. You have must have put tremedous effort in gathering this info. Thank You so much!!! Those days are great part of my life and find people of that era extremely magical.
RKA

Posted by: desai2rn Apr 25 2007, 11:34 AM

Thanks Maheshbahi. Very informative and intersesting reading.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 26 2007, 03:03 AM

Thanks a lot Nature for all the lovely pics ...
I have seen quite a few of Meena kumari's films along wit my mom who is a great fan of hers...
i liked Kohinoor, Yahudi, Azad among the lighter ones and Pakeezah definitely one of her best movies, Sahib bibi aur ghulam , phool aur patthar, Aarti and few more.....The most depressing of the lot was 'Daera' directed by Kamal Amrohi.....but it had a classy song, a bhajan'devta tum ho mera sahara......great song sung by Mohammad rafi and mubarak begum....

Posted by: jassi Apr 26 2007, 02:59 PM

all were great...i like all nargis,madhubala,meena kumari,nutan,geeta bali,vyajaynthimala,waheeda rehmaan etc
i dont like beena rai(i guess she was even not deserving best actress award for ghoonghat,madhubala was 1000 times better than her in mughle azam)..supporting actresses like nadira and nimmi were also good

Posted by: noorie Apr 26 2007, 07:17 PM

You are right Reeth, Daera was a really depressing movie. But I don't mind watching it again and again just 4 Meena ji's sake.
To be married 2 an old man and then find urself hopelessly in love with someone else; if that isn't a tragedy, I don't know what is.

Noorie

Posted by: noorie Apr 26 2007, 07:20 PM

Any particular reason 4 this dislike that u might want 2 share with us?

Noorie

Posted by: Reeth Apr 27 2007, 01:01 AM

Jassi, Bina rai is considered to be nearly as beautiful as Madhubala,talent???.....am not sure.. i have seen 3 of her movies Anarkali,Tajmahal and Vallah kya baat hai.....and believe me she is Gorgeous..

Posted by: Ummer Apr 27 2007, 10:58 AM

I agree with Jassi..... I find Bina Roy as an annoying actress along with her dumb facial expressions. Anarkali (1953) technically + acting wise was poor film in my opinion, it was only because of its songs i think that the films did great business. Both Bina Roy and Pradeep Kumar were annoying in this film. Bina Roy was neither a good actress nor a good dancer.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 27 2007, 11:16 AM

I dont think Suraiya started her career as early as 1937... her first film was as child artiste was Taj Mahal (1941). Incidentally,PrithivirajKapoor was the hero of her first and last film as heroine (Ishara - 1943 and Rustom Sohrab - 1963). She acted with three Kapoors (father + 2 sons) - Raj Kapoor in Dastaan, Shammi Kapoor in Shama Parwana and Prithviraj Kapoor as mentioned above. According to Devinder Bir Kaur "Thus, by the age of 12, she was doing the heroine’s role in Ishara. She was so skinny that they had to pad her all over! And, what was more, she was opposite the ‘grand old man of the Indian screen’, namely Prithviraj Kapoor, who was in his mid-40s. Like everyone in the unit, she too called him ‘Papaji’! Prithviraj admitted that it was difficult romancing with a girl he would call ‘daughter’ when the camera wasn’t whirring. "

Posted by: Ummer Apr 27 2007, 11:37 AM

According to Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema, Shin Shinaki Boobla Boo was orientalist fantasy. This film was the unlikely first victim of the censor board, an action enabled by the Indian Cinematograph Act passed that year. Given a Universal certificate by the censors, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting banned the film because it `throws the glamour of romance and heroism over criminal characters, treats sacred subjects irreverently and is, in consequence, opposed to the interests of public decency and morality'. The ban was later revoked but ruined the film's commercial chances.


Rehana was a popular actress of those times, she was very good dancer too... but her acting was considered vulgar according to the standards of those days. Her bathtub scene in Dilruba + anyone who has seen Sunehre Din... Nigar Sultana and Rehana were too close in that film... looks like as if the film was portraying lesbianism to some extent. Lyricist P.L. Santoshi, was desperately, but unsuccessfully, in love with Rehana. It is said that he spent the entire night outside her closed door and the next morning gave vent to his feelings through the lyrics of "Tum kya jaano, tumhari yaad mein hum kitna royen".

Btw Reeth, the picture + article on Rehana was from my website.

Posted by: jassi Apr 27 2007, 11:56 AM

i m more madhubala fan,and i felt without a reason beena was always compared with legendry beauty

1.Madhubala was said to be having affair with premnath,but later he married beena rai..(i guess after madhubala's break up with dilip,prem was new man in her life,but he went for bina rai..well i too wud not have like madhubala n premnath together..but i do like premnath as an actor

2.Madhubala was all set to play anarkali when nargis walked out of mughle azam,but at the same time an another film was announced anarkali with bina rai..mughle azam took too much time to get complete..n anarkali come first and got success,but mughle azam which was declaired flop,became a big blockbuster

3.There were talks that both looks similer..there might be,but not for me,madhubala is lifetime beauty..

4.Most big thing which pinched me Filmfare Award,Madhubala was deserving this award,but it went to Beena Rai,she might be good in that film,but not at her best the way madhubala was..if u dont know abt ghoonghat,let me tell u ghar ghar ki kahani(1988)starring rishi,jayaprada,anita raj,govinda n farha was inspired from ghoonghat..but see tday we remember Madhubala n Mughle Azam,but nobody is knowing much abt Ghoonghat and Bina Rai

i give u 4 reasons why i dont like bina rai much

Posted by: Reeth Apr 27 2007, 02:17 PM

Suraiya made her debut as a child artiste in Usne kya socha in 1937.Her films as a child artiste ran between 1937 and 1941.In 1941 she played the role of a young Mumtaz mahal in the film Taj Mahal....

(Ref:Wikipedia)

Posted by: Reeth Apr 27 2007, 02:20 PM

Thank you Ummer

Posted by: Reeth Apr 27 2007, 02:38 PM

The only comparison with Madhubala is that Bina rai did resemble her from some angles and was indeed very beautiful,but Madhubala was a class apart ......probably the other thing they had in common was Premnth...
Bina Rai and Premnath starred in Aurat ,Shagufa,Samunder,Watan and Prisoner of Golconda
All of them were resounding flops...
But she did act in some good movies
Khali ghata
Meenar
Anarkali
Insaniyat
Durgesh nandini
Mera salaam
Bandi
Taj Mahal
Ghunghat
Daadi ma

with pradeep kumar in Taj Mahal


With Shammi Kapoor in Vallah Kya Baat hai

Posted by: jassi Apr 27 2007, 02:41 PM

i think in last pic its geeta bali..

Posted by: jassi Apr 27 2007, 02:45 PM

gohar,shobhana samarth n nirupa roy

Posted by: Reeth Apr 27 2007, 02:47 PM

It is Bina rai...i have seen the film Vallah kya baat hai and this is a song sequence..Ek to surat pyari....

Posted by: Reeth Apr 27 2007, 02:48 PM

Thanks a lot Jassi....

Posted by: maheshks Apr 27 2007, 05:36 PM

Ummer I think Suraiya's first role in the movies was in "Station Master". It appears
that Mumtaj Mahal got released first. Refer to Naushad Saab's comments at her death
and of the late VijayBhatt of Prakash Pictures. They both said it was for the
movie "station master" that suraiya was introduced as singing child star.
The production of the movie started in 1940. You must have downloaded
the video clip of her first song that I uploaded in my thread.

Posted by: jassi Apr 27 2007, 06:21 PM

Suraiya was mainly 40s star,in 50s she was fading actress,i never got to watch any of her film

i guess she was something against dilip kumar,coz i read somewhere she refused to work with dilip kumar in some film called jaanwar by saying that main kisi jaanwar ke saath kaam nahi karungi(i m not goin to work with any jaanwar aka animal) and also refused devdas...

