Matinee Masala

The grand old father of Indian cinema Dadasaheb Phalke had directed India’s first full-length feature film- Raja Harishchandra in 1913. This silent film was based on the legend of Harishchandra, recounted in Ramayana and Mahabharata. Phalke was greatly influenced by the style of painter Raja Ravi Verma in the making of this film.

The film’s story revolved around King Harishchandra, his wife Taramati, his young son and his love for truth. It showcased himself and his family’s hardship including being banished from his kingdom before a god appears to reassure everyone that the whole narrative was merely a test of the king’s integrity.

Raja Harishchandra starred D.D. Dabke as Raja Harishchandra, P.G. Sane as Taramati, Bhalachandra D. Phalke, G.V. Sane and Dattatreya Kshirsagar .

One of my all time favorites- Vijay Anand was born on January 22, 1934 at Gurdaspur. Fondly known as Goldie, was a producer, director, writer and actor. He made most of his films for the in-house banner of Navketan Films.

Vijay Anand was the youngest of the three ‘Anand’ brothers. Technically brilliant, who wrote his first script- Taxi Driver (1954) at the age of 20. It was under Goldie’s direction that Dev’s career touched greater heights with whom he gave Nau Do Gyarah (1957), Kala Bazar (1960), Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Guide (1965), Jewel Thief (1967), Johny Mera Naam (1970), Tere Mere Sapne(1971), Chhupa Rustam (1973) and Bullet (1976).

He also directed films outside Navketan like- Teesri Manzil (1966), Black Mail (1973), Ram Balram (1980) and Rajput (1982). His acting skills came through when he starred in films like Kala Bazaar, Double Cross, Haqeeqat, Agra Road, Chor Chor, Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki and Hum Rahe Na Hum.

He served a short stint as the chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, India’s censor board, a position from which he resigned in 2002.

On February 23, 2004 he suffered a massive heart attack and died at the age of 70 leaving behind a plethora of unforgettable films for us.

Today the 18 January happens to be the 60th death anniversary of Kundan Lal Saigal. Born on the 11th April, 1904, K.L. Saigal was a trendsetter who redefined playback singing with acting in the 30’s & 40’s.

Though not the perfect conventional hero on screen but his mesmerizing voice and articulate dialogues spelt magic on screen. He didn’t have much of a formal training except for the one he received from a little known Sufi peer, Salman Yusuf. His renditions of Ghalib’s poetry and his identification with its tragic iconography formed the famous Saigal persona.

Saigal’s style of singing was taken to greater heights at New Theatres by R.C. Boral, Pankaj Mullick and Timir Baran. His first film was Mohabbat ke Aansoo (1932) but it was with the success of Chandidas (1934) that made him an instant star.

Saigal churned out hits after hits in Shahjehan, Street Singer and My Sister. His Mere Sapnon Ki Rani, Ae Dil-e-Beqaraar Jhoom, and of course, the immortal Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya are still remembered as gems. His non-film songs comprise of Bhajans, Ghazals and Hori.

Saigal’s distinctive singing voice has been idolized by many great post-independence playback singers, including Lata, Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh, and Kishore Kumar before etching out their own identities.

The fame that he attained was unheard of in those days. In a career that spanned for 15 years, he acted in 36 films of which 28 were in Hindi and the remaining was in regional.

However alcohol got the better of this genius who passed away on this very day making us poorer. But even today his haunting resonant, voice continues to enthrall listeners on early morning radio or on some fanatic collector’s old gramophone player.

K.L Saigal’s Filmography

Parwana (1947), Shahjahan (1946), Kurukshetra (1945), Tadbir (1945), Meri Bahen (1944), Tansen (1943), Bhakta Surdas (1942), Lagan (1941), Parichay (1941), Zindagi (1940), Desher Mati (1938), Dharti Mata (1938), Dushman (1938), Jiban Maran (1938), Street Singer (1938), Badi Bahen (1937), Didi (1937), Devdas (1936), Pujarin (1936), Devdas (1935), Karwane Hayat (1935), Chandidas (1934), Roop Lekha (1934), Puran Bhagat (1933), Rajrani Meera (1933), Yahudi Ki Ladki (1933), Mohabbat Ke Aansu (1932), Subha Ka Sitara (1932), Zinda Laash (1932).

The Bombay Talkies Limited was founded in 1934 Bombay by Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani with Franz Osten and Niranjan Pal as its first full-time filmmakers. Bombay Talkies was one of the high-tech movie studios of its time, with sound and echo-proof stages, laboratories and editing rooms, and preview theatre. It was the first movie company of India, which was a public limited company and was registered as a company under the Indian Companies Act.

Bombay Talkies emerged as a well organized, self-sufficient, and profitable company which went public and declared dividends and bonus, and at its heyday commanded a good standing on the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Bombay Talkies that imparted a higher level of dignity to the medium of movie making and acting also gave some very illustrious mega-stars to the Indian film industry, which included Devika Rani, Ashok Kumar and Raj Kapoor. Bombay Talkies also gave a new dimension to themes of films, and produced films on controversial topics like Achhut Kanya (1936), Jawani ki Hawa (1935) and Jeevan Naiya (1936), a romantic movie starring Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar.

In 1939, after the demise of Himanshu Rai, Bombay Talkies faced a number of problems. The control of the film company passed on to his wife, Devika Rani, who was also made the controller of production of the Bombay Studios. Devika Rani continued the high tradition of Bombay Talkies. Soon a rift between her and her business partners resulted in the decline and eventual failure of the studio.

In 1954 Bombay Talkies was closed down marking the end of a great era in Indian cinema. Presently, the premises of the Bombay Talkies are in a dilapidated state, and have lost the pristine glory which it once commanded.

