Has the filmfare awards done justice to all the celebrities?
By: Souvik Chatterji
Although the film fare awards given to different celebrities for their contribution to Indian films for the last 50 years had provided smiles in the faces of some of the recipients, it never rewarded some of the actors, composers, etc., throughout the years. In respect of the actors Guru Dutt, Rajender Kumar, Dharmender, Pradeep Kumar, never won a single award in the category of best actors. May be there was strong competition from Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor, but it is quite strange that Guru Dutt with his performance in Pyaasa or Kagaz Ka Phool, could not qualify for a filmfare award under the best actor category. May be the jury had recognised him as a greater director or producer than an actor. Similarly Rajender Kumar with his performance in Dil Ek Mandir, Mere Mehboob, did not receive any filmfare award for best performance in a lead role. Pradeep Kumar’s performance in Taj Mahal, Bheegi Raat, Bahu Begum, and Dharmender’s performance in films like Satyakam, Guddi, all went unnoticed. Even Jeetender’s performance in Parichay, Khushbu, Kinara, did not impress the jury.
While some of the composers bagged a number of awards, others like Madanmohan with his extraordinary tunes having ghazal orientation did not receive any single award for best composition inspite of providing immortal tunes in Jahan-ara, Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saya, Mausam ,etc. Again those composers who had bagged film fare awards one after the other were not recognised for life time contribution to bollywood films. Shankar Jaikishan had bagged film fare awards nine times in their entire career, yet they did not receive Dada Sahab Falke award for life time contribution unlike Naushad, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, who had received these awards under different categories.
In respect of awards for the category of best actresses Sadhna’ s performance in Parakh, Asli Nakli, or Madhubala’s performance in Mughal –i-azam, Barsaat ki Raat, went unnoticed. Actresses in the 90s like Meenakshi Shesadri inspite of providing powerful performances in films like Damini, Ghayal, seldom could impress the jury to qualify for the award in the category of best actress.
In the early 50s, film fare awards were given for best singers and at that time separate awards for male singers and female singers were not given. That deprived Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from getting more awards at a period when they were dominating the world of playback singing. Rafi had received only 6 filmfare awards as best singer, which dies not reflect his dominance in the 50s and 60s. Manna Dey did not receive filmfare award on the major classical songs he did sing in the notable films including “sur na saje”, “laga chunari me daag”, “kaun aya mere man ke dware”, etc. Sometimes the singers were surprised to get awards on less known songs when the legendary failed to fetch them any award.
May be for the actors, composers, directors, etc., who did not receive any filmfare award, the success of the films had provided incentive for better performance in the future. The Indian audience can answer the question whether the filmfare awards had really done justice to the major celebrities who had contributed to Indian films.
By: Souvik Chatterji
Although the film fare awards given to different celebrities for their contribution to Indian films for the last 50 years had provided smiles in the faces of some of the recipients, it never rewarded some of the actors, composers, etc., throughout the years. In respect of the actors Guru Dutt, Rajender Kumar, Dharmender, Pradeep Kumar, never won a single award in the category of best actors. May be there was strong competition from Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor, but it is quite strange that Guru Dutt with his performance in Pyaasa or Kagaz Ka Phool, could not qualify for a filmfare award under the best actor category. May be the jury had recognised him as a greater director or producer than an actor. Similarly Rajender Kumar with his performance in Dil Ek Mandir, Mere Mehboob, did not receive any filmfare award for best performance in a lead role. Pradeep Kumar’s performance in Taj Mahal, Bheegi Raat, Bahu Begum, and Dharmender’s performance in films like Satyakam, Guddi, all went unnoticed. Even Jeetender’s performance in Parichay, Khushbu, Kinara, did not impress the jury.
While some of the composers bagged a number of awards, others like Madanmohan with his extraordinary tunes having ghazal orientation did not receive any single award for best composition inspite of providing immortal tunes in Jahan-ara, Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saya, Mausam ,etc. Again those composers who had bagged film fare awards one after the other were not recognised for life time contribution to bollywood films. Shankar Jaikishan had bagged film fare awards nine times in their entire career, yet they did not receive Dada Sahab Falke award for life time contribution unlike Naushad, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, who had received these awards under different categories.