Posted by: noorie Apr 27 2007, 06:42 PM

Jassi, has it ever occurred 2 you that you might be just a little prejudiced?

Bina Rai is allright, but she shows a little too much teeth at times; the younger Madhuri Dixit also received a lot of flak for this in her time.

As 4 Ghunghat, I've seen the movie too. She plays the role of Pradeep Kr's wife while he is deeply in love with Asha Parekh. Very stale concept, and her's was no meaty role that she shud be expected 2 produce Meena ji style histrionics.

Have you seen her in Aurat? She stars opp her real life hubby Premnath.

I don't mind revealing here that to me he comfortably fits in the ugly as hell category.

Reeth is quite familiar with the other famous names on that list.

Noorie

Posted by: jassi Apr 27 2007, 06:57 PM

may be u r right..i have not got to watch much of her work..and there is not enough information abt her availble on net too

Premnath was fine actor..may be not as leading but as character actor he was simply grt..in raj kapoor,raj kumar kohli,firoze khan n manoj kumar's films

Posted by: maheshks Apr 27 2007, 07:31 PM

OK now recognise this lady

Posted by: Ummer Apr 28 2007, 08:12 AM

Never seen her before... pretty eyes though Is that really a girl though?

Posted by: Ummer Apr 28 2007, 08:16 AM

After Bina Roy's marriage with Prem Nath, they both decided that they will only work as pair and their films started to flop. After marriage she tried to make a come back, but that freshness was gone. It is said that Bina's urge to face the camera + fame was so strong that even in old age she was dreaming about it.

There was an article on the net long time ago that Bina Roy-PremNath granddaughter is making her debut in Bollywood, I dont know what happened to her.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 28 2007, 08:34 AM

Except Mirza Ghalib, all of Suraiya's movies in the 50's flopped. Many reasons are cited for this... arrival of Lata as playback singer and end of singing star era, failed romance with Dev Anand, Suraiya gaining weight and making wrong decisions in the selections of films. "Nagin" which established Vyjantimala was offered first to Suraiya, but she declined...

Also her rivalry with Nargis was the most famous one... both couldn't tolerate each other. Lots and lots have been written about their rivalry, Suraiya and Nargis Moms were bitter arch rivals. Suraiya Mom's commented that Nargis looks like Papaya and Nargis Mom made similar remark about Suraiya. Suraiya mentioned that Nargis was very envious of her... in the 40s when Nargis was struggling actress and Suraiya was big star. Ofcourse it all changed after the arrival of Lata and the release of Andaz.

According to Raju Bharatan book on Lata, there were also rumours that Suraiya tried to destroy Lata's voice by offering her poisoned meetha paan. Suraiya ofcourse shrugged these rumors off, and Lata after the death of Suraiya paid rich tributes to her and said, some people tried to create bad blood between us, but thanks God me and Suraiya always remained in good terms. In Lata's Biography, Suraiya also paid rich tributes to Lata and how Suraiya was amazed at Lata's singing ability when they recorded their first duet together "O pardesi Musafir". Suraiya said "NOOR JEHAN WAS BORN GREAT, LATA ACHIEVED GREATNESS AND SINGING GREATNESS WAS THRUST UPON ME".

According to the book on Madhubala, in "Mahal" Suraiya was replaced by Madhubala and because of that Suraiya never forgave Madhubala. During the shooting of Singaar (their only film together), if Suraiya asked for one close up, Madhubala made sure that she got 3 close ups and all that stuff.. It was the producer/director of this film who ended up with getting headache in the end.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 28 2007, 08:37 AM

Yeah Mahesh Bhai you are right... In any case, she didn't start her career in 1937.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 28 2007, 08:45 AM

Just a passing info... Kamal Amrohi's niece (Kamal's brother's daughter) was librarian at our school in Kuwait. Her name was Hasnaini. Their family was settled in Karachi.

Posted by: Reeth Apr 28 2007, 09:43 AM

Posted by: Reeth Apr 28 2007, 09:46 AM

You seem very stubborn in your belief...so be it......tho' as per all the sources she did start her career in 1937 as a child artite...

Posted by: jassi Apr 28 2007, 10:04 AM

i guess durga khote..

Posted by: jassi Apr 28 2007, 10:06 AM

but why suraiya refused to work with dilip kumar..if it was becoz of dev anand..like nargis too walked out some of films starring dilip..its said bcoz of raj kapoor...

Posted by: jassi Apr 28 2007, 10:09 AM

bina rai's granddaughter made her debut in 2002 with her father's home production(prem kishan,i guess he did dulhan wohi jo piya mann bhaye)..yeh mohabbat hai..film was flopped...later she was seen in films like loc and garv...she is married now

Posted by: jassi Apr 28 2007, 10:11 AM

bina rai and her grand daughter akansha

Posted by: jassi Apr 28 2007, 10:13 AM

guess who she is

Posted by: Reeth Apr 28 2007, 10:28 AM

Is it Begum Para??

Posted by: jassi Apr 28 2007, 10:33 AM

right sir

Posted by: maheshks Apr 28 2007, 09:42 PM

Maar khaa gaye bachoo. She was a famous heroine during late 30s and early 40s.
Was the heroine of a block buster released during early 40s. All of you have
seen that movie. Here is another photograph of her :

Posted by: noorie Apr 28 2007, 10:29 PM

It isn't 'Fearless' Nadia, is it?

Noorie

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 12:19 AM

Maybe bcoz Dilip Kumar was known for his rude behavior? He said to Nadira that she was the most despicable creature he ever met on the sets of Aan. And he also made a similar comment about Lata's Urdu pronounciation as Lata was Marathi. Maybe he made a similar comment about Suraiya too...

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 12:25 AM

O ho! Noorie... How could it be Fearless Nadia? Read Mahesh ji hints carefully... Either Leela Chitnis or Mumtaz Shanti ?

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 12:27 AM

Begum Para!

Posted by: sbfan Apr 29 2007, 12:29 AM

can anyone tell something more about begum para

Posted by: noorie Apr 29 2007, 12:32 AM

"Rude" ? I wudn't agree Ummer.
I like his outspokenness. It's a pleasing quality according to me.
Evidently other women thought so too;.....................Madhubala, Saira Bano

Noorie

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 12:39 AM

I am not stubborn in my belief Reeth. There were other Suraiya's working in the film industry at that time too including Suraiya Chaudary and Suraiya Shamsi. It is very common to mix-up the films of the well known Stars with obscure film stars of the same name. It happened with the filmography of Noor Jehan too as there was another Noor Jehan working in the film industry in films like Laila and Sophia etc. Suraiya herself mentioned that she made her debut in 1941 and was discovered by Naushad.

Suraiya - by Sultan Arshad (Images Dawn, Pakistani Newspaper).

I had the privilege of meeting actress Suraiya and having lengthy conversations with her on several occasions during my tenure as chief representative of our national airline in Bombay, in the nineties. It was during those meetings that she narrated several interesting anecdotes concerning different phases of her career and the impact of some of the master composers on her style of singing. Such as how Anil'da (Biswas) taught her to breathe in while singing so that it was not caught by the microphone or how Khwaja Saheb (Khursheed Anwer) would lean over the harmonium, with his long hair covering half of his face, while singing a tune to her: Naushad Saheb put her to rigorous rehearsals even when she used to be dead tired after marathon shooting schedules: or how while recording her first song as a child she was made to stand on a wooden stool in order to reach the height of the microphone.


She often recalled fondly the days when as a child from her Marine Drive residence she would walk down to All India Radio (A.I.R.) studio to participate in the children's programme in which Raj Kapoor and Madan Mohan who later attained fame as an actor, a film maker and music director respectively, used to be her co-artists. The legendary Z.A.Bukhari was then the station director at the A.I.R. Bombay.


