Matinee Masala

* For luck just before the release of the film Yash Chopra added another ‘E’ to the title of Kabhi- Kabhie.

* The combination of Amitabh-Shashi Kapoor -Yash Chopra did five films in a row — Deewaar, Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Kaala Patthar and Silsila.

* Parveen Babi was the first choice of Yash Chopra for the role opposite Rishi Kapoor which eventually went to Neetu Singh resulting in both falling in love during the making of the film.

* Gulshan Rai was to produce Kabhi Kabhie but refused saying that it would never run but the film went on to break all box-office records.

* The film had been written with Raakhee in mind, and she had agreed to do it during the making of Daag (1973), but before production started she married Gulzar, who wanted her to retire from acting. Later Yash Chopra persuaded Gulzar to let her do the film.

* It was during the shooting of the film in Kashmir that Yash Chopra first noticed his 5 year-old son Aditya Chopra getting inquisitive about film making.

* There are two versions of the poem “Kabhi Kabhie” - one is the romantic poem Amit sings to Pooja when they are in love, and the other version, rewritten by a shattered Amit since the marriage of Pooja to Vijay, is a bitter, self-hating ode of misery and loss. Sahir Ludhianvi wrote this version of “Kabhi Kabhie” first; the more romantic version was written for the film.

* Kabhi Kabhie reconstructed music director Khayyam’s career who made a thumping comeback with this film and went on to bag the Filmfare award for The Best Music in 1976. The popularity of the music prompted Khayyam and Yash Chopra to continue collaborating with Trishul, Noorie, Nakhuda and Sawaal.

* Mukesh sang for Amitabh while Kishore Kumar lent his voice to Rishi Kapoor. But Mukesh was unable to reap the benefits of the film’s success as he died within months of the film’s release.

* Sahir Ludhianvi deservedly won the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for the title song.

* Looking at the popularity of the song- Kabhi-Kabhie mere dil…many music directors composed the song in their own way. The qawwali version of the song became very famous.

The superhit song Humko tumse ho gaya hai pyaar… from the 1977 Manmohan Desai blockbuster- Amar Akbar Anthony composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and penned by Anand Bakshi is the only instance when all four legends- Lata, Mukesh, Kishore and Rafi came together. Earlier there were many music directors who tried this combination but somehow it didn’t work out.

It was also known that Kishore Kumar due his respect towards Lata always preferred to be paid a rupee less than her.

Ever wondered how it would be writing lyrics for a song which have only film titles? Yes, you guessed it I am talking about the song from Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981). Mere Jeevan Saathi… was composed by Laxmikant- Pyarelal, sung by SP Balasubramanium and penned by Anand Bakshi. Composing a song with lyrics of Hindi film titles is something unimaginable but the combination of Laxmikant- Pyarelal and Anand Bakshi was so creative and experimental that they achieved the impossible within no time.

The song didn’t have any connection between words but still remain connected; totally it had 64 film titles to make it a unique number by itself till date.

Mere Jeevan Saathi, Pyar Kiye Jaa, Jawani Deewani, Khubsoorat, Ziddi, Padosan, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Jhoota Kahin ka, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, 420, Aawara, Dil Hi To Hai, Aashiq Hoon Bahaaron ka, Tere Mere Sapne, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, Shaadi ke Baad, Humare Tumhare, Munna, Guddi, Tinku, Mili, Shin Shinaki Babula Boo, Khel Khel Mein, Shor, Bhool Gaye, Johny Mera Naam, Chori Mera Kaam, Ram Aur Shyam, Bundalbaaz, Ladki, Milan, Geet Gata Chal, Pyar Ka Mausam, Besharam, Ishq Ishq Ishq, Naughty Boy, Bluff Master, Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke, Chalte Chalte, Mere Humsafar, Dil Tera Deewana, Deewana, Mastana, Chalia, Anjaana, Aashiq, Begaana, Loafer, Anari, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi, Jab Pyaar Kisi se Hota Hai, Jab Yaad Kisi ki Aati Hai, Jaaneman, Sach, Bandhan, Kangan, Chandan, Jhoola, Dil Diya Dard Liya, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, Cham Chama Cham, Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne, Sargam.

Besides being a lyricist Anand Bakshi also acted in a film called Picnic in 1966 which had Manoj Kumar and Kalpana in lead roles. Anand Bakshi came to Bombay in the late 50’s to become a playback singer but as fate would have it he got a chance as a lyricist in Bhala Aadmi from where he never looked back. But he did some playback singing in Mohan Kumar’s Mome Ki Gudiya (1972) where he sang Baaghon mein bahaar aayee, the qawwali which was never picturised in Sholay (1975), Mahachor (1976), Charas (1976), Vidhaata (1982) and Jaan (1996).

