Stars and Songs

This post is dedicated to Raja Swaminathan and Archana Sapkota. These are some of the actresses dear to their hearts.  I have often teased them that the girls on this list are too 'nice'. All of them, except Mumtaz who had loads of pizzaz.

The list is in order of the 'seniority' of the actress.  The song chosen by me is the one that I particularly like featuring the actress.  Do check out the songs if you want the best of the Stars to be showcased in a song.

A special thank you to Pamir Harvey for preparing this lovely poster for me.

1. Madhubala:
Career duration: (1942-1964)
Debut film as heroine: Neel Kamal
Song: Mohe Panghat pe Nandlal Chhed gayo re.

An American friend of mine once said, "Madhubala is the most beautiful woman that God put on earth" More than fifty years have passed since her last film in 1964, yet Madhubala lives on the hearts of people.  Posters of her are still being sold.  Most people agree that Mughal-e-Azam is the grandest Hindi film ever made.  She was beautiful and talented as well. Of her performance in Mughal-e-Azam, Dr. Philip Lutgendorf says "Anarkali ...whose incandescent portrayal by Madhubala upstages both of the bombastic male leads."

When I saw Madhubala perform in 'Mohe panghat pe Nandlal chhed gayo re', my jaw dropped to the ground at the sight her her beauty.

2. Shakila
Career Duration: (1949-1963)
Debut film: Duniya
Song: Baar Baar Dekho

Shakila of the impish face and dark eyes is best known for films like CID, Aar Paar, China Town and Ustadon ke Ustad.  The 50's and 60's were such a golden period for good music, that the songs of the era have become immortal.  With them, they bring us a visual of beautiful actors who sang them onscreen.  Most of Shakila's films had beautiful songs, but for me this great club song from China Town is special.  Shakila charms the dashing crooner, Shammi Kapoor, into serenading her with this catchy number.

3. Nutan
Career Duration: (1950-1994)
Debut film: Hamari Beti
Song: Kali Ghata Chhaye

When Gautam Rajadhyaksha (the famous photographer) was asked to name a face that was perfectly photogenic, he chose Nutan.  He said she looked perfect from every angle.  Her career spans more than 40 years as she segued effortlessly from a leading actress to playing roles of a mother. In 1988 Nutan acted in Muzrim Hazir, a TV series on Doordarshan based on Bimal Mitra's novel Asami Hazir.

Nutan has worked in many landmark films. Bandini and Sujata spring to the mind immediately. The song, Kaali ghata chhaye is from Sujata and brings out Nutan's effervescence, her beauty, her lovely eyes perfectly.

4. Bina Rai
Career Duration: (1951-1968)
Debut film: Kali Ghata
Song: Yeh zindagi usi ki hai

Bina Rai was a celebrated beauty. She was moon-faced with bright eyes. Her best known movies are Anarkali, Taj Mahal and Ghunghat. Anarkali was not produced on a grand scale like the later Mughal-e-Azam, but it captured the imagination of the viewers.  The musical score by C.Ramchandra has kept the movie alive in the hearts of music lovers. Anarkali's lament "Yeh zindagi usi ki hai jo kisi ka ho gaya" is irrevocably linked to Bina Rai.

In Taj Mahal she plays Mumtaz Mahal and made it easy for us see why a pining Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal for her.

5. Ameeta
Career Duration (1954-1971)
Debut film: Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Song: Tere Sur aur mere geet

Ameeta personifies cuteness. She has a sweet round face, bright eyes and a pouty mouth that makes her look childlike and innocent. After a few forgettable films, she starred in Tumsa Nahi Dekha alongside Shammi Kapoor.  This movie was a turning point for Shammi Kapoor, catapulting him into boundless fame.  She worked in several films, but was never very successful. Munimji, Goonj Uthi Shehnai, Ham Sab Chor Hain, Ham Sab Ustaad Hain, Mere Mehboob were some of the movies which are still being watched.

In Goonj Uthi Shehnai she played a simple village girl who goes into a trance,Radha-like, when Rajendra Kumar plays his Shehnai.  Their love for each other perseveres though all odds. The song, Tere Sur Aur Mere Geet, was very popular in its time.  The Shehnai was played by none other than Ustaad Bismillah Khan.  It brings out playful innocence of Ameeta, I feel.

5. Waheeda Rehman
Career Duration (1955 -  )
Debut Film (Hindi): CID
Song: Jaane kya tune kahi

This ageless beauty has seen decades whizz past her without any seeming effect on her face.  She appears in movies, on television, looking stately with her white hair still set in a widow's peak.  As far as I know she has not hung up her shoes yet.

Guru Dutt discovered her on a visit to Hyderbad and brought her to Mumbai to work in CID in a supporting role. Her next film was Pyaasa where she shared credits with Mala Sinha. Then we had the deeply emotional Kagaaz Ke Phool, Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam, Ray's Abhijaan, Guide, Mujhe Jeene Do, Reshma aur Shera. One fabulous movie on top of the other.  I have not even counted all the fun and romantic movies she did like Kala Bazaar, Ek Phool Char Kaante, Chaudvin ka Chand.