Suraiya entered the film industry as a child actress with Taj Mahal (1941), for which maestro S.D. Burman, who was till then known for his Bengali songs, rendered his first Hindi song Prem ki pyaari nishani under the musical baton of Madhulal Master. Suraiya's next assignment was for Tamanna (1942), for which she also rendered her first song (Jaago aayi usha), a duet with then budding singer Mannadey. It was tuned by Manna's uncle the well known singer, music director and actor K.C. Dey.


After few other rather insignificant singing and acting assignments (Ujala, Station Master) maestro Naushad selected her as the playback voice for leading lady Mehtab in Sharda (1942). The movie became a turning point in Suraiya's career as a singer, with two of her songs Panchhi ja, peechhe raha hai bachpan mera and Mere dil ko sajan samjhado becoming very popular. Incidentally, Mehtab was the only actress to whom Suraiya lent her voice in three movies (Sharda, Qanoon and Sanjog). It was quite an incidence per force, that many years later in a female duet situation in Shama (1961) besides singing for herself, she became the ghost voice for Nimmi as well when the other singer Suman Kalyanpur failed to dub her portion of the song. Also two of her songs (Hawa uda kar layi, O bewafa karke jafa - music: Dhani Ram) recorded for an incomplete movie of her's, were later included in another film Taqdeer (1958) and picturized on its leading lady Shyama.


Suraiya graduated to adult roles with Ishara (1943), playing second lead opposite small-timer Satish with Prithviraj Kapoor and Swarnlata playing the leading roles. In this movie she had only two songs to her credit, a solo (Panghat pe muraliya baaje) and a duet (Baaghon mein koyal boli) with Satish. In Station Master and Ishara her voice was used for the character she played. In Anmol Ghadi she was the third angle of the love triangle, the other two being Noor Jehan and Surendranath. She sang three songs in it.


There is no denying the fact that Naushad Ali, Husnlal - Bhagat Ram and Khursheed Anwer played significant roles in Suraiya's career but such stalwarts as Anil Biswas, S.D. Burman and Ghulam Mohammad also enhanced her popularity as a singer. Then there were other music directors she teamed up with just once or twice but rendered some extremely melodious though not so popular numbers.


In a career spanning 22 years, Suraiya sung in five or six films and acted in approximately 65 movies which do not include the incomplete ones like Jaanwar (with Dilip Kumar) and Paagal Khaana (with Bharat Bhushan).


From the late forties to the early fifties she remained the highest paid as well as the most worshipped star of the Indian cinema. Even now when she makes a rare appearance in a public function, bejewelled and bedecked, she is revered and admired more than most of the stars of today. The aura remains.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 12:44 AM

Calling someone despicable is outspokenness? Nadira said she didn't know what despicable means and she checked the dictionary when she went home, as she thought Dilip Kumar was paying her a compliment. About Lata he said that Marathi mouth smells like (I dont remember the exact comment though) when she was travelling with Anil Biswas. Lata didn't took that comment negatively though and worked very hard on her Urdu diction.

Posted by: noorie Apr 29 2007, 12:49 AM

You are right Ummer, I think it cud be Leela Chitnis.
Please confirm Mahesh.

Else my mind will start playing tricks on me and even imagine that it is Shobhna Samarth.

Noorie

Posted by: noorie Apr 29 2007, 12:51 AM

A Maharashtrian, speaking Urdu 'zubaan', wud retain the flavor of "daal-bhaat"( dal and rice ) - read vegetarian.

Lata ji proved him wrong, didn't she?

Noorie

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 12:54 AM

Begum Para was a B-Grade actress mostly paired with Sheikh Mukhtar in films like Ustad Pedro etc. After partition she along with Mehboob Khan and some other established film stars visited Karachi-Pakistan to see if the condition was right to work there. But seeing the non-existent film industry they all went back to India. Although Mehboob Khan's younger brother Pyare Khan and Begum Para's sister stayed back. Here is the detailed interview of Begum Para

MS OOMPH - by V Gangadhar

Somewhere in 1953, Fort Cochin in Kerala was hit by a bomb. I was then in school there and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The bomb was called Begum Para. And it came packaged in a Hindi film, Ustad Pedro, produced and directed by the then well-known actor, Sheikh Mukhtar. Mukhtar was tall, well-built and ruggedly handsome. But he had very stiff competition in Begum Para, unanimously acknowledged to be Bollywood's sex bomb.

The film magazines called her the oomph girl, the girl with 'it'. Whatever she had, Para set my blood flowing. She had sultry, come-hither looks, an eye-popping figure, one she was not afraid to show off. She wore trousers, tight dresses and danced enticingly to the tunes of western music.

Ustad Pedro was a fun film. It was packed with action, romance, stunts and, of course, that wonderful, curvaceous woman. As Sheikh Mukhtar carried off the prized heroine at the end of the film, all the boys watching the film sighed enviously.

Hindi screen had its quota of women with smouldering good looks, who dressed seductively and who were ready to respond positively to a pass from the admiring male. But such women were normally cast as vamps because most heroines had to look virginal and god-fearing and play second fiddle to the heroes.

Not Begum Para. Her sexuality on the screen was electric. Film magazines of those days wrote endlessly about the frank utterances and open lifestyles of Begim Para and her sister-in-law, Protima Dasgupta. She was not a hypocrite, she always called a spade a spade.

I learnt this when I dropped in at her small flat in suburban Versova. The cool breeze from the sea was welcome, but not the stench of drying fish. The drawing room was full of photographs. Of Para's late husband Nasir Khan, her two sons and daughter. There are books everywhere. Enid Blyton for the grand-daughter along with classics -- theIliad, the Odyssey, the works of D H Lawrence as well as pulp fiction by Ludlum and Collins.

The passage of time had taken its toll. Begum Para had bloated up, the hair has greyed and she moved around with difficulty. There was little sign of who she once was. But once she began to speak, the old magic reappeared like abracadbra.

She had endured a lot in recent years. Nasir Khan died in 1974. He was just 49 and she had to bring up three children on her own. For years there was a long misunderstanding with her brother-in-law Dilip Kumar (she refused to talk about it) and the family bungalow on upmarket Carter Road had to be sold. One son, Ayub, works in films (he was most recently seen in Mrityudand), another son and her daughter are in advertising. Life had not been easy for the family, but then Begum Para, by all accounts, had always been a fighter.

The early days, though, were peaceful and happy. The family came from Jalandhar but moved to Bikaner, where her father Mian-Ehsan-Ul-Haque became the chief justice. The family was large, 10 in all, but they had lots of fun and the indulgent parents often joined in.

Para went to school and then college at Aligarh. Hostel life was quite pleasant. While sticking to tradition, her family was quite broad-minded. "We never wore purdah or anything like that," she explains.

"We were allowed to watch films and I enjoyed the experience." One of her earliest heroes, was the debonair Motilal. "I wrote fan letters to him, and he always replied. Later, when I joined films, we became good friends."

Still in her early teens, Begum Para came to Bombay to spend her holidays with sister-in-law Protima Dasgupta who was already acting in films like Court Dancer. Her home was frequented by film people. Perky, pretty Para invited instant attention and producers promptly offered her roles. Dasgupta persuaded her to accept some of the offers.

"My family was not very happy," recalls Para. "But finally, Protima and I convinced them." Born plain Para, she added a Begum to her name.

Thus it was that a nervous, excited, young girl of 17 faced the camera for the first time in her life on the sets of Chand. Her co-star was Prem Adib, a famous hero in those days. The film was shot at Prabhat Studio in Pune and was a family social.

"Oh, I had no acting experience at all," she laughs. "But director B D Kashyap was very understanding and patient, and made me feel at ease."

Did you have any love scenes, I asked. "Oh, very innocent ones," she smiled. "The lead pair looked at each other, sang songs and perhaps held hands. Films in those days were so different. But everyone on the sets, including Prem Adib, were very co-operative."

