Manobendra Mukherjee compositions in Bengali films and modern songs.

Manobendra Mukherjee compositions in Bengali films and modern songs.

Manobendra Mukherjee had glorified the world of Bengali classical music for more than 35 years. The entire 50s, 60s and 70s was designated as the golden age of Bengali modern songs and Manobendra Mukherjee’s individual performance as vocal classical singer require no special introduction.

But his contribution as composer requires to be highlighted. Manobendra’s composition for himself in the 50s was unique. The romantic songs composed by him included “emni kore porbe mone baki jibon dhore”, “ami eto je tomay bhalobesechi”, “koto asha niye tumi esechile”, etc. Most of these songs stand out as the most romantic songs in the entire history of Bengali modern songs. The lyrics of Shyamal Gupta took the listeners to a different world of plutonic love.

In the 60s, Manobendra Mukherjee continued with his majestic tunes most of which did great business in Bengal. Some of them had classical appeal including “na jeona modhu jamini”, “ei moshumi mon”, “sangi bihongi tumi je amar”, etc. His composition in films like Chapadangar Bou in 1954, Sanjher Pradeep in 1955, Mayamrigo in 1960, Bodhu in 1962, Godhuli Belai in 1966, Joy Jayanti in 1970, created by that period of time.

But Manobendra Mukherjee’s composition for other leading singers of Bengal, both male and female, created sensation in the 50s, 60s and 70s. His landmark composition for Supriti Ghosh titled “gane gane ami je khuji tomay”, composition for Bani Ghoshal titled “kuasha ghera nil pahare” created sensation in the 50s.

Manobendra Mukherjee’s composition for Alpona Banerjee titled “mon bolche sandhay kichu bolte tumi aasbe ki” and “tumi sundor bole tai to bondhu”, created sensation in the 60s. Manobendra gave melodious tune to Shefali Chakravarty titled “kemone janabo bolo e pranero bedona” having both classical and romantic tune.

Manobendra Mukherjee gave folk tune to Tarun Banerjee in the song “champakoli go koto name dekechi tomay”. The list can go on.

Manobendra Mukherjee was a sensation in the world of Bengali film music. He started his career with Uttam Kumar’s film Chapadangar Bau. In that film his own song “shibo he shibo he” surprised the viewers with Mahadev’s Gajan. In Mayamrigo he composed the songs “metidiamericar kabyo”, “bidhi re” with elegance. The songs were sung by himself. Sandhya Mukherjee’s song “bak bak bakum bakum paira”.

Manobendra Mukherjee was sublime in Chabi Biswas’s film Badhu. The kirtan “gunamanir kalo rupe” sung by Manobendra Mukherjee flabbergasted the Bengali audience. Manobendra Mukherjee received BFJA and other words for his composition in Uttam Kumar’s film Jay Jayanti. Sandhya Mukherjee’s songs “amader chuti chute”, “aamra kono kichu korle”, etc.

Manobendra Mukherjee was sublime in other films like Bosonto Choudhury’s film Kosti Pathar, Biswajeet Chatterjee’s film Godhuli Belay, other films like Sadhok Bamakhepa, Joto Maat Toto Path, Nidhiram Sardar, Sudhur Niharika, Sanjher Pradeep, etc.

Manobendra’s creation requires to be unearthed. There are many melodious compositions of Manobendra made in the 50s, which had not been reprinted by HMV. If displayed, they can attract the new generation and entertain them.

Happy birthday to Golden Hero Jeetender.

Happy birthday to Golden Hero Jeetender.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Jeetender, the golden hero of the 60s on 7th April, 2011. He has been considered as one of the most consistent actors who had steady box-office in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

In the early 60s, he started his career with the success in the film Geet Gaya Pattharone, opposite Rajashree. Bollywood industry was flooded with actors at that time including Showman Raj Kapoor, Tragedy King Dilip Kumar and the other matinee idols like Rajender Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Bharat Bhushan and others. He had to face very strong competition to stay in the competition at that time.

