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16 December 2011

Happy Birthday, Raj Kapoor

14.12.1924 - 02.06.1988
*Warning* Long post ahead.

I grew up surrounded by movies, by music (and books), and my father not only took us to the movies regularly, he was happy to do so. Even as I formed a deep abiding love for Amitabh Bachchan, the first man I fell in love with, and had a slight pang when I saw Aamir Khan in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, I still drooled over Raj Kapoor in Chori Chori, Shammi Kapoor in Junglee, Dev Anand in C.I.D, and Dilip Kumar in Kohinoor.

When television made its presence felt in our house in my teens, films came home. They didn't have the magic that a dark theatre lit only by the projector, dust motes dancing in those weird bluish-yellow beams of light, bestowed on even the most vapid of films. There is something intimate about being alone in a crowd in a darkened theatre; it's easier to lose yourself in what is shown on screen, easier to imagine yourself part of the story, one of the characters in the film. Even popcorn (or better still, samosas / bajiyas) made its way into our mouths sub-consciously. What was happening onscreen was infinitely more interesting. I devoured movies and I cannot say that the advent of the television made any impact on our trips to the theatres. 

Doordarshan seemed to stick to showing us Sikander-e-Azam and Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani other than the usual 60s and 70s fare, so if I wanted to watch my heroes from the decades in between, I still needed to find re-runs. I think I must have watched every movie that played in the ramshackle BR Theatres in Bangalore, the only theatre in the Cantonment area that showed old Hindi films regularly.  

My sister and I watched Madhumati there - we reached half an hour before the show was to start, sure that we could walk in and choose where to sit. We managed to get the last two tickets, and watched Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala from up close, real close. The aisle seats in the first row. One and a half seats, I must add, since one seat was eaten up by I shudder to think what. 

The row behind us was filled with a gaggle of burkha-clad women with their sole male escort, and I could only think of that the scene in Amar Akbar Anthony where Mukri comes along with his wives and daughter(s?) to Akbar's qawwali programme; their appreciation for what was happening on screen was very loud. They clapped every time Dilip Kumar opened his mouth, and sang loudly (and badly) along with all the songs to the accompaniment of even more hand-clapping. Coupled with having to crane our necks in a decidedly unnatural fashion to be able to see anything, I have to confess that that was definitely not an unqualified success. We came out of that show with strained necks, deafened ears, splitting headaches, and my sister walked with a limp the rest of the week (yours truly having informed her that since she was the one who wanted to see Dilip Kumar, she got to sit on the half-eaten seat).

However, I digress. BR Theatres showed old Hindi films; and my father dragged me along to see all of the RK ones. Well, 'dragged' being said for effect; I was his willing partner-in-crime. We definitely watched the RK movies in better seats (and sometimes, better theatres) than we did Madhumati. So I watched Aag and Barsaat, Awaara and Shree 420, Anari and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai. I cried through Aah even though even the teenage me felt like smacking Vijaylakshmi for not writing to Raj Kapoor, and Raj Kapoor for being so wimpy and self-sacrificing (teenage me was still a feminist); and wished fervently through Teesri Kasam that Heerabai would stay with her meeta, even though I knew that that would not make sense at all.

I watched Jagte Raho in awe, even though I did not understand much of the sub-text until I rewatched it much later in life; and I hated Raj Kapoor in Andaz and Sangam, for completely different reasons. It took an older me to realise that it was Raj Kapoor's slipping into the role so completely that made Andaaz's Rajan so unlikeable; or that Sangam's Gopal was irritating only in the first half, and that the second part where Gopal deteriorates into his own insecurities and jealousies was a class act. It also takes a confident director (and actor) to allow his co-stars the space in which to perform, and to walk away with audience sympathies (both Vyjayanthimala and Rajendra Kumar had the bulk of the audience sympathy in Sangam).

As you can see, Raj Kapoor is a name that has influenced much of my childhood. I continue to find his films interesting, for the diverse themes he tackled; for their fantastic music, which owed as much to his influence as it did to his music directors, and their arrangers; for the unselfishness with which he detailed his characters, giving them space to live and breathe. He is one of the few directors who paid great attention to even the minor characters in his script; often, they became as well-etched in memory as the leads.

I had done an earlier post on him, which had mixed reactions. The world seems to be divided into Raj Kapoor lovers and those who hate him. The former, which includes me, do not really have any reasons or justifications why we love him; we just do. The latter include some people who are willing to admit that he was 'good in a few films' and can even be brought around to the view that he was a great director (*sometimes*), but are mostly made up of people who cannot stand him at any length. Unlike the former, they have lots of reasons or simply even one to offer - they do not like his tramp persona. Fair enough. 

But this is a post from a person who unabashedly loves him and is happy to pay her tributes to a man who has given her countless hours of entertainment. For all those happy hours spent in darkened theatres, for all the stories that caught, and held, my interest, for all the songs that still fill my ears with their melodies, for all the times I have laughed and cried with his character on screen - I have an eternal gratitude. Raj Kapoor taught me to appreciate movies. 

Since I was laid low with the 'flu when his birthday came and went, here's a belated post to wish Indian cinema's eternal tramp a happy birthday. Twelve songs, some solo, some romantic, some sad, all melodious...

1. Tara ri a ra ri*  
Dastan (1950) with Suraiyya 
Singers: Mohammed Rafi, Suraiyya 
Music: Naushad 
Lyrics: Shakeel Badayuni
  
An orphaned girl in love with the son of the house. Interestingly, he returns her love (and so does his brother, and someone else too - it gets very convoluted). The spoke in the wheel is the hero's sister who has no time for orphans and less for anyone's happiness. In the meantime, the lovebirds do manage to sing quite a few duets, and Raj Kapoor also dances the Salsa. In this one, though, a lilting duet, he's waltzing, with far more grace than poor Suraiyya. (Is that why they stationed her at the piano while Raj did the dancing in the movie?) Lovely song, painful movie. (And how often have we heard that?)
*edited after pacifist's correction to the lyrics.

2. Khayalon mein kisi ke   
Baawre Nain (1950) with Geeta Bali, Vijayalakshmi 
Singers: Geeta Dutt, Mukesh 
Music: Roshan 
Lyrics: Kidar Sharma
  
What do you do when the man you love is in lost in thoughts of someone else? Why, sing a song of course, extolling how much you love him. Also, don't pay any attention to what he is telling you while you are doing so -  
Muhabbat ka sabak seekho, ye jaakar jalnewaalon se
Ke dil ki baat bhi lab tak kabhi laayaa nahin karte

Jo thukraaye gaye ho unko thukraaya nahin karte 
And then you complain that it's a tragedy? 

This was an important film for Roshan whose debut film as music director had flopped. He came up trumps with some wonderful songs for this film including the more popular Teri duniya mein dil lagta nahin.

3. Dum bhar jo idhar munh phero  
Awaara (1951) with Nargis 
Singers: Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar 
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen 
Lyrics: Shailendra

One cannot speak of Raj Kapoor without also mentioning Nargis. She was, for a time, enshrined as one part of the symbol of RK - the woman, half swooning in the arms of her violin-playing lover. Much has been written about their ill-fated romance, but while it lasted, they gave us one of our lasting screen pairs. Together, they scorched the screen, and never more so than in this song, one of the most sensuous songs ever in Hindi films. Everything about this song - lyrics, music, picturisation - is perfect. If love encompasses passion, then it would be like this.
4. Pyar hua ikraar hua  
Shree 420 (1955) with Nargis 
Singers: Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar 
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen 
Lyrics: Shailendra
I often wonder whether Nargis thought that the lyrics she was mouthing were prophetic - think of Kehta hai dil rasta mushkil maloom nahin kahan manzil or even Hum na rahenge, tum na rahoge, phir bhi rahenge nishaaniyan... there's no doubting that she seems to mean every word of what she is singing (or she is a better actress than I've given her credit for being).