Chand was fairly successful. Para did not look back and settled down to a film career in Bombay, sharing a flat with her sister-in-law at Worli Sea Face. From 1945, for over 10 years, she made several movies -- Sohini Mahiwal, Mehendi, Shama, Pedro, Dada, Dara, the last three with the swashbuckling Sheikh Mukhtar. The films did well at the box office.

"I played emotional roles and also essayed roles of fashionable women," she remembers. The "it" image was a big thing in those days. Para often wore pants and jeans, dressed provocatively and championed an unconventional lifestyle. Naturally, she was regularly featured in film magazines.

"I had a good figure, and I knew I had one," she laughed. "And if the magazines wanted to feature me in provocative poses, I did not mind".

While her career was going strong, she met Nasir Khan (Dilip Kumar's brother) on the sets of Lootera. Nasir had made a name for himself with some good films with Nutan. "We liked each other, but it was not love at first sight."

They began meeting more often and got married in 1958. Did their families support the marriage, I asked.

"Oh, we were old enough to do what we wanted." she replied diplomatically.

Nasir Khan did not want her to act and she quit the screen. "I was quite happy to stay at home and look after the family," she says. Nasir Khan had a heart condition which he chose to neglect, and a heart attack claimed him in 1974.

It was a shattering blow and she had to face the crisis alone. For about 18 months, she went to Karachi and lived with her sister, who had settled down in Pakistan. "But India was my home and I was back to bring up my children," she explained.

It was then she missed her work in films. As long as Nasir Khan was alive, life had been smooth. But now many adjustments had to be made. But she managed to bring up her children and settle them in life.

Looking back on her career in films, she says she had not taken it very seriously. "It was fun and interesting while it lasted."

She cherished her friendships formed during those days. Nargis and Geeta Bali were close friends. So were, Motilal, Nimmi, Nirupa Roy, Nadira, Shyama and Manorama.

A couple of days before our meeting. Nirupa, Nimmi and Shyama had dropped in for a chat. "We meet quite often," laughed Begum Para. "We talk, gossip, laugh... They are wonderful people". While I was chatting with her, the telephone rang. It was another friend, kathak queen Sitara Devi. They agreed to meet later that evening.

She thinks highly of Motilal, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Naseeruddin Shah. Among today's heroines, she says Kajol is the best. "Oh, that girl lights up the screen with her presence," she exclaims.

It was time to leave. We had chatted for nearly two hours. But I was certain about one thing. In my book of interesting people she goes down as Genuine Stuff!

Posted by: sbfan Apr 29 2007, 12:54 AM

actually when naushad made lata meet dilip by saying that this is new girl marathi one as singer. then he commented ke narathi singers se daal bhaat ki boo aati hai..

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 01:00 AM

Yeah that comment! It was Anil Biswas not Naushad.

Posted by: sbfan Apr 29 2007, 01:02 AM

and it was some meeting on railway station or train??

Posted by: parag_sankla Apr 29 2007, 01:04 AM

Ummer bhai, thanks for interesting info on Beghum Para.

There is always more to a person than the on-screen image !

Cheers
Parag

Posted by: noorie Apr 29 2007, 01:11 AM

Thanks Ummer.
Has anyone read Khushwant Singh’s autobiography, Truth, Love and a Little Malice ?
There's a very interesting account of Begum Para while she was living in Karachi.

Noorie

Posted by: sbfan Apr 29 2007, 01:13 AM

CINEMA

The return of Begum Para

V. GANGADHAR

The siren of the 1950s Hindi cinema talks of her comeback to the silver screen — as a grandmother this time.



The sparkle remains: Begum Para in her heyday.

IT'S probably the longest ever break from acting? The news is that Begum Para, the sex siren of the 1950s, is returning to Bollywood. Though the sparkle in her eyes remains, the svelte, sexy figure is gone; so have the quicksilver movements. These do not matter as Begum Para is playing a grandmother in Sanjay Leela Bansali's next film, "Sawariya" starring newcomers, Ranbir Rishi Kapoor and Sonam Anil Kapoor. She has not faced the camera after her last film, "Kar Bala" with Bhagwan Dada in the early 1960s.

While still at the peak of her career, Begum Para married Nasir Khan, Dilip Kumar's brother, in 1958 and quit acting. Nasir saab died in 1974 and Begum Para had a tough time bringing up her three children. Today, son Ayub Khan is in films while the former star lives with her daughter and grandchildren in Versova, Mumbai.

No regrets

She has no regrets at the disruption of her career. Begum Para never thought of a comeback because she had heard reports of star tantrums and lack of respect to senior actors on the sets. "I had heard horror stories on this topic," she observed. "But Sanjay Bansali, whom I had known from his childhood, assured me nothing like that would happen on his sets and I agreed."

Still the news of her return took fans by surprise. Suddenly TV channels were focusing on her career and her image as a sex symbol. Sometime back, I met her for a long chat and found her charming and articulate. "I had a good figure and did not mind wearing trousers, skirts and shirts which emphasised it," she explained. "I always had some kind of a bindaas image." Film magazines focused on her "oomph and smouldering "come hither" look. As a schoolboy in 1953, I watched "Ustad Pedro" and envied the swashbuckling hero, Sheikh Mukhtar, who carryied her away at the end!

Heroine at 17

A native of Jalandhar but brought up in Bikaner, Para (she added the `Begum' later) belonged to a liberal Muslim family. "No purdah for us," she recollected. "We were even allowed to watch films. I wrote fan letters to my favourite, Motilal, later a good friend." During a holiday in Bombay, Para's sister-in-law Protima Das Gupta — who was already in films — persuaded her to accept offers to act. Her family reluctantly agreed. At 17, she was the heroine of "Chand" where the romantic scenes with hero, Prem Adib, included looking into his eyes and holding hands briefly! "I had absolutely no acting experience," admitted Begum Para. "But it was fun, the director, co-stars were all very kind and co o perative."

Settling down in Bombay in 1945, Para acted in dozens of films including, "Sohini Mahiwal", "Mehendi", "Shama", "Pedro", "Dada" and "Dara" — the last three with action hero, Sheikh Mukthar. The glamour in the films of those days was reserved for the vamp and prevented Para from getting more A-grade films where the long-suffering heroine had to be a "Sati-Savitri".

Para always dressed according to the latest fashion and was a photographer's delight. She was a hit with male audiences and her arrival on the screen was always greeted with wolf whistles. "It was fun," she recollected. "You see, I did not take my career seriously and accepted whatever roles came my way."

On the sets of "Lootera" Begum Para met Nasir Khan. It was not love at first sight but they got married, which meant the end of her career. After Nasir's death, she spent sometime with her sister in Pakistan but India was home. Because of her independent nature, she did not get along with Dilip Kumar, though now the misunderstandings have been sorted out.

Wonderful friends

Bollywood brought her wonderful friends like Shyama, Nadira, Nargis, Motilal and dancer Sitara Devi. I spotted a wide variety of books in the flat — Enid Blyton, classics including The Iliad and The Odyssey, D.H. Lawrence, Robert Ludlum...

Begum Para now spends much of her time with her grandchildren, watching movies. The current excess of violence and sex in movies, the suggestive lyrics do not appeal to her. Most of the heroines look alike and wear too much make up, she says, but she admires Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah and Kajol. "How she glows on the screen," she exclaims. Though Begum Para is excited about "Sawariya", she has no long-term plans for her comeback. "I just want to have some fun," she smiled. That had always been her approach to acting.


Attached image(s)

Posted by: sbfan Apr 29 2007, 01:15 AM

noorie plz share that incident

Posted by: sbfan Apr 29 2007, 01:21 AM

begum para with mukesh as per singermukesh.com but i cant trace her

here is about her new movie saanawariya

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saawariya

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 01:21 AM

yeah lol.