Founder of India’s first film family, Prithviraj Kapoor was born on Nov 3, 1906 in Peshawar in a middle-class landlord family. He was married at 18 and graduated in Law after which he decided to go to Bombay to become an actor. He had three children at that time.

The year was 1928 when he left to pursue his dreams. On reaching Bombay, he joined the Imperial Film Co. and acted in several B.P. Mishra adventure and love stories such as Cinema Girl (1930) opposite Ermeline, India’s Clara Bow. He acted in India’s first ever talkie Alam Ara (1931) though not in the lead role, which was essayed by Master Vithal.

After playing numerous roles for New Theatres he joined Ranjit Movietone where he was offered the main lead in Sohrab Modi’s Sikander (1941) which immortalized Prithviraj Kapoor. This film heightened his enduring reputation for playing royalty, enhanced further by his role as emperor Akbar in Mughal-e-Azam (1960).

In 1944 he invested his earnings and set up Prithvi Theatre which is managed by his youngest son Shashi Kapoor and is still going strong.

His finest works besides period films include Vidyapati (1937), V.Shantaram’s Dahej (1950), his son, Raj Kapoor’s Awaara (1951), his grandson Randhir Kapoor’s Kal Aaj aur Kal (1971). While directing Paisa, he lost his voice which sadly never regained its full sonorousness. Subsequently he closed Prithvi Theatre and reduced his film work.

In 1969, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the government of India. After his death in May 1972, he was posthumously awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

The Kapoor legacy continues even today with his great grand children taking over but there will always be one Prithviraj Kapoor.

Prithviraj Kapoor’s Filmography

Cinema Girl (1930), Alam Ara (1931), Rajrani Meera (1933), Seeta (1934), Inquilab (1935), Manzil (1936), President (1937), Vidyapati (1937), Adhuri Kahani (1939), Sapera (1939), India Today (1940), Pagal (1940), Court Dancer (1941), Sikander (1941), Phool (1944), Dahej (1950), Awaara (1951), Anandmath (1952), Paisa (1957), Pardesi (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Rustom Sohrab (1963), Rajkumar (1964), Aasmaan Mahal (1965), Jaanwar (1965), Sikander-e-Azam (1965), Teen Bahuraniyaan (1968), Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai (Punjabi) (1969), Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971).

K Asif’s magnum opus Mughal-E-Azam is seen as the richest Indian film in history but during its making, it was plagued with problems. Following the death of the leading man in 1946, Asif was forced to shelve the project. A few years later K. Asif signed the current stars of the film but the film was yet again hit with problems because he had gone over budget.

The scenario was written by five writers, all experts who had in-depth knowledge of the Mughal era and culture. Due to the delay in the making one of the writers passed away, so new writers were brought in to re-write the dialogues to deliver the royal punch.

Naushad, who scored the music for the film knew he had a mammoth task on his hand as he had to ensure the music was fitting for the epic. The film was set in an era where the genre of music was classical and in the eyes of Naushad there was really only one man who could do justice to some of the songs - Bade Ghulam Ali Khan.

For the song Aye Mohabbat Zindabad, Naushad used the vocals of Mohd Rafi and 100 singers for the chorus. Suffice to say the album became an instant hit when released, and the song Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya may have become an anthem for those in love but it was re written 105 times before Naushad approved it.

For the battle sequences K. Asif got in real army soldiers, cavalries & battalions who knew horse riding and were experts in ground warfare.

Needless to say K. Asif spared no money when he picturised the song in color and at the sheesh-mahal  the cost was Rs.1 million - this at a time when an entire film was shot for the same amount. As Naushad wanted the song to have a certain feel to it, Lata sang it in a studio bathroom hence the reverberation sound. Sadly the music of Mughal-E-Azam failed to get a single nomination at the awards but K.Asif walked away with the Best Filmfare award.

After its release in 1960, it was reported that the budget spent for the whole film would have been equal to today’s budget of one song picturised in a foreign location.

In 2005 the film was re-released in color version and Naushad used the help and assistance of Uttam Singh to recreate the music. The film went on to complete 100 days at many multiplexes.

A film running to packet houses for more than six months was categorized a hit when Hindi cinema was in its nascent stages. Today the definition of a block buster is a film that runs for 100 days. The term block buster had not started with ‘Sholay’ but much before that. The year was 1943 that saw the release of Ashok Kumar starrer ‘Kismet’ directed by Gyan Mukherjee. ‘Kismet’ was a huge grosser which ran for a staggering four years at a theatre in Bombay (which was later broken by ‘Sholay’).

‘Kismet’ was a ‘lost and found’ story of a former theater owner and his crippled daughter who lives in poverty until a chance encounter with a young pickpocket (played by Ashok Kumar) brings romance for the petty criminal and daughter as well as a chance by the father to get back at the villainous new theater owner who ousted him from the business years ago.

‘Kismet’ was the first film where the hero played an anti-hero and the heroine was played by Mumtaz Shanti.

The year was 1980 when Disco became a rage and a singing sensation was born. Still in her teens who took the music world by storm was none other than Nazia Hassan. Nazia with her brother Zoheb came as a breath of fresh air with their album Disco Deewane which topped the charts all over the world and continues to remain a favorite with many.

The age of stereophonic had just begun and the response that Disco Deewane got was mind boggling and to follow it up in came Feroz Khan’s Qurbani which was a block buster. Aap jaisa koi by Nazia added zing to the music of Qurbani which made her walk away with the Filmfare Award for the Best Female Playback Singer in 1980.

Born into a well-to-do Karachi family, Nazia and Zoheb spent their teenage years in London. The brother and sister duo did release quite a few albums thereafter but could never recreate the past magic.

Nazia died of lung cancer in London in 2000 at the age of 35.