5. Yeh raat bheegi bheegi  
Chori Chori (1956) with Nargis 
Singers: Manna Dey, Lata Mangeshkar 
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen 
Lyrics: Shailendra
Mukesh may have been Raj Kapoor's soul but there were other singers who sang who were equally (if not more) effective in giving voice to his emotions. Chori Chori is choc-a-bloc with some wonderfully evocative Manna Dey numbers. This song is a particular favourite of mine for its hint at suppressed passions, its sweet response to a wistful plaint. 

She is an heiress, he is a down-on-his-luck newspaper reporter; she is running off to marry the man (she thought) she loves, he's aiding and abetting her escape so he can have full rights to the story. Inadvertently, inexplicably, irrevocably, they are drawn to each other. He's fighting his emotions, she has no such qualms. He is more man of the world and knows that he's wishing for the moon, but who can resist such a response?Aaja sanam madhur chaandni mein hum (from the same film) is even more piquant. Especially considering this was Nargis' last appearance as Raj Kapoor's leading lady.

6. Phir na kije meri gustakh nigaah ka gila  
Phir Subah Hogi (1958) with Mala Sinha 
Singers: Mukesh, Asha Bhonsle  
Music: Khayyam 
Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi
A beautifully picturised sequence, and the few glimpses of lightness in an otherwise sombre film (loosely based on Crime and Punishment). The lead up to the song is equally good, with Ram (RK) reciting poetry to two children, with Sohni listening. Each word he says seems heavy with meaning, and their gazes lock, look away, lock again. As he continues to recite, she dreams, as girls do, of her love for him, of his, for her... it's a more innocent time.

7. Masti bhara hai sama 
Parvarish (1958) with Mala Sinha 
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Manna Dey 
Music: Datta Ram 
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
Watch this for the playful exuberance of love, and the amazing chemistry between the leads. While Mala Sinha does not rank among one of my favourite heroines, she captures that elusive whiff of romance very well; the joy, the shyness, even the fear. Raj Kapoor matches her, the playfulness giving way to a sudden glimpse of passion, though it's brought under control the next minute. Lovely.

8. Dil ki nazar se  
Anari (1959) with Nutan 
Singers: Lata Mangeshkar, Mukesh 
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen 
Lyrics: Shailendra
One of my favourite numbers from a film that boasted of so many. This song is a quieter expression of love; there's such respect in the way he looks at her, such devotion in the manner he speaks of his love. Add Nutan's luminosity to the mix and you can understand why. Contrast this with the other love duet in this film where she is teasing him with her love. Both wonderful songs, with such contrasting shades of the same emotion. Sheer magic.


9. Bikhraake zulfein chaman mein na jaana 
Nazrana (1961) with Vyjayanthimala 
Singers: Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar 
Music: Ravi 
Lyrics: Rajinder Kishen
A remake of a Tamil film called Kalyana Parisu starring Gemini Ganesan, Nazrana was a melodrama with sisters Vyjayanthimala and Usha Kiron falling in love with Raj Kapoor. Many tears and (unnecessary) sacrifices later, the film unwinds to an equally unnecessary tragic end. Avoid. Listen to Ravi's beautiful compositions instead. 

10. Sajanva bairi ho gaye hamar 
Teesri Kasam (1967) with Waheeda Rehman 
Singer: Mukesh 
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen 
Lyrics: Shailendra
A lyrical lovestory between a rustic cartdriver and his comparatively sophisticated dancer-passenger, Teesri Kasam held off on almost all the clichés that could have been used. There's no happy ending, not in the accepted sense of the word. There isn't even the usual 'love' in the accepted sense of the word. But the songs more than made up for the restraint in emotion. This is but one of the many melodious songs that SJ composed for this film; and the folk tunes were perfect.

For a man who celebrated romance, Raj Kapoor didn't sing very many 'love duets' onscreen. His lovesongs were mostly sung by the women or the second hero - Rajendra Kumar in Sangam, for instance, or Dilip Kumar in Andaz. Even Premnath got to dance to Patli kamar hai in Barsaat.  He had many solos - sad ones, satiritcal ones, philosophical ones. I cannot end this post without two of my favourite Raj Kapoor solos:

Dil ka haal sune dilwala  
Shree 420 (1955) 
Singer: Manna Dey 
Music: Shankar-Jaikishen 
Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri*
It looked like everyone was having fun with this song: Hasrat Jaipuri with the lyrics, Manna Dey while singing, and Raj Kapoor while shooting. While the scene itself is played for laughs, there is so much truth in the lyrics that the satire pulls the narrative along. Of course, that was always expected in an RK movie, but still, it's worth mentioning. Beautiful.

*I have seen both Hasrat and Shailendra credited for this song. So, if anyone can shine a light on the matter, it would be truly appreciated.

Jaane kahaan gaye woh din Mera Naam Joker (1970) Singer: Mukesh Music: Shankar-Jaikishen Lyrics: Hasrat Jaipuri
The story of a clown who entertains even while crying inside, Mera Naam Joker took a whopping six years to hit the screen and was released with two intervals. Raj Kapoor invested much of his personal fortune in its making and was devastated when it flopped. (Personal opinion? He needed someone other than Padmini in the third section if he wanted audiences to buy into the girl-dressed-as-boy angle. Padmini was too old and too well-endowed to fit into that role.) Based on a story by KA Abbas, the first part of the film was scripted by Manoj Kumar. This song was only the tip of a score that comprised such wonderful numbers as Jeena yahan marna yahan, Kal khel mein hum ho na ho, and  Daag na lag jaaye kahin, amongst others.

So, to the original (and in my opinion, only) showman in Hindi cinema, a very belated Happy Birthday!
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163 comments:

  1. Even though I'm neither a Raj Kapoor-lover nor a Raj Kapoor-hater (I'm one of those who doesn't like his tramp persona), I read every bit of this post with much enjoyment. Love your recollections of watching old films in cinema halls (something I never managed after 9 years of age - I saw CID and Meena Kumari ki Amar Kahanani, after which my father got transferred to Srinagar, where the lone good cinema hall was in the most volatile part of town, thus unsafe). And since we came to Delhi, they've stopped showing old films in cinema halls. I did see the colourised version of Hum Dono a year or so back, but it isn't the same thing.

    But, back to your post: I loved it, and loved your selection of songs. Especially the fact that there were some often-ignored gems there, such as Dil ki nazar se and Phir na kije meri gustakh. Wonderful.

    And now for my two cents (how could I resist?!)

    Woh subah kabhi toh aayegi:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQYQUo5X6F0

    And, also from Phir Subah Hogi, Aasmaan pe hai khuda:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st_ZyLzXvvE

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  2. What are you doing up so early?! Thanks for the whole-hearted appreciation of a post on not-one-of-your-favourite-actors. :) Oh, I know you don't mind him - you appreciated him in Teesri Kasam after all. I can understand how the 'tramp' persona can get grating after a while. But Phir Subah Hogi is another film where he was absolutely fantastic. In fact, isn't it strange how Awaara, the film that brought the Chaplinesque tramp into being was not however overwhelming?

    I love both the songs you posted - Phir Subah Hogi had a wonderful score. The Khayyam / Sahir combination was deadly. 

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  3. I did not even know that theatres in India used to do re-runs of old Hindi films till I started reading Bollywood blogs! Now I wish I could go back in time and catch at least a few re-runs.

    As someone who stands on the opposite end of the Raj Kapoor fence from you, I must admit that there are times when even I can find him charming.  Do Ustad is a good case in point - he was too busy trying to charm Madhubala to have time to be earnest. Plus, it helped that he had Rafi (not Mukesh) playback for him.