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 01:23 AM

She is in front with dopatta on her shoulder. Begum Para with Sunil Dutt :-




Attached image(s)

Posted by: sbfan Apr 29 2007, 01:24 AM

o really she is extremely beautiful..

Posted by: Ummer Apr 29 2007, 01:54 AM

Yeah share it plzzz.... is it something bad?

Posted by: maheshks Apr 29 2007, 08:29 AM

She is from Maharashtra. Born in 1915. Participated in freedom struggle also.
Was very close to Aruna Asaf Ali. Still alive. She has to her credit one
of the best Marathi Movie for which she recieved Presidential Award.
Played a historical characted "RUKHSANA" in the hindi block buster.

Posted by: parag_sankla Apr 29 2007, 09:26 AM

Kya Mahesh ji, bachchon ki jaan loge...



Bata bhi do please...

Can't fingure out the name from the clues..!

Cheers
Parag

Posted by: Reeth Apr 30 2007, 01:32 AM

Thanks a lot Ummer,sbfan........

Posted by: jassi Apr 30 2007, 03:44 PM

may be sardaar akhtar..

Posted by: jassi Apr 30 2007, 03:52 PM

They speak from eyes

In 20s male actors were on declain,and british and anglo indian girls joined films,they changed their names.Cinema was silent so there was no language.Name of films were in English and Hindi too for eg.Cinema Queen is Cinema ki Rani,Divorce is Talaq etc.



Patience Cooper-Born in 1905,She was first female star of Indian Cinema,she was a British girl.She mostly did romantic films.She faced probblems when talkies were being made.So she did not get work,coz she was not knowing language.Nal Damyanti,Patni Pratap,Noorjehan,Pati Bhakti,Kashmiri Sundari were some of her Major Films.She died in 1983.

Ermiline-Born in 1909,She was a British Girl.She made her debut in last of 20s oppocite Prithvi Raj Kapoor,She was successful as an actress.But her stardom was for little time.Talkies movies were started and now language was a probblem and she did not get any film and her career came to an End.Cinema Girl(Cinema Ki Rani),Childern of the Storm etc were her Major Films.

Gohar-Born in 1910,she started her career in 1926,she acted for Director Chandulal Shah s Production.Both got married.Her family films were doing well.But Chandulal was habbit of gambling,he spent couple of money on Horse Races and he became bankrupt.Films were flopping and he died after sometime.Later Gohar did some other films,but she too fade away.Telephone Girl,Gunhasundari,Miss 1933,Keemti Aansoo,Achoot were some of her Major Films.She died in 1985.

Sulochana-Born in 1907 in Pune,This christian girl was telephone operater before joining films,Her original name was Ruby Mayors.She did a long smooch scene in a film,comparison to today s films it was said to be much long.Soon She got stardom and she was one of highest paid star of that era about 5000 for a film.Later she played mother s role in some films including Anarkali,Jagte Raho,Nagin etc.In a film Wild Cat of Bombay she played eight chacractors.She was part of all 3 Anarkali films.In two of film she played title role and in other one she played the role of mother.Pujarin,Typist Girl,Heer Ranjha,Wild Cat of Bombay etc were some of her Major Films.She died in 1983.

Sabita Devi-She was also an anglo indian girl,she joined films in last of 20s.Her pair with Moti lal was very succesful.Silver King,Ladies Only,Amarpali,Kokila were some of her Major films.

Seeta Devi-Born in 1905,Her real name was Renee Smith,she was stage actress.She made debut with Light of Asia with Dhiren Ganguly,Later she did 18-20 films with that Banner.She too faced language probblem.Light of Asia,Prem Sanyas,Shiraz etc were some of her Major films.She died in 1982.

Zubeida-Born in 1913,She was belonged from Muslim Rich family,Her mother Fatima was also an actress.Her sisters were also actresses.She mostly played courtesan s roles of Muslim Society.Veer Abhimanyo,Heer Ranjha,Bulbal e Paristan,Alam Ara were some of her Major films.She retired from films in mid of 30s,later she again started playing xtra kinda very small roles in some films.She died in 1990.

Fatima Begum-Born in 1900,she was married to a Nawab Sachin,She started working in films,when her teenage doughters were also going to join films.She launched a Film Banner as Victoria Fatma Films.She was first female Director of Indian Cinema.She directed her doughters and herself in films.Veer Abhimanyo,Gul e Bakawali,Kala Naag were some of her Major Films.She died in mid of 70s.

Posted by: jassi Apr 30 2007, 03:57 PM

kamini kaushal,usha kiran(she did few films as leading lady,later played om parkash s wife in chupke chupke) n who is last one

Posted by: Reeth Apr 30 2007, 04:33 PM

Is it the lady who acted in Uran khatola in the queen's role...

Posted by: jassi Apr 30 2007, 04:45 PM

she looked like nimmi too..no idea

Posted by: Ummer May 1 2007, 07:37 AM

I tried searching the net with the clues you gave, still have no idea. I have never seen her before, otherwise I would recognize. If you are talking about some blockbuster movie in regional language, then it would be hard to guess. I thought she worked in some hindi blockbuster movie of the 40s. Taking few other random names... Shanta Apte, Durga Khote, Shobhana Samrath... all three were Mahashatrians... but I dont think this woman is anyone of them...

Posted by: jassi May 1 2007, 12:07 PM

there are sadhana bose(bengali),meenakshi shirodkar(marathi) etc..

Posted by: maheshks May 1 2007, 02:16 PM

She is Vanmala...heroine of the movie "Sikandar( 1941)". Her marathi movie was
"shyamchi aai". You have surely seen her. I had uploaded the videos of the songs
from her movie "parbat pe apna dera (1944).

Posted by: jassi May 1 2007, 03:10 PM

never heard of her..
anyways leela chitnis is said to be first lux face of india,followed by sadhana bose,after that there was an actress called nain tara..i never heard abt this actress any idea..

Posted by: Reeth May 2 2007, 12:29 AM

I think her name is Surya Kumari......am almost sure it's her..

Posted by: noorie May 2 2007, 07:55 AM

I never wud have guessed her name Mahesh. Thanks anyway.

Noorie

Posted by: Ummer May 2 2007, 11:24 AM

Yeah me either. But now that Mahesh has mentioned her name, I remember seeing her pic in some magazine. Her eyes really stand out. Yeah Mahesh, I have seen the songs that you uploaded, but somehow my mind couldn't recall her name immediately maybe bcoz she is not a well known name. I haven't seen Sikander, otherwise I would have guessed immediately.

Posted by: harihar May 2 2007, 12:05 PM

Still going strong n pretty

Posted by: Ummer May 2 2007, 01:26 PM

Bina Rai still alive...

Posted by: maheshks May 2 2007, 02:24 PM

Yes stays most of the time at Nainital.

Posted by: jassi May 2 2007, 04:10 PM

oh god,they left top actresses..and giving awards to supporting actresses..ofcourse these actresses deserve it too..but what abt mala sinha,nanda,sadhana etc..infact mala,nanda,sadhana etc even could not get filmfare lifetime achievement awards

Posted by: Reeth May 2 2007, 05:57 PM

Kamini Kaushal

Kamini kaushal was one of the first well educated heroines in hindi cinema( BA in English).Her original name was Uma and she came from a well to do background.Her Father was a Botany professor at Lahore University.She was a stage artiste before she joined films and worked as a Radio artiste before she was discovered by Chetan Anand as the lead for his film Neecha Nagar(1945)one of the earliest art film to be made in India.Some time in 1946 her sister died leaving behind very young children and Uma was made to marry her sister's husband Mr.Sood , an officer in the Bombay Port Trust.....After Neecha nagar and marriage Kamini kaushal worked with all the top leading men of her time such as Ashok kumar,Raj kapoor,dev Anand and Dilip Kumar





Commercial success came her way after Do Bhai(1947),aided by Geeta Roy's impasioned singing of the classic Mera sundar sapna beet gaya which , incidentally, was shot in a single take.Then came films like Nadiya ke paar, Shaheed, Shabnam,Ziddi, Namoona.....
Her team with Dilip kumar was much talked about in the late 1940's...The audience loved the star-crossed lovers .They fell in love...it was an intense, excruciatinlgy emotional and hopeless love from its very first pangs to its last dying embers, because Kamini was already married...Dilip kumar in his biography has said that she was his first love...




