Jeevan- The Naarad Muni of Hindi Films

 

Jeevan  (24 October 1915 – 10 June 1987),, played the role of Narad Muni in more than 60 films. Jeevan, born as Omkar Nath Dhar. He has played the role of Narad Muni in more than 60 films. No actor in the history of cinema has played one character so many times.

He wasn’t just Narad Muni, he was also one of Hindi cinema’s most iconic villains. The first time he became a villain in the 1938 film Rajkumari. He is also known for his style of acting and mannerism  He came to Bombay to become a photographer but became an actor. His first film was the 1935 film,

In 1935, he was highly recognized for the role in ‘Romantic India’. In 1942, he was notable for his role in Station Master, and in 1946, he was notable for his role in Afasana.His popularity increased from the 1949 film Mela where he played Mehkoo, who lusts after one of the young village girls. He was also seen in many of Dev Anand's films. Recall him as Heera in Johny Mera Naam. Also, recall his character of Robert in the 1977 blockbuster Amar Akbar Anthony,

Jeevan in Johny Mera Naam

Jeevan in Amar Akbar Anthony

 He also acted in “Naya Daur”, “Rangoli”, “Nagin”, “Do phool”, “Dharam Veer”, “Roti”, “Laawaris”, “Suhaag”, Waqt”, “Darling darling”, “Sangham”, “Naseeb”, “Takkar”, “Chacha Bhatijia”, “Humraaz”, “Aabru”, “ Bandhan”,“Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya” and many other films. His last movie was “Insaaf Ki Manzil” and it was released in 1986 

He died on 10 June 1987 at the age of 71.

D N MADHOK- Lyricist First Generation

 

D N Madhok (22 October 1902 – 9 July 1982) was a prominent lyricist of Bollywood in the 1930s to 1960s. He started his career with the 1932 film Radhey Sham. Apart from writing lyrics, he wrote screenplays and directed films. He directed almost 17 films.

Filmmaker and songwriter Gulzar considers two lyricists as tops in the old days. Shailendra in the 50's and D N Madhok in the 40's.The immortal song "Diya Jalao" sung by K. L. Saigal was written by him, He was instrumental in introducing the famous composer Naushad to Bollywood He appointed Naushad as an assistant music director in his directorial venture, a Punjabi film Mirza Sahiban (1939). The first film which Naushad composed as an independent music director was Prem Nagar' (1940). This time also it was Madhok who penned the lyrics for the songs of that film.

He joined Ranjit Movietone in 1939. His career as a lyricist took off with several major successes. He wrote lyrics for popular songs in the 1940s and 1950s for films such as Nadi Kinare (1939), Musafir (1940), Pagal (1940), Ummeed (1941), Bansari (1943), Nurse (1943), Bela (1947), Bhakt Surdas (1942), and Tansen (1943). 

He worked with almost every prominent music director of the 40s and 50s such as Gyan Dutt, Khemchand Prakash, S. N. Tripathi, Bulo C Rani, Khurshid Anwar, Pandit
Amarnath, Sardul Kwatra, Anil Biswas, R. C. Boral, Robin Chatterjee, C. Ramchandra, Sajjad Hussain, Ghulam Haider, Vinod, Gobind Ram, Husnlal Bhagatram, A. R. Qureshi, Roshan, Sardar Malik, Ghulam Mohammad, and Hansraj Behl.

He wrote over 800 songs in his career, some of his notable songs are-

Diya Japao Jagmag Jagmag(Tansen)

Ghata Ghan Ghor Ghor...(Tansen)

Too Kaun Si Badli Mein Mere Chand Hai...(Khandaan)

Aaye Bhi Wo Gaye Bhi Wo...(Namaste)

Milke Bichhad Gayi Ankhiyaan...(Rattan)

Ankhiyaan Milake Jiya Bharmake...(Rattan)

O Jaanewale Baalmawa Laut Ke Aa...(Rattan)

Panchhi Baanwara...(Bhakt Surdas)

Madhukar Shaam Hamare Chor...(Bhakt Surdas)

Pehle Jo Mohabbat Se Inkaar Kiya Hota...(Pardesi)

Toot Gaye Sab Sapne Mere...(Parwana)

Jab Tum Hi Naheen Apne...(Parwana)

Jeene Ka Dhang Sikhaye Ja...(Parwana)

Shikwa Tera Main Gaoon...(Anmol Ratan)

Maine Dekhi Jag Ki Reet...(Sunehre Din)

Song of Mirza Sahiban (1939).

Song of ‘Prem Nagar’ (1940).

Song of Tansen 1943

Song of Rattan’ (1944).

Song of Rattan’ (1944).

Song of Bhakta Surdas (1944) 

Song of Singaar (1949).

Song of .Sunehre Din  ( 1949) 

Song of Rasiya 1950

Song of Dard e Dil 1950

Song of Goonj 1952

Song of Bilwamangal (1954) 

Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche- The song created for Dev Anand.

 

This super hit song was originally written and composed by Hasrat Jaipuri and Shankar Jaikishan for Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai released in 1961to be picturized on Dev Anand and Asha Parekh. But Dev Anand rejected it because he felt it wouldn't go down well with his personality.

When an upset  Jaikishen mentioned Shammi Kapoor about this song, he asked him to play this song for him.he just freaked on it" I love this song"He immediately told Jaikishan to keep it reserved for him, he will use this song in one of his future films.