    "In this one, though, a lilting duet, he's waltzing, with far more grace than poor Suraiyya." According to Suraiya (in an interview with Ameen Sayani) they were up most of the night shooting for this song, and things weren't made easy by the fact that every time Suraiya's hair were within range, Raj pulled them! What you see onscreen is Suraiya trying to dance out of RK's reach!!! ;D

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  4. What as I doing up that early? Sleep disorder kicking in. :-( I woke up at 3.15, couldn't sleep for the next couple of hours, then finally decided I'd had too much, so got out of bed, had breakfast and logged in.

    Okay, now: weird coincidence. I phoned my parents this morning, and was chatting with my father. We usually don't chatter much on the phone, but this time he was pretty excited because he'd just watched Memsahib and wanted to know if I knew of any other Shammi movie in which he was the villain... and then he said, "By the way, do you know Naushad actually composed a very good waltz? It was for the film Dastaan, with Raj Kapoor. I don't remember how the words went, but it was an excellent waltz."

    Eerie.

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  5. Weird coincidence alright. :) I hope you were able to tell him 'Tara ri tarari'. :)

    Are you ready for weird coincidence no.2? I went to bed after I replied to your first comment; I tossed and turned for a coule of hours, then since I couldn't sleep, I finally got up and went downstairs, where I switched through interminable channels before logging in and seeing whether any of you had posted any new posts! (I'm looking at you bollyviewer!)

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  6. there are times when even I can find him charming.
    See, there's hope for you yet! LOL.

    Suraiyya and RK were great friends; she had worked with his father, after all. I can certainly imagine the scenario where he would have pulled her hair. Despite that, I honestly do not think that she was a very graceful dancer. (Maybe that is why Raj Kapoor was pulling her hair? He must have been trying to step out of the way of her feet. :) )

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  7. You might like Raj Kapoor, but thank God, your good taste for songs is intact! ;-)
    *ducking to  miss the chappals being thrown at me*

    A very informative post and loved reading it and your escapades at the theatres. Envy you and Madhu for having film-deewana Daddies!

    Your poor sister limping after Madhumati made me laugh a lot! Poor thing!
    My only source for old films was the DD.

    Your list has real gems in it and I like it nearly all of them. The Anari song doesn't belong to my favs and the Nazrana song was totally new for me.
    I love the eroticism and flirtation of Khayalon me kisi ke. Raj kapoor's character might not be in love with the Vijaylakshmi character but it doesn't stop him from flirting with her. Banware Nain has a wonderful score.

    Very poignant, very touching is the song sajanwa bairi ho gaye hamar. Thanks for that.

    One Raj solo which I like is: main aashig hu baharoon ka from Aashiq. (But) I liked it before I knew it was a Raj song. It was played often on Vividh Bharati.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK4PjGbuAMg
    There are other good songs from the film, where he plays an adulterous husband
    yeh to kaho kaun ho tum
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPvisN3eMk4
    and
    mehtab tera chehra
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnzPrXKR9qU
    But the best I like is,  o shama mujhe phoonk de
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag3W_-63F_g

    The song which I love a lot is laga chunari me daag, picturised on Raj, but he prefers to play the oaf to this deelp philosophical song. Most probably asked by the director to do so.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Efh7sCK6njA

    Thanks for the list. Loved going through the songs!
    I hope you are keeping well now! Good to have you back!

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  8. *Glowering at harvey* What are you doing on my blog?!  Begone, traitor! You must at least be able to tolerate RK, if not fall at his altar and worship! Not to worry; I'll turn you into a Raj Kapoor apostle yet... just you wait!

    My film-deewana daddy had a film-deewana (or at least a very tolerant) daddy himself. One of his often-told tales is of how he and his elder brother were taken to see a film by their father; the show was sold out, and they went next door to see another film. When they came out, my grandfather looked at his boys and asked, "We came to see the other film. Well?" My father and uncle promptly jumped at the opportunity and the three of them went and saw the movie they had originally come to watch, before they went home.

    Laga chunri mein daag is a fantastic song; I'm glad you posted it! I liked Mehtaab tera chehra a lot. But Aashiq completely slipped my mind. Padmini, no? Yeh to kaho kaun ho tum was a completely new song for me, though I have seen the film. (A long time ago.) The film had some wonderful dances by Padmini.

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  9. So you posted about RK, after all!  I take it this means that you are feeling better.  Well, naturally, since you have passed it on to me, and now I am hacking and coughing away!

    Definitely a long post, but what first caught my attention was the mention of B.R.Theater in Cantonment - in my days, it was showing current releases, and I remember watching Chitchor, among others, there.  The place for old movies was ... , can't remember the name, but it was on my way from my home in St. Mark's Road to Vani Vilas Hospital, I can actually see it in my mind but can't recall the name.  That was the theater where they showed all the old Guru Dutt movies, and the old Dilip Kumar movies, and the place we haunted for old movies.  Imperial theater on Brigade Road was also showing old movies, but they were Tamil and English movies and I remember watching The Longest Day, and somewhere half way through, my mom wanted to go home, so we left.  We also watched part of the extremely weepy and famous Pasamalar, before getting up and leaving - I think we did that quite often!

    I used to like Raj Kapoor but then got tired of his Charlie Chaplin persona and stopped watching his movies, by the time Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna came along.  I think the last one I watched must have been Sangam, and I saw Teesri Kasam a few years back.  However, I love all the songs on your list, but I don't recall hearing the one from Phir Subah Hogi.  The songs were usually great in his movies, so that is not surprising, but too much melancholy is not my cup of tea any more, especially the one from Mera Naam Joker.

    My favorite RK song is
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZsmUHNwsas

    It brings back memories of a rainy afternoon in Nainital, in a house overlooking the lake, lying all bundled up in bed, with a cup of hot tea and samosas, and a tiny radio blaring out this song.

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  10. Sorry about my long post, but I just listened to the song from Phir Subah Hogi, and yes, it is one I like, but the one from Chaliya is better!

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  11. I know; I seem to have done you in good and proper, no? :( *Head hanging in abject repentance*. If it's any consolation, I'm still hacking and coughing away.

    I remember Imperial Theatre. By the time we were watching movies there, it had become a rather seedy joint that showed Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi movies. There was also Opera House across from Rex that showed Malayalam movies and old Hindi movies with some regularity. I saw 'Yakshi' there - well 90% of it. Then, when it was time for the climax, the idiots cut the film and showed some blue film clip, which was beyond annoying. And for once, the theatre was actually filled with Malayalis rather than the Tamilian / Kannadigas who came to see the soft-porn that was spliced into many a Malayalam movie. Aargh!

    Yes, you do seem to have made quite a habit of leaving a movie mid-way. Though I, for one, can't blame you for avoiding Pasamalar!

    Too much melancholy is not my cup of tea either, which is why you didn't see Aansoo bhari hai or even on the list. :) Actually, too much of Mukesh (at one stretch) is not my cup of tea either. The song from Phir Subah Hogi is actually a rare one; Aasman pe Khuda (which Madhu posted) and are the more well-known songs from that film. It also had a very saucy Jis pyaar mein yeh haal hai sung onscreen by Rehman. Here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzE94W0tdzs

    I love Dum dum diga diga; it was on my list but I liked Dil ka haal suno dilwale more. Both Chhalia and Kanhaiyya should be avoided like plague; the latter more than the former. Do listen to the songs of both, though. Such lovely, lovely numbers!

    It's funny, no, that my very long post has engendered very long comments? ;)

    I just sent you an email; I hope you get better soon. *hugs*

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  12. Wow! Glad you warned me! That WAS a long post! It made for some wonderful reading though. I liked reading your reminiscences about movie watching when you were a child. Did your sister like Dilip Kumar so much that she was willing to suffer a sore behind for a week? :)

    Lovely, lovely, songs. I'm glad that along with the usual suspects, you have some very rare numbers here. I know I'm not a great fan of RK, but I did like him in Chori Chori and Jagte Raho. I have never seen Phir Subah Hogi; since you recommend it so highly, I shall put it on my to-watch list. It's got Mala Sinha, no? She's not one of my favourites, either! :( But I notice it's also got Rehman. (Perking up.)

