Happy birthday to Vidya Balan.

Happy birthday to Vidya Balan. The viewers of bollywood films wish happy birthday to Vidya Balan on 1st January, 2021. Vidya Balan had shown her potentiality in sophisticated roles in the past. This year she won the Star Screen award for best actress for her performance in the film Tumhari Sulu. 2011 had been her year. Her performance in the role of Silk Smita in the film Dirty Picture had been appreciated by the audience. In fact her performance had been the best performance of the year by any female actress. She also won national award for the performance in Dirty Picture. 2012 had also been her year. She was unparallel in the film Kahaani. The performance has been the best performance of the year. She also got married in 2012. She received filmfare award for best actress for the performance in the film Kahaani. In 2013 her film Ghanchakkar did not do great business. In 2014 her film Bobby Jasoos did medium business. In 2019 her film Chandrayan opposite Akshay Kumar did business above 200 crores.

Vidya Balan attracted the attention of cultured audience through her soft performance in Pradeep Sarkar’s film Parineeta. It was an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chatterjee’s successful novel Parineeta. Vidya Balan reached the depth of the character that was related to life of Kolkata during the 18th century. Vidya Balan acted opposite Sanjay Dutt and Saif Ali Khan and balanced their performance with her own performance. She also gave able lips in the song “piyu bole, piya bole” sung by Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal which became super hit. Vidya Balan was also impressive in the film Lage Raho Munnabhai opposite Sanjay Dutt. The film was based on the story of the transformation of Munna Bhai, who was notorious for his unlawful activities through the dictates of Mahatma Gandhi. He told lies to Vidya Balan about being a Professor, but gathered some courage to tell the truth that he was not a Professor. The songs “pal pal pal” created a theme for the film and he performance of both Sanjay Dutt and Vidya Balan was very impressive. Although Vidya Balan’s films like Kismat Conection with Shahid Kapoor or Hey Baby opposite Akshay Kumar did mediocre business in the last few years, the viewers had seen her strong performance in the film Bhoolbhulaiya. She had done a good job opposite Abhishek Bacchan and Big B in the film Paa in 2009. She loved Abhishek Bacchan. Their child Big B suffered from a strange disease. Before death Big B united Abhishek Bacchan and Vidya Balan. Her reserve performance once again amazed the viewers. She received the filmfare award for the best actress in 2010 for her brilliant performance in the film Paa. In 2010, her other performance in the film Ishqiya opposite Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi was well appreciated by the viewers. Her role of a widow was really experimental in nature. The character as depicted by Vidya Balan had amazed many viewers. She received the star entertainment award for the best actress for the phenomenal performance in the film Ishqiya. She should continue to act in reserve roles which suit her characteristics in the years to come.

Happy birth anniversary to Royal Actor Pradeep Kumar.

Viewers of Bollywood films wish Happy birth anniversary to brilliant actor Pradeep Kumar on 4th January, 2021. Whenever any reference relating to everlasting singer Mohammad Rafi comes, the attention goes to the big budget films and songs for big banners. Rafi is known the most for singing catchy numbers for Shammi Kapoor under the composition of Shankar Jaikishan and classical songs for Dilip Kumar under the composition of Naushad Ali. Although Rafi had sung brilliant songs for all the leading actors of 40s, 50, and 60s, much had been written about the successful films where both the songs and the films did excellent business. But Rafi had sung excellent songs for Pradeep Kumar under the composition of Roshanlal Nagrath, where even if the mass was not touched, the class was addressed and the royal andaz of singing showed the range of Rafi to suit his voice for any form of playback singing. The magic of Roshanlal Nagrath, Pradeep Kumar and Mohammad Rafi started in Aarti released in 1962. Phani Majumdar directed the film. Four of the songs of Rafi stand out, “aapne yaad dilaya”, “ab kya misaal doon”, “baar baar tohe kya” and “tere bin lage na jiya”. Some of them were solo songs, while others were duet songs sung with Lata Mangeshkar. There were other duet songs of Rafi with Asha Bhosle, but the ones in pathos andaz like “aapne yaad dilaya” mesmerized the audience. The lyrics of Majrooh Sultanpuri, the composition of Roshanlal Nagrath, the voice of Mohammad Rafi and lips of Pradeep Kumar made the viewers spellbound. None of the songs had lost their charm even today. The magic continued in the film Tajmahal in 1963. M. Sadiq directed the film. Pradeep Kumar played the role of Shahjahan while Beena Roy played the role of Mumtaz Mahal. Here the combination was different with Sahir Ludhiyanvi writing the songs for Roshan which were sung by Mohammad Rafi. Four of Rafi’s songs were masterpieces including “jo wada kiya wo nibhana parega”, “paon chulene do phulonko inayat hogi”, “chandi ka badan”, and “jo baat tujhme hai”. Roshanlal Nagrath won the filmfare award for the best composer only once in his life, that was for the composition of the music of the film Tajmahal. He deserved it many more number of times. Sahir Ludhiyanvi won the best lyricist award for the lyrics of the film. Rafi was as outstanding as Pradeep Kumar in the role of Shahjahan. The magic continued in the film Chitralekha in 1964. Kidar Sharma directed the film. Pradeep Kumar, Meena Kumari and Ashok kumar played the main roles. Rafi’s song “man re tu kahe na dheer dhare” is still considered one of the 10 best bhajans Rafi had sung. Sahir Ludhiyanvi wrote the songs of the film. Rafi’s other song “cha gaye badal” was equally impressive. The Roshan, Rafi, Pradeep Kumar combination continued in the film Bheegi Raat in 1965. It was directed by Kalidas. Rafi’s songs in the film “dil jo na keh saka”, “aise to na dekho”, “jane wo kaun hai kya naam hai”, “mohabbat se dekha” all were masterpieces. Some were duets with Suman Kalyanpur, while the others were solo songs sung by Mohammad Rafi. Lyrics were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. The words were excellent. Rafi was unparallel in all the songs. The combination continued in the film Bahu Begum in 1967. It was directed by M. Sadiq. Rafi’s songs “hum intezar karenge tera qawamat tak”, “dhoond ke layun kahan se”, “vakiv hoon ishqgade” were all masterpieces. While some had ghazal andaz, the others were stand out qawallies with Manna Dey. Roshan was as brilliant as Mohammad Rafi as Sahir Ludhyianvi. In the same year, the combination was sublime in the film Noorjahan. Rafi sang the songs “aap jab se kareeb aye hain” and “wo mohabbat wo wafayen” in style. For a change the lyrics were written by Shakeel Badayani. The unfortunate death of Roshanlal Nagrath in 1967, ended the journey of Rafi with Roshan and Pradeep Kumar. Otherwise masterpieces after masterpieces could be created. Rafi’s archive should preserve the songs of Pradeep Kumar and Roshan, which showed the royal andaz of music existing in the courts of Mughals

