Continued from Previous Page

The 1960s – Golden Years – Part 12

In April 1965, I was deputed to the Fertilizer Corporation of India and posted as Transportation Officer at their Trombay factory in Bombay. I and my family lived in Bombay up to the end of term of deputation three years later, in April 1968.

The Hindi film industry became poorer by the loss of three of its best producers, Mehboob Khan, Bimal Roy, and Guru Dutt; veteran actor Motilal; two of the most successful actresses, Geeta Bali and Madhubala; Qawwali specialist music director Roshan; and one of the best lyricists in Hindi films, Shailendra. Anil Biswas, the Bhishma Pitamah of Hindi film music, quit the industry, preferring to join the All India Radio. Manoj Kumar joined the ranks of producers, and new entrants with a bright future appeared on the wings.

Notable Films (1965-1967)

Waqt, BR Chopra’s first colour film, directed by Yash Chopra, was a multi-star blockbuster. It was also the first BR Chopra film to top the list of highest-grossing films of the year. Earlier, Yash Chopra had directed Dhool Ka Phool and Dharmaputra, and was depressed at the commercial failure of Dharmaputra.

Waqt relates how an unexpected act of God can play havoc with our lives. A prosperous trader in Punjab believes that personal effort and not destiny has enabled him to succeed in life. Soon after celebrating his children’s birthday, he finds his property ruined and his family, consisting of his wife and three sons, scattered after an earthquake. They are reunited in Bombay years later under unexpected circumstances. Under Yash Chopra’s firm direction, Balraj Sahni and Achla Sachdev as the parents and Raaj Kumar, Sunil Dutt, and Shashi Kapoor as the sons, perform with finesse. Beautiful Sadhana and newcomer Sharmila Tagore provide the romantic interest, and Rahman and Madan Puri play the negative roles, with Shashikala in a cameo role. Ravi’s music and Sahir Ludhianvi’s lyrics add value to the film. Ae mere zohra zabeen is one of Manna Dey’s best songs, while Mohammed Rafi’s Waqt se din aur raat, Asha Bhonsle’s solos Kaun aaya ke, Chehre pe khushi, and Aage bhi jane na tu, and Mahendra Kapoor and Asha Bhonsle’s duets, Din hai bahar ke, Hum jab simatke aapki, and Maine ek khwab sa dekha hai were all well written, well composed, and well sung. Many websites mention that the dancer on whom the song Aage bhi jane na tu was picturised was Erica Lal, n American singer married to an Indian, but provide no further details about her. I watched the film in Bombay soon after its release. I do not recall any mention of an American singer in the film’s promos or reviews. The film’s credits also do not mention an American singer. It is inconceivable that an American singer would lend herself to front for an Indian playback singer, that too without being credited. We heard at the time that she was a Bombay model called Erica Lall, daughter of CS Lall, a senior officer of Indian Railways. He was the Project Manager of the Trombay unit of the Fertilizer Corporation of India for a while. Many of my colleagues in FCI knew him. Mahesh Kapoor, my batchmate in the Indian Railway Traffic Service, who was a neighbour of the Lalls in Bombay and knew Erica, confirmed that it is indeed Erica Lall, daughter of CS Lall, IRSME, after watching a video clip of the song.

The film began the trend of lost and found formula and multi-starrers in Hindi films. With Waqt, Raaj Kumar, who had played second lead for many years, turned into a star in his own right. With the huge box office success of Waqt, Yash Chopra established himself as a director and went on to become one of the most successful Indian filmmakers of all time. Yash Chopra was deeply affected by the events following the  Partition of the country and used some of them in Dhool Ka Phool and Dharmaputra. In Waqt, the earthquake that sends the family asunder is a symbol for the Partition.

BR Chopra wanted to cast the Kapoor brothers, Raj, Shammi, and Shashi, as the three brothers. When he mentioned it to Bimal Roy, the senior director advised him against it because the Kapoor brothers’ resemblance to each other is so striking that it would be difficult to convince viewers that they cannot recognise each other. BR Chopra retained Shashi Kapoor and picked Sunil Dutt for the second brother. Since Dharmendra played a negative role well in Aayee Milan ki Bela, Chopra offered him the role of the eldest brother, but Dharmendra turned it down, perhaps fearing its impact on his career. Raaj Kumar was reputed to be difficult to work with, but Chopra chose him, nevertheless. Later, he praised Raaj Kumar’s punctuality and commitment. Sunil Dutt hesitated to accept the role, fearing that Raaj Kumar would overshadow him with his powerful dialogues. BR Chopra persuaded him to accept the role.

Shankar Jaikishen were the first choice for music direction, but they insisted on having their regular lyricists, Shailendra and Hasrat Jaipuri, instead of BR Chopra’s favourite lyricist, Sahir Ludhianvi. BR Chopra dropped them and picked Ravi for the film.

Yash Chopra wanted the interiors of the houses of the rich characters in the film, Sunil Dutt’s adoptive parents, Sadhana’s parents, and Chinoy Seth, played by Rehman, to look realistic. Relying on the articles on interior design appearing in the Illustrated Weekly of India, he got his art director to create the sets accordingly, thus setting a trend for the future.

Bhanu Athaiya, who won the American Academy Award for Best Costume Design along with John Mollo for Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi (1982), was the costume designer for Waqt. She designed body-clinging kurta churidars for Sadhana and Sharmila Tagore that became a rage across the country.

