Cinema: The Magic Lantern!!

तुम मुझे यूँ भुला ना पाओगे .... Shammi Kapoor’s screen persona, his exuberance flamboyant acting, swept-back hair and smoldering eyes drew comparisons to American Rock-‘n’-Roll icon Elvis Presley. The debonair actor with ants-in-his-pants dancing style, brought flair and finesse to the songs with a flawless hip twist. The catchy upbeat musical numbers like ‘Suku Suku’ cemented his appeal among the filmgoers, who flocked to theatres just to see his antics and mannerisms. He graduated from serious roles to a light-hearted playboy. ‘Ehsaan Tera Hoga’ to ‘Ishaaro Ishaaro Mein Dil’, you recall any iconic number and you will find romantic icon Shammi ruling the screens and winning over hearts. His boisterous sensuality and confidence made him irresistible to his fans and he became arguably the first male pin-up of the Indian subcontinent, a sort of ‘Indian Elvis’. Shammi Kapoor’s journey to stardom began with prolonged and unremitting failures. He became an overnight sensation w...

Lataji at the cusp of 90 Elevating the tunes to soaring musical heights, evoking a gamut of emotions and encompassing practically every genre of Indian music, Lata Mangeshkar has captivated the listeners from all walks of life and became the most glittering star of Hindi film music. Her voice, like Mahatma Gandhi's loin cloth and Rabindranath Tagore's beard, has become a part of India's collective unconscious. She has elevated playback singing from its surrogate status to that of a highly valued component of the country's burgeoning entertainment industry. The sweetness, tenderness and melodiousness of her singing have remained unmatched. She has had an uncanny knack for conveying very succinctly the feel behind the lyrics of a song. Restraint in externalization of emotions is the beauty of Lata's singing. She is no Goddess but her prime era voice was plain divine. She is not flesh and bone but a personification of music. She has become an integral part...

Shaam-e-gham ki qasam, aaj ghamgin hain hum… Remember the musicals Footpath, Phir Subah Hogi, Shagun, Shola Aur Shabnam, Noorie , Shankar Hussain , Kabhi Kabhie, Bazaar , Umrao Jaan and Razia Sultan... and name of Mohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi flashes to our mind like the smell of green grass in spring. He facilitated a melodious unfolding of the verses in their truest meaning and sentiments, composing music that connected to the relevant milieu. He was famous for creation of out-of-the-box mellow tunes that chimes the strings of heart like fresh air. He belonged to a generation of musicians who composed haunting melodies that were excellent in expressions and formed integral part of the film's story. His music was light on the orchestration, imbued with romance and emotion. The essence of Khayyam's music was yearning which was most succinctly brought out in his compositions.  Khayyam was born as Sa’aadat Hussain in Rahon village of Nawanshahr distri...

A runaway lured by love for the world of glamour, Veeru Devgan fled from his home to Mumbai to become a hero but he became an acclaimed action choreographer with over hundred films from ‘Roti Kapda Aur Makaan’ to ‘Khoon Bhari Maang’ under his belt. Devgan's schlep and talent in action stunts was superb against the backdrop of a technologically-challenged environment. He was a genius in choreographing fights/stunts on the silver screen when there were no facilities available. His contribution to the cinema in a pre-VFX era is unparallel and he was always ahead of his times. Veeru Devgan, a legend of Hindi cinema, left his mark at a time when ‘pure action’ was the order of the day. He was heavily influenced by the Sikh Martial spirit and he learnt martial arts to pursue a career as a stuntman. He had the knack of bringing new techniques in action scenes and kept abreast with ever-changing technological advances in the world of action films. Action/stunt films have been addin...