    I'm sitting here with some hot coffee and bajiyas - so for the next hour or so, all I'm going to do is to listen to these songs on your list one by one. Aah, bliss.

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  13. Thanks, Anu, for wishing me a speedy recovery.  Btw, I like this song also, but I can never figure out what those two horses are doing and why they are always at the same distance apart, also why RK is on the bridge one minute and off the next, and why he never seems to move any further along that bridge - my nitpicky brain at work!  Those goats are not moving very far, either!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adZYDGWbPvw

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  14. Lalitha, I'm not too sure either. LOL. I saw this movie a long time ago on DD. I know RK is the village drunk, and that Nutan is in love with Krishna (the heavenly one). Only, this guy's name happens to be Kanhaiyya and every one jumps to the conclusion that he is the one she is referring to. And then there is some convoluted scene where she actually begins to think of him as Krishna! Avoid, yaar.

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  15. Oh, I missed your comment, Ruhi. Yes, it is a l-o-n-g post. Even I was suprised when I took a look after  posted it. (No, it didn't occur to me when I was writing it - go figure.) I'm glad you liked the songs, please do watch Phir Subah Hogi and tell me how you liked it.

    Oh, and I'm not a great fan of Mala Sinha's either. But she was decent in this film.

    Just you wait, you naysayers - I shall turn you all into RK-fans. Mwahahahahaha...

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  16. So jaa rajkumari so jaa
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1ZHdZxvuPg

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  17. "*Glowering at harvey*"

    Nahin! Dar lagta hai!

    Another Raj-Nargis Duet, which I like
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mORpshV3r0

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  18. That is a telephone song.  Did you use it in your Hello?  post, Harvey?

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  19. GOOD! Lagna hi chahiye! I'll spare you, though, since you posted such a nice duet of Raj and Nargis. Hmph!

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  20. Enjoyed reading this post, Anu.
    I do like Raj Kapoor, but not his chaplinesqueness. Absolutely adored him in Jagte Raho, Teesri Kasam and some other older films. I even think that he had quite a lot of sex appeal especially in that song 'dum bhar jo idhar'.
    Love all the songs you've listed. They are all fabulous.

    Some other that I love. Two from Ek Dil Sau Afsane

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5_aIVx7hi0&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWuxu1Wj2yk

    These from Main Nashe Mein Hoon
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q-Vx67FdDg&feature=related

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhDaUXVre4s&feature=related
    This one would have been good for the ghoda gaadi list over at DO's.

    And these lilting numbers from Dulha Dulhan

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNVoBv2jAUQ

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO6MwaoI4V0&feature=related

    LOL! Seems like I'm making my own 10 list. I'll stop now :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. Have been away for more than a fortnight because of a particularly nast 'flu that wiped me out completely. Came back to see TWO posts from you, full of the most wonderful songs!

    I loved your trip down nostalgia lane; all my trips to theatres were with my friends, sometimes bunking school (very difficult), often bunking college, smoking the forbidden cigarette, and eating the most goddawful comestibles (well,t hey were very tasty then!).

    Loved all the songs you listed; I'm going to spend the rest of my afternoon listening to them one after another (and I notice some lovely ones in the comments too), since that is all the energy I have at present - but only after I go read your post on Dev Anand.

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  22. I hear the song as "tara ri ara ri ara ri ara ri" :-/

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  23. Thanks pacifist, for having the patience to read the whole thing through. I knew it was long, but it was only today that I realised just how long! :)

    It's always nice to have people appreciate RK in some films. He wasn't all that bad, you know. The problem is, if you see three of his films with his Chaplin impersonation then you're bound to want to take an axe to yourself (or him, or both). I can totally understand that. I'm delusional when I'm in love - all faults are accepted. :) 

    I completely missed Ek Dil Sau Afsane the same way I overlooked Mehtaab tera Chehra which Harvey posted. Chalk it down to being flattened by the 'flu that week! :( I love the songs you posted - he was totally graceful, like his younger brother Shammi. Poor Shashi didn't get the Kapoor dancing gene.

    LOL at posting your own 10 list. You should, you know. That's half the fun of posting these lists in the first place. See how many songs I overlooked! I love the fact that the comments section usually throws up some more lovely songs for me to hear.

    ReplyDelete
  24. pacifist, it is! I can't think how I made such an error. Twice! My brain must be totally fried. Thanks for the correction. *Scurrying off to make it*

    ReplyDelete
  25. @ pacifist: after your comment at my blog, I was also reminded of tum hi tum ho mere jeevan me and came here to post it. Nice to see that you did the job for me! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  26. the post is long, but since it has so man ypersonal memories, i found it easy to read!

    and if oyu had covered up all the good songs, humare le kya reh jata?

    ReplyDelete
  27. of course, Lalitha! recycling is environmental-friendly! ;-)

    Ship ahoi!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thank you, harvey. :) That's so sweet of you.

    humare le kya reh jata?
    There are usually more than ten good songs, no? I, for one, am glad there is! All these lists, here, at Madhu's and your blogs and all the songs in the comments sections - so many hours of listening pleasure!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Here is song wit Talat giving playback for Raj and Geeta for Nargis in a dream sequence from Jan Pehchan (1950) one year before Awara (1951). Raj and Nargis look so much in love with each other!
    Armaan bhare dil ki lagan tere liye hai

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3xWlqU3eYk

    ReplyDelete
  30. harvey - that definitely puts paid to legend of the Awaara dream sequence being the first dream sequence in Hindi films, no? It's funny that when I was researching for my earlier Raj Kapoor post, I still saw Tere bina aag yeh chaandni being extolled as the first! Thanks for this one!

    ReplyDelete
  31. There is this Raj Kapoor song, most probably from the late 40s or very early 50s, where he is dressed as a sailor and scrubbing the deck (for Lalitha!) and singing something about Timbuktu (or was it Chinchpokli?). I saw it on a Sunday morning on DD some twenty years back.
    It was an ear-worm for a long time, but suddenly when I need it I can't recall. Do you know which one it is?

    The song about Chinchpokli (a station on Bombay harbour line) is "Chinchpokli, Chinchpokli, main banwara, tu banwari,main sanwara tu sanwari". But I don't know if it has anything to do with Raj Kapoor.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hello Sridhar, welcome back. This seems to be an epidemic of sorts! I'd a nasty flu that wiped me out for more than ten days, and now Lalitha, one of my readers is ill too. Since you were ill before any of us, I'm going to posit that you gave us the bug - hey Lalitha, I found someone else to blame!

    Thanks for the compliment; I should say, thanks for reading this long post. :) I remember my friends smoking surreptiously behind the school, on long tours when the teachers weren't around etc. You also brought to mind all the horrible things we used to put into our stomachs when we were children! You are right - they were very tasty then.

    ReplyDelete
  33. harvey, the only song where I remember Raj Kapoor singing while scrubbing the deck (LOL at it being especially for Lalitha) is from 'Around the World' - and that was definitely not from the 40s or 50s.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snH8JUNclxo

    ReplyDelete
  34. surely not from 'Around The World'. Maybe, just a maybe, it had Madhubala in it. I am not sure why I think it had Madhubala in it, because I don't have any memory of her featuring in the song at all.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Tere bina aag yeh chaandni might not be the first dream sequence in Hindi film history, but Raj Kapoor raised the dream sequence to a completely new dimension with this song! 'Salute'

    ReplyDelete
  36. Can't think of any, harvey. I can ask my dad when I speak to him next. RK's films with Madhubala were all in the early part of his career, and apart from Do Ustad, I cannot remember any of those films being a sailor at all. The stories did not place him as a character on a ship at all. Must do some more research. I haven't seen his early films except starting from Aag; and I have seen Neel Kamal, with a 13-year -old Madhubala. That was their debut film in adult roles.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Yes, he did. :) thanks harvey, you really are a sweetheart. Salut!