In the 13th Filmfare Awards in 1966, Yash Chopra won his first Best Director Award, Raaj Kumar the Award for the Best Supporting Actor. Waqt also won Awards for Best Story, Best Dialogue, and Best Cinematography. It was nominated for Best Film and Sadhana for Best Actress.

Guide was Navketan’s first colour film, starring Dev Anand and Waheeda Rahman and directed by Vijay Anand. Based on RK Narayan’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of a dancer, married to an archaeologist, who spends much time on fieldwork, neglecting his wife, who pines to return to the stage. She leaves him for a professional tourist guide, who sponsors and manages her dance programmes successfully. Along the way, he is caught embezzling money, breaking her heart, and is jailed. Disowned by everyone on return from jail, he wanders aimlessly, ending up in a village temple on a wintry night, and lies down outside the temple. Seeing him shiver, a kind-hearted sadhu covers him with a saffron sheet. When the villagers see him the next morning, they assume that he is a travelling sadhu. They feed him and honour him while the guide goes along for the free food. A series of coincidences convinces the villagers that the guide is capable of performing miracles. When the village is hit by draught, the villagers are advised that rain will come if someone undertakes a fast unto death. A casual conversation overheard and misinterpreted by the village idiot lands the guide in the unenviable position of undertaking the fast. The word spreads and the village is flooded with devotees, including the dancer, eager to have a Darshan of the sadhu who staked his life for the welfare of the village. Face to face with his conscience, the guide gives up his life, as the skies open with the much-needed showers.

The idea of producing Guide was triggered when Dev Anand was approached by American director Tad Danielewski and writer Pearl S Buck for an American film based on the 1958 novel The Guide by R. K. Narayan. Dev Anand read the novel, decided to make the film in English and Hindi. Waheeda Rehman was Dev Anand’s choice for the lead role. To avoid a clash of dates for the two versions, Dev Anand put back the Hindi version. Chetan Anand, who would have directed the film, left Navketan to produce Haqeeqat. Raj Khosla was the next choice, but Waheeda Rehman was unwilling to work with him due to differences between them. Dev Anand tried to replace Waheeda Rehman with Saira Banu or Vyjayantimala, but it did not work out. Eventually, Raj Khosla was replaced by Vijay Anand. Initially, Vijay Anand was unwilling to make a film in which the heroine is unfaithful. Indian film producers and distributors believed that the heroine had to be portrayed as the Sita, Savitri type for viewers to empathize with her. To draw the sympathy of viewers, the heroine is depicted as a victim of seduction in Ye Rastey Hain Pyar Ke, rather than as a willing partner in sin. Vijay Anand compromised by showing that the heroine’s decision was triggered by her catching her husband enjoying wine and women. This was a departure from the book.

 Waheeda Rehman and Dev Anand gave memorable performances under Vijay Anand’s direction. I always thought Dev Anand was not an actor in the mould of Ashok Kumar and Dilip Kumar. He was romantic with cultivated mannerisms, and his acting lacked depth. Vyjayantimala, who starred with him in Amardeep, recalls,  “He was so debonair and easy-going, but …. I felt there was nothing serious, or any kind of intensity …. in his acting.” But in Guide, Vijay Anand was able to make him act.

SD Burman’s music and Shailendra’s lyrics were important contributors to the success of the film. Lata Mangeshkar’s solos, Aaj phir jeene li tamanna hai, Piya tose naina laage re, and Saiyaan beimaan, Mohammed Rafi’s solos, Din dhal jaaye, Kya se kya ho gaya and Tere mere sapne and Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar’s duet Gaata rahe mera dil are still popular. SD Burman’s Wahan kaun hai tera and Allah megh de paani de are in a class by themselves.

In 1961, SD Burman had a heart attack. At that time, he had already composed about five songs for Guru Dutt’s Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi. Guru Dutt rejected the suggestion to let RD Burman record the remaining songs. All the producers left SD Burman one by one. Dev Anand was the only producer to stay with him, delaying the film for his sake for more than six months.

At the 14th Filmfare Awards in 1966, Guide was nominated in nine categories and won seven awards. Guide was the first film to win all four major awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress.

Oonche Log, directed by Phani Majumdar, is based on the play Major Chandrakanth, by K. Balchander. The play has no female parts. The story is about Maj Chandrakant, a blind army veteran, his brothers, Sreekanth, a police officer, and Rajnikant, a student, who seduces his classmate and abandons her when she gets pregnant. The wronged woman commits suicide, and her enraged brother murders the offender and enters the Major’s house, in his attempt to escape from the police.  Ashok Kumar, Raaj Kumar, and Feroz Khan play the brothers, and Tarun Bose the killer on the run. In the play, the woman finds mention through a letter she writes her lover. In the film, Tamil actress KR Vijaya makes a fleeting appearance. Viewers are kept enthralled by the intense dialogues and superb acting by all the three main characters. The film was shot in Ooty, the queen of hill stations and cinematographer Kamal Ghosh captures its beauty specially in the song sequence of Jaag dil e diwana sung by Mohammed Rafi, one of Chitragupt’s best compositions. Haye re tere chanchal nainwa sung by Lata Mangeshkar and her duet with Mahendra Kapoor, Aa ja re mere pyar ke rahi were also popular. Oonche Log won the award for Second Best Feature Film in Hindi at the 13th National Film Awards in 1966 but was a commercial failure.