This isn’t a PAK SHOWBIZ issue but closely related on the MOVIES made before partition in India and its telling effects on Pakistani Movies of YESTERYEARS.
Most on this FORUM will cry out LOUD but if their PARENTS read it…they’ll go back to their childhood. I did a lot of research here---------Raju Jamil;
BOLLYWOOD Nostalgia……..
By Raju Jamil
BOLLYWOOD…., India’s own Hollywood, has cast a lasting spell on the Great Indo-Pak middle class – one that few other influences have. This is a quick few liners journey down the memory lane of Indian movies which has served as a great unifier and shock absorber, as a traditional society has come to terms with democratization and modernization in India and Pakistan.
It was until the war of 1965 that Indian movies were shown in Pakistani Cinema Houses and which drew large crowds thus also creating an atmosphere of competitiveness for Pakistani Film Industry at Lahore ( “Lollywood” ) where, in those days, the quality movies established a stage from which we can still blow our trumpet………. But for how long?
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“SAVKARI PASH” aka Indian Shylock ( 1925, silent movie, B/W; Dir: Baburao Painter) – starring V. Shantaram and Zunzharrao Pawar, the film was a social expose on how peasant loses his land to a moneylender.
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“ALAM ARA” ( 1931 ) by Ardeshir Irani was a costume drama full of fantasy; it was inspired by the stylistics of Parsi theatre. Songs were used to intensify emotions. The film was a stunning success. Thereafter, music and fantasy came to be regarded as indispensable elements in films. At times, it was overdone.
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“KARMA” aka Fate ( 1933, B/W, Urdu/English; Dir; J.L.Freer-Hunt ) – The much talked about prolonged kiss between Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai in the film created a sensation at that time. The story of a maharani falling in love with a neighbouring prince was described as a sort of modern American roman done against an Indian background.
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“ACHHUT KANYA” aka The Untouchable Girl ( 1936, B/W, Dir; Franz Osten ) – The unfortunate love story of an untouchable girl (Devika Rani) and Pratap ( Ashok Kumar ) told in flashback, the fim highlighted the futility of sociological reform and the rigidity of the caste system. Ashok Kumar summed up his performance as ‘babyish’.
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“SIKANDAR” (1941, B/W, Dir: Sohrab Modi ) – Released at the peak of World War-II, this Prithviraj Kapoor and Varnamala starrer used Alexandar’s invasion of Sindh to arouse the urge for freedom from British rule. It’s screening was banned in military cantonments.
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“SHEESH MAHAL” ( 1950, B/W; Dir: Sohrab Modi ) – This big-budget film was a realistic portrayal of the fading aristrocracy’s pathetic efforts to cling to its erstwhile grandeur. The old patriarch was played by Sohrab Modi; his daughters by Naseem Banu, Pushpa Hans and Nigar Sultana; the labourer-turned-millionaire by Mubarak and villain by Pran.
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“CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI” ( 1952, B/W, Marathi/Urdu; Dir: Bhalji Pendharkar ) – Unknown to most, the singing legent Lata Mangeshkar acted in a few films including this one. With Chandrakant playing Shivaji, Altekar portrayed by Raja Jai Singh in the Marathi version, while Prithivraj Kapoor performed the same in the Hindi one.
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“DO BIGHA ZAMEEN” aka Two Acres of Land ( 1953, B/W;Dir: Bimal Roy ) – The superlative performance of Balraj Sahni with brilliant editing, this hard-hitting drama was representative of the oeuvre depicting the travails of small landowners. Poverty, determination, human kindness are juxtaposed with Fate – the supreme dealer of the cards of life.
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“SHREE 420” aka Mr. 420 ( 1955, Dir:Raj Kapoor ) – Raj Kapoor who carved a niche for himself in the true vagabound Chaplinesque style, furthered this image as a country boy here. His famous dance number ‘Ramaiya Vasta Vaya” with Shiela Vaz is still on the lips of many and sundries. The fim also boasted his best-known romantic duet with Nargis “Piyar Hua Iqrar Hua’ and Mukesh’s “Mera Joota Hai Japani”.
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“PYAASA” aka Eternal Thirst ( 1957, B/W; Dir: Guru Dutt ) – Master of the tragic idiom in Indian cinema, Guru Dutt and his soulmate Rahman epitomized the numerous poets who remain ‘unsung’ during their lifetime and the scornful rejection typical of publishers. Dutt’s passionate cry – “Jala do ise phook dalo yeh duniya”. Movie’s famous song “SURR JO TERA CHAKRAYE” is as infectious….today eve.
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“MUGHAL-E-AZAM” ( 1960, Col, Urdu; Dir: K. Asif ) – Nine years in the making, this larger-than-life historical romance is remembered for several highlights; the SHEESH MAHAL dance sequence of Madhubala with Lata Mangeshkar’s rendering of Naushad’s “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kiya” the dramatic dialogues of Kamal Amrohi and the brilliant cinematography.
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“JUNGLEE” ( 1961, Col:Dir: Subodh Mukherjee ) – Popularising the use of colour in mainstream cinema, JUNGLEE introduced Saira Bano and brought to the fore the YAHOO persona Shammi Kapoor. Popular cinema developed a new face; fun, frolic, youthful rebellion and light heartedness.