• Shahenshah was scheduled to release on 12 February 1988, but because fans of Amitabh Bachchan could not wait his comeback, the movie was released a day early at some places.

• Inder Raj Anand wrote the climax of the film in his deathbed but Jaya Bachchan was credited with the story.

• Dimple Kapadia was initially offered the role of Meenakshi Sheshadri.

• During the making of the film Amitabh went through his worst political phase.

• Shahenshah was planned immediately after Kaalia was declared a hit.

• Amitabh Bachchan’s metal arm accessory weighed more than 14 kilos. A trying time for the actor who suffers from Myasthenia Gravis.

• The breathing sound of Shahenshah was given a lot of prominence during the dubbing to give the character a super human effect.

• Amar- Utpal, the debutant music directors of the film were one time assistant music directors to Laxmikant- Pyarelal. Due to the delay in the making, Shahenshah happened to be their third release.

• The music of the film was released a year before the films release.

• Shahenshah was ranked as the most awaited Amitabh movies of all time along with Coolie.

Most of the scenes in Sholay (1975) are inspired by real life stories written by Salim-Javed. The scene in which Jai brings Veeru’s marriage proposal to Basanti’s mausi was inspired by a real-life incident. Scriptwriter Javed Akhtar, who fell in love with actress Honey Irani during the making of Seeta aur Geeta (1972), didn’t know how to approach Honey’s parents to ask her hand in marriage. Javed requested his writer partner Salim Khan to meet Honey’s mother Perin Irani on his behalf and fix the alliance. The conversation that took place between Salim and Perin was incorporated, almost verbatim, into the film’s script.

However, Javed Akhtar never resorted to climbing the water tank to clinch the issue the way Dharmendra did in the film.

* Kamal Amrohi performed the mahurat of Pakeezah in Ferbruary 1956. The film took nearly 14 years to complete.

* Director Kamal Amrohi initially had planned to star in it as he had married Meena Kumari then. The film was stuck in 1964 when both separated. A few years later, well-wishers like Sunil Dutt and Nargis advised them to restart the film.

* Ghulam Mohammed, the music director of Pakeezah never lived to see the success of this film, it was sad that he did not get his due in the Hindi Film Industry in spite of brilliant work in films like Mirza Ghalib (1954) and Shama (1961).

* Kamal Amrohi had approached Dharmendra to play Salim Ahmed Khan’s character which eventually went to Raaj Kumar.

* Meena Kumari’s failing health necessitated that some of the dance sequences and scenes be shot without her. Amrohi shot the entire song Chalo dildaar chalo without showing her face. It was Padma Khanna who stood in place of Meena Kumari.

* At the film’s premiere, Meena Kumari sat between Raaj Kumar and Kamal Amrohi and was very pleased with the film. When Khayyam complimented her, she was in tears.

* Naushad composed the theme music and is said to have significantly contributed overall after Ghulam’s death.

It was Ghulam Haider who gave Lata Mangeshkar her first major break in Hindi films with Majboor (1948) and took her to S. Mukherjee to sing in Shaheed (1948) but Mukherjee rejected her saying her voice was too thin! Haider warned him that this ‘poor little thing’ would soon put every other singer in the shade including Noor Jehan! Other singers he introduced were Sudha Malhotra and Surinder Kaur.

Continuing with Deewaar, it was the Filmfare awards in 1975 that made the competition so tough that everyone thought that Sholay which also happen to release the same year, would grab all the popular awards but it was not to be. The Best Actor Award went to Sanjeev Kumar for Aandhi and the Best Actress went to Lakshmi for Julie. The Best Music Director Award went to Rajesh Roshan for his score in Julie.

Deewaar went down in history as the film bagging the most Filmfare Awards till Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was released.

1. Best Film - Gulshan Rai (Producer)
2. Best Director - Yash Chopra
3. Best Actor in a Parallel Role - Shashi Kapoor
4. Best Story Writer - Salim-Javed
5. Best Sound Recordist - M. A. Shaikh
6. Best Dialogue Writer - Salim-Javed
7. Best Screenplay Writer - Salim-Javed

Dharmendra in his youth was such a big fan to actress Suraiya and Dilip Kumar that he walked miles to watch their films. He saw Suraiya’s Dillagi (1949) directed by Abdul Rashid Kardar over 40 times.

As a matter of fact till date their have been six films made under the same title of which Dharmendra himself along with Hema Malini acted in Basu Chatterji’s Dillagi (1978) and both his sons acted in the same title yet again in his home production in 1999.