Some memorable films:
Neecha nagar
Shaheed
Aag
Aarzoo
Shabnam
Namoona
Do bhai
Aansoo
Aas
Shair
Bikhre moti
Nadiya ke paar
Aabroo
Biraj bahu
Bade sarkar
Poonam
Sangam
Godaan
Upkaar
Vsihwas
Meri bhabi
Waris
Yakeen
Beti
Do raaste
Dharti
shor...
She acted in nearly 80 films in a career spanning 55 years..
The first issue of Filmfare Dated March 7, 1952 featured Kamini kaushal on the cover and she was again on their anniversary cover in 1953...
She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her role in 'Biraj bahu' in 1955.She received the Dada Palkhe Life term achievement award in 2002..
Kamini kaushal moved on to playing strong character roles after Shaheed( manoj kumar) in 1965.She became a fixture in many of Manoj kumar's films after her power packed performance in Upkaar, went on to act in 7 of his films...









Some memorable songs picturised on her..
Mera sundar sapna beet gaya.....Geeta dutt.....Do bhai
Yaad karoge yaad karoge.......Geeta dutt ......Do bhai
Badnaam na ho jaaye.....Uma devi, Surinder kaur .......Shaheed
Papihe se kaho......Aarzoo
Sun mere saajna re.....Lata mangeshkar, Mohammad rafi.....Aansoo
Chahe naina churao......Lata mangeshkar, Talat mehmood.....aas
Chanda ki chandni mein jhoome ......Lata mangeshkar....Poonam

with film personalities Pran,Nimmi and Tanuja

From the 1980's she has largely concenterated on her family acting only occassionally...
She has written children's stories, made television serials for children and her doll making abilities are a legend...
At present she is working in a popular serial'Shanno ki shaadi' on Star plus...


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Posted by: maheshks May 2 2007, 10:56 PM

The songs chaahe naina churaao....aas and
chandaa ki chaandni main jhoome jhoome dil mera..poonam...were not picturised on her.


How did you forget to mention her first commericially successful movie.
It had some memorable songs sung by sitara kanpuri.

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Posted by: Reeth May 3 2007, 01:21 AM

Mahesh it was an oversight....... so also another movie that need to be mentioned 'Jailyatra'...
I have a request mahesh plz plz share your vast knowledge here, it will benefit all the people who are interested....
Unfortunately i am unable to d/l the song....can u plz mail it to me at reeth_appanna@yahoo.co.in

Posted by: Ummer May 3 2007, 03:18 AM

Mahesh,

If i remember correctly, Chanda ki chandni mein jhoomey jhoomey dil mera was picturized on Kamini Kaushal.

Posted by: maheshks May 3 2007, 01:46 PM

Oh ho...got confused with...hum se naa poochho koi pyar kya hai pyar kya hai...
kali ghata (1951)..both movies featuring asha mathur with SJ as music director and
somewhat similar type of songs sung by lata.

Posted by: jassi May 3 2007, 04:39 PM

kamini's life was little similer to mala sinha's character of gumrah..in real life kamini too married her sister's husband.

Posted by: nasir May 4 2007, 12:36 AM

Now that's something Jassi. Good analogy.

NASIR.

Posted by: Reeth May 4 2007, 04:14 PM

Adding some more information on Kamini kaushal..



Kamini kaushal was a thinking actress because of her education and background...
When she was offered Biraj bahu, she realised that it was an exceptional role and she is supposed to have read the book 20 times to understand the character thoroughly.....this role won her the Filmfare and the National Award.......
After acting in 3 fims in the year 2003 Har dil jo pyar karega, Chori chori , Hawayein she quit films....

Posted by: YaarMere May 4 2007, 05:22 PM

Didnt her brother shoot himself coz she was in love with Dilip? Even threatened to kill both of them if they didnt back off. Dilip did love her 4 real tho... she broke his heart.

Posted by: maheshks May 4 2007, 11:39 PM

It was an intense, excruciatingly emotional — and hopeless — love from its very first pangs to its last dying embers, because Uma Sood (alias Kamini Kaushal — ed) was already committed to a marriage with her sister’s husband and there could be no ‘and-they-happily-ever-after’ end to this fairy tale.

According to Sitara Devi, Uma was the only woman Yusuf truly loved. He was a completely broken man when they parted.

Talking to Sushma Shelly (Super, July 1980), the late veteran film producer-director P.N. Arora recounted:

‘When Kamini Kaushal was working in my film Pugree (1948), she was also doing Shaheed with Dilip Kumar. She was already a married woman. Her husband, Mr Sood, was a senior officer in Bombay Port Trust, and had been allotted a beautiful bungalow behind the Docks. Such marriages were an accepted thing in those days, as it was believed, there could be no better stepmother than the mousi (maternal aunt) herself for the motherless children. Kamini Kaushal had earlier been working on the Delhi stage and had convinced her husband to let her join films.

‘Dilip Kumar visited her very often during the shooting of Pugree; but it was their personal affair and I didn’t think it my business to interfere. But one day, Kamini’s brother, a military man, strode on to the sets. He took out a pistol and threatened to shoot Kamini if she didn’t put a stop to her clandestine affair with Dilip Kumar.

‘It was then agreed that Kamini would be allowed to complete only the film on hand, and no more new films for her. No more acting. Kamini, who suspected me to have tattled to her people, was annoyed with me, though I don’t know from where she got that impression.

‘Anyway, since there was only about five to six days’ work left on Pugree, I didn’t have any problem. After that, we went our individual ways.’

Posted by: Ummer May 5 2007, 10:53 PM

Here is a recent interview of one of the most popular actresses of 40's and 50's i.e. Swaranlata. Sawaranlata will always be remembered as the heroine of Rattan (1944). According to boxofficeindia, Rattan along with Kismet (1943) still remains one of the biggest blockbusters in Indian Cinema History (controlling for such factors as inflation etc). Rattan also established Naushad's career as music director. Swaranlata was Sikh, but during the shooting of Laila Majnu (where Rafi also made cameo apperance), Swaranlata and Nazir fell in love and Swaranlata converted to Islam. After partition she migrated to Pakistan and helped established a dead film industry of Lahore. Their first effort in Pakistan was "Heer Ranjha" whose negative was accidentally destroyed. After that they produced/directed first Punjabi film "Pheray" (1949) and it became first hit film of Pakistan thus securing Pakistani film industry. Later Nazir/Swaranlata team produced/directed many hit films. Some of her memorable films include Tasweer (1943), Ishara (1943), Rattan (1944), Laila Majnu (1945), Pheray (1949), Shehri Babu (1953), Heer (1955), Naukar (1955), Khatoon (1955), Noor-e-Islam (1957). She has acted with all top of heroes of her time including Motilal, Dilip Kumar, Pirhviraj Kapoor, Nazir, Darpan and Santosh. She has been given Lifetime achievement award for her contributions to Lollywood.

The years gone by: Swaran Lata

By Fariha Rashed

When one speaks of legends, the mind instantly paints a picture of grandeur. Consider an actress who was labelled ‘tragedy queen’ for her moving performances, and a thespian who took the world of Indian cinema by storm with her dark eastern looks. Swaran Lata, of the Nazir-Swaran Lata duo, began her journey with the multi talented actor/producer/director Nazir, in the pre-Partition hit, Laila-Majnoo. They continued as a husband and wife team across the border in the then newly formed, independent Pakistan film industry.

