Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Beautiful Always !

I got the idea for this post from Reema's Post about Five Female Crushes. As usual, she peppers her post with lovely illustrations and pictures to show us why those 5 girls are so beautiful. I wanted to pick up the tag and do something on with-and-without-makeup pics of famous beauties. But instead I found myself picking up girls from a bygone era and found myself looking at the current images of those women, still beautiful.

Madhubala :



Sometimes I feel she is the ultimate beauty. She reigned over bollywood with tags like Venus. She was ethereal in her early hit, Mahal. She is the Ladki bheegi bhagi si who was all allure, innocence and loveliness. She was amazingly funny in Chalti ka naam gaadi, a perfect girl next door who is unabashed and spirited. Her role in Mughaleazam was different. She was both romantic and realistic in the movie. She knew that her love for Salim would never be accepted and foresaw only doom for herself. Despite that she offers her sweet love to Salim and accepts all the hardships she has to face with a fortitute that made her an icon for Love.



There is no old picture of Madhubala because she died young of a heart disease. Even if she had aged, she would have looked just as beautiful. Here she looks like a dream beside Dev Anand.


2. Durga Khote

I have always seen Durga Khote in a character role, mother, grandmother even. She exudes a grace and glory that even a young shapely nymphet would want. She was one of the first women of bollywood, Indian films who chose movies and acting as a career. Despite hailing from a 'good' family she stepped into acting. She was attached not only to the film world but the progressive theatre as well. An intellectual actress she was Beauty and Grace Personified.



She has worked in countless movies, but let me list two or three. She was the grandma who gave her favorite ugly duckling granddaughter Sadhana a makeover in Love in Shimla. She breaks Sadhna's thick glasses, cuts her hair and styles it and gives her a lesson in deportment. Amazing. She was the beautiful Jodhaa in Mughaleazam who is torn between her love for her husband, her duty as the maharani of Hindustan and her love for her son Salim. Class Act ! She was again Dimple's Grandma in Bobby who loves Rishi but cannot allow them run away. At the last, she was seen as Rishi's mother from previous birth in Karz.



The dimples NEVER fade.

3. Ingrid Bergman :

There were a bevy of beautiful women in hollywood, girls who could take your breath away. Girls with sass and spunk and loads of talent. There were studio heads who knew how to get the best out of their stars, how to showcase their talents. They made Hollywood into a standard that the rest of the world struggled to follow.



In this scenario it was difficult to stand out. But Ingrid Bergman had a quiet kind of a beauty that stole over you totally. Sometimes it is not just pretty features and beautiful figure that makes one face stand out, it is some kind of an allure that draws glances, an aura that makes people look at THAT face and no other. Ingrid Bergman had that allure, a soft lovely look on her face that made her look so beautiful. Her supreme talent that made her unforgettable.



Graceful always !

Play it again Sam.

4. Waheeda Rahman :



She had a whammy debut in CID, went on to play a prostitute with a heart of gold in Pyaasa. She looked like a dream. She was the original protege of Guru Dutt, but soon shook off the mantle and became a great star on her own steam. Her opus was surely Guide. She was known as a magnificent dancer and a good actress, both these talents were well exploited in Guide. I think Pyasa and Guide are among the top 5 Hindi movies and Waheeda graces both these movies beautifully.



Her looks never faded !

5. Dimple :

It helps when a great filmmaker launches you. Raj Kapoor was looking for a fresh looking girl to match his cute and talented son, Rishi. He happened to look at Kapadia's older daughter and history was made. In Bobby he chose to re-enact his own first meeting with Nargis.



But of course it was much earlier, during his birthday party that Rishi spots Dimple, framed in candles and prettier than a picture.



Cuter than a button.



Locked up in a room - a scene fraught with innocence and sexiness. Did they do it?

Just when she became the toast of the bollywood town, she tossed it away to marry Rajesh Khanna who was THE man of the moment. An early death, a retirement turns a memory poignant and its subject a topic of debate. Thus the tinseltown sang out its grief when such a natural actress and such a pretty girl bid adieu. Dimple returned with a bang in Sagar, and has never needed to go away. After a few unsavory films during the early period of her comeback, she has chosen wisely and had given us gems like Rudali, Being Cyrus, Dil Chahta Hai and Luck By Chance.



AGE, naah !

31 comments:

  1. I was kinda hoping to see Audrey somewhere when I started reading this. Yet, not a disappointing lias as compared to that of Reema's (for which I have already expressed my displeasure)...

    These are some of the wonderful choices amongst plethora of beauties from the bygone era. Madhubala, Awww. Durga, Wow, anyday.. she oozes strength and intelligence (somehow)... Bergman and Waheeda are ultimate example of 'package' and Dimple is always 'that' something.

    Wonderful.

    P.S. For Durga, you said, Despite being from good family, she chose acting. That summarizes what a female of that era had to go through for choosing this profession.

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  2. wow! Graceful beauties you've chosen. Ineterstingly I've found some people not so good looking in in their youth, yet all charming at their old age. Not talking necessarily abt film stars.