    ReplyDelete
  38. Just giving credit, where it's due! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  39. I don't know if he is really a sailor in the film. It is quite probably he is just dressed like one for the song. And I am not so sure about the Madhubala part as well. But I can remeber the Timbuktu part very well. Timbuktu goes on to rhyme with something  in the song,most probably tu!

    ReplyDelete
  40. For some reason, the 'Timbuktu' part strikes a chord in my memory. Unfortunately, I just cannot recall it.  Of course, there's a song by Kishore Kumar that said ge ge ge geli Zara Timbuktoo, Kathmandu, Kathmandu something something from Jhumroo. Now, that had Madhubala, but it's not on a ship. :)

    ReplyDelete
  41. Just to nitpick, Chinchpokli is on the Central line, and not on the harbour line:)

    ReplyDelete
  42. I am not a fan of RK, but neither do I dislike him. He did have great songs, and I like your selections. And this is the first I have heard of
    "(Personal opinion? He needed someone other than Padmini in the third section if he wanted audiences to buy into the girl-dressed-as-boy angle. Padmini was too old and too well-endowed to fit into that role.) ", LOL @ it.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Samir, you're taking over Lalitha's role now. : )

    ReplyDelete
  44. I am not a fan of RK, but neither do I dislike him.
    I can live with that. :)

    About that comment, though. Seriously. How on earth RK thought he was going to get away with Padmini as a boy, I honestly do not know! I can imagine a Sadhana, or a Tanuja or a much younger Nargis doing so, but Padmini?? If he needed a dancer, then Waheeda would have been a better choice.

    ReplyDelete
  45. Tanuja did play a reasonable boy in "Do Chor", so you may be onto something there.
    I heard that the Anand brothers named their film "Johnny Mera Naam" just to spoof "Mera Naam Joker".

    ReplyDelete
  46. Did they? Wonder why. The Holy Trinity got on quite well. And Dev hadn't lost Zeenat to RK yet.

    ReplyDelete
  47. :-D

    Tarun keeps singing this to me whenever I'm wide awake for a long time!! And in such a mournful voice, that I have to beg him to shut up or I'll start crying. :-))

    ReplyDelete
  48. Oh, poor you! So jaa, rajkumari, so jaa, as harvet would say!

    ReplyDelete
  49. Sorry for that typo... harvey, not harvet (sounds like a typo on 'harvest', no? Appropriate for a botanist, perhaps)

    I'd better take myself off before I start getting even more loony.

    ReplyDelete
  50. you should tell him it is so jaa and not ro jaa. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thank you, Samir! I just read  on wiki that harbour line is part of central line. Though this is an interesting fact, one can't deny the fact, that Chinchpokli is not on the harbour line. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  52. RK had the art of stealing heroines, eh?
    Mehboob Khan lost Nargis to him, though he regained her again for Mother India. Dilip Kumar lost Vyjyanthimala to him.
    Dev lost Zeenat. Leads me to the conclusion that Women are treated as commodity in the film world.

    ReplyDelete
  53. D'you know how much I used to detest that song (Saigal's version) when I was a kid? It used to give me nightmares.

    I can't even blame my insomnia on the side effects of medication. :(

    ReplyDelete
  54. @dustedoff , 'mournful' is right. Doesn't the Saigal version really make you want to weep?

    @harvey, LOL. You're silly!

    ReplyDelete
  55. Considering Nargis walked out of RK, Vyjayanthi left RK to marry his personal physician, and Zeenat walked out on Dev to go to RK, I can't see how the men had anything to do with commodifying the women. Seems to me they all exercised their choice. At least in this.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Anu, I've been away for so long, and I come back to see so many interesting posts that I've missed while I was away. I notice Rishi has been a regular reader, though. I am so glad you did another post on Raj Kapoor. He looked yummy in the 'Dum bhar jo idhar munh phere' song. Even if one didn't know that he and Nargis were in love, that song should set all doubts to rest - there was so much electricity crackling between them. I finally saw 'Teesri Kasam' and LOVED it! Thanks for the recommendation. I'm at home today, so I shall spend mucho time listening to all these lovely songs. And the ones in the comments. Bliss.

    ReplyDelete
  57. A song that I find quite beautiful and melodious, from Deewana with Saira.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TKD5jZ7pO8
    in this film he was quite annoying though.

    Talking of Around the World (the scrubbing of the deck, LOL), this song is melodious too.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7pmj1Pmho4

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  58. I read your 'so-called' long post with great interest, it gives an interesting insight into ur life. As you have rightly noted above 'he waltz with far more grace...' like Kishore Kumar he seemed to be born with a God-gifted talent for music and dance and the best example is the song'Laaga chunri mein daag' though he is seated you can see him effortlessly lip synching to a classical song and swaying with such ease and grace
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Efh7sCK6njA
    BTW Harvey is right about that sailor song , it is from an old film of Raj Kapoor's - Sargam, I remember he looked more like Shashi Kapoor in that one and here is the link

     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFdhjRl4nNw&feature=fvst

    ReplyDelete
  59. Wow, thank you dear Shilpi for that song. I have been rummaging my brain for that song the whole day today.
    Yeah, this is it!
    Now why was I thinking of Timbuktu?
    He sure was a better dancer than his contemporaries!

    At last the mystery is solved!

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  60. Well, if they were exercising their choice as you put it. Why couldn't Nargis work with RK and Mehboob? Why didn't Vyjyanthimala act with Dilip while she was in love with Raj? Why couldn't Zeenat carrry on working with Dev while she was doing SSS? Why didn't Mehboob offer Nadira any more roles after Aan, when she went to RK camp for Shree 420?
    Of course one can't generalise like I did above, but it looks as if there was a certain block thinking, to which the heroines were bound.

    ReplyDelete
  61. harvest? I am not an agriculturist! ;-)
    but harvet is not so bad. in my childhood I had to bear worse names than harvet! 

    ReplyDelete
  62. Vyjanthimala
    Nazrana - 1961(RK)
    Gunga Jamuna- 1961(DK)
    Leader-1964(DK)
    Sangam-1964(RK)
    Similarly there may be examples for the other two. In addition there could be any number of reasons, like Nargis' allotment of dates to RK.
    Zeenat went behind Dev's back. I guess if she had just told him it would have been ok, but when one sneaks it's not easy to go back to the same footing.
    As for the men, Saira acted with all the three actors. I don't think there was any jealousy.

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  63. Raj and Vyju came together during Sangam.

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  64. Thank you, Shilpi. Frank appreciation does wonders for one's esteem, and I'm thankful that I did not bore anyone (yet!). And thank you so much for finding that song that harvey mentioned. I haven't seen Sargam, and honestly, had no idea there was a film by that name in which RK starred. It isn't even on the IMDb list - but then, who says IMDb is accurate?

    ReplyDelete
  65. Thank you, Shilpi. Frank appreciation does wonders for one's esteem, and I'm thankful that I did not bore anyone (yet!). And thank you so much for finding that song that harvey mentioned. I haven't seen Sargam, and honestly, had no idea there was a film by that name in which RK starred. It isn't even on the IMDb list - but then, who says IMDb is accurate?

    LOL @ harvey - no Madhubala, no Timbuktoo, thank god there was a ship deck!

    ReplyDelete
  66. Saira did manage to look beautiful in this film. I always thought that amongst her contemporaries, she was the one who aged badly.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Don't tell me you were ill, too! I'll begin to believe that there is something wrong with my blog that it's infecting my readers so badly!

    Yes, they really did set the screen on fire in that song, didn't they? Another song that was really erotic with no nudity, no touching, no nothing, was Dekh chaand ki ore musafir from Aag.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5pHIXbdsgI

    I'm glad you watched Teesri Kasam and loved it!