The fledgling industry owed much to this remarkably talented couple who showed commitment and determination in spite of the initial problems they had to face while commencing their careers in Pakistan. “We had no money when we first came here; we left everything behind in India. Our good friend, Bari, gave us food and a place to stay. I then returned to India and brought back some of my things and Nazir Sahib and I subsequently began working,” says Swaran. However, having stood her ground, to this day, she maintains the reputation of being a star whose dialogue delivery and haunting voice has been the hallmark of her success.

Swaran Lata, now almost 80, a great-grandmother and in great shape for her age, cannot recall exactly how many movies she has acted in, but when asked to name a few she says: “Before Partition, I starred in Laila Majnoo, Vamikh Azra, Ratan, Maa Baap Ki Laaj, Pratigya and Tasveer”. Afterwards, she remembers acting in Phairai, Larai, Shehri Baboo, Heer, Khatoon and Sachayee. Of course, unforgettable is the famous song from Swaran’s film, Heer, Asaan jaan ke meet laye ankh we, which has recently, in a very contemporary style, been sung and remixed by singer Annie in her debut album.

‘Our films had no vulgarity and the story line was powerful yet simple. Everything has changed now in both the Pakistani and Indian film industries. New people have come in and everything is glamourised. I refuse to watch any of the latest films,’ says Swaran Lata

The original song was an instant hit and to this day, is a hot favourite among music lovers. Furthermore, according to Swaran, her late husband produced and directed quite a few films in Pakistan such as Noor-i-Islam, Azmat-i-Islam, Naukar, Sawaal and Heer and she states very confidently that “all his movies were a success.” In her lifetime, Swaran has worked with great names like Prithvi Raj Kapoor, Moti Lal and Dilip Kumar in India and with Santosh Kumar, Darpan, Inayat Hussein Bhatti and Habib in Pakistan. This portfolio can stand to impress anyone who has the slightest idea about old cinema and its top actors.

An exceptional and wondrous story about how she entered the realm of acting trails Swaran. Sadly, her parents passed away when she was very young and she lived most of her adolescent life with her elder brother, whom she recalls “was very strict.” However, it is the story of how she got discovered that Swaran tells with great passion: “I was a student at college in Lucknow, India. When I was travelling from Delhi to Lucknow, a few directors saw me. They approached me to act in films but I was not interested at first. One of them then went to my elder brother with the offer, and to my utmost surprise he agreed. I then started my career as an actress in Poona where after my first movie, the studio closed down. I went to Bombay where I got good work. From 1946 onwards I became very popular and was known as one of the top artistes around.

“After Partition, my husband and I came to Lahore and I stopped working in movies after Nazir Sahib’s first heart attack.” She is adamant about never taking up acting again, “I have retired. I’ve given interviews on TV programmes like Aap Ka Zameer by Zameer Sahib. That was an excellent interview and I enjoyed it. However, now I take pleasure in being at home with my children, grand children and great grand children.” She is not a social person by nature and happily reveals that she does not mingle with people from the film industry anymore. “I like to keep to myself,” she says.

Having witnessed a huge change in the workings of cinema since she first started out as an actress, Swaran is not very happy with the state of affairs at present. “Our films had no vulgarity. They could be watched sitting with families and the story line was powerful yet simple. Everything has changed now in both the Pakistani and Indian film industries. New people have come in and everything is glamourised. The elements of nudity and heavy make-up have crept in whereas at my time, our films were successful without all of this. I don’t want to comment too much on what I think because I refuse to watch any of the latest films as it is.”

Swaran believes that the production style and quality of movies has also shifted to a great extent and that a new trend is being followed. Although technology has aided production immensely, the vision and calibre of producers from her time is unmatchable. Commenting upon the type of audiences that watch films nowadays, Swaran says, “At our time, movie watching was enjoyed by the gentry. Now it is the masses who watch films and they prefer watching Punjabi movies, which I don’t like at all.”

She is also disappointed because she feels that “movie-makers are too commercial now. There is less attention on the story and more stress on love scenes and dances.” The Pakistani censor board, in her view, is a joke. “I was on the censor board but I quickly left because whatever we, as the board members, recommended was never followed. Strange films were passed as fit for showing and a lot of people on the board were bought off.”

Being a staunch believer in hard work and dedication, Swaran stresses on continuous practice and self-training for anyone who is striving to be a great actress. “I used to spend hours perfecting my role for each film. My dialogue delivery was known to be incredibly controlled and in sync with my facial expressions. I used to become one with my character. Being an actress requires great discipline,” she says. Swaran shrewdly advises: “An actress needs to know how to speak well and carry herself. I used to dress very simply in a white sari and blouse. I did not like being over dressed in public and my make-up was light at all times. Actresses in my time possessed a natural beauty which, I feel, has now been overshadowed with the application of heavy and unnecessary make-up and styling. Every actress looks the same and their individuality is being lost.”

What does Swaran translate this passion for sheer discipline into now? For one, even at her age, she still does cardiovascular exercises every morning and a yoga routine every evening. She keeps herself fit and active and still cooks for her children and grand children who live with her. “I think a person should maintain their health throughout their life, otherwise at my age I could have been bed-ridden,” she says.

Having been blessed with an exciting and fulfilling life, she looks back contently at everything she has achieved. “Sometimes I feel sorry that I left India and came to Pakistan because a lot of sacrifice was involved. However, I have settled in very well and the best thing is that I am respected by everyone. I am proud of all my children, grand children and in turn great grand children. My life is now very simple and I just look forward to spending time with my family in Lahore.”

Getting a little teary eyed at the end, Swaran goes on to say: “I must mention my dear friend Najma who I miss very much since she passed away and I must thank my friends Bari and his wife Saloni with whom I now spend a lot of time at their home.”

One thing is for certain, Swaran Lata’s story of fame and success will be told by every successive generation of her family. The government should honour such artistes who have rendered significant services to the film industry with their hard work and dedication, creating an infrastructure for future generations.


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Posted by: Reeth May 6 2007, 01:00 AM

Thanks a lot mahesh .....





Thank you ummer for this in depth write up.....i had never heard of Swaran Lata until now....

Posted by: Reeth May 6 2007, 03:05 AM

GEETA BALI ( 1930 - 1965)

Some actresses are destined to become and remain fond memories in the eyes of their peers and fans.
Their name and persona's attain near legendary status because of an untimely death or a life of stellar personal integrity and struggle...On both accounts Geeta Bali was such an actress.....
Geeta Bali's dancing eyes and her animated expressive face which mirrored her soul were her most outstanding features, yet life was snatched away from this vibrant personality at an achingly young age
of 35...
She was born in pre partition punjab as Harkirtan kaur.She was a Sikh, her family moved to Bomabay
and were living in near poverty and she decided to join films...she had earlier done a few small time
dancing roles in punjabi films like Badnami before moving to Bombay.Impressed by her off-screen vivacity Noted film Producer Kidar Sharma cast Geeta in his Suhaag Raat(1948)...Audience related to her instantly nad Geeta was offered many film roles and she accepted most...she won rave reviews even for her supporting roles in films like Badi Bahen and Dulari....





She became a star in the 1950's after Baazi(1951) Guru dutt s first hit where she played
the role of Gangster's moll with gay abandon dancing to the tunes of Geeta dutts, Tadbeer se
bigdi huyi taqdeer banale she went on to do three more films under his direction...including
Jaal with Dev anand which is remembered to this day for its music by S.D.Burman
and the song Yeh raat yeh chandni phir kahan....She was equally good in the tragic Bawre nain with Raj kapoor...followed another super successful film Albela ....Albela had swinging C.Ramchandra compositions like Shola jo badke dil mera dhadke and Sham dhale mere khidki tale popular to this day...