In Pyaasa she is introduced to the screen with this song. As a prostitute Gulabo, Waheeda is out looking to entice a man, but unknowingly traps the man who has written the song she is singing.

6. Sadhana
Career Duration (1960-1977)
Debut film as heroine: Love in Simla
Song: Gal gulabi kiske hain.

Slim as a reed with a face like an angel, Sadhana had a bombastic debut. Right after the superhit Love in Simla came Parakh, Ham Dono, Prem Patra, Asli Naqli, Mere Mehboob.  It was like her career went from one high to another.

Love in Simla was a very enjoyable romantic comedy.  Sonia is a dumpy looking teenager in glasses who falls for her sister's boyfriend.  She gets a makeover at the hands of her grandmother and makes a grand entrance into the club where the boyfriend, Joy Mukherjee is instantly smitten and dances to this fun song with her - Gal gulabi kiske hain.  One look at the song will make you fall instantly in love with Sadhana.

7. Tanuja
Career Duration (1961-   )
Debut film as heroine: Hamari Yaad Aayegi
Song: Koi keh de zamane se jaake
Tanuja came from the renowned Samarth family and was the younger sister of Nutan.  Cute, perky and bubbly are the words that describe her best.  She has enjoyed a long career.  She may not have reached the heights that her sister did, but then there were very few actresses who could match up to Nutan. Tanuja had her own niche during her heydays and has been working steadily.

In this song, Koi keh de zamane se jaake, you can see Tanuja's playfulness.

8. Mumtaz
Career Duration (1961-1990)
Debut film as heroine: Faulad
Song 1: Tune jo samjha hai mujhko
Song 2: Zindagi Ittefaq hai
With her cute eyes and a little nose, Mumtaz had a perfect face for a chocolate box.  One of the cutest actresses to grace our films, she lit up the screen every time she appeared on it.  She was a wonderful dancer, mostly party or club dancing, nothing classical like Waheeda.  She had to work in many many B or even C grade movies before inching her way upwards to reach the top.  She started early in bit roles and worked in several Dara Singh films as a heroine.  After 7 years, she was cast alongside Dilip Kumar in Ram Aur Shyam as the second lead after Waheeda Rehman. She worked in several movies as the second lead or a supporting role.  Do Raste catapulted her into the big league.  It was a huge hit and after that there was no stopping her.

I have chosen two songs for Mumtaz.  I love Tune jo samjha hai mujhko from Boxer. Mumtaz dons a frilly dress and top boots and dances with abandon.

At one point in the song 'Zindagi Ittefaq hai' Mumtaz kicks off her shoes and dances while Dharmendra and Feroze Khan watch a little dazedly.  Mumtaz never lost her cool, you feel as you watch this song.  You have to admire her chutzpah as she dances and later responds so beautifully to Dharmendra's singing.

9. Leena Chandavarkar
Career Duration (1970 - 1985)
Debut film: Man ka Meet
Song: Is zamane me, is mohabbat ne
Leena has to be, after Mumtaz, the cutest actress to hit the Hindi film scene. She debuted in Man ka Meet and had three more releases in 1970. At the end of it, she was one of the top heroines and worked with all the major actors of her time.  Her career was short, but bright.

Mehboob Ki Mehendi was a muslim social, almost the last of its kind.  She was paired with the hottest actor of the time, Rajesh Khanna.  They make a lovely pair, Rajesh looked great in Achkans and was able to declaim Urdu very well.  Likewise Leena looks gorgeous in Shararas and fit her role as a damsel in distress to a T.  She looks lovely in this song, Is Zamane me, is mohabbat ne. It is easy to see why she shot right to the top.

10. Jaya Bachhan
Career Duration (1971 -    )
Debut film in Hindi: Guddi
Song: Gagan pe do taare takraye
Jaya Bhaduri debuted with no less than Satyajit Ray in Mahanagar.  She was the brightest star in FIIT, Pune.  She was all about talent.  She had a lovely face and refused to ever go glamourous. As a result, she was cast in Hrishikesh Mukherjee films, or was given a substantial role in mainstream films. She still works in films.

The song Gagan pe do taare takraye is from one of her early films, Shor.  She plays a young girl who is attracted to Manoj Kumar.  This is a song she sings after she overhears a plan to get her married to him.

11. Moushami Chatterji
Career Duration (1972 -    )
Debut film in Hindi: Anurag
Song: Mere Bachpan tu jaa
Moushmi had a fantastic debut in Bengali film Balika Badhu as a child bride who gradually learns what it is to be married. She was so successful that crossing over to Hindi was a cakewalk for her. She was beautiful and talented and was counted amongst the top actresses of her time.

Kachhe Dhage was an early film that Moushami starred it.  In the film, she catches the fancy of two rival dacoits who are smitten by her innocence and charm. In this song, she is seen as a young village girl on the brink of adulthood.

12. Vidya Sinha
Career Duration (1974-2011)
Debut film: Rajnigandha.
Song: Rajnigandha phool tumhare
Vidya Sinha was another girl-next-door type of an actress who escaped the Glamour Brigade like Jaya Bhaduri.  She starred mostly in small (but very effective) films by Basu Chatterjee, with whom she debuted in Rajnigandha.