In respect of awards for the category of best actresses Sadhna’ s performance in Parakh, Asli Nakli, or Madhubala’s performance in Mughal –i-azam, Barsaat ki Raat, went unnoticed. Actresses in the 90s like Meenakshi Shesadri inspite of providing powerful performances in films like Damini, Ghayal, seldom could impress the jury to qualify for the award in the category of best actress.
In the early 50s, film fare awards were given for best singers and at that time separate awards for male singers and female singers were not given. That deprived Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from getting more awards at a period when they were dominating the world of playback singing. Rafi had received only 6 filmfare awards as best singer, which dies not reflect his dominance in the 50s and 60s. Manna Dey did not receive filmfare award on the major classical songs he did sing in the notable films including “sur na saje”, “laga chunari me daag”, “kaun aya mere man ke dware”, etc. Sometimes the singers were surprised to get awards on less known songs when the legendary failed to fetch them any award.
May be for the actors, composers, directors, etc., who did not receive any filmfare award, the success of the films had provided incentive for better performance in the future. The Indian audience can answer the question whether the filmfare awards had really done justice to the major celebrities who had contributed to Indian films.
6 comments:
Short but nice article and throws pertinent questions. I feel that the competition in almost all the fields of a cinema making in the years gone by was very keen and it would be difficult for the jury to decide. There would be a very thin line between the best and the rest in any category, for instance if Madan Mohan was to be adjusted the nominee for Filmfare award in a certain year, the likes of OP Nayyar, Naushad, Lakshmikant Pyarelal too would not be far behind in the same category in the same year, what with each of them brining out their bests in various movies. The criteria for selection also played a huge role, politics not withstanding. However, it goes to the credit of Bennet Coleman & Co, the owners of Filmfare who have pioneered the Filmfare Awards as an integral part of the film world since the 1950s maybe. I would have been to see the full list of recepients of the Filmfare Awards in all categories over the years along with the article. But I understand, such a compilation itself would have been much bigger than the article itself. Perhaps you could have given the link or source where to find such a list. Anyway, good article that sets us thinking.
Very high standard of films were made in the 50s and 60s and the jury must have faced problems in terms of deciding the best actor or actress or singer or composer, etc. But if Madanmohan, the shahzada of ghazals never get any filmfare award it pains the music lovers. In respect of actors if Guru Dutt had lost the award to Dilip Kumar, the choice of the jury is well accepted, but if the new generation wants to know the history, they get a wrong impression that only Dilip kumar and Raj Kapoor had dominated bollywood films in 50s and 60s when Pradeep Kumar, Bharat Bhushan, Raj Kumar, Rajender Kumar, Guru Dutt, all had made notable contribution.
Rumi Chatterji.
Filmfare Fair did injustice many times.They took many poor decisions over the years.
1-Filmfare should give award to Raj Kapoor instead of Dilip Kumar in 1955 for his performance in Film "Shri 420".
2-Filmfare Should Give award to Dilip kumar ,instead of Dev Anand, in 1958 for his superb performance in Film "Madhumati".
3-Filmfare Should Give award to Dilip kumar,instead of Raj Kapoor, in 1959 for his performance in film "Paigham.
4-Filmfare should[MUST] give award TO Dilip kumar ,instead of Raj Kapoor,in 1961 for his carreir's best performance in film "Ganga Jumna.[really a poor decision]
5-Filmfare shuld give award to Rajendra kumar,instead of Sunil Dutt, in 1965 for his heart-touching supplendid performance in film "Aarzoo".
6-Filmfare should give award to Rajendra kumar,instead of Shammi kapoor,in 1968 for his classic performance in film "Saathi".
Dharmendra performed very well all tthrough his long carrier,but he did not give extra-oridinary performance.
Someone could say "Satyakam".But Same year Ashok kuar performed outstandingly well in film "AASHIRWAAD".ashok's performance was better than Dharmendra's performance.
SFilmfare should give award to "Ghulam Mohammad" for his classic work in film "Pakeeza" in year 1972.
They give award to "Shankar-jaikishan" for their por work in film "BE-Iman".
Filmfare atlest should nominate "Jetendra"
for his classic performance in film "Parachay" in 1972.
They should also nominate "Rajendra kumar "for his superb performance in film"Gora aur Kala" same year.
they could give award either from them.
Filmfare Must give award ot Rajendra kumar for "Arzoo".
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