50 Years of SAFAR

This film was released on 31st July 1970. It was the tenth highest-grossing film of that year. Rajesh Khanna was the hero, who was at the peak of his career. This being one of the seventeen consecutive hit films between 1969 and 1971. It won one Filmfare Awards and four BFJA Awards. The film stars Ashok Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Sharmila Tagore, and Feroz Khan in lead roles. 
This was the second film of Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore Jodi, they appeared together in many films after this film. Sharmila was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actress Award for this film. This is also one of the movies for which Rajesh Khanna shall be remembered forever. 
Safar  is a story of common people grappling with staggering challenges and compromises. Sharmila Tagore plays a doctor she works under the guidance of Dr. Chandra (Ashok Kumar), who tells her that however hard doctors might try, sometimes a patient wouldn't survive. Rajesh Khanna is a cancer patient. Both of them studied together in college.  Though he admires Neela(Sharmila Tagore) very much, he never talks about love or marriage. Everyone thinks that it's because of his financial status, but it is later revealed that he has terminal cancer.
Feroz Han plays Shekhar,, he falls in love with Neela. He goes to propose marriage with her and meets her brother, Kalidas, but is told that he should instead meet with Avinash. So Shekhar introduces himself to Avinash, tells him of his intentions, and Avinash instantly approves of him, and subsequently, Shekhar and Neela are married. 
Neela regularly visits her brother's house where Avinash was a frequent visitor. Shekhar slowly grows suspicious of Neela and Avinash and asks his younger brother to spy on her. Shekhar comes to the conclusion that Neela is in love with Avinash and confronts her, they quarrel, he drinks his medicine and passes out. The next day the police arrest Neela on the charge of murder. With Avinash nowhere to be found, Neela has now to face life behind bars - or even the death sentence.

The soundtrack of the film contains 5 songs. The music is composed by Kalyanji Anandji, with lyrics authored by Indeevar.

#	Song	Singer(s)
1.	"Hum The Jinke Sahare"	Lata Mangeshkar
2.	"Jeevan Se Bhari"	Kishore Kumar
3.	"Jo Tumko Ho Pasand"	Mukesh
4.	"Nadiya Chale Chale Re"	Manna Dey
5.	"Zindagi Ka Safar"	Kishore Kumar

Song of Safar 1970

Song of Safar 1970

Song of Safar 1970

Song of Safar 1970

Song of Safar 1970

'Jiya Jale Jaan Jale' - The Creation of Three Geniuses

This song from 1998 film 'Dil Se' is written by Gulzar, composed by A R Rehman and sung by Lata Mangeshkar. This is the first song Lata Mangeshkar sang for A R Rehman'This song was recorded in Chennai in the recording studio of Rehman. It was the first time Lara Di was recording outside Mumbai.
Gulzar in his book has mentioned this song. He said that Lata Ji had not met Rehman before and also not familiar with his style, she asked Gulzar saheb to be present there at the time of recording. He was not only present there but also accompanied her to Chennai. Rehman received her at the airport and took her and Gulzar saheb to the studio. Reman has many studios in Chennai, this was his first studio. Rehman explained the tune to Lata Ji and asked her to sing. Nowadays composers ask singers to sing one line and record it but Lata Ji told him that she will sing the full song in one take but before that she wants a rehearsal. Rehman agreed and took her to the singer's cabin The cabin had a glass on the front side and no glass on the side walls. Unfortunately, Lata Ji could not see the mixing desk from there, nor could she see the musicians. That was a big problem for her, as she was used to having eye contact with the composer. 
After one rehearsal, Lataji called Gulzar saheb to her side and said  ‘Gulzarji, it feels as though I am blind.’ You kindly sit in front of me. so he sat on a stool outside the cabin’s glass door from where he could see both Lataji and Rahman. 
Despite the fact she recorded the whole song in one session, the song itself was not finalized. Rahman then worked on it for about ten days. He usually works out the instrumentation etc., and so the song evolves slowly into its final form.
The next day returned back to Mumbai. After a week Rehman made a call to Gulzar saheb and said ‘Gulzar Saab, I have recorded a male and female chorus and inserted it in between the antaras. The words are in Malayalam, will you translate them into Hindi?
He played the song to him over the phone. It sounded very beautiful, so I suggested we keep the chorus in Malayalam. It’s the impact of the overall sound that matters. Malayalam has its own sound and folk songs have their own kind of music. Lataji and the chorus sounded wonderful.
Another interesting thing about the song was its lyrics. The song is about the description of a wedding night, Lata Ji usually not sing a song that has anything to do with sex or includes vulgar words or expressions. So it was decided that it will not be picturized as a typical wedding night. 
This song was picturized on Pritty Zinta and Shahrukh Khan on an outdoor location.

