Remembering romantic poet Shailendra on his birth anniversary.

Remembering romantic poet Shailendra on his birth anniversary.

The country remembers romantic writer and poet Shailendra on his birth anniversary on 30th August, 2010. He was one of the legendary lyricist of the golden age and glorified the music of RK films and Shankar Jaikishan with his romantic words.

He was also known as Shankardas Kesarilal and born in 1923. He was an employee of Indian Railways. He started his career with Raj Kapoor in the film Barsaat in 1949. The two songs that he wrote which were composed by Shankar Jaikishan included “patli kamar hai” and “barsaat me”. Both became super hit. From that time onwards the great combination of Raj Kapoor, Shailendra, Hasrat Jaipuri and Shankar Jaikishan blossomed and ruled bollywood film industry for the next 20 years.

Shailendra won the filmfare award for the best lyricist in 1958 for his brilliant lyrics “yeh mera deewanapan hai” composed by Shankar Jaikishan in Dilip Kumar’s film Yahudi. The tragic song was sung by Mukesh. In 1959, he won the filmfare award for the best lyricist for the epic lines in Raj Kapoor’s film Anari, titled “sab kuch seekha humne na sikhi hoshieri”. Each and every song in the film was an asset and the film ended up being super hit. The tune was again composed by Shankar Jaikishan.

Shailendra also composed legendary songs with Salil Choudhury for Bimal Roy’s epic film Madhumati. All the songs in the film were super hit including “dil tarap tarap ke keh raha hai aabhi ja”, “suhana safar aur yeh mausam haseen”, “tute hue khwabon ne”, “aaja re pardesi”, to name a few. Dilip Kumar and Vaijayantimala stormed bollywood in 1958 with the romantic film.

Shailendra was instrumental in the success of Raj Kapoor’s comedy films Shree 420. His songs “ramaiya vastamaiya”, “mur murke na dekh”, “mera joota hai japani”, became trend-setters in the mid-50s. Shailendra received filmfare for the best lyricist again for the lines “mai gayoon tum so jayo” in Shammi Kapoor’s film Brahmchari in 1968.
Basu Bhattacharya’s film Teesri Kasam was produced by Shailendra in 1966. Raj Kapoor and Wahida Rehman acted in the film and it was critically acclaimed. All the songs in the film composed by Shankar Jaikishan became super hit including “duniya bananewale”, “sajan re jhoot mat bolo”, to name a few. Even his songs in Raj Kapoor’s Sangam was unforgettable including “dost dost na raha”.

Under Shankar Jaikishan, Shailendra struck gold in films like Awaara, Jagte Raho, Kanhaiya, Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi, Sasural, Junglee, Professor, Dil Ek Mandir, Brahmchari, Deewana, April Fool, Janwar, Mera Naam Joker, Love In Tokyo, Around The World, Suraj, to name a few. Other than Shankar Jaikishan, Shailendra wrote memorable lyrics for Salil Choudhury, in films like Do Beegha Zamin, Parakh, etc., for SD Burman in Guide, Bandini, for C. Ramchandran in Anarkali, to name a few.

The contribution of Shailendra was so huge, that it is difficult to highlight the great work of the legendary poet in a small article. In 1966, unfortunately the great poet died, and his pen stopped pouring fragrance in the life of Indians with his romantic thoughts and expressive words. His films and lyrics should be preserved and restored.

Happy birthday to Wahida Rehman.

Happy birthday to Wahida Rehman.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to legendary actress Wahida Rehman on 3rd February, 2010. She had played a marathon innings in bollywood films right from the 50s till today.

In the mid-50s, she cemented her position in bollywood films after giving hits after hits in Guru Dutt’s films. In CID, which was produced by Guru Dutt, she played the role of a seductive character who ultimately led to unfolding of truth relating to murder mystery. She acted opposite Dev Anand and balanced him with her powerful performance. In Pyasa, she played the role of a tawaif who gave shelter to Guru Dutt, an eminent poet in the film. The legendary pair was created in that film and songs like “jane kya” sung Geeta Dutt, “yeh mahalon yeh takhton” sung Rafi became evergreen hits.

Although Kagaz Ka Phool did not do well in the box-office, both Guru Dutt and Wahida Rehman received critical acclamation for their powerful performances in the film. Again hit songs like “waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam” sung by Geeta Dutt and “bichar gaya bari bari” sung by Rafi and composed by SD Burman became landmark songs of the period.

Chaudavi Ka Chaand, marked the most successful film depicting the romantic association of Wahida Rehman and Guru Dutt. Rafi’s song “chaudavi ka chaand” composed by Ravi was dedicated towards Wahida Rehman. The muslim pardanashin community was well depicted by Wahida Rehman in the film. She again did well in the film Saheb Bibi Aur Ghulam opposite Meena Kumari and Guru Dutt. It was an adaptation of Uttam Kumar’s legendary Bengali film Saheb Bibi Ghulam directed by Karthik Chatterji. Wahida Rehman played the role of Jaba, which was played by Anubha Gupta in the Bengali film Saheb Bibi Ghulam.

All time great director Satyajit Ray experimented with Wahida Rehman in the role of a rural woman in the film Abhijan in the early 60s. Wahida Rehman’s broken Bengali having hindi accent attracted the attention of the intellectual viewers. In the 60s she transformed herself into a glamorous heroine.

Her second innings included hit films opposite Raj Kapoor like Ek Dil Sau Afsana, Teesri Kasam, superhit films opposite Dev Anand like Guide, Prem Pujari, and everlasting films opposite Dilip Kumar like Ram Aur Shyam, Aadmi, Dil Diya Dard Liya, to name a few. In Teesri Kasam, Wahida Rehman played the role of nautanki dancer who was attached to a cart driver played by Raj Kapoor.

The songs in these films composed by Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad, SD Burman, etc. created history. The hit songs of Teesri Kasam included “o aa aa bhi jha”, “paan khai saiya”, “mare gaye gulfam”, the hit songs of Guide included “piya tose naina lagere”, “aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai”, the hit songs of Ram Aur Shyam included “aaye hai barahen meete zulmon sitam. Wahida Rehman’s dancing skills were also exhibited in these films.

She was even sublime in films like Mujhe Jeene Do, Reshma Aur Shera, opposite Sunil Dutt, Bees Saal Baad and Kohra, opposite Biswajeet, Neel Kamal opposite Raj Kumar, Dharti opposite Rajender Kumar, Patthar Ke Sanam opposite Manoj Kumar, to name a few.

Articles after articles can be devoted to the legendary actress who had same box-office popularity like that of legendary star Meena Kumari and Madhubala. Directors like Asit Sen experimented with her in the film Khamoshi, Gulzar experimented with her in the film Namkeen, Yash Chopra experimented with her in the film Kabhi Kabhi.

Viewers had seen her character acting in films like Mashal opposite Dilip Kumar in the 80s to Dilli 6, that was released in 2009. Increase in age had increased her variety of performance and she has been growing old gracefully. The viewers expect her to continue the monumental performances that she had been giving for the last 60 years. Viewers pay respect and regard to the living legend.