HE THOUGHT US HOW TO LAUGH : REMEMBERING MEHMOOD

HE THOUGHT US HOW TO LAUGH - REMEMBERING MEHMOOD

WRITTEN BY: RAJESH V. GAUR and SUNEEL V. GAUR

EMAIL: sunrise607@rediffmail.com

 Actor Mehmood’s death anniversary will be observed on 23rd July 2014. RAJESH V. GAUR AND SUNEEL V. GAUR chronicle the life and times of the star.

The inimitable Mehmood was Bollywood’s best-known comedian. Mehmood made the comedian’s role an integral part of the story line. Often the comedian’s plight proved more interesting than even the hero’s romance. Thanks to Mehmood comedy was king in the 1960s and Mehmood was the uncrowned king of this genre.

                                       
 Mehmood was the son of character-actor/dancer Mumtaz Ali and used to tag along with his father to the film studios. He began acting as a (reluctant) child actor in some Bombay Talkies’ films like Kismet Mehmood’s first real role in films, he played a gangster in Guru Dutt’s suspense thriller – CID. After that, Guru Dutt gave him a small part in Pyaasa.

While he was struggling in Bombay Talkies, he made friends with another upcoming actor Kundan. Their friendship lasted through thick and thin and they were friends forever. Kundan was a grea help to him during his days of struggle.
                                                     

 

Mehmood with his dear friend Kundan.

 

Luckily for Mehmood, he got his first noticeable “break” in Parvarish (1958), in which he landed a role as Raj kapoor the lead actor gave him a real tough time, since he was a newcomer. Years later, when Mehmood was at the peak of his career – Mehmood single-handedly spoofed them all in a triple role in the film Humjoli.

                                              

 After Paravrish, Mehmood got meatier roles in films like Gumnam, Pyar Kiye Jaa and Pyar Hi Pyar. In 1961, he played the lead comedian in Sasural. This was followed by – hits like Love in Tokyo and Ziddi etc. Mehmood's his fans just could not get enough of him as a “side-comedian” in the movies. And a time came, when he was so much “in demand” that producers approached him, offering him full-length comedy films.
Mehmood teamed up with another comedian, I. S. Johar, in Namasteji. The comic duo went on to make several more capers – which immortalized them in Bollwood , by incorporating their names in the film’s titles – Johar Mehmood in Goa followed by Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong. By the early 70s, Mehmood was at then at the peak of his comic career. He exhibited a rare ability to gauge the mood of the cinema-going audience – especially the frontbenchers!
Mehmood’s super stardom caused a lot of insecurity and anxiety in Bollywood acting circles as he was a scene stealer and overshadowed even the heroes. After two decades of success, Mehmood’s comedy began to come undone. His caricatures – especially his spoofs on South Indians -- had begun to bore the audiences. Sadly he could not re-invent himself as effortlessly as he had in the past.
                                         

                                               
 Thus Mehmood decided to concentrate on his own production house which made films like Chhote Nawab, Bhoot Bangla, Padosan. Kunwara Baap
, etc. He also made Bombay to Goa and gave the then struggling newcomer Amitabh Bachchan the lead role,thus helping him carve a niche in Bollywood.
In the 1990s Mehmood was keeping indifferent health and he had also lost the ability to feel the pulse of film buffs . He was eventually eclipsed by the new breed of comediens and retired from films.
Mehmood will forever be remembered as he appeared in his heydays – as the King of Comedy. He taught the film buffs the ability to laugh!

                                                     

  WRITTEN BY: RAJESH V. GAUR and SUNEEL V. GAUR

PERFECTION WAS NAUSHAD SAHAB'S MOTTO

PERFECTION WAS NAUSHAD SAHAB'S MOTTO

WRITTEN BY: RAJESH V. GAUR and SUNEEL V. GAUR
EMAIL: sunrise607@rediffmail.com

 Music maestro Naushad’s birth anniversary will be observed on 25th December. The Lucknow born Naushad’s orthodox family was against his growing passion for film music and he often got caned due to his love for music. But there was no stopping Naushad saab, the film buff, from pursuing his goal of becoming a music director.After working as an assistant to many music directors of the time Naushad hit big time as an independent music with the successful Premnagar in 1940. But it was the music of Rattan in 1944 that etched Naushad’s name forever in the annals of Indin film music history. The film and the songs are remembered to this day.                                    
                                        
                                           

 