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  68. @harvey
    pacifist is right. Vyjayanthimala had worked with RK before in Nazrana. When are where they became involved is not very clear, but he and Vyjayanthimala split toward the end of Sangam.  Their parting was acrimonious because she left him to elope with Dr Bali, *his* personal physician (who, incidentally, was also a married man at the time.)

    Nargis was definitely not bound to RK productions. She has worked in many. many films while working for the RK banner. Mehboob Khan did not offer Nadira any more roles after Aan because she became very popular as a vamp after Shree 420. Nadira, who referred to RK as her brother, once said in an interview, that while Raj had given her one of the best roles of her career, there was a definite downside to the popularity because no one wanted her to be the lead any more.

    Devsaab has gone on record in his autobiography that he was going to ask Zeenat to marry him when he learnt that she had gone to RK for the role in SSS. It is well known that she went to RK Studios in Chembur where RK had a cottage - that's where he lived when he was in the pre-filming mood - dressed up as a Santhal (or her version of a Santhal). Dev was quite cut up about it. She chose to leave him, and went behind his back - she didn't tell him until after the film was signed.

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  69. Beautiful songs, saw this list only today. Here, this one ain't bad either..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt8XMdcUscc

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  70. Talat mehmood and Raj Kapoor... a rare combination. And some clever expressions by Raj Kapoor...

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  71. This one is about expressions on every word

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YySycBFbgTI&feature=related

    and this one for the mad mad dancing Raj Kapoor

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsyx2Dr1yGc&feature=related

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  72. Okay!
    It wasn't right of me to write to an ardent fan of Raj Kapoor,
    "RK had the art of stealing heroines, eh?"
    :-)


    And no, I
    was also not implying that there was something going on between the different heroines
    and Raj Kapoor (except Nargis and Vyjyanthimala). Maybe these incidents reflect
    more about the other protagonists than about Raj. It is not comprehensible, why
    they should react so piqued about these ladies signing up for RK Films. If
    Dev wanted to marry Zeenat, there is no reason, why SSS should have interfered
    with it.


    As for
    Vyjyanthimala and Raj, I heard they were together even after Sangam and that
    the break came around late 60s, when she married Dr. Bali. Her undisciplined
    behaviour on the sets is (for e.g. during the shooting of Jewel Thief, Pyar hi
    Pyar, Sangharsh) often cited as the effect of this break-up. But also quite
    possible in such cases, since it is all gossip and we were not present there at
    that time, that it might not be true.


    But what I
    meant to say was that women more than men had/have to show loyalty towards a
    camp. Maybe it comes from the archaic way of thinking that women are the
    property of men.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Hanso, hanso, mazakh udavo mera. ek joker bankar reh gaya hu maintumhare liye! :-D

    I myself had to laugh out aloud about it! It was a real consolation that at least he was sort of a sailor and there was kind of deck there.
    :-D

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  74. Yara silly silly birha ke raat ka jalna! Also points out to insomnia of the birhan! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  75. Harvey, I think the accusation should not be aimed at heroines involving heros, but heroines involving 'producers'.
    As for Dev Anand wanting to propose clearly shows a two timing Zeenat rather than a commodified Zeenat ;-)
    I think 'not telling him' what she was about to do (thus losing trust) was what prevented Dev rather than the fact that she 'went' to RK.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Finally got a long enuf break from work and cud read about ur stint with old movies and movie halls. In the morning, i just scrolled thru the list of songs and posted a few of mine.
    So, the seeds of love for RK hav been sown since u were a teenage only huh? lol for ur 'resolve' to convert all the naysayers into RK fans, i have been trying to do the same on my end u see!!

    Refreshing to c some not so popular songs there in the list. 'Sajanva bairi' and 'phir na kijiye' r perhaps d most ignored of the lot, despite being so lyrically beautiful. 'Dum bhar jo' wud give even the most romantic heroes of any generation a run for their money...
    Well...I have been doing some Rummaging of brain on my part lately, thus getting reminded of these songs at regular intervals. thus different songs in different posts of mine, instead of all in one.
    Have u listened to this song?? Raj Kapoor singing for himself...This is perhaps d only song he did playback for..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9FeeFmUqCI

    ReplyDelete
  77. harvey, my naive innocent harvey - when Zeenat went to RK cottage dressed as a tribal, it was not to drink tea with him. That's what hurt Dev, not her signing SSS. : - )

    Besides, I do not think at the time, there was any 'stealing heroines' involved. All three - Dev, Raj and Dilip had a very good working relationship. They were friends, and today's cutthroat rivalry was truly unknown. Waheeda has often (in her interviews) remarked about the difference - she and Nanda were lifelong friends. So was Asha Parekh.

    Apart from that, I don't think any of us will quibble over the commodification of women in the industry. I also do not know whether thinking that 'women are the property of men' is trulytruly archaic. There are still neanderthals around.

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  78. We are laughing at you, harvey, magar, pyar se... :) Isn't it great that Shipi was able to find that song?

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  79. harvey, you're impossible! I'm drinking my tea!

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  80. Not a bad song at all, though he definitely had better ones. :) Check the comments for more RK songs.

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  81. Rohit, I think I began watching RK films with my father when I was eight or nine. That's how I knew that BR Theatres plays re-runs. I saw Madhumati with my sister when I was in my early teens - about 13 or so. I remember that because that was the first film where we went alone, my sister and I.

    Dum bhar jo udhar munh phere is so romantic! Raj singing for himself was interesting - I first heard it on an old LP that a friend of my father's had; he wanted me to guess who was singing, and of course, I didn't have clue. RK had a very good sense for music. He played so many musical instruments himself, and played them well.

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  82. yhh he had better ones.. nd thank god ppl acknowledge tht.
    but its always nice to see and hear some unseen and unheard ones..

    ReplyDelete
  83. Yeah, there is a Javed Akhtar show running on legends of cinema. its first episode was on Raj Kapoor. He said many things one of which was about RK's msic sense. He said tht 'aap Raj Kapoor ke haath mein koi aisa musical instrument rakh do jo unhone zindagi mein kabhi dekha bhi na ho, and 45 minutes later he wud be totally comfortable with it, playing it considerably well.

    Ok.. this might sound out of context(there has been enuf out of context discussion here already), but he also said few things about what Dilip Kumar said to him regarding RK about his experience while filming Andaz. 

    Dilip Kumar said tht he(dilip) used to spend hours learning and rehearsing his dialogues where as Raj always used to arrive late on the sets between his shooting for Barsaat. He used to go to the make up room and sleep there. Then during the shoot time, he used to go take his lines take few minutes to learn them and then deliver them without much ado. 

    and then in Dilip Kumar's words " Woh bina kuch khaas rehersal ke jaldi baazi mein scene dete the, aur kya dete the!! koi aise scene deke dikhaye, karke dikhaye koi aisa kaam"

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  84. correction... he used to arrive late after his shooting for barsaat

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  85. Nothing is really 'out of context', is it, as all these anecdotes (yours and others') pertain to RK in one way or another?

    This is an interactive forum, so readers will post what they find interesting; they might even have conversations with each other about things that are nothing to do with the post. And that's fine.

    I read about Javed hosting such a show. I hope someone uploads it on YouTube soon. I would like to see something about cinema and its legends that is well-researched and intelligent.

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  86. yhh it does seem to b well-researched but then, half an hour with ads squeezed in does not help...
    btw, I know this is an interactive forum and all tht, but wat do I say to always trigger such long rationalizations
    and elucidation from u....??
     

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  87. It depends on the view point. I see a Zeenat, who was so much under pressure from Dev, that she didn't didn't dare tell him her plans about her career. I don't think that Dev always told her about his plans. But it is often that a woman is expected to tell everything, whereas a man not. 