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“ SAHIB BIBI AUR GHULAM” aka King, Queen and Knave ( 1962, B/W; Dir: Guru Dutt ) – Set in 19th century Bengal, this was yet another commentary on the redolent lifestyle of the zamindars. What set apart was a sensually skilful performance by Meena Kumari as the wife who takes to alcohol to entice her husband Rahman to stay by her side. The film is seen through the eyes of Guru Dutt, the servant.
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“MERE MEHBOOB” aka My Beloved (1963, col : Urdu: Dir: H.S.Raval ) – This astman colour romance set in 20th century Lucknow had all the masalla necessary to tug at teenage heartstrings. The veiled Sadhna courted by Rajinder Kumar were beleagured by class deifferences and family intrigues.
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“GUIDE” ( 1965, col : Dir: Vijay Anand B/O Dev Anand ) – Based on R.K.Narayan’s novel ( though disowned by him later for gross theuratic deviations ) the film was a box-office success with lilting music by S.D. Burman. Waheeda Rahman excelled and paired with Dev Anand as “Raju Guide” to realize her dreams of becoming a dancer.
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“ANAND” (1970, col; Dir: Hirishikesh Mukherjee ) – An ebullient Rajesh Khanna, determined to live each moment of his life to the maximum in spite of a terminal illness, cast against Amitabh Bachchan as the brooding doctor, miserable in his helplessness to assist his patient, made this an intensely emotional melodrama. The two giants of the Indian film screen were pitched against each other for the very first time.
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“ZANJEER” aka The Chain (1973, col; Urdu, Dir: Prakash Mehra ) – The ‘angry young man’-turned-‘vigilante’ image of Amitabh evolved with this movie. With Pran as an ally, Bachchan took on the onus of rooting out corruption and evil. This film put scriptwriters Salim-Javed on the top and the ‘70s saw numerous films in the same genre. This movie also made famous the phrase ’Mona Darling’ said in his typical tone by Ajit playing villain.
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“SHOLAY” aka Embers (1975, col; Dir: Ramesh Sippy ) – Shot in 70mm, India’s best-known ‘curry’ Western so far, was perhaps, the first film whose dialogues were released as an LP. ‘Aray O Kaalia…Kitnay Admi Thahay?” of Amjad Khan (who was married to Shehla the eldest daughter of India’s famous poet and film story writer..Akhtarul Imaan a bosom college-mate at Dehli to Pakistan’s Jamiluddin Aali ) whose memorable portrayal of the villain Gabbar Singh has become a legend. Sanjeev Kumar as the ex-cop and Dharmendra and Amitabh as the two adventure-loving crooks; Hema Malini as the chirpy Basanti and Jaya Bachchan as the widowed Radha—complimented with a technically skilled, fast-paced momentum, made this movie a modern classic.
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“MANDI” aka The Marketplace (1983, col; Dir: Shyam Benegal ) – Inspired by The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Soni Razdan, Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil as prostitutes in the film lit up Benegal’s efforts at comedy. Undertones of religion and politics filtered through the weave of the film.
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“USTAV” aka The Festival (1984, col:Dir: Girish Karnad ) – Produced by Shashi Kapoor and based on the 4th Century play MRICHCHAKATIKAM, the film explored shringar and hasya ( the erotic and the comic ) on which India’s classical theory of performance is based. Rekha as the courtesan and Amjad Khan as Vatsyayana exploring brothels to write his Kama Sutra, excelled in this lavishly shot but successful film.
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“RUDALI” aka The Mourner ( 1992, col:Dir: Kalpana Lajmi ) – Dimple Khanna as a Harijan women abandoned by her mother; married to a never-do-well and subsequently widowed; and mother of an errant son. Unable to shed tears in spite of life’s tribulations, Fate brought her close to Bhikni, a rudali, after whose death Sanicheri discovered that the former was her mother. The film climaxed with irony of Sanicheri becoming a RUDALI herself.
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“KHALNAYAK” aka The Anti-Hero ( 1993, col: Dir: Subhash Ghai ) – The villainous protoganist – part of the underworld played by Sanjay Dutt was converted by tough cop Jackie Shroff and his police-inspector fiancée Madhuri Dixit. The song “Chooli Kay Peeche Kiya Hai” sung in a typically raundy lyric with double innuendos…. created sensational controversy.
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“HUM AAPKE HEIN KOUN” aka What is my relationship with you?
(1994, col: Dir: Sooraj R. Barjatya) – One hundred and Ninety Three Minutes of MUSIC, dance and humour set against a backdrop of family togetherness, created an unprecedented box-office hit. The film set the trend for a number of films replete with foot-tapping music, family values, exciting star-pair combinations – wholesome and entertaining.
• MADHUBALA ( 1933-69 ) born Mumtaz Jehan, Madhubala’s charismatic smile and vivacious personality made her most glamorous star of the FIFTIES Indian musicals. Her (literally) haunting presence in “MAHAL” (1949) was immortalized in the film’s theme song “ Ayega Aanewalla………”
BOLLYWOOD has cast a lasting spell on Indo-Pak Subcontinent’s psyche…… the stars of yesteryears have given way to the idols of today. And the beat goes on….
( Next….”LOLLYWOOD” Nostalgia…..! )