Song of Dil Se 1997

The Hit Songs Picturized on Johny Walker

In an era when star billing in song picturizations was reserved only for the hero and heroine, Johnny Walker had a special status. He had one or more songs in every film. The most popular Sar Jo Tera Chakraye from Pyaasa, Yeh hai Bombay Meri Jaan from C I D .and many songs were the attraction of the films produced in the 50s and 60s.I am posting those songs which were hit but now forgotten.
He made his debut from the 1951 film Baazi and worked in almost 300 films in a career span of 40 years. The first time he appeared in a song in 1954 film Taxi Driver with Dev Anand."Mastram Ban Ke Zindagi Ke din Guzar De' and the next year in  Mr and Mrs 55,  'Jane Kahan Mera Jigar Gaya Ji' After that in almost every film one song was picturized on him. Most of the songs picturized on him became very popular. The credit has to go to Mohammed Rafi who gave playback to Johnny Walker in most of his movies. When Rafi sings for Walker, you only listen to Walker and not to Rafi. Johnny Walker’s memories will continue to be alive through his movies and songs.

Song of Taxi Driver 1954

Song of Mr and Mrs 55, 1955

Song of C I D  1956

Song of Chori Chori 1956

Song of Pyasa 1957

Song from  Madhumati 1958

Song from  Paigham (1959)

Song from Chaudavin ka Chand 1960

Song from   Door ki awaaz.1964

Song from Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966)

Bollywood Songs on Pehli Mulakat( First Meeting)

Meeting someone for the first time may be the best thing that happened to you. It is him or her that changes your life and brings it meaning. I recall a quote by someone "We don't meet someone by accident but they are meant to cross our path for some reason.
Many romantic songs on this situation were written by almost all the great lyricist of Bollywood. Recall the song 'Chup Chup Khade Ho Zaroor Koi Baat Hai, Pehli Mulakat Hai' from 1949 film 'Badi Behen', written by Rajendra Krishan and composed by Husna Lal Bhagatram and ' Ek Ajnabee Hasina Se Mulakat Ho Gayi' written by Anand Bakshi for 1974  film Ajnabee, starring Rajesh Khanna
In this blog, I have selected a few such songs
The first song in my list is from the film '1857' released in 1946, written by Pandit Ankur, composed by Sajjad Hussain, picturized on Surendra and Suraiya

Song of 1857 (1945)

 Song of Badi Behen 1949

Song of Rajdhani (1956)

Song of Zindagi Ya Toofan,1958,

Song of Modern Girl 1961

Song of Bharosa (1963)

Song of Hum Diwane (1965)

Song of Do Dilon Ki Dastan (1967) Audio

Song of Paraya Dhan (1971)

Song of Ajanabee (1974)

Song of The Great Gambler (1979)

Song of Rajaji (1999)

Song of Phir Milenge (2004)

The Positive Roles Played by Amjad Khan

We all know Amjad Khan(12 November 1940 – 27 July 1992)  as Gabbar Singh. He enjoyed popularity for villainous roles in many Hindi films, It was Satyajit Ray, who changed his image in the 1977 film Shatranj Ke Khiladi. He played the helpless and deluded monarch Wajid Ali Shah, whose Kingdom, Avadh. After this role, Dev Anand gave him a positive role of Buta Singh in 1978 film Des Pardes. Gulzar also gave him the role of King Akbar in 1979 film Meera.
In 1980, he played the role of Inspector Amjad Khan in Qurbani and also sang a song. He played many positive roles in films such as Yaarana (1981) and Laawaris (1981) as Amitabh's friend and father respectively. He portrayed Vatsayana, in 1984 film Utsav. and playing comical characters in films such as Love Story, Chameli Ki Shaadi (1986), and Maa Kasam (1986) In 'Love Story', he was nominated for this film as the Best Actor in a Supporting Role. 
In a career of two decades, he worked over 130 films, many regarded as Bollywood classics. Starting as a child artist, he became the topmost villain and later a character actor. Many of us do not know that he made his debut as an adult actor in Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973). 
He briefly ventured into direction too and made a couple of movies — Chor Police (1983) and Ameer Aadmi Gareeb Aadmi (1985).
He won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Dada (1980), Best Supporting Actor – Yaarana (1982), and  Best Comedian – Maa Kasam (1986)
Due to his increasing weight, he died of myocardial infarction in 1992 at the age of 51. Several of the films he had completed were released after his death, until 1996.
The first song picturized on Amjad Khan

Song of Shatranj Ke Khiladi 1977

Song of Qurbani 1980

Song of Pyara Dushman  1980

Song of Yaarana 1981

Song of Teri Maang Sitaron Se Bhar Doon  1982

Song of Hum Se Hai Zamana (1983)

Song of Santosh 1989