Within a short period of time his dancing skills were cultivated by the directors and his films started making profits. His film Farz in 1967, opposite Babita, became super hit. The songs composed by LP and sung by Rafi created storms, including “mast baharon ka mai ashiq”, “baar baar din yeh aye”, etc. Besides, Jeetender’s dance performance in most of the songs entertained the viewers to a big extent. From that time onwards, Jeetender had a great combination with LP, Rafi and Anand Bakshi. All the songs of the film Humjoli, Jeegri Dost and Banphool became superhit. Prominent songs included “mere desh me”, “dhal gaya din”, etc. Initially critics called Jeetender jumping jack, but his dancing skills followed by his acting skills made him a ruler in the 70s and 80s. He was blessed with romantic songs of Rafi and the composition of many brilliant composers of 60s and 70s. The songs of his film Mere Huzoor were equally romantic. Jeetender with his dancing skills was sublime in the film Ek Nari Ek Brahmchari where Shankar Jaikishan. All the songs in the films were super hit including “tu nari mai brahmchari”sung by Rafi and Manna Dey. He was equally brilliant in the film Waarish. Rafi’s songs in the film were brilliant including “ek bechara pyar ka maara”. He was successful in the film Kathputli as well.

In 70s, he was probably the only romantic actor other than Rishi Kapoor, he survived the period relating to action films, when Big B, Vinod Khanna, Shatrughu Sinha and others gave hit action films one after the other. The hit films of Jeetender in the 70s include Karwan, Nagin, which continued in the 80s with the success of films like Asha opposite Reena Roy. Jeetender also played a crucial in off-beat films of Gulzar like Parichay, Khushbu and Kinara where the intellectual audience had appreciated him. He gave very elegant lips in brilliant songs of Bhupinder Singh like “naam gum jayega”, “meethe bol bole”, etc.

He transformed himself from an excited, energetic, youth to a reserve personality in Parichay, Khusbu and Kinara. Jeetender’s in the 80s had compelled producers to launch him opposite young actresses like Sri Devi and Jaya Prada who were much younger than him in films like Himmatwala or Dharm Adhikari. After the launching of his son Tushar Kapoor in modern films, he had reduced acting in contemporary films. But the viewers expect him to still continue in modern films in character roles just like before.

Happy birthday to Jaya Prada.

Happy birthday to Jaya Prada.

The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Jaya Prada on 3rd April, 2011. Jaya Prada was considered as one of the most gifted actresses of bollywood films of the 80s. She shook the Indian audience with her dancing skills in the film Shankaravaranam.

In the late 70s her film Sargam opposite Rishi Kapoor became superhit with a brilliant story and excellent songs. She played the role of a deaf and dumb girl who had immense dancing callibre which was unearthed by Rishi Kapoor in the film. The music composed by LP was brilliant by every musical standard and Lata and Rafi were sublime in the songs “dafliwale dafli baja”, “koel boli”, “ramjiki nikli sawari”, etc. In an age of action pact films of Big B, Vinod Khanna, Sargam being a romantic film with Rishi Kapoor and Jaya Prada did excellent business.

From that time Jaya Prada became the no. 1 bollywood actress and acted opposite all the leading stars of bollywood. Her other superhit films include Sharabi, opposite Big B, Akhree Rasta opposite Big B, Kamchor opposite Rakesh Roshan, to name a few. She acted in a number of films opposite Jeetender as well and all of those films were successful.

At that time she got stiff competition from Sri Devi, another South Indian actress who had both acting talent and dancing talent. The films where both of them acted together, the viewers were confused to choose between the two. In Akhree Rasta Jaya Prada did equally well like Sri Devi. In the 90s, also Jay Prada’s films especially opposite Big B did good business, like Indrajeet or Aaj Ka Arjun. In those films while Big B concentrated on action sequences, Jaya Prada played the romantic part to perfection.

With the emergence of new actresses in bollywood films in the 90s like Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla, Jaya Prada faded away from the bollywood industry. She joined politics and had been the parliamentarian for more than a decade. Besides she had played important roles in tamil films and other South Indian films over the years.

A number of cinema halls in Mysore and Bangalore were named after her. In 2010, she had been expelled from the Samajwadi Party by Mulayam Singh Yadav along with other primary members. That can give her some time to devote in bollywood films as well. The viewers expect her to make a comeback in bollywood films in character roles as many of them feel that she still has a lot of acting left in her.