    To me, the most divine look is possessed by the late singer, M S Subbulakshmi. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._S._Subbulakshmi

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  3. Hi Ava,
    I liked your list better then Reema's... The ones in your list were more "known" to me.

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  4. I love this post! so many beautiful faces!

    I agree with BB ...M.S.Subbalakshmi is a Classic beauty!

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  5. Vee, Durga Khote brought intelligence and respectibility to this profession when female roles were played by boys. It was a momentous decision in those days.

    Well, it is a personal list, and Audery is a fragile beautiful girl. There was Ava Gardner, Lauren Bacall, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe. Gosh Loads of gals. But I have always thought Ingrid was special.

    Thanks. I would love your list. I am sure Asin wouldnt figure in it haha !

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  6. Oh BB, I have seen Meera starring MS Subbalaxmi, Gosh what a looker. She still looks gorgeous. And I agree with you. I adore looking at graceful women, esp as I feel I am tad gauche.

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  7. Reema's list carrys contemperory heroines. I am surprised you dont know them - EISI.

    Thanks a lot though.

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  8. Ange - thanks . I agree totally about MSS. Gosh if i had time, I would have picked many more women.

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  9. It was a great read. Those pictures were Beautiful. If it were upto me .. i would add Rita Hayworth ( http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x82/nomads_photos/NG/Rita%20Hayworth/RitaHayworth.jpg ), Rekha ( http://www.bollywood101.com/UserFiles/2009/5/27/Rekha%20not%20old%20enough%20for%20lifetime%20achievement%20award.jpg )and Anjelina Jolie ( http://www.topnews.in/light/files/Angelina-Jolie-1.jpg )and take out Dimple.

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  10. Thanks Pirate - I am sure your list will have your fave girls. Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

    Like I said - scores of pretty girls out there.

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  11. I think its very very hard to choose just 5. There have been so many beautiful women. Wasn't it difficult to do this tag?
    Madhubala! Definitely!
    Did you see Mughal-E-Azam in color?

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  12. Amit - thanks !

    Yes, I had to apply my mind a little about the 'kind' of beauty I was thinking of. Had I been looking for recent girls, I would have chosen to do a peice on supermodels. In which case Heidi Klum would be toppers for me with Claudia Schiffer in the list too.

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  13. Durga Khote, those dimples add to the courage & intelligence...

    Nice list :)

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  14. Thats a nice list :-)

    Madhubala n Waheeda Rehman are 2 graceful ladies...even Simi Gerewal is classy!!!

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  15. Oh Yes ! Am an ardent admirer of Simi as well.

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  16. hi
    not seen Reemas list yet but this sure is good one! I always look upto graceful women who can carry themselves in style whatever be the age. for that matter I really like Sridevi and hema. Even Vyjayanti mala!

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  17. Hey simply loved your post.....And natural beauty was the best thing about the 60s n 70s actresses

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  18. WIAN, couldnt agree more. These ladies really know how to carry themselves. Am not a huge fan of Sri's but agree about Hema and Vaijayanti.

    Val - The heroines used to be chosen with care. The girls had to have a good diction, walk, graceful mannerisms. No wonder they are unforgettable.

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  19. Great.
    Though Rekha an Suchitra Sen should should find a place in the same hall, I think.
    Though Suchitra stays away from public eye for the last few years, I believe she is an eternal beauty.

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  20. Thanks. You could do a list of your own. Everyone has their favorites, these are mine.

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  21. i looove ingrid bergman too .. u r top 5 is all fab ! MS sure used to be quite a looker !

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  22. Kido, sorry I missed your comment. Thanks ! I always loved Durga Khote on screen.

    Daz - I saw the old Meera starring MS Subbalaxmi. She was divine.

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  23. hey how come I missed tis post! sorry! nice list :) Cuter than a button?? :D

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  24. JC..its got to be unreal..

    I've also written a post on my female crushes and saved it in my drafts since I wanted to write few lines on each and didnt quite get the time. Also one of them suddenly died (can you beat that). So I know two more women who're talking about their lady loves. You rock saheliyo... :)

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  25. Reema - thanks. Well, you hear 'cute as a button all the time' so i thot - why not cuter?

    AD -?JC? Farah Fawcett died? That does not matter- your post will make her live again.

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  26. Nopes....It's Kamala Das..Indian English Writer. Absolutely love her.

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  27. Ann thanks for clarifying. A lot of people love Kamla Das, looks like I should read something by her.

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  28. You can start with this one: http://lit205a.blogspot.com/2007/11/introduction-by-kamala-das.html

    My all time favourite poem...

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  29. Ann, thanks.. that was a lovely poem

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  30. saw Dimple in Zakmi Aurat the other day and absolutely loved her in that, the film might have been somewhat far fetched but Dimple gives a passionate performance with Female issues, i'll write it up sometime soon

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  31. BDewaana, Dimple is a great actress. She can liven up even a weird movie like Zakhmi Aurat, which was quite a hit I believe.

    I wrote about her exclusively here http://www.luckykabutar.com/Dimple_Kapadia_-_Timeless_Beauty.blog

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