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Celebrating 25 years of Refugee, Subhash K Jha shares Kareena Kapoor’s first, unpublished interview about her debut film. It is fascinating and not to be missed!

What was your reaction when you saw yourself for the first time on screen?

They were just showing clippings of Refugee on Sony television. I was watching that. I was quite nervous about seeing myself on screen. My mother and my sister told me that if I don’t like myself on screen, the audience won’t either. I think I am satisfied with my performance in Refugee.

I think the only debutante to make a similar impact was Dimple in Bobby, which incidentally was your grandfather’s film?

Refugee is very different from the usual launchpad, including Bobby. But I never feared rejection. I always knew I had to make everyone love my character of Nazneen. Every normal guy who was going to...

Asha Parekh And Shammi Kapoor ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Legendary actress Asha Parekh is one of the most iconic actresses of Hindi cinema. It’s been seven decades of her acting career in which she has shared screen with notable co-stars Rajesh Khanna, Shammi Kapoor, and Dharmendra. Let’s revisit the time when Asha Parekh broke her silence on rumours of her marriage to Shammi Kapoor. Read on to know more.

Asha Parekh Addressed The Marriage Rumours Linked To Shammi Kapoor

Asha Parekh was one of the highest-paid actresses of her time. Apart from her professional life, she has often been in the limelight because of her personal life. In a candid conversation with Arbaaz Khan’s chat show, The Invincibles Series Season 2, Asha Parekh opened up on her alleged marriage with co-star Shammi Kapoor. The 82-year-old actress shared, “This is a long story. We were shooting in Mahabaleshwar, and I...

Sunil Dutt didn’t pretend to be a feminist. It came naturally to him. He would pick up his wife the great Nargis’s trailing gown from the floor as easily as he could play the reformist hero of his lovely leading lady Nutan in the fabulous Sujata. And when Nutan became the dominant spouse in Khandaan , Dutt Saab surrendered wholeheartedly to the mollycoddling.

In an interview conducted in the 1990s, Sunil Dutt told Subhash K Jha. “I didn’t think of these things, whether my role was more or less than my leading lady. In Mother India, Nargisji was the hero. I am thankful for the opportunity to play her son in Mother India, that’s how we met and became man and wife.”

Among all the screen heroes, Sunil Dutt was the only true feminist. While several leading men pretend to believe in gender equality their actions prove otherwise.

Was there an actress more enchanting and engaging than Nutan? One thing is for sure. Nutan was unlike any other screen legend. She wasn’t a conventional beauty like Madhubala, nor as sprightly and spontaneous as Geeta Bali, or as graceful and rhythmic as Vyjayanthimala.

And yet, there was something about Nutan. Something deep and knowledgeable, as though she had unearthed the secret of the universe and couldn’t live with the burden of the knowledge. Born in 1931, Nutan Samarth was introduced to the screen by her mother, the legendary-in-her-own-right Shobhana Samarth, in a film aptly entitled Hamari Beti. Earlier stalwarts like Chandulal Shah and K Asif had offered her roles. But the doting mother took it upon herself to launch her beti.

Ironically, Nutan fell out with her mother over property disputes. The two women didn’t speak to each other for nearly two decades. Nutan was a fascinating mixture of steel and satin.

Subhash K Jha shines the spotlight on Raj Khosla and shares Filmistan praise for the noted producer, screenwriter and director. Along with the great films, focus also turns to the outstanding music he selected to enhance and expand his films -the man, his movies and the music.

Once while we were speaking about Raj Khosla, the great Manoj Kumar said to me, “How can the man who made suspense thrillers like Woh Kaun Thi and Anita with me make family dramas like Do Raaste and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki? I wasn’t part of Khosla’s family films or his dacoit dramas. But I couldn’t miss his versatility. No one could.”

Adds Sanjay Leela Bhansali, “I am a huge fan of Raj Khoslaji. Especially his music sense… My God! This is the genius whose films featured some of Hindi cinema’s best songs , ‘Aankhon hi aankhon mein’ (Cid...

There is a prevalent feeling among the fans of Sunil Dutt that he didn’t do much singing on screen, that his leading ladies did most of the crooning. This is not entirely untrue. But you would be surprised to know how many timeless songs the gracious Dutt crooned on screen.

1. ‘Jalte hai jiske liye’ (Sujata):

Many consider this to be the best ghazal that Talat Mahmood sang. Composed by Sachin Dev Burman it brings tears to those lucid eyes of Nutan when Sunil Dutt croons Majrooh Sultanpuri’s imperishable words over the phone. And ours, too. Talat and Majrooh were rightfully nominated for Filmfare awards.

2. ‘Aha rimjhim ke ye pyare pyare’ (Usne Kaha Tha): A breezy rain song composed by Salil Chowdhury, it gave Sunil Dutt (Sd) a romantic image that he never was comfortable with. “I was mostly cast in very serious roles, many of them of dacoits.

Shining the spotlight on the career of the incredible Sunil Dutt, Subhash K Jha walks down memory lane and hears from some of Dutt’s co-stars on why they thought he was so special.

