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Sadhana Shivdasani, or Sadhana, as she was famously known in Hindi cinema, passed away quietly on Friday Christmas day December 25 at the Hinduja hospital in Mumbai. She lived and died a recluse. Luckily, she had a nephew with her when she passed away. I remember the one time that I managed to interview her. She was reluctant to talk and after a few questions quickly excused herself saying she had to rush to the bank. Sadhana was the ultimate enigma. No wonder, director Raj Khosla repeatedly cast her as the mystery woman in Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saaya and Anita. In the late 1950s and throughout 1960s, Sadhana excelled in roles that required a naturalistic approach. This, at a time when Indian mainstream cinema required exaggerated drama. Says Sanjay Leela Bhansali, "Sadhanji preferred mellow drama to melodrama. Her performance in films like Bimal Roy's Parakh, Dev Anand's...

Veteran actress Sadhana, a popular actress of the 60s and 70s breathed her last in Mumbai today morning. Reportedly, she was battling with cancer for a long time and was even admitted to Hinduja hospital recently. From what we hear, the body of the former actress was taken to her residence in Mumbai and many of her yesteryear actress colleagues like Waheeda Rehman visited her place to pay their last respects. Born in a Sindhi family, Sadhana aka Sadhana Shivdasani debuted in Bollywood with the 1960 film Love in Simla. While she is known for films like Hum Dono, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina, Mere Mehboob, Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saaya among others, she also gained popularity tremendously in the world of Indian fashion with a special fringe hairstyle which is still known as the 'Sadhana cut'. We at Bollywood Hungama pay our condolences to this veteran actress. May her soul rest in peace.

Aamir Khan, who is currently promoting his suspense drama Talaash, confessed that he experienced a feeling of deja vu and was even spooked a wee bit, when he discovered that yesteryear master of suspense films, Raj Khosla, had actually stayed in one of the rooms (that now serves as a guest room) in the flat that is Aamir’s current home.

Raj Khosla explored a variety of styles be it crime thrillers, suspense thrillers, musical, melodramas and dacoit dramas he is often credited for the success of actors such as Dev Anand. He’s the man who gave Bollywood memorable films like Cid (1956), Woh Kaun Thi (1964) and Mera Saaya (1966) besides a host of other movies.

Aamir is a huge Raj Khosla fan and sources close to Ak say that Talaash is his tribute to a man who made the best crime and suspense films.

Director Milan Luthria (Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai,...

Aamir Khan, who has started the countdown for Talaash, confessed that he experienced a feeling of deja vu and was even spooked when he discovered that yesteryear master of suspense films, Raj Khosla, had actually stayed in one of the rooms (that now serves as a guest room) in the flat that is his current home. For the uninitiated, Raj Khosla happens to be the father of director Milan Luthria. If that wasn't enough, he is also the very man whose name has always been associated with crime thrillers, suspense thrillers, musical, melodramas and dacoit dramas. He is often referred to as the man who gave Bollywood memorable films like Cid, Woh Kaun Thi and Mera Saaya etc.

It’s quite an irony that obituary reports in the media largely have been identifying Dr. Bhupen Hazarika as the “music maestro” and the “legendary balladeer”. He was, of course, both of these, but the kind of impact this genius has had in the socio-cultural-political space of a huge geographic region comprising the North-East India, West Bengal and Bangladesh would be hard to grasp for anyone who does not understand the Assamese and Bengali languages.

For the rest of India, Dr. Hazarika (the “Dr.” is not one of those bestowed upon cinema, cultural and political personalities by universities whose administrators are usually keen to rub shoulders with the recipients, but one had earned by completing a Ph.D from Columbia University in the early 1950s on how cultural tools can be used to spread the reach of education) is known for his fabulous music in Kalpana Lajmi’s “Rudali”, particularly...

The genre of thriller movies have always kept the Hindi cine goers enthralled. Over the years Bollywood has produced some such memorable films that have achieved iconic cult following. 1. Woh Kaun Thi         In the good old days when a film was yet to see the colours the film Woh Kaun Thi (1964) was directed by Raj Khosla. The success of this thriller made the director create two more thrillers like Mera Saaya and Anita. Doctor Anand encounters a beautiful lady (Sadhna) who behaves mysteriously, a little later an old man takes Anand(Manoj Kumar) to his house to treat his already dead daughter who apparently is the...

Mumbai, June 9 – Aficionados of Madan Mohan’s music are in for a treat, as two concerts will be held here to commemorate the 86th birth anniversary of the legendary Bollywood composer June 25.

The two events – ‘Tere Liye… An Emotional Saga’ and ‘Madan Mohan Unplugged’ will have a 25- and 26-member orchestra respectively with singers who will croon soulful renditions of the Madan Mohan’s unforgettable songs like ‘Tum jo mil gaye ho’, ‘Mera saaya saath hoga’, ‘Aap ki nazron ne samjha’, ‘Dil dhundta’.

It seems Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra wants to be as perfectionist as fellow-actor Aamir Khan.

As it is Piggy Chops is perhaps the most talented singers amongst our growing actor-singer community.

No show is complete without a request for a song from the sexy diva.

So when host Karan Johar requested her to sing on popular television show ‘Lift Kara De’, she promptly sang without much ado-‘Jhumka gira re Bareilly ke bazaar mein’- the famous Sadhana number from the film ‘Mera Saaya’.

But after the shot was canned, she was unhappy with her attempt and wanted to dub it!

Karan nonchalantly said:.