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  88. You are right it is not just about heroes and heroines but a thing between men and women.

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  89. "it was not to drink tea with him."
    Of course not, they were discussing the fine intricacies of Euclidean geometry. ;-) Dev also had this interest in Euclidean gemetry, which he discussed with other actresses.

    I wasn't talking about the rivalry between the actresses, but the rivalry between certian camps, which exists now as well. And the boundaries of which were/are not always clear.

    "I don't think any of us will quibble over the commodification of women in the industry"
    I agree!

    "thinking that 'women are the property of men' is trulytruly archaic"

    The thought itself is archaic for us. But the people with such way of thinking was what I wanted to point out to.

    Since we are as it is of the same opinion, we don't have to discuss it further! :-)

    Words! Words! I'm so sick of words! (My Fair Lady)
    Words they just complicate matters,e ven while saying the same thing

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  90. I though you would say, "We are laughing with you and not at you". Kya kare? rEhne do! ;-) Expectations reduce joy.

    Now we just need a song with Timbuktu other than the KK one! Koi lauta de mujhe Timbuktu ka gaana! :-D

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  91. Definitely! I have come across some songs that I had never heard of, ever since I began writing this blog!

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  92. It was not her career plans that she didn't tell him - *that* she did; it was the other stuff.

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  93. C'mon, what's this life if we cannot laugh *at* friends and *with* friends?? :)

    ReplyDelete
  94. Thts an optimistic question... well, its one person per episode :(

    I dont think there will ever be a show which will show some story on a legend of the bygone era spread over few episodes. After all, they don't sell, Right?

    ReplyDelete
  95. yup,andi amstill hopingyouwouldgiveareplytothetwoessaysi hadpostedontheotherpage...

    ReplyDelete
  96. yup,and I am still hoping tht you would give a reply to the two essays I had posted on the other page...

    ReplyDelete
  97. Rohit, replying to your comment here - I'm so sorry I didn't notice those comments. Blogger sometimes forgets to send me email notifications, and because the comments tab does not show the post name, it gets difficult to keep tab - especially if you have not checked that day. I'll go off now and see which comments you mean!

    ReplyDelete
  98. hi,
    being an ardent raj kapor fan, i have seen all his banner films and a majority in which he acted.

    i am dying to see the movie phir subah hogi (1958). at which site could i find it?

    ReplyDelete
  99. To my knowledge, you wont find it at any site. Flipkart.com is where you can find it. Even some other websites. Here are the links.

    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  100. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  101. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  102. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  103. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  104. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  105. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  106. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  107. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  108. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  109. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  110. @2c36778c53b00fa555d7c801904894c3 You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  111. You can buy it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    -http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie--PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    -http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    -http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  112. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  113. @2c36778c53b00fa555d7c801904894c3 You can buy it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  114. You can buy it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  115. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/
    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  116. You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use
    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/

    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  117.  You can but it from flipkart.com. Here are some other links that can be of some use

    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html

    ReplyDelete
  118. Vineet, I don't know myself. From my email feed, I found that Rohit had replied to your post giving you suggestions. For some reason that hasn't appeared on the blog. So I'll post it below mine. My only suggestion is you could see if there is an online link.

    ReplyDelete
  119. Rohit Raina has left a new comment on your post "Happy Birthday, Raj Kapoor":



    To my knowledge, you wont find it at any site. Flipkart.com is where you
    can find it. Even some other websites. Here are the links.

    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  120. Vineeth, here's Rohit's post to you.

    Rohit Raina has left a new comment on your post "Happy Birthday, Raj Kapoor":



    To my knowledge, you wont find it at any site. Flipkart.com is where you
    can find it. Even some other websites. Here are the links.

    http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-PHIR+SUBAH+HOGI-p-10603.html 

    http://www.induna.com/1000001075-productdetails/ 

    http://www.induna.com/1000009309-productdetails/ 

    ReplyDelete
  121. thnx a lot, anu
    i didn't know it was available in moser-baer. i'll check for it at my nearby film store.

    also, do you know where i could find ashiana (1952), a raj-nargis starrer.

    ReplyDelete
  122. Thank Rohit, Vineet, since he was the person who gave you the links. If he sees your post, I hope he answers your question about Ashiana too.

    I do not live in India, so I'm not really sure about where to source old Hindi films. I tend to go to my usual video stores and check out  what they have, when I come to India.

    From what people in India have told me, Induna is a good source for DVDs. I hope you find the movies you are looking for.

    ReplyDelete
  123. @2c36778c53b00fa555d7c801904894c3 Following is the link to Ashiana, but its out of stock. You might call them or mail them, though I seriously doubt if they can make it available. You can anyways try:) http://www.webmallindia.com/buy_dvd_online-movie-ASHIANA-p-7219.html 

    ReplyDelete
  124. Rohit, I'm glad your comment posted this time! I had to cut and paste your earlier comment from my email for it to appear. I've been having some trouble with the comments being published on separate posts - Yves' comment on my Paris post disappeared the same way yours did. So did dustedoff's previously. Funnily enough, they all appeared in my email, and in my list of comments on blogger.

    Thanks for answering Vineet's queries.

    ReplyDelete
  125. hi rohit

    where to find any of the following movies in which raj kapoor acted which i wanted to see but found nowhere

    NEELKAMAL(1947)
    GOPINATH(1948)
    AMAR PREM(1948)
    SARGAM(1950)
    DHOON(1953)
    AASHIQ(1962)

    ReplyDelete
  126. hi rohit
    yes, other RK-starrer movies in my wishlist are:-

    VALMIKI(1946)(in a character role)
    PYAAR(1950)
    BAWRA(1950)
    PARIVARTAN(1949)

    ReplyDelete
  127. Sigh!!! mere bhai... inme se koi movie kahin nahi milegi.

    All these movies are there on some online video stores but they are out of stock.

    hav u seen amber, bewafa, sunehre din, dastan, anhonee, dil ki rani, jan pehchaan, teesri kasam, do ustad, shriman satyawadi, paapi, kanhaiya, char dil char rahein, ek dil sau afasane, nazraana and some more..... coz these r some movies I can help u with

    ReplyDelete
  128. I'll second Rohit's opinion, Vineet. :))

    These are films you are hardly likely to get on DVD. Your best bet would be to trawl the Internet religiously to see if it is available on any one of the online merchants. Somehow I do not think they would be available on DVD even.

    Thanks, Rohit, for taking the time to answer his queries. I would have been stumped for answers.

    ReplyDelete
  129. You're welcome

    ReplyDelete
  130. yes rohit, i have seen all of them

    ReplyDelete
  131. then there is very little left to see... Watch Phir Subha Hogi. It is worth every movie u miss of him

    ReplyDelete
  132.  Some masala filmy gupshup stuff ...true or not, who cares!
    http://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-remembering-mahendra-kapoor-part-two/20120110.htm

    ReplyDelete
  133. Rohit, I read this too. It was a sweet story, and I'm assuming since it was by Mahendra Kapoor's son himself, the memories are true. (One hopes!)

    ReplyDelete
  134. I totally love Raj Kapoor too. And am soo happy you do!! He was, is, and will be the only Showman!
    And what intensity in those eyes! His romance also had a silent physical chemistry about it.
    There is one film called Do Ustaad which had Mohd Rafi singing all the songs for Raj Kapoor. It's quite a fun film. And songs are nice too.
    Lovely, evocative post Anu!

    ReplyDelete
  135. Yes, yes, yes! I'm always glad to find people who like RK. :)) There seem to be so many who don't.

    ReplyDelete
  136. There are three legenary actors in the real sense of the word DILIP KUMAR ,DEV ANAND,RAJ KAPOOR,no one can match them in the real crop of actors1

    ReplyDelete
  137. There are three legenary actors in the real sense of the word DILIP KUMAR ,DEV ANAND,RAJ KAPOOR,no one can match them in the real crop of actors!