“A true gentleman” is how the legendary Waheeda Rehman describes Sunil Dutt. “He was kind, considerate, and very supportive as a co-star. Dutt Saab ke baare mein jo tareef karen wohkam hai. All of us heroines felt very special in his presence. A wonderful friend, a devoted husband, and a terrific co-star, what more can any woman want? The films I did with Dutt Saab didn’t become big hits. But I cherished every moment of Reshma Aur Shera, which he directed. I even got the National Award for Reshma Aur Shera. Lekin National award unhe milni chahiye. Every frame in Reshma Aur Shera was Dutt Saab’s vision.”

From Nalini Jaywant in Railway Platform in...

Did you know that when Thank You did not do well, star Irrfan Khan was heartbroken? — In this edition of This Day That Year, Subhash K Jha takes a look back at the Anees Bazmee directed film released in 2011,

Anees Bazmee’s unsuccessful comedy Thank You, released on April 8, 2011, featured Irrfan Khan along with Akshay Kumar and Bobby Deol as guys out to have fun at their wives’ expense.

The film was a huge flop, a rarity in Bazmee’s career. But Irrfan was happy the film gave him a chance to dance alongside Akshay Kumar.

Men, we are told in this thankless comedy, are dogs. They cheat on their wives. And have themselves the time of their lives. And the wives, poor creatures, are so devoted to their spouses they observe the Karva Chauth for their pati-devils even when they have no reason to do so. Such devotion in show motion.

When Nutan Slapped Sanjeev Kumar(Photo Credit –zee5/Shemaroo/Facebook)

Nutan was one of those actresses who always let her work speak for herself. She is still celebrated as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema. This is the reason why she was left fuming after a rumor surrounding her personal life started making waves in the media. Not only this, but the actress also blamed actor Sanjeev Kumar for the same because of which she had once slapped the actor, inviting a huge controversy in the industry.

Talking about the incident, in an explosive interview with Stardust, Nutan revealed that she shared a strictly professional relationship with Sanjeev Kumar with whom she had shared the screen space in movies like Gouri and Devi. However, she soon started hearing her linkup rumors with the Sholay actor. Things soon went out of hand when she heard speculations about her living...

Padma Khanna, a trained Kathak exponent who turns a year older on March 10, was a better dancer than all the other dancing stars of her era. She could sizzle in cabarets and mujras without ever looking vulgar. Many iconic songs of the dance genre in the Hindi films of the 1960s-1980s were filmed on her.

To begin with, she had a minor role in the Biswajit starrer Biwi Aur Makaan in 1966, where she was billed as ‘Kumari Padma’. The really big break was the bold striptease in Vijay Anand’s Johnny Mera Naam. The song ‘Husn ke lakhon rang aag hai yeh badan kaun sa ang dekhoge’, and her provocative but never obscene dance moves as she stripped down to a bikini in front of a drooling Premnath, placed Padma on the perch of the prancing pyramid.

The offers poured in. And Padma made sway while the song shined.

What do you say about a film that hits you hard where it hurts the most, so hard that it takes your breath away? Water belongs to that rare category of films that have the power to re-define the parameters of cinema, to re-align the function and purpose of the medium, and to re-structure the way we, the audience look at the motion -picture experience.

It’s no coincidence that Deepa Mehta’s heroine is named Kalyani. Lisa Ray, as the tragic but irradiant widow, seems to echo Nutan’s Kalyani in Bimal Roy’s Bandini.

The tragic grandeur that Water wears on its resplendent sleeve is a quality that sets it apart from other reformist dramas. The film has a great deal to say about the plight of socio-economically challenged women, specifically the widows of Varanasi in the 1930s. The burning ghats and the waters that flow from them...

In this amazing list, Subhash K Jha reveals his choice for the top 10 female characters in Bollywood.

Nargis’ Radha in Mehboob Khan’s Mother India(1957):

Nargis played Radha, the deserted wife who brings up her two sons on her own and kills one of them when he turns into an outlaw. For the first time in a Hindi film, the female protagonist was portrayed as strong, resilient, conscientious, and doughty without losing her femininity. Nargis won both national and international awards.

Meena Kumari’s Choti Bahu in Guru Dutt’s Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962): In the feudal household where women were content wearing expensive sarees and jewellery and never mind what their husbands did with other women, this wife dared to raise her voice. If her husband liked to drink, no problem. Choti Bahu hit the bottle to have him stay at home. The portrait of a woman...

The film that Sushant Singh Rajput will be most remembered by, Sonechiriya, which turned six on March 1, is the most anguished plea against injustice and oppression since Bimal Roy’s Sujata. The deep silences in Abhishek Chaubey’s clenched narrative reminded me of Roy’s film about a Harijan girl (Nutan) looking for an identity.

We don’t have Harijans anymore as targets of exploitation. Director Abhishek Chaubey uses eerie silences in the stunning Chambal landscape to punctuate a sense of excruciating oppression. Besides Sushant and Ranvir Shorey, I came away with two heroes in Sonechiriya. The little brutalized girl from whom the film gets its title, whose devastated eyes still secrete a smile after all she has gone through. Raw, gritty, and compelling, Sonechiriya conveys a clandestine narrative style that never impinges on the violent disarray of the characters’ brutal, unpredictable lives. It is as Indian in spirit as cinema can get,...