Rafisahab sang landmark songs between 1972 to 1975

Rafisahab sang many landmark songs between 1972 to 1975. By: Dr Souvik Chatterji (Associate Professor in Law and Head of Department, JIS University, Kolkata) Rafisahab is remembered all over the world on his birth anniversary on 24th December, 2020. He had remained an inspiration for numerous singers all over the world. While he received filmfare for best male playback singer 6 times, there were many more songs in which he deserved the filmfare award. There is a wrong conception that he had a lean period between 1972 to 1975. Here are the landmark songs sung by Rafisahab during that period of time. In 1972 film Pakeezah, Rafisahab sang the song “chalo dildar chalo chand ke paar chalo” composed by Ghulam Mohammad. It was a super hit song. In 1972, Rafisahab sang landmark songs for Rajender Kumar film Gora Aur Kala composed by Laxmikant Pyarellal. The songs included “ek na ek din yeh kahaani banegi”, “dhoom mach gayi dhoom” and “tere nain nashe de pyale” which became hit. In Dilip Kumar’s film Dastan, Rafisahab’s tragedy song “na tu zameen ke liye” was a super hit song composed by LP. In 1972, Raj Kumar film Dil Ka Raja, had few Rafisahab hit songs including “jao tum jao”, and “sundar ho aise tum”. In Dharmender and Rajender Kumar film Lalkar, Rafisahab sang landmark song “aaj galo muskuralo”, “bol mere saathiya”, “zara murke do dekh” composed by Kalyanji Anandji all were super hit songs. In Jeetender film Roop Tera Mastana in 1972, Rafisahab’s song “bari bewafa hai yeh” composed by LP became super hit. In 1972, Rafisahab’s song “patta patta boota boota” for Amitabh Bacchan in film Ek Nazar became super hit. In 1973, Rafisahab’s song “tum jo mil gaye ho” became cult song composed by Madanmohan Kohli in film Hanste Zakhm. In 1973, Rafisahab song “aaj mausam bara beimaan hai” for Dharmender film Loafar became super hit and once again used in film Monsoon Wedding. In 1973, Rafisahab song “yadon ki baraat” and “chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko” composed by RD Burman in Dharmender film Yaadon Ki Baraat became super hit. In 1973 Shashi Kapoor film Naina, Rafisahab song composed by Shankar Jaikishan “humko to jaan se pyari hai”, “mujhe tu ne maar dala”, became super hit. In 1974, Rafisahab song for Anil Dhawan in film Hawas titled “teri galiyon me na rakhe the kadam” composed by Usha Khanna became bumper hit. Rafisahab song in 1974, “ek daal par tota bole” for Shashi Kapoor in film Chor Machaye Shor composed by Ravindra Jain became super hit. Rafisahab’s song “kaise jeete hai bhala” in Dharmender’s film Dost composed by LP became super hit. In 1974, Rafisahab song “mai wohi wohi baat” for Sanjeev Kumar in film Naya Din Nayi Raat, composed by LP became super hit. In 1974, Rafisahab song “banda parwar mai kahan” and “na tujhse dur ja saku” for Dharmender in film Pocket Maar composed by LP became super hit. In 1975, Rafisahab’s song “chari re chari” in Sanjeev Kumar film Mausam, composed by Madanmohan Kohli became super hit. In 1975, Rafisahab song “jat yaamla pagla deewana” for Dharmender in film Patrigya composed by LP became super hit. In 1975, Rafisahab’s song “babul ke ghar ke baad” for Rajender Kumar in film Sunehra Sansar composed by Naushadsahab became big hit. The lists are too long and it is difficult to cover majority of hit songs of Rafisahab between 1972 to 1975. From 1976 onwards Rafisahab’s songs flabbergasted the audience in films like Amar Akbar Anthony, Laila Majnu, Qurbani, Karz, Sargam, Naseeb, Shaan and other films. Rafisahab never had any lean period. Right from Dilip Kumar to Rajender Kumar, Dharmender to Jeetender, Rishi Kapoor to Sanjeev Kumar, majority of stars were indebted to landmark songs of Rafisahab. The films and songs require restoration.