Geeta's reputation as an actress rests more on her performance than her role.Natural ,Spontaniousandgifted with a spot-on sense of comic timing, she never really found a vehicle worthy of her talent...Largely she frittered away her talent in B grade movies.Famously down to earth despite
her star status she was the antithesis of the coy 1950's heroine....
Those who knew her personally claim that she was a Samaritan who touched the lives of whoever she met.



Shammi Kapoor entered her life when they worked in Miss coca cola and Coffehouse she was 24 and he was 23......Later while shooting for Kedar Sharm's Rangeen Raaten they fell in love while they were shooting at Ranikhet.....
Back in Bomaby they realised that they could not live without each other.....and after four months of agony, tears,non-togetherness and desperation they decided to get married, however they were unsure about the reaction of his family...they went ahead and got married at Banganga temple at 4 am,on the 23rd August 1955 with the help of Producer-director Hari Walia....It has become for Bollywood the most romantic of story book elopements and weddings, one that could be placed with ease into a film..





It is some consolation that Geeta crammed a lot into her short life...70 odd films ina ten year career..

Some memorable ones
Suhag Raat
Badi Bahen
Dulari
Jal tarang
Baazi
Bawre nain
Albela
Lachak
Anand math
Jaal
Neelam pari
Raag rang
Ferry
Milap
Faraar
Pocketmaar
Sailaab
Coffe house
Aji bas shukriyan
Jailor
Mohar
Sapan suhane
Jalti nishani
Nai rahen
Jabse tumhe dekha hai

Geeta continued to work after her marriage in a few films like Jailor, Mohar, Sapan suhane and Jabse tumhe dekha hai(1963) which was her last released film...Shammi kapoor had become a huge star by then and after the birth of her two children Aditya and Kanchan she eased her work load.




But the desire to do that one fulfilling role for which he would be remembered for prompted Geeta to attempt the production of a classic for herself.She started Rano, based on Rajinder Singh Bedi's famous novel Ek Chaddar Maili Si based on a widow's remarriage to her brother-in-law.Upcoming star Dharmendra played the hero.
While shooting the film, Geeta who had not been vaccinated for small pox contacted the dreaded disease, bet care was rushed to her, but Geeta bali passed away on January 21, 1965 leaving behind an eight year old son and three year old daughter in the care of a devastated Shammi kapoor Ironically she was cremated in Banganga not far from where she was married....
Pradeep kumar her co star in many films has said that 'Geeta was the fairy of histronics who wore a human form'
Having sung countless songs for Geeta Bali,Lata Mangeshkar always had a soft spot for Geeta bali......


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Posted by: parag_sankla May 6 2007, 03:47 AM

Lovely article and nice pics Reeth. Thank you so much

Parag

Posted by: jassi May 6 2007, 11:34 AM

what a lady geeta bali was,i heard when she came to mumbai with her family,at a rent they were staying in bathroom..my god..so painful

very few knows that geeta bali was all set to play widow in film based on ek chadar maili si,and dharmendra was to play her devar,but film could not complete..years later dharmender's wife hema malini played same role..geeta bali's husband shammi kapoor's nephew played hema malini's devar..
what a fact

Posted by: noorie May 8 2007, 01:21 AM

You could say so!

Ummer, Sb fan, Reeth and everyone else who frequents this thread, here's that account of writer Khushwant Singh's meeting with yesteryears' siren Begum Para that i promised you.

The reason I took this long is because I had to type it all from the book Truth, love & a little malice.

Well anyway, here's Khushwant Singh with his version of the Truth!

Noorie

Begum Para one time super vamp of the Indian screen had put on a lot of weight after she married Nasir Khan ( brother of super star Yusuf, alias Dilip Kumar) and borne him two beautiful children, a daughter and a son. Her husband died leaving her with very little beside a flat in Bandra and a couple of films. She felt she had a right to some of the millions that her brother-in-law was making.She also had a considerable inheritance in Pakistan waiting to be claimed by her. I met her through Rukhsana Sultana, her sister’s daughter. I saw quite a lot of Begum Para and her children in Bombay. Mnay Sunday mornings the family joined me at the Gymkhana Club bathing pool to swim and have breakfast. Begum Para often brought up the question of money. If anyone could loan her Rs 40 –50,000 she could have her old films re-screened and make a fortune. I didn’t take the hint.
In sheer desperation she migrated to Pakistan to stake her claim to her inheritance. Twoe of her brothers were in high places, one a minister in Bhutto’s govt. It didn’t take her long to discover that her relatives were not willing to part with anything, and she was on weak ground having earlier opted for India. She earned a little by flogging films she had brought with her and appearing on TV. Her children were unhappy. After the free and easy atmosphere of Bombay, the girl who was rapidly growing into a beautiful young lady, found the puritanical atmosphere of Pakistan very stifling. Begum Para wrote me several letters asking for help in returning to India. I werote back that I would be coming to Karachi soon and we could talk over the matter.

I arrived in Karachi early in the evening. Begum Para nad her children were there at the airport to receive me. So was the Chief of Protocol – because I was a guest of the govt. We were conducted to the V.I.P.lounge. The children had their fill of cakes and biscuits and were sent home. Begum Para aceepted my invitation to dine with me at the hotel where I was to stay the night, before catching the morning flight o Islamabad. The Chief of Protocol dropped us at my hotel. Begum Para came with me to my room. I ordered soda and ice and took out the bottle of Scotch I had brought with me. At that time there was no prohibition in Pakistan. I had heard stories about Begum Para’s drink problem. She had to cut down on it because of the price:a bottle of Scotch cost twice as much in Pakistan as it did in India. ‘Would you like a drink’? I asked her, not sure whether she was still a drinking woman. ‘I’ll take a little’, she replied. ‘I haven’t seen genuine Scotch for ages.’

I pored out two stiff whiskys and handed her one.We resumed talking in Punjabi. I was not halfway through my glass when I saw her’s was empty. I poured out another one for her. She tossed it down and I had to refill it before I resumed drinking my own. By the time I had finished my quota of three large whiskys, Begum Para had had nine. The bottle was almost empty. I told her we must eat soon as I had to catch the early morning flight. Reluctantly she got up to accompany me to the dining room.

The dining room was on the first floor. We had to climb up a spiral marble staircase to get to it. The place was crowded. As usual in Pakistan, there were very few women in the room. People recognized Begum Para because of her appearances on TV. They were intrigued to see her in the company of a Sikh.
We were shown to a table for two. We ordered our meal. 'Would you like to have something to drink while waiting for your meal?’ asked the waiter. ‘Nothing for me,’ I replied and looked at Begum Para. ‘I’ll have another Scotch and soda’, she said. She had another two before soup was served. She began to slur over her words, her eyes took on a glazed look. She wanted to have yet another drink with her meal. I put my foot down firmly.

At long last the meal came to an end. I got up to assist Begum Para with her chair. She stood up, swayed a little, and collapsed on the carpet. The waiters came running to help her walk to the stairs. All eyes in the dining room were turned on us. I was doubly careful going down the spiral staircase. I gripped her fat arm and ordered her: ‘one step at a time’. We made it to the foyer. I ordered a taxi for her and waited patiently for the ordeal to be over. A taxi drew up in the portico. I gave the driver a hundred rupee note and told him to take the lady home. He recognized Begum Para and knew where she lived. I opened the rear door of the taxi and went back to help Begum Para.
As she stepped forward, she missed her step and once agin collapsed on the ground, this time with a loud fart.

She sprained her ankle and began to howl with pain. ‘Hi Rabba Main Mar Gayee!’- O God I’ve killed myself. A crowd gathered.

Being a Muslim country no unrelated male would touch a woman. I did my best to haul her up to her feet. Shw was far too heavy for me. I pleaded with the cab-driver for help. My advance tip came in handy. We got her on her feet and pushed her into the seat. I slammed the door and bid her a hurried farewell.
I got through the crowd and made for my room as fast as I could.