I was only 24 when I met Manmohan Desai. Just eight years later, this man who was full of joie de vivre was gone.

How? The suddenness of this happy-go-lucky man’s death drove all of us movie buffs up the wall. To me Manji, still seems like the least likely candidate for self annihilation.

Though his aching back was against the wall, literally, he held forth on man movies and life with an infectious zest. His comments on offbeat films and filmmakers had me in splits. His films were kitsch art, though catch him admitting to anything arty about his works! His cinematic world encompassed a utopia where high melodrama resolved itself magically. To his abiding exasperation critics insisted on searching for logic in his films.

The maverick moviemaker said to me, “Do they realize how much brains and money are needed to make my kind of films? I really enjoy what I’m doing.

In this very special birthday feature noted director Sanjay Leela Bhansali reminiscences and shares fascinating thoughts and insight on the films he grew up watching. You do not want to miss this!

1. Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960): “The way Ritwick Ghatak used Rabindra Sangeet and the level of performance he got out of the leading lady Supriya Chowdhary act remain etched in my mind. Ritwick was so ahead of his times. He himself never knew why he was taking a shot in a particular way. Years later, someone like me, watching the film, discovered the emotional content, which was so potent that it survived all the ravages of time. Ritwick Ghatak understood the power of sound and image.”

2. Mirch Masala (1985): “For the sheer power of the folk tale. The folk tale is told in such vibrant colours. The use of colour red and the tribute to woman power. And at...

Subhash K Jha revists Nutan’s career and shines the light on her finest film in this special feature.

Bimal Roy made many moving movies marked as masterpieces for milleniums. Bandini remains just that bit more special than Devdas or Madhumati. Why? Just…

Nutan had almost given up films after marriage. But like Yash Chopra, who made Raakhee an offer which she couldn’t resist (Kabhi Kabhie), Bimal Roy tempted the titanic actress — and would Kate Winslet please mover over? — out of married bliss to play what the director promised would be the role of Nutan’s lifetime.

Nutan’s tempestuous performance as Kalyani embedded her name in gold in the hall of fame. Along with Nargis in Mother India, Meena Kumari in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, and Shabana Azmi in Arth, Nutan in Bandini is the most arresting character written for a mainstream Hindi heroine of the pre-70s era.

Milan Luthria who made his directorial debut on 19 February, 1999 with Kachche Dhaage revealed a music sense as evolved as his father, the great Raj Khosla. Raj Khosla’s film of the same name Kachche Dhaage in 1973 had Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s smash-hit songs ‘Hai hai ek ladka mujhko khat likhta hai’, ‘Kachche dhaage ke saath jisse bandh diya jaye’, ‘Mere bachpan tu jaa’, kZara se agar bewafa hum na hote’ and kJa re ja oh diwane’, all sung by Lataji.

26 years later, in Milan Luthria’s Kachche Dhaage, Lataji sang for Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for the first and last time. The song, ‘Oopar Khuda Aasman Neeche’ was originally sung by Nusrat Saab himself as an independent song.

Milan wanted the song in his debut film, and he wanted Lataji to sing it. Lataji was nearly 70 when she sang the impossibly high notes of the sublime number. It was recorded on 15 August...

Once I asked the inimitable unforgettable Dev Anand what his birthday wish was… His response was typical Da: “I don’t make wishes. I make them come true. I go with exactly what I want to do. It’s an ongoing process. As long as I feel creative and as long as I feel there are some people who want to watch my films I’ll continue to make them. If I’m not as enthusiastic about my new film then I’ve no business making it. The very fact that I’ve picked up the responsibility of directing another film proves I’ve the energy for it. The day I don’t, I won’t make any more films. My audience, my fans are my source of energy. I need my fans’ good wishes gives me my energy?”

And how does he define Dev Anand? Without a thought he replied,...

Pankaj Udhas earned his first accolade as a singer when he was 11 years old. He sang the patriotic song ‘Ae mere watan ke logon’ at a public event in his hometown Rajkot when the Sino-Indian War was raging in 1962, and he so impressed a member of the audience that he gifted the young singer what was then a princely sum of Rs 51.

Udhas, who passed into eternity on Monday, February 26, at the age of 72, however, had not planned to become a singer. He was training to play the tabla at the Sangeet Natya Academy in Rajkot, where he had been enrolled along with his brothers by his father, Keshubhai Udhas, a government official who had learnt to play the dilruba from Ustad Abdul Karim Khan.

Seeing his father play his favourite dilruba in his spare time inspired Udhas to pursue music seriously. His elder brothers, Manhar and Nirmal Udhas, also...

There are a number of stories about how Gulzar, who has been awarded the 58th Jnanpith Award along with Sanskrit scholar Jagatguru Rambhadracharya, became one of Hindi cinema’s most celebrated lyricists after being better known in his years as a struggler after Partition in Mumbai for his expertise in re-painting cars mauled in crashes.

