Nandaji films are very relevant even today

It is a shocking news for the lovers of Indian films that Nanda had died today, on 25th March, 2014, at the age of 75 years. She suffered a massive heart attack. Her friend Mala Sinha shared her experiences with the press and media about acting with Nanda. Both of them acted in the film Dhool Ka Phool. Nanda having huge amount of acting potentials never received her dues. Born in a Maharashtrian family she learned acting from childhood. Eminent director V Shantaram gave her a prominent role in the film Toofan Aur Diya in 1956. She was brilliant in the film Bhabhi in 1957. She played the role of the younger sister of Pandari Bai, the wife of Balraj Sahani in the film. She became widow at a very early age and the information was not given to her by Pandari Bai. She played a very juvenile role in the first part of the film and in the second part became serious. She received the nomination for best supporting actress in 1957 for her role in Bhabhi but did not win it. She was sublime in the role of the wife of Rajender Kumar in the film Dhool Ka Phool in 1959. She followed it up by a brilliant performance in the film Choti Behen. Again she had the challenge of acting with Balraj Sahani. She did a great job. In 1960s, Nanda became a stylish heroine and acted in glamour oriented roles. With Manoj Kumar she had a fantastic combination. She did a great job in the film Bedaag. Gumnaam was the blockbuster film of Nanda which did fabulous business. Shankar Jaikishan’s music stormed Bollywood in 1965 with Gumnaam. Nanda gave soft lips in the song “jaane chaman sholabadan” which was sung by Sharda and Mohammad Rafi. The she was paired opposite Shashi Kapoor in more than 7 films. The romantic pair started their journey in the film Jab Jab Phool Khilen. It was a music oriented film which created magic. Kalyanji Anandji’s music was appreciated by the audience. Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur’s duet song “nanakarte pyar humhi to kar baite” became bumper hit. The combination just gave hits after hits. The other notable films included Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhari, Muhobbat Is Ko Kehte Hai, to name a few. The movies were shot in romantic locations of Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The music created magic and the audiences admired the films. In the 1970s and 1980s, Nanda shifted to character roles. There also she showed excellence. In Manoj Kumar’s film Shor she played a compassionate character. In Dilip Kumar’s film Mazdoor she played the role of his wife. She also gave a landmark performance in Raj Kapoor’s film Prem Rog in 1982. Her character role of the mother of Padmini Kolhapuri caught the attention of the viewers. In her career around 40 years, she had acted in diverse roles. But neither was she honoured, nor recognized for the great callibre shown over the years. Her films should be preserved.

Rajashreeji created a brilliant combination with Raj Kapoorsahab in Around the world

Rajashree – the classical dancer of the 60s. Rajashree, daughter of famous director V. Shantaram and classical dancer Sandhya, made a notable contribution in bollywood films in the 60s. She faced very strong competition from Vaijayantimala, Sadhna, Asha Parekh, Saira Banu, and yet maintained her stardom in hit films opposite leading stars of bollywood films. She was extremely successful opposite Shammi Kapoor, in the film Janwar. Shammi Kapoor brought westernized mannerisms in bollywood films in the 60s, and his style was enhanced by fantastic music composed by Shankar Jaikishan, and colourful locations where the films were picturised. The same thing happened in the film Janwar. Most part of the film was picturised in Jammu & Kashmir, and the songs of Rafi like “lal chadi”, “tumse accha kaun hai”, etc., became super hit. Rajashree had adequate classical training for exhibiting her dancing skills which she showed in the song “mere sang ga gunguna”. The second part of the film dealt with the conspiracy committed against Shammi Kapoor, and her marriage with Shammi Kapoor got stuck due to those reasons. Over all her performance was very impressive and the film became super hit. The same combination was again successful in the film Brahmchari. Shammi Kapoor ran an orphan house where the children were brought by him and he did not marry to help out the orphan children in the film. Rajashree intereacted with Shammi Kapoor in the film and for different reasons, Shammi Kapoor taught her to be modern and arranged her marriage with Pran. After knowing that Pran had a very bad reputation in society and was also involved with Mumtaz, the marriage was cancelled and Rajashree was saved at the end of the film. Again the scintillating music of Shankar Jaikishan amused the viewers. All the songs of Rafi including “aajkal tere mere pyar ke charche”, “chakke pe chakka”, “dil ke jharoke me tujhko bithakar”, “mai gayun tum so jayo”, became landmark hits in the late 60s. Rajashree was extremely successful opposite Raj Kapoor in the film Around the World. Raj Kapoor played the role of an innocent person who had to travel all across the world, first as a worker in a ship and then after joining different forms of employments. He was attached with Rajashree during his travel to different places. The fantastic location of West Indies, United States, etc., was balanced by classic music of Shankar Jaikishan once again. Mukesh’s songs “kitna akela hoon mai”, “duniya ka sair kar lo”, “chale jana” became landmark hits in the late 60s. Rajashree acted in successful films opposite the other leading stars of bollywood films in the 60s, including Biswajeet, Joy Mukherjee, Jeetender, to name a few. Most of those films including Sehnai, became successful. Rajashree faded out from the industry in the 70s. Her films should be restored for the next generations.