Naushad churned out hit after hit in the 1940s mainly in the films of A.R. Kardar - Shahjehan, Dard, Dillagi, Dulari, and Mehboob Khan - Anmol Ghadi (1946), Anoki Ada, Andaaz,etc.Naushad was among the early composers, who, gave Lata Mangeshkar an opportunity to sing for Andaaz and Dulari which were instrumental in her rise to the top along with Mahal.
But conceivably Naushad`s supreme contribution was to base film songs on Indian Classical Music. Many of his compositions were inspired by Ragas and he even used distinguished classical artistes like Ustad Amir Khan and D.V. Pulaskar in Baiju Bawra (1952) and Ustad Bade Gulam Ali Khan in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Baiju Bawra demonstrated Naushad`s grasp of classical music. Lata Mangeshkar once said the music Naushad saab composed for Baiju Bawra surprised her as it It was entirely different from what he had done before. The purity of the ragas was maintained to the greatest possible extent.    
                                             
                                          

                          Naushad with friend writer Vrajendra Gaur 

 Naushad used to study every aspect of his tunes thoroughly. If he weren`t contented with even one word, he would ask the lyricist to pen the entire song again, to his satisfaction. It is important to mention here that most of Naushad's songs were written by Shakeel and sung by Rafi. He would take a fortnight to compose a single song. Perfection was his motto.

This condensed workload worked to his advantage as he went on to score the music for perennial classics - Mother India (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Ganga Jamuna (1961) and Mere Mehboob (1963). In Mughal-e-Azam, Naushad`s musical score was outstanding. S it was indeed scandalous that Naushad lost the Filmfare award that year [1960], to Shankar-Jaikishen for their score in Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayee.
                                                     
                                                

 

NAUSHAD WITH SUNEEL GAUR

With the 1960s and the decline of Dilip Kumar, Naushad who used to compose music for most of the thespian`s film also suffered a reversal of fortune as film after film of theirs came unstuck at the box-office..

It is surprising that Nausahad saab arguably the greatest music director of Hindi films won just a solitary Filmfare award for Baiju Bawra because he deserved a lot more.

                                                    

 WRITTEN BY: RAJESH V. GAUR  and  SUNEEL V. GAUR

REMEMBERING THE LEGENDARY GENIUS : MEHBOOB KHAN

REMEMBERING THE LEGENDARY GENIUS: MEHBOOB KHAN

WRITTEN BY:  SUNEEL V. GAUR  AND  RAJESH V. GAUR

EMAIL: sunrise607@rediffmail.com


Legendary Mehboob Khan who made clssics like Mother India, Anmol Ghari and Andaaz passed away 50 years ago. For a man of humble origins he did very well for himself in life.
Mehboob Khan passed away in May 1964, so this happens to be the 50 death anniversary year of the distinguished film director. He was a man of humble beginnings but despite this handicap , Mehboob became one of India's greatest filmmakers. Mehboob has always been referred to as a legend. But how many movie buffs, really know the vast repertoire of work that Mehboob Khan possessed? Mehboob's craft was learnt in the Film Theatre, the common motif in his films usually being the oppressed poor pitted against the oppressive rich be it the poor tribal against the money-grabbing capitalist in Roti (1942), the commoner against the prince in Aan (1952) or the poor peasant woman against the slimy zamindar in Aurat (1940) and Mother India (1957)
. In 1940, 41 and 42 Mehboob made three of his most important films - Aurat (1940), Bahen (1941) and Roti (1942).
Aurat highlights a peasant's love for his land. The story of a resolute young woman who starts life full of hope and dreams but ends up old and careworn. Bahen was about a brother's obsessive love for his little sister but Roti was unlike anything Mehboob had done earlier. A blistering attack on capitalism and the lust for money. Mehboob then set up his own production house Mehboob Productions.. and came out with a regular output of films like Najma (1943), Taqdeer (1943) and Humayun (1945) they did not do well.

 Anmol Ghari (1946) which starred Suraiyya and Surendranath became a money spinner.The film also had a great musical track by Naushad.
Mehboob's next masterpiece was the super hit Andaz (1949). The volatile triangle to beat all triangles, Andaz remains startlingly modern even by today's standards . Mehboob followed Andaz with Aan (1952), his first film in colour. Amar (1954) ,regarded by Mehboob as his favourite film, flopped, at the box office.
In 1957, Mehboob,remade his earlier hit Aurat as Mother India. This epic saga depicted the sufferings of an Indian peasant woman . So tremendous was its success that the film is in fact a reference point in the long-suffering mother genre. After the high of Mother India , Mehboob’s next Son of India (1962) was a big disappointment and, in fact, his weakest film. This was his last directorial venture as Mehboob Khan died in 1964.
Mehboob was a filmmaker who mixed commerce with message and comes across as a man deeply rooted to the art of filmmaking.

WRITTEN BY:  SUNEEL V. GAUR AND  RAJESH V. GAUR