The one that seems most credible, however, has come from him. Despite his skill with car colours, Gulzar’s first love was the written word and he was a regular at the Progressive Writers Association (Pwa), which was then a creative hub of just about every Titan in Hindi and Urdu literature.

It was at Pwa meetings that the undiscovered poet struck up a friendship with lyricist Shailendra, who introduced him to Bimal Roy, who, in turn, told him that he was wasting his time and talent at a car workshop.

Roy drafted Gulzar, till...

Actress Pranutan, who made her acting debut with ‘Notebook’ revealed the story behind her name and its connection with her grandmother, legendary actress Nutan. Pranutan appeared on the special episode of singing reality show ‘Indian Idol 14’, ‘Celebrating Nutan Ji’. Ace actor Mohnish Bahl, was accompanied by his wife, Ekta Sohini, and daughters, Pranutan and Krishaa.

During the episode, Pranutan shared how her grandfather Rajnish Bahl wanted to name her after the ‘Nagina’ star Nutan.

She said: “My grandfather named me; he wanted to name me after his late wife, ‘Nutan.’ However, at the request of my dad, who couldn’t bring himself to call me Nutan out of respect for his mom, I was named Pranutan, which means a new life.”

The episode saw Nagpur’s Utkarsh Wankhede’s marvelous performance of the songs ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’ and the title track from the film ‘Tere Ghar Ke Saamne’.

On the work front,...

Mohnish Bahl took a stroll down the memory lane and recalled his mother Nutan shooting for the track ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’ at the iconic Qutub Minar. Mohnish appeared on the singing reality show ‘Indian Idol 14’s special episode ‘Celebrating Nutan Ji’. He was accompanied by his wife, Ekta Sohini, and daughters, Pranutan and Krishaa.

The episode saw Nagpur’s Utkarsh Wankhede’s marvelous performance of the songs ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’ and the title track from the film ‘Tere Ghar Ke Saamne’.

Reminiscing about the legendary actress and his mom Nutan, the ‘Hum Saath-Saath Hain’ fame actor shared an anecdote of the filming of the song ‘Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar’, sung by Mohammed Rafi from the 1963 movie ‘Tere Ghar Ke Samne’, starring Dev Anand and Nutan in the lead.

He said: “I remember that Mom shared an incident where a large crowd blocked Qutub Minar from all sides,...

Mumbai, Jan 18 (Ians) Actress Pranutan Bahl, granddaughter of legendary actress Nutan, is set to star in her maiden Hollywood feature ‘Coco & Nut’, opposite American actor-filmmaker Rahsaan Noor.

Billed as a “spirit-lifting romance”, the charming love story is directed by Rahsaan Noor.

“Feeling worthless, an ambitious young woman (Pranutan) fighting to save her marriage gets a pick-me-up from her know-it-all college sweetheart (Rahsaan),” the official logline of ‘Coco & Nut’ reads.

Production for the film will be in English and Hindi and will take place entirely in Chicago from June to July this year, with a diverse cast and crew drawn from both the United States and India.

After films like Salman Khan backed ‘Notebook’ (2019) and comedy drama Helmet (2022), the upcoming film marks Pranutan’s International debut.

“I’ve always wanted to do a romantic drama,” Pranutan expressed.

“‘Coco & Nut’ is a beautiful story in which my character, Nut, journeys through a transformative phase in her life.

In a remarkable leap into the international film scene, Pranutan Bahl, the granddaughter of legendary actress Nutan, is poised to make her Hollywood debut. The talented actress is set to star in the upcoming film titled ‘Coco & Nut’ alongside American actor-filmmaker Rahsaan Noor, marking a significant milestone in her career.

A Stellar Debut: Pranutan Bahl in ‘Coco & Nut’

Pranutan Bahl, whose lineage in the film industry is deeply rooted, is stepping onto the global stage with ‘Coco & Nut.’ The film, directed by Rahsaan Noor, showcases his directorial prowess following the success of the critically acclaimed ‘Bengali Beauty’ in 2018.

Production Details and Cultural Fusion

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Chicago, ‘Coco & Nut’ is slated for production from June to July this year. The film, primarily in English with sprinklings of Hindi dialogues, boasts a diverse cast and crew hailing from both the United States and India. This cultural fusion promises a unique cinematic experience,...

Actor Meezaan Jaffrey, who will be seen as a guest on the singing reality show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2023’, grooves on his father Javed Jaffrey’s track ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’. The song is from the 1985 legal drama film ‘Meri Jung’ directed by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Nutan, Anil Kapoor, Meenakshi Seshadri, Amrish Puri, A K Hangal, Iftekhar, Khushbu and Parikshit Sahni. This was Javed Jaffrey’s debut film.

The song ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’ is originally sung by Kishore Kumar, Javed Jaffrey, and S. Janaki.

‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ features Himesh Reshammiya, Neeti Mohan, and Anu Malik as judges, and Aditya Narayan as the host. Now, every week the top 11 contestants are giving their best to impress the judges and the audience to win the singer of the week title.