The song is taken from Rajnigandha which she sings while she thinks about her boyfriend, Amol. He usually brings her a bunch of Rajnigandha flowers.  It is a beautiful song full of longing for love.

13. Swaroop Sampat
Career Duration (1989 -   )
Debut film: Doosra Kanoon
Song: Tumhari palkon ki chilmano me
Swaroop Sampat came to films after winning the Miss India crown - like Zeenat Aman before her. She was gorgeous and talented but did not work in many good films. Her best known films were Nakhuda and Naram Garam.  She became the small screen sweetheart of India with her immensely popular role in TV series "Yeh jo hai Zindagi".

I love this song a lot. It is written by Nida Fazli and set to music by Khayyan. Raj Kiran and Swaroop are like cherry on top of  the cake in this lovely song.

Here is a playlist of all the songs listed in this post.

Reshma Aur Shera

Friday the 27th September was difficult for me because I was feeling depressed and down.  On top of that the internet was playing hookey.  I was in the process of changing my connection and fell between two stools of the old connection which I scrapped and the new connection which was having teething troubles.

I decided to bring out a DVD from my pile of 'to-be-watched'.  I picked 'Reshma aur Shera'.

I picked 'Reshma aur Shera'.

I have heard only good things about this movie, I loved the music, I love Sunil Dutt and Waheeda.  I was eager to see for myself if the movie lived up to my expectation.

It did.

The movie is set in the magnificent, stark sand dunes of Rajasthan.  Reshma (Waheeda Rehman) is the beautiful daughter of the Chief of Pochina and Shera (Sunil Dutt) is the son of the chief Sagat.  The two clans do not get along and their rivalry has claimed a good number of lives.  Shera is visiting a fair which culminates in ritual sacrifice of a goat for the Devi Ma.  This year he has the honor of wielding the sacrificial sword.

Reshma and Shera run into each other at the fair.  Shera is captivated by the girl and kind of stalks her.  She is curious about him, attracted too, but hesitant.  A little later Shera's younger brothers Vijay (Vinod Khanna) and Jagat (Naval Kumar) get into a scuffle with the Pochina crowd and are on the point of killing their Chief's son Gopal (Ranjeet) when Shera steps in and saves him.  He thrashes his brothers for creating ruckus at Devi Ma's door and sends them back home.

This act of his endears him to Reshma.  She loves her brother and her one wish is to see him unharmed.  Shera wants to end the enmity between their clans and wants to marry Reshma. For the moment they have to be content with a little courting and meeting secretly at nights in the sand dunes.

Shera's pacifist ways are not met with any enthusiasm by his bloodthirsty brothers and father, the Chief Sagat (Jayant).  Shera has one more sibling, the youngest, Chotu (Amitabh Bachchan).  Chotu is a crack shot and dumb. He loves his eldest brother Shera and follows him around.  He is a bit cowardly and weak too.  But a good person.

Shera wants to start the peace talks between the families by a visit to the Chief of Pochina (K N Singh) on the occasion of Gopal's marriage.  His father disowns him for wanting to do this.  There is a very touching scene as Shera is driven away without taking the bundle of food that his mother had packed for him.  Chotu picks up the food and runs after Shera to give it to him, but is dragged back, weeping and helpless by his brothers.

Shera's families now hatch an evil plan to making Chotu shoot the Chief of Pochina and Gopal dead.  Just as Shera manages to win over the Chief of Pochina too.  Now the heart-rending scene at the site as the newly wed bride (Rakhee) finds she is now a widow, makes Shera swear vengeance.

A bloodbath is unleashed as Shera tries to find the person who pulled the trigger.  Where will this vengeance end?  What will happen to Reshma and Shera?

The story is told in a taut manner, there are no unnecessary scenes and no diverting into CSP, which was the bane of many movies of the time.  The starkness of the tale is complemented by the starkness of the desert landscape.  The homes of the people are in mud-huts with thatched roofs, not some fancy havelis, as the movies these days often have.  

The characters are quickly delineated by deft dialogues and actions.  Hence we know early on that Shera is a pacifist, and so is Reshma. Shera's mother (Sulochana) wants peace too.  Shera's brothers and father are bloodthirsty. Chotu is simple soul who would not willingly hurt a sparrow.  The story moves along at an even pace.

The songs by Jaidev are sublime.  Ek thandi si agan, shot brilliantly in Hawa Mahal is gorgeous.  Tu Chanda Main Chandni, shot in the shifting sand dunes is captivating.  There is a qawwali at the start Zalim meri Sharab me where a very young Sanjay Dutt also performs along with Sudhir.   Ek to yeh bharpoor jawani is a mujra performed by Padma Khanna to celebrate the killing of the enemy.

All the actors have put in a wonderful performance.  Waheeda stands out as a young girl in love at the start and later as a troubled young woman who must make some tough choices.  She deserved the national award she got that year.  Another standout performance in the film was from Amitabh Bachchan who was magnificent as