Shammi Kapoor gave this song to Manmohan Desai who was making 'Budtameez' at that time but he couldn't be picturized for that film. Shammi Kapoor then gave this song to G P Sippy for Brahmachari

This song was picturized on Shammi Kapoor and Mumtaz.Bhappi Sonie, the director of the film, wanted Mumtaz to Wear a Sari in this song but Mumtaz declined saying that she would be uncomfortable dancing in a Sari. Bhappie Sonie then discussed this with the costume designer Bhanu Athaiya who tried something innovative which became a rage as the Mumtaz Sari after the release of the film. She devised the Sari with readymade pleats and a zipper on the side.

The song became hit before the film got released.  People rushed to the theatres to catch a glimpse of this song and its incredible star cast. Mumtaz draped in a  low-waist, unconventional pre-pleated saree, which featured gold gota borders and a frilled hemline form-fitting bright orange saree, paired with a short sleeveless blouse was the attraction. She paired it with gold chandelier earrings, a choker necklace, a hath Patti, and the iconic 60s puffy hairstyle.

The song was one of the Top Songs in Binaca Geetmala of that year competing with Mere Samne Wali Khidki Mein from Padosan. Shammi Kapoor and Mumtaz made the Shake Dance popular in India. The signature tune of this song was its Prelude music. As soon as this music starts, everybody started to tap their feet and shake head.

This song has been recreated multiple times since but nobody has come close to repeating what Shammi achieved.

Song of Brahamchari 1968

Dil Dhoondta Hai- A Song Composed While Cooking

 

This song from Mausam(1976) was written by Gulzar, composed by Madan Mohan, and sung by Bhupinder. The song has two versions, one a solo by Bhupinder and a duet of Lata Mangeshkar with Bhupinder. The solo was used during the titles of the film and the duet was picturized on the young Sanjeev Kumar and Sharmila Tagore.

The solo version happens to be Gulzar's favorite, is by far the soberer and serene. The duet has a faster tempo. Both versions have three stanzas with different interludes. The Mukhada was taken from a Ghalib ghazal with a slight change. In the ghazal, it is 'Jee Dhoondta Hai', Madan Mohan changed it to Dil Dhoondta Hai., since it worked better for the metre.

This wasn’t the only time Gulzar was inspired by Ghalib. He went a step further in the song Satrangi Re, (Dil Se, 1998), in which he wove Ghalib’s couplet into his lyrics, crediting the source by its name.

This song is the pivot around which the film revolves. It connects the characters in time. the first time when the Doctor(Sanjeev Kumar) is traveling from Calcutta to Darjiling by road where he met Chanda decades ago.

Gulzar in a book told that while composing the interludes of the song Madan Mohan was strolling between his music room and his kitchen. He(Gulzar) had gone to his house for dinner. Madan Mohan was a good cook, he was cooking mutton at that time. During that duration, he composed the tune of this song.

Gulzar was one of the contenders for the National Award for that year. Unfortunately, no award was given to any lyricist that yeat. Similarly, he was nominated for Filmfare's Best lyricist award but lost out to lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi for Kabhie Kabhie.

Madan Mohan had a habit of making 5-6 tunes of one song, he then selects the best out of them. For this song too he made 6 tunes one of which was later used in Veer Zara (2004). Here a clipping is given below, you could see his versatility

Dil Dhoondhta Hai - Madan Mohan sings many tunes for one song

Song of Mausam 1975 Solo Version

Song of Mausam 1975  Duet Version

Om Puri- The Actor Par Excellence but Awful with the Women in his Life.

 

Om Puri (18 October 1950 – 6 January 2017) was an actor par excellence. He displayed his skill in Art as well as Commercial Cinema. He acted in more than 300 movies, bringing many characters to life. He was an unconventional hero, he worked in Bollywood and Hollywood, and British Cinema. He was the first Indian actor to be nominated for the BAFTA award for his role as a Pakistani father in East is East.

As per his biography(Unlikely Hero- Om Puri), written by his wife Nandita Puri in 2011 he had relations with many women but couldn't continue long.In this book, she disclosed that he had sex with his maid when he was 14. He then went on to have another deep, personal, and sexual relationship with another woman who was a caretaker of his ailing, old father.

This was his second marriage to Nandita Puri. His first marriage was with Seema Kapoor, sister of actor Anu Kapoor. This marriage ended in 11 months. After 2 years he married Nandita who was a journalist She was 10 years younger than him, he had a son with this marriage. Their marriage was also not going well. Sema, his ex-wife once again emerged in his life. Before he died Om Puri was planning to divorce her and remarrying Seema again.

Now let's talk about his reel life. He is best known for his author-backed roles in films like Aakrosh (1980), Arohan (1982), Ardh Satya and television films like Sadgati (1981) and Tamas (1987) and also light-hearted roles in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983) and Chachi 420 (1997). 

His film was Chor Chor Chhup ja, a children's film He made his debut in the mainstream films genre in the 1976 Marathi film Ghashiram Kotwal. He came into prominence with Ardha Satya (1982).for which he got the National Film Award for Best Actor;.He had a cameo in the highly acclaimed film Gandhi (1982, directed by Richard Attenborough).In the mid-1990s, he diversified to play character roles in mainstream Hindi cinema, 

His notable roles in commercial Hindi films included Drohkaal, In Custody, Narsimha, Ghayal, Mrityudand, Aastha, Hey Ram, Pyar Toh Hona Hi Tha, Farz, Gadar, Lakshya, Dev (2004), Rang De Basanti, Yuva, Singh Is Kinng, Mere Baap Pehle Aap, Billu, Kyunki, Lakshya, Dabang, Bhaji In Problem, Khap, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Ghayal Once Again. Puri was seen in the role of Mohammad Ali Kasuri in Road to Sangam (2009).

On 6 January 2017, Puri died at the age of 66, after having a heart attack at his residence in Andheri, Mumbai

Song of  Pathar 1985

Song of  Pathar 1985

Song of Saanjhi 1985