While the show’s refreshing format and introduction of fresh talent have created a stir among the audience,...

Actor Meezaan Jaffrey, who will be seen as a guest on the singing reality show ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa 2023’, grooves on his father Javed Jaffrey’s track ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’. The song is from the 1985 legal drama film ‘Meri Jung’ directed by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Nutan, Anil Kapoor, Meenakshi Seshadri, Amrish Puri, A K Hangal, Iftekhar, Khushbu and Parikshit Sahni. This was Javed Jaffrey’s debut film.

The song ‘Bol Baby Bol Rock-n-Roll’ is originally sung by Kishore Kumar, Javed Jaffrey, and S. Janaki.

‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ features Himesh Reshammiya, Neeti Mohan, and Anu Malik as judges, and Aditya Narayan as the host. Now, every week the top 11 contestants are giving their best to impress the judges and the audience to win the singer of the week title.

While the show’s refreshing format and introduction of fresh talent have created a stir among the audience,...

Three-fourth of his 88-year-long life was spent in acting and of these, six and a half decades, over half, had Dev Anand playing the lead (romantic) role, even as his peers and even several of his leading ladies had moved on or out. In the process, Dev Anand ended up being paired against at least three generations of heroines, if not four, as he transitioned from his early days where his female co-lead was the bigger star to a time when most actresses were keen on working with him as he sauntered from success to success with that charming demeanour and the winning smile.

While most of his early heroines, say, Kamla Kotnis, who was cast against him in his debut “Hum Ek Hai” (1946), Kamini Kaushal, the heroine of his first hit “Ziddi” (1948), Khursheed Bano or Nimmi or Shakila will only be familiar to hardcore film buffs or movie historians,...

Three-fourth of his 88-year-long life was spent in acting and of these, six and a half decades, over half, had Dev Anand playing the lead (romantic) role, even as his peers and even several of his leading ladies had moved on or out. In the process, Dev Anand ended up being paired against at least three generations of heroines, if not four, as he transitioned from his early days where his female co-lead was the bigger star to a time when most actresses were keen on working with him as he sauntered from success to success with that charming demeanour and the winning smile.

While most of his early heroines, say, Kamla Kotnis, who was cast against him in his debut “Hum Ek Hai” (1946), Kamini Kaushal, the heroine of his first hit “Ziddi” (1948), Khursheed Bano or Nimmi or Shakila will only be familiar to hardcore film buffs or movie historians,...

If India ever had a star, it was Dev Anand. He was the mould in which subsequent generations of stars were cast. Dev Anand was born Dharamdev on September 26, 1923, in the Shakargarh tehsil of Gurdaspur district of Punjab. His father Pishori Lal Anand was a successful advocate and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Dev, the third of four brothers, graduated with English Honours from Government College, Lahore. He moved over to Bombay to join his older brother Chetan, who was trying to get a break in films.

Both brothers got involved in the progressive Indian People’s Theatre Association (Ipta). Chetan made ‘Neecha Nagar’ in 1946 and went on to win the Grand Prix at the inaugural Cannes film festival.

Dev told me that when he heard that Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios was casting for a new film, he literally gatecrashed into his office and got the lead...

If India ever had a star, it was Dev Anand. He was the mould in which subsequent generations of stars were cast. Dev Anand was born Dharamdev on September 26, 1923, in the Shakargarh tehsil of Gurdaspur district of Punjab. His father Pishori Lal Anand was a successful advocate and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Dev, the third of four brothers, graduated with English Honours from Government College, Lahore. He moved over to Bombay to join his older brother Chetan, who was trying to get a break in films.

Both brothers got involved in the progressive Indian People’s Theatre Association (Ipta). Chetan made ‘Neecha Nagar’ in 1946 and went on to win the Grand Prix at the inaugural Cannes film festival.

Dev told me that when he heard that Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios was casting for a new film, he literally gatecrashed into his office and got the lead...

New Delhi, Sep 3 (Ians) Veteran actress Moushumi Chatterjee fondly remembered the late Nutan, and shared an invaluable life lesson she gleaned from the iconic actress, saying the latter was the source of unparalleled inspiration.

Moushumi graced the stage of the dance reality show ‘India’s Best Dancer 3’ as the special guest.

The ‘Dance Ka Triple Dhamaal’ special episode promise a fusion of remarkable talents, as two contestants unite with a choreographer to stun one and all with captivating performances.

One of the standout moments of the episode unfolds during host Jay Bhanushali’s engaging session with Moushumi.

Speaking of her profound admiration for Nutan, Moushumi shared: “Nutan Ji, as a guru devi and a source of unparalleled inspiration, possessed an extraordinary aura. Beyond her impeccable make-up, she embodied the essence of a true artist.”

“From her era-defining roles alongside Kishor Kumar ji to her timeless performance in ‘Saraswati Chandra,’ she was a complete actress.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Sunday shared a throwback picture of former Prime Minister of India and her father Rajiv Gandhi on his birth anniversary. The picture in question was clicked by veteran Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who had good relations with Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.