    ReplyDelete
  138. There are three legenary actors in the real sense of the word DILIP KUMAR ,DEV ANAND,RAJ KAPOOR,no one can match them in the recent crop of actors!

    ReplyDelete
  139. There are three legenary actors in the real sense of the word DILIP KUMAR ,DEV ANAND,RAJ KAPOOR,no one can match them in the todays crop of actors!

    ReplyDelete
  140. This has to be one of my favourite 'lists' , going to bookmark it.
    Just saw the comment on 'Main Nashe Mein Hoon' in the 'greats' post.
    I thought it was better than Dev's 'Sharaabi'. Nishi plays a gold digger there.Mala Sinha disguises as a man to save RK . Check this song
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crj8eJmblF0
    If you hate it then avoid the film.

    ReplyDelete
  141.  Thanks, Chris. :) I have seen Sharaabi and Main Nashe Mein Hoon but both viewing were too far back for me to remember much. I like both Raj and Dev, so I'll have to watch them again. This song makes me wonder how anyone would mistake Mala Sinha for anyone other than a woman-dressed-up-as-a-man!

    ReplyDelete
  142. NEELKAMAL  & GOPINATH WAS  TELECAST ON  DOORDARSHAN LONGBACK. GO PINATH IS SPECIALLY  WATCHABLE FOR RAJKAPOOR ACTING PROWESS.IN AN INTERVIEW DILIP KUMAR HAS PRAISED RAJKAPOOR PERFORMANCE IN THIS FILM.

    ReplyDelete
  143.  RAJKAPOOR WAS DOING THE SAME  BUT WITH A DIFFERENCE -LAUGHING AT HIMSELF WITH FRIENDS AND FOR EVERYBODY PLEASURE.HE CONVEYED THE SAME THROUGH  MERA NAM JOKER.IF DILIP KUMAR IS TRAGEDY KING  RAJKAPOOR IS  KING IN TRAGIOCOMIC or COMIOTRAGIC style of acting. IT IS MORE NATURAL & CONVINCING.ACTING FLOWS NATURALLY FROM HIS GESTURES & FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. AND VIEWERS GET CONNECTED.
    TOMORROW 14 DEC IS  RAJKAPOOR BIRTHDAY.LONGLIVE LEGACY OF RAJKAPOOR.

    ReplyDelete
  144.  Yes, Anand. He had elevated that to high art; no surprise, since he idolised Chaplin.

    ReplyDelete
  145. It did flow naturally, didn't it!? He was definitely a far more natural actor than other actors or superstars of his era

    ReplyDelete
  146. Rohit, I think both Raj and Dilip aced that bit, though in completely different ways. Among the triumvirate, Dev, in my opinion was the weakest link. But there were others, not superstars who were masters at the art of natural acting - Balraj Sahni comes to mind, and so does Motilal. 

    ReplyDelete
  147.  Yeah.. I guess we had pretty long debates between talents of Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, and we are on the opposite side of poles.. but yes, Balraj Sahni, Motilal among various others were definitely good actors

    ReplyDelete
  148.  God! Can't get rid of this 'netkracker' tag. Bachpan ki bhool!

    ReplyDelete
  149. So what? :) Let's be on opposite sides. Agree to disagree. And still admire the one person we *both* like. C'mon, shake hands. :) I admire your passion for everything RK. I really do. Let's disagree on Dilip Kumar. It's not important that every reader of my blog concur with every person and thing I like. By the way, I thought of you when I did that series of reviews of RK films.

    ReplyDelete
  150.  in vakmiki rajkapoor had very small role of NARAD-THE FAMOUS DEVARSHI.THE SCENE SHOWING RAJ KAPOOR AS NARAD IN THIS FILM WAS SHOWN ON DOORDARSHAN  MORE THAN A DECADE AGO.

    ReplyDelete
  151.  NEELKAMAL  &  GOPINATH  WAS   TELECAST  ON DOORDARSHAN MORE THAN A DECADE AGO.DILIP KUMAR PRAISED RAJKAPOOR ACTING PROWESS IN GOPINATH. WATCHING THIS MOVIE WAS ATREAT TO  MIND  & SOUL .MUSIC WAS SUPERB.TUNE OF THE SONG -JASUMATI MAIYYA SE BOLE NANDLALA  WAS INSPIRED BY ONE SONG FROM GOPINATH.SONGS from GOPINATH  ARE AVAILABLE ON U TUBE.

    ReplyDelete
  152. TODAY 14 DEC IS RAJKAPOOR BIRTHDAY.LET US THANK THE ALMIHTY THAT HE BLESSED INDIA WITH SUCH A GREAT ENTERTAINER  WHO WAS LIKE INDIAN FILM AMBASSADOR TO USSR ,CHINA  & A  NO OF OTHER COUNTRIES.IN TRUE  SENSE HE  NOT  ONLY INTRODUCED  MAINSTREAM HINDI CINEMA TO INTERNATIONAL WORLD  BUT  ALSO MADE IT ACCEPTABLE AND TREMENDOUSLY POPULAR WORLDWIDE.SHREE 420, JAGTE RAHO & JIS DESH ME GANGA BAHTI HAI  STILL HAS SOCIAL RELEVANCE.ONE SHOULD SEE  JAGTE RAHO FOR  SEEING HIS ACTING WHERE HE  HAS MOUTHED VERY FEW DIALOGUES  AND COMMUNICATED THE FEELINGS  THROUGH INTENSE EYES ,FACIAL EXPRESSIONS &GESTURES.

    ReplyDelete
  153. TODAY 14 DEC IS RAJKAPOOR BIRTHDAY.LET US THANK TO ALMIGHTY THAT HE BLESSED INDIA WITH  THIS GREAT ENTERTAINER.HE NOT ONLY MADE PATHBREAKING FILMS,ACTED IN THEM BUT IN TRUE SENSE INTRODUCED  MAINSTREAM HINDI CINEMA TO INTERNATIONAL ARENA.HIS FILMS NOT ONLY BECAME POPULAR IN USSR,CHINA &NO OF  OTHER COUNTRIES  BUT ALSO EARNED  CRITICAL APPRECIATION ,ACCEPTABILITY, & RESPECT FOR INDIAN CINEMA. HE WAS EPITOME FOR OPTIMISM FOR RUSSIAN PEOPLE  IN TROUBLED TIME.HE BECAME INDIAN FILM AMBASSADOR  TO THE WORLD AS GREAT MUSICIAN PT RAVISHANKAR HAD BECOME INDIAN MUSIC AMBASSADOR .
    HIS FILMS SHREE420,JAGTE RAHO,&JIS DESH ME GANGA BAHTI HAI HAVE SOCIAL RELEVANCE  EVEN TODAY.
    ONE SHOULD SEE HIM IN JAGTE RAHO FOR HIS ACTING PROWESS WHERE HE COMMUNICATED THROUGH HIS INTENSE EYES,FACIAL EXPRESSIONS,GESTURES AND VERY FEW DIALOGUES.

    ReplyDelete
  154. Just finished reading your reviews of RK films. Loved them. Of Shree 420 specifically, I liked how you wrote about Raj's transformation from a tramp to a suave man

    ReplyDelete
  155.  haha...this is one horrendous movie... incomparable to the 3rd story of Joker. remember? i told you how she throws the other woman out of her husband's life. Because the other woman thinks mala sinha is a rich man and fallss for her! I don't even know how to put this in words..utter confusion!

    ReplyDelete
  156.  We can do all of the above, Anand, without yelling! Please, the all-caps, hurts my eyes. :)

    ReplyDelete
  157.  Thanks, Rohit. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

    ReplyDelete
  158.  I figured as much. I'm not a great fan of Mala Sinha anyway, and it takes some seriously 'good' movie to make me watch her. So. I'll give re-viewing this a miss for the time being.

    ReplyDelete