In the 40s KL Saigal was the voice of the nation, every male singer used to sing in his style. Our great singers, Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, or Mukesh were his fans and used to sing in his style. If you listen to their earlier songs, you will not recognize their voice. In fact, it is said that when K. L. Saigal first heard the song "Dil Jalta Hai..." sung by Mukesh, he remarked, "That's strange, I don't recall singing that song.
In the 40s, there was a trend of singing actors, there was no playback singing prevailing in those days. The hero or heroine was taken on the basis of their singing ability. Mukesh was offered the role of a hero opposite Nalini Jaywant in the 1941 film Nirdosh.In this film, he had a duet with Nalini Jaywant and also a solo.
Mukesh and Suraiya.
Naushad though worked very less with him but asked him to sing on his own voice. In Mela, the song " Gaye Ja Geet Milan Ke" became a smash hit after that most of the composers asked him to sing on his own style.
Naushad composed approximately 23 songs for Mukesh, out of which 15 were solos and 8 were duets. Naushad created some of the best gems for Mukesh including Kabhi dil dil sai takrata to hoga, Main bhanwara tou hai phool and Tu kahe agar.
Naushad in an interview disclosed an interesting fact that Mukesh could never sing without a harmonium. This was because he thought that he would go out of tune. In fact, many times I had to pad up the harmonium, and whenever we did that the result was much better.
A K Hangal (1 February 1914 – 26 August 2012), was a freedom fighter, he spent 3 years in jail during the freedom struggle He was a stage actor till 1966. and later became a character actor in Hindi language films from 1966 to 2005. He has acted in around 225 Hindi films. He had the rare ability to imbue the smallest and the most ordinary of roles with quality and dignity
We all remember him as Imaam Saab of Sholay (1975). He started his Hindi film career at the age of 52 with Basu Bhattacharya's Teesri Kasam in 1966. He mostly played the roles of a father, uncle, or school teacher in many films. He was a member of IPTA was a friend of Chetan Anand who cast him in Heer Ranjha in 1970. His most notable roles are as Ram Shastri in Aaina (1977), as the Inder Sen in Shaukeen, as Bipinlal Pandey in Namak Haraam, as Anokhelal in Manzil.
Young AK Hangal
AK Hangal in Sholay
He was cast in roles that demanded piety, playing characters that carried the burden of their virtuous poverty with quiet and kindly dignity. Shaukeen was the film in which he played, along with Ashok Kumar and Utpal Dutt, a lecherous old man.
A K Hangal in Shaukeen
He did a number of films with Rajesh Khanna (16 films) a few significant ones with the Amitabh Bachchans and many others.The best performances in his later years were in Shararat (2002) his character roles in Tere Mere Sapne (1997) and Lagaan.
Shambhu-Kaka. of Lagaan
After 2007, Hangal had been suffering from an illnessand could not afford the treatment. Hangal made his last appearance in the television series Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon in May 2012, in which he had a cameo.Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon was a tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema. He also gave his voice for the character of King Ugrasen in the animation film Krishna Aur Kans which was released on 3 August 2012. This was final work in his career before his death. He died on 26th Aug 2012 in Mumbai. The government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to Hindi Cinema in 2006.
Saira Banu in an interview once said" I was all in love with Dilip Kumar right from the age of 12 after watching 'Aan' I was not just another girl smitten by Dilip Kumar. For me, it was no castle in the air because I had given my dream the strong foundation of faith- faith in myself and faith in God.”
She was only 16, had gone for the show, hoping to get a glimpse of her favorite hero in person. But she was heartbroken as Dilip Kumar was unable to come to the premiere. She still remembers her first encounter with Dilip Kumar “When he smiled at me and remarked that I was a pretty girl, I could feel my whole being taking wing and flying rapturously. I knew somewhere deep within me that I was going to be his wife.”
After the release of Junglee, her first film in 1961, she became a big star, she was offered heroine roles with all the big stars of that time. Dilip Kumar in his biography told that a few films were offered to him with Saira but he refused because he felt to be her too young as his heroine.
It is said that it was Naseem Banu, her mother played the role of the cupid between Dilip and Saira. She got them closer, thanks to which love blossomed between the two.Dilip Kumar mentioned in his biography that when he fell in love with Saira. It was during a party thrown to celebrate her birthday. The actor revealed, "When I alighted from my car and entered the beautiful garden that leads to the house, I can still recall my eyes falling on Saira standing in the foyer of her new house looking breathtakingly beautiful in a brocade sari. I was taken aback because she was no longer the young girl She had indeed grown to full womanhood and was, in reality, more beautiful than I thought she was.
It was one day when Saira Banu was shooting for the film'Jhuk Gaya Aasman' Dilip Kumar proposed Saira. He simply stepped forward and shook her hand and proposed. Dilip Saab said, "Saira, you are not the kind of girl I want to drive around with or be seen around with... I would like to marry you... Will you be my wife?" Promptly came the response from Saira, "And how many girls have you said this to?" She, however, said yes.
They married on 12th Oct 1966 and celebrated the Golden Jubilee of their marriage in 2016. She remained her pillar of strength throughout all these years. There was a time when Dilip Kumar married another lady but Saira continued to look after him. The second marriage lasted for two years since then the two have stood beside each other like a rock, considering one another to be the greatest gift of God.
Saira Banu continued to work in films after the marriage, in fact, Dilip Kumar encouraged her to do films but she restrained herself to one or two films a year. Aman (1967), opposite Rajendra Kumar, was her first release after marriage to the thespian. She acted in three films with Manoj Kumar, Shaadi, Purab Aur Paschim, and Balidan. Cult film Padosan, in 1968, opposite Sunil Dutt, catapulted her to the top league and she continued to play the heroine for several years after that. Victoria No. 203 with Navin Nischol is her biggest hit. She acted in three films with her husband: Gopi. Sagina and Bairaag. Only Gopi was successful at the box office. She acted in three films with Manoj Kumar, Shaadi, Purab Aur Paschim, and Balidan and six with Dharmendra: Jwar Bhata, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Resham Ki Dori, Pocket Maar, International Crook and Chaitali.
She worked with Amitabh Bachchan inAmitabh Bachchan in Zameer and Hera Pheri. Nehle Pe Dehla. She never worked with Rajesh Khanna though once she was offered the role in Chhoti Bahu in 1971 but couldn't do it due to illness.
Dilip Kumar told in an interview that she was signed for the role that Mumtaz did in Ram Aur Shyam but he himself asked her not to do that role. She appeared in a cameo opposite her husband in Duniya (1984), wherein the song "Teri meri Zindagi" became very popular. Faisla which was eventually released in 1988 and is officially her last film.
Khayyam came to limelight with the Ghazal "Shaam-e-Gham Ki Kasam" sung by Talat Mehmood from the film Footpath(1953). He gained greater recognition from the film Phir Subha Hogi (1958), in which all the songs were written by Sahir Ludhyanvi. Since then, he preferred to work with poets rather than film lyricists.That is the reason one finds poetry playing an equal role in Khayyam's compositions as the music or the singer.
Khayyam's music had the touch of ghazal but was rooted in Indian classical music. In a career spanning over four decades, he gave Hindi cinema some of its most memorable movie soundtracks with films like Umrao Jaan, Kabhi Kabhie, Raziya Sultan, Bazar, and many others.
I am posting a few of my favorite Ghazals of Khayyam
In an interview, Gulzar Saheb said that songwriting is my profession while writing poetry is my statement of life. Since his childhood, he was writing poems, He was also writing when he worked as a mechanic in a car garage in Bombay. It was during his interactions in the PWA Sunday meetings that lyricist Shailendra and Bimal Roy encouraged him to join films. Initially, he joined Bimal Ray as his assistant and later got a chance to write a song in Bandini (1963)under the composer S D Burman, the song that brought him to notice was 'Mera Gora Rung Le Le' from Bandini.
Gulzar’s first venture as a filmmaker was Mere Apne (1971), It was produced by N C Sippy and directed by him. The film stars Meena Kumari, Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha in lead roles, In fact, it was the first film of Vinod Khanna as a hero. Before ventured into the direction he wrote dialogues for Biwi Aur Makan(1966), Aashirwad(1968), Khamoshi, and Anand(1969) all directed by Hrishikesh Mukharjee. He also wrote the story, dialogue and screenplay of Guddi, once again directed by Hrishikesh Mukharjee.
His second venture as director was Parichay in 1972.It stars Jeetendra, Jaya Bhaduri; while Sanjeev Kumar, Vinod Khanna, has given special appearances and the music was composed by Rahul Dev Burman. The film was reported to be based on the Bengali novel Rangeen Uttarain by Raj Kumar Maitra and partially inspired by the 1965 movie The Sound of Music.
His third film was Koshish released in Dec 1972. It was inspired by the 1961 Japanese film Happiness of Us Alone. The film was highly acclaimed. he got a National Award for its screenplay and nominated the Filmfare Best Director Award.
The next film he directed was Achanak in 1973, written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, and starring Vinod Khanna. Gulzar received a Filmfare nomination as Best Director for this film. Even though Gulzar is an accomplished lyricist, this film did not have any songs in it.The entire film production was completed in 28 days
In 1975, three films under his directions were released. the first released was Aandhi in Feb 1975. The film was an Indian political drama film starring Sanjeev Kumar and Suchitra Sen and directed by Gulzar. At the time it was alleged that the film was based on the life of the then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her relationship with her estranged husband, The film got the Filmfare Award of Best Film and Best Actor award to Sanjeev Kumar.
Khushboo was the next film released in March 1975.it was produced by Prasan Kapoor under the Tirupati Pictures banner, presented by Jeetendra and directed by Gulzar. It stars Jeetendra, Hema Malini, and music composed by R. D. Burman. It was praised as a beautiful film with good acting by Sharmila Tagore, Hema Malini, Asrani and Jeetendra
Mausam was the third film of that year released on 29th Dec 1975. The film starring Sanjeev Kumar and Sharmila Tagore, and directed by Gulzar. It is loosely based on the novel, The Judas Tree, by A.J. Cronin. Sharmila Tagore for her acting received The Silver Lotus Award at the 23rd National Film Festival and the movie was honored by presenting an award for 2nd Best Feature Film. The film received two of eight nominations at the 24th Filmfare Awards. The film also won many other accolades as well.
In 1977 he entered into production also, two films Kitaab and Kinara both produced and directed by him were released, Meera was the third film under his direction released in 1977, all the films couldn't receive well in Box office. Though Meera received critical acclaim.
Angoor was the film released in 1982, in between two insignificant films released under his direction in 1980. Angoor was based on Shakespeare's play The Comedy of Errors. The film starring Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma in dual roles, and directed by Gulzar. The film was appreciated by all. Deven Verma got the Filmfare Best Comedian Award.
Machis(1996) was an important film of Gulzar, after the death of R D Burman he made the film with Vishal Bhardwaj as music director for the first time. The film was produced by R. V. Pandit. It stars Chandrachur Singh, Om Puri, Tabu and Jimmy Sheirgill in the lead roles. The film portrays the circumstances surrounding the rise of the Sikh insurgency in PunjabMaachis was a critical and commercial success. Gulzar's direction and the music of Vishal Bhardwaj were strong points.