Taking to Instagram, Priyanka shared a photo along with a montage video of her father, with a backdrop song of ‘jeena isi ka naam hain’ from the 1959 film ‘Anari’. It was sung by Mukesh. The film starred Raj Kapoor and Nutan.

In the caption, Priyanka quoted the lines of the song: “Kisi ki muskuraahaton pe ho nisaar, kisi ka dard mil sake to le udhaar, kisi ke vaaste ho tere dil me pyaar, jeena isi ka naam hain.”

“These lines always reminds me of you. Whenever I listen to this song my eyes are filled with tears. Photo credit- @amitabhbachchan Ji,” added Priyanka.

New Delhi, Aug 8 (Ians) Veteran actress Saira Banu’s new social media post has grabbed everyone’s heart reminiscing the priceless bond that late actor Dilip Kumar and Director Subhash Ghai shared, and how they continued to work together for the film ‘Karma’.

Ever since her debut on Instagram, Saira has been seen sharing beautiful memories of Dilip Kumar. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Saira shared a delightful incident of the first interaction between Dilip Kumar and Subhash Ghai.

She shared a throwback coloured happy picture of the two, stating: “Sahib’s artistic union with Subhash Ghai not only resulted in cinematic triumphs but also solidified their close bond, reflecting the impact of their creative journey together.”

Saira also opened up on the 1986 action thriller film ‘Karma’, which has marked 37 years on Tuesday.

“During the 80s, along with a well-known film distributor, Rn Mandre, Subhash Ji had flown to Bangalore...

She breathed her last at a private hospital here this evening, said Bollywood sources.

Sulochana – as she was popular in the film industry – was noted for wide ranging roles, from lead roles supporting characters to a motherly figure, and endeared herself to the viewers for over six decades.

Some of her memorable early performances as the lead heroine were in Marathi films like "Sasurvas", "Vahinichya Bangdya", "Meeth Bhakar", "Sangtye Aika" and "Dhakti Jau" and many more.

Born on July 30, 1928 at Khadaklat village of Belagavi (now in Karnataka), she made her film debut in 1946.

Among her top Bollywood films was in the Bimal Roy classic, "Bandini" (1963), which is remembered even today.

Other Hindi films in which she acted include "Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai", "Duniya", "Amir Garib", "Baharon Ke Sapne", "Kati Patang", "Mere Jeevan Saathi", "Pyar Mohabbat", "Duniya", "Johny Mera Naam", "Warrant", "Joshila", "Doli", "Prem Nagar", "Aakraman", "Bhola Bhala", "Tyaag", "Aashiq...

Mumbai, May 4 (Ians) Sixty years after Dharmendra played Nutan’s unrequited lover in Bimal Roy’s last feature film, ‘Bandini’ (1963), his grandson, Karan Deol, is all set to marry the pioneering director’s great grand-daughter and fashion designer, Drisha Roy.

Drisha, explains a source close to the family, is the grand-daughter of Bimal Roy’s daughter, Rinki Bhattacharya, who was married to filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya (‘Teesri Kasam’ and ‘Aavishkar’).

Karan’s wife-to-be’s mother, Chimoo B. Acharya, who moved to Dubai in 1998, is a former advertising executive and promoter of one of the Middle East’s top event management companies. Drisha chose to drop the surname Acharya and adopt that of her illustrious great-grandfather.

The impending marriage therefore is being billed as a marriage of two film dynasties. Karan Deol is the newbie actor-son of Bollywood actor-director and Gurdaspur MP Sunny Deol and his wife Lynda (aka Pooja). Drisha is...

Mumbai, May 3 (Ians) It has been over three decades to Anil Kapoor’s iconic dialogue ‘jhakaas’ as his film ‘Yudh’ has clocked 38 years in Hindi cinema.

Anil took to Twitter, where he shared a slew of stills from the film, which marked the directorial debut of producer Gulshan Rai’s son Rajiv Rai in 1985.

He wrote: “38 Years of #Yudh and 38 years since #Jhakassss came into our lives and never left! ?? I always remember #Yudh very fondly for so many reasons! Working with the producer Gulshan Rai and his son Rajiv was a pleasure, Tina Munim was a fabulous costar and Jackie was, as always, a blast!”

Anil shared that he also loved working with Nutan because “she was always so warm and caring, she reminded me of my own mother.”

“Plus, who can forget a dream chance to dance with the one and only Hemaji! Yudh really was a gift...

As the singing reality show, ‘Indian Idol 13’ reaches its finale, contestants Debosmita Roy and Shivam Singh celebrated 110 years of feature films in India which started with the silent movie ‘Raja Harishchandra’ in 1913. They performed the iconic song ‘Main Ban Ki Chidiya Banke’ from the 1936 classic film ‘Achhut Kannya’ featuring Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani.

‘Achhut Kannya’ was a story that highlighted an important issue of untouchability practiced in the country at that time and it was among the initial successful films of that era. It was directed by Bavarian filmmaker Franz Osten and is considered to be a reformist project. Later, in 1953, director Amiya Chakrabarty made the film ‘Patita’ starring Dev Anand and Usha Kiran on the same theme and it was followed by Bimal Roy’s ‘Sujata’ featuring Nutan which was released in 1959.