Shankar Jaikishanji Naushadiji gave landmark duet songs to Suman Kalyanpurji and Rafisahab

Suman Kalyanpur had her birthday on 28th January, 2026. The media during the last 60s years had been too kind towards some of the celebrities while remained silent about the others. For example during the golden age 50s, 60s and 70s, other than Lata and Rafi there were other combinations who had given everlasting hits. Lata Mangeshkar always got the focus of attention and as such her duets with Rafi which covers more than 440 in number always stole the attention. Yet Suman Kalyanpur during the same age of competition had sung almost 170 duets with Rafi most of which became super hit, yet could not get the lime light which they deserved. The song “ajahu na aye balma” from Saanjh Aur Sawera, picturised on Mehmood and Subha Khote and composed by Shankar Jaikishan showed the compatibility of Rafi with Suman Kalyanpur in classical songs. Rafi could adapt his style of singing with any singer. But Suman Kalyanpur also did a great job with the giant. The song “dil-e-betaab ko seene se lagana hoga” from the film Palki, picturised on Rajender Kumar and Wahida Rehman and composed by Naushad had the ghazal andaz embedded in them and Suman Kalyanpur was unblemmish aside Rafi. SJ used the same Suman Kalyanpur aside Rafi in fast numbers like “aaj kal tere mere pyar ke charche” from Brahmchari picturised on Shammi Kapoor and Mumtaz, “dil use do jo jaan de de” picturised on Shammi Kapoor and Hema Malini in the film Andaz. The biggest tragedy is that the songs did great business and the films became super hit, yet the message relating to Rafi’s combination with Suman Kalyanpur did not reach most of the viewers and the media too did not play a neutral role in that aspect. Half of the people thought the duets were sung by Rafi and Lata as Suman Kalyanpur’s singing style matched with that of Lata. Khayyam’s composition “thereiye hosh me aaloon to chale jayiega” from the film Mohabbat is ko kehte hai” picturised on Shashi Kapoor and Nanda had another romantic number of Rafi and Suman. Madan Mohan’s tune “baad muddat se yeh ghari aye” sung by Rafi and Suman stunned many listeners of ghazals, as the urdu words were pronounced in style in the film Jahan –ara. Bharat Bhushan and Mala Sinha were sublime in the film. Rafi as usual was unblemish in respect of ghazals. But Suman too had adapted her style of singing which suited the songs of the Mughal period. Even the fast numbers composed by LP like “tumse o haseena” sung by Rafi and Suman did not get the hype of media which it deserved inspite of Farz ending up as a run away hit of Jeetender. Roshan’s meritorious composition like “maine aye jaane wafa” from the film Bedaag, “chand takda hai idhar” from the film Doojh Ka Chaand remained unnoticed. Besides there were other hits like “parbaton ke paron par sham ka basera hai” from the film Shagun composed by Khayyam, “tumne pukara aur hum chale aye” from the film Raj Kumar composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “dil ek mandir hai” from the film Dil Ek Mandir composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “tujhe dekha tujhe chaha” from the film Choti Si Mulakat composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “tujhe pyar karte karte” from the film April Fool composed by Shankar Jaikishan, “mujhe yeh phool na den” from the film Ghazal composed by Madan Mohan. The factor of Suman Kalyanpur being chosen to sing duets with legendary Rafi Sahab by giant composers like Shankar Jaikishan, Naushad, Madan Mohan, Khayyam, Laxmikant Pyarellal, Kalyanji Anandji, proved another fact that she was not any particular composer’s singer. She did a great job with Rafi, but due to passive attitude of the media the songs got recognition with no information relating to the singer. Even in many films when the names of the singers were written Suman Kalyanpur’s name was mentioned at the end without any particular reason for it. Rafi had proved in his entire life that he was a greater human being than a singer. That was the reason why he could match his singing style with any fellow female artist including Lata, Geeta Dutt, Sumna Kalyanpur, Sharda, Mubarak Begum, Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum, and others. His combination with Suman Kalyanpur should be preserved and restored.

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