Their performance grabbed the eyeballs of the judges as well as celebrity guests including choreographer Geeta Kapur...

Actors Hetal Puniwala and Soni Singh have joined the cast of ‘Saavi Ki Savaari’ in the roles of Rishikesh and Laali, respectively, which promises to add more spice to the show.

The show revolves around Saavi, an optimistic young woman who defies gender norms and societal expectations by pursuing a male-dominated profession of driving an autorickshaw in Ujjain to support her family. Samridhii Shukla brilliantly portrays the character of Saavi, while Farman Haider plays Nityam, the businessman who falls in love with her.

As the story progresses, Saavi and Nityam navigate through the challenges of their married life. However, their relationship faces a new hurdle as Saavi uncovers Raksham’s true identity and manages to stop his shraadh pooja (funeral rite), leading to Nityam’s decision to divorce her.

The upcoming episodes promise to be even more dramatic as Saavi demands her rightful share of the property, while new characters Rishikesh and Laali,...

Hyderabad, Jan 27 (Ians) Veteran actress Jamuna passed away here on Friday after a brief illness. She was 86.

She breathed her last at her residence, family sources said.

Jamuna, who acted in about 200 movies in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi, is survived by a son and a daughter.

She was born at Hampi in Karnataka on August 30, 1936, but her parents Nippani Srinivasa Rao and Kowsalya Devi moved to Andhra Pradesh. She received her primary education at Duggirala in Guntur district and was a stage artist in her school days.

Jamuna, whose real name was Jana Bai, made her acting debut at the age of 16 with Puttillu (1953) directed by Garikapari Rajarao.

It was L. V. Prasad’s Missamma (1955) which gave her recognition. She had played a supporting character in the film with the lead roles played by N. T. Rama Rao, Savitri and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. In a career spanning four decades,...

Bollywood actress Kajol talked about late veteran actress Nutan and how she inspired her in life.

She also revealed that the ‘Sujata’ actress was also an amazing singer and she used to play harmonium at home.

Kajol started her acting career in 1992 with the movie ‘Bekhudi’ though she rose to fame with ‘Baazigar’. Later she did movies such as ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Dilwale’ and now the actress is all set for her next which is Revathi’s directorial ‘Salaam Venky’.

She said while talking about Nutan: “I was too little when Nutan maasi(aunt) was a superstar, and when I grew up, I watched her in the role of a mother in most of the films. She was also a very brilliant and talented singer and used to perform for us on her Harmonium.”

The 48-year-old actress appeared on the singing reality show ‘Sa Re...

By Quaid Najmi

As he turns 80 on October 11, the living legend Amitabh Bachchan – Bollywood’s biggest superstar in its 110-years’ history – can look back with satisfaction at his long career on the silver screen, where he became a icon along with a galaxy of leading ladies.

It was in 1969 – when man landed on the moon – that Bachchan took his first small step with “Saat Hindustani”, which ultimately proved to be a gigantic leap for his megastar-dom.

But he stood out in his maiden film – in the crowd of six other actors jostling for screen space in the pacey thriller themed on the Goa Liberation – with the sole female revolutionary – Shahnaz Vahanvati (daughter of the comedian Agha), gunning to free the west Indian territory from Portuguese clutches.

Subsequently, Bachchan notched a record of sorts, working with six generations of new, established, senior or junior heroines ranging from Mala Sinha and Nutan...

As he turns 80 on October 11, the living legend Amitabh Bachchan – Bollywood’s biggest superstar in its 110-years’ history – can look back with satisfaction at his long career on the silver screen, where he became a icon along with a galaxy of leading ladies.

It was in 1969 – when man landed on the moon – that Bachchan took his first small step with “Saat Hindustani”, which ultimately proved to be a gigantic leap for his megastar-dom.

But he stood out in his maiden film – in the crowd of six other actors jostling for screen space in the pacey thriller themed on the Goa Liberation – with the sole female revolutionary – Shahnaz Vahanvati (daughter of the comedian Agha), gunning to free the west Indian territory from Portuguese clutches.

Subsequently, Bachchan notched a record of sorts, working with six generations of new, established, senior or junior heroines ranging from Mala Sinha and Nutan to Rani Mukherjee and Jiah Khan,...

Dev Anand And World Tourism Day

Had he been alive on the eve of the World Tourism Day (celebrated on 27th September every year), Dev Anand would have taken the fans of cinema to a retrospective of his films and show cased to the world, how through his films he contributed to creating inquisitiveness and excitement for a country. His films shot on foreign locales kindled the element of wanderlust which otherwise is laid buried deep inside the heart, burdened by the day-to-day existence. Dev Anand indeed was the man who single-handedly was instrumental in kindling the latent urge among the Indians to travel to the different nooks and corners of the world as also to different nooks and corners of the countryside through the cinematic oeuvre that he left behind when he left the mortal world.

With the launch of Navketan Films, his own production house Dev Anand took...

By numbers, her work in the Hindi film industry seems quite scanty — at 33 films in around a decade and a half. But the statistics fail to reveal that, save around five, all were box-office hits, and some of them broke new ground, making her one of the most popular and successful actresses of all times — and a fashion icon too.

Though she struck gold right from her debut as female lead, and went on to become an “in demand” actress for everything, from frothy romances to tear-jerkers, Sadhana is most remembered for her trademark hairstyle — the famous “Sadhana cut” of fringes or short bangs (itself inspired by the elfin and charming Audrey Hepburn) — and pioneering form-fitting kurtas and churidar pyjamas.

But in her comparatively limited outings, Sadhana, who was born on this day in 1941, showcased her acting prowess. She could essay roles of a rich heiress to a village belle...

Actress Pranutan Bahl revealed her look in upcoming music video "Kaise hum bataye" on Thursday. The actress confesses jokingly complaining to her team about the fact that she had a lot of crying to do in the video.

Pranutan is Mohnish Bahl's daughter and late legend Nutan's grand-daughter, and she made her Bollywood debut in the 2019 film "Notebook". This is her first music video.

"There's a lot of crying in the song, so I used to tease my team saying that, you are making me cry a lot," she says.

About the track sung by Nikhita Gandhi, Pranutan says: "'Kaise hum bataye' is an ode to everyone who loves deeply, selflessly. The song has been shot in the serene city of Chandigarh. The entire crew has worked really hard on this one, adhering to the safety norms."

Captioning the first look on her Instagram account, the actress wrote:...

The silver screen was the term that described the cinema experience in the dark of a cinema hall. The two people who conceived and executed this magic were the writer and the director. A writer dream't up a story and its background, as in where it all happened, and the director executed those dreams of the writer. But, the one who really made it possible for the two was the art director.

The art director created a location, and the ambience the writer imagined, in a studio set measuring just a few hundred square meters. However huge it may be, the art director made you believe that what you were watching on screen was taking place in Shimla or on the Hooghly River in Bengal or a palatial bungalow of a rich man, or even a cruise liner or a warship! The breed called art directors could get into the writer's mind.

New Delhi, Dec 18 (Ians) Aparshakti Khurana started his Bollywood journey in 2016 with the Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal. After interesting roles over the past four years, he is now gearing up for his solo release as a hero, the comedy film Helmet opposite Nutan's grand-daughter Pranutan.

The actor is happy the way his career is shaping up. He says feels amazing when he looks back at his journey and shares that he had no idea that god has this in store for him

Before his debut in Bollywood, Aparshakti, who is the brother of actor Ayushmann Khurrana, was a successful radio jockey in New Delhi. After his shift to Bollywood with Dangal in 2016, he was seen in hit films such as Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Stree, Lukka Chuppi and Street Dancer 3D.

Talking about his journey in Hindi cinema from being a radio jockey to an actor, Aparshakti told Ians: "It...

Mumbai, Dec 8 (Ians) Actress Tannaz Irani, who recently shared that she has tested Covid-19 positive, says she is totally exhausted with a headache, but is trying to smile through the ordeal.

The actress took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a funny video of her lip-syncing to "Tumhi mere mandir" from the Sunil Dutt and Nutan-classic "Khandan". As she lip-syncs, her husband Bhakhtyar smiles at her.

"Trying to bring a smile on everyone's face. Hope this works! @bhakhtyar my perfect comedy partner. #timepass Tuesday. A video from some months ago!," she captioned it.

Sharing her health update, she wrote: "Right now I'm in bed totally exhausted with a headache. But this made me smile. So I thought of sharing."

On Sunday, she had announced that she had contracted coronavirus. "Positive me Tested orona Positive today. I'm praying that I hope I don't infect anyone. @bhakhtyar thank you for being...

Actor Aparshakti Khurana says he utilized the lockdown days to write and compose songs.

"We had so much time during lockdown. I can only write and compose when I have my guitar around me, and luckily I hadn't left my guitar in the studio. It was with me. I managed to pen some songs. A few compositions were also done by me. A couple of them were collaborations. Let's see which single gets shortlisted by the music label and we will cut a video soon, " he said.

Aparshakti wants one of his songs to be used in a film.

"All the songs are mostly singles, except one song I'm planning to give for film. That's the song closest to my heart. I would love to do a music single on that song, but I think it fits the situation of the film very well," he added.

Aparshakti, who has been...

One of the finest poets of 20th century Urdu literature, Majrooh Sultanpuri was born on this day 101 years ago. His contribution to the Hindi film industry as a lyricist is also phenomenal, so much so that any writing or research work on the Bollywood music scene would be incomplete without his mention.

Born Asrar ul Hassan Khan on October 1, 1919 in Sultanpur, currently in Uttar Pradesh. Sultanpuri has penned countless memorable songs in his career spanning six decades, and has collaborated with talented musicians spanning generations, from Sachin Dev Burman to Rahul Dev Burman to Jatin-Lalit. He has been honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award among numerous other recognitions.

It is impossible to sum up such a genius' oeuvre in a list of a few songs. Ians takes a look into some of Majrooh's popular songs that you may want to hum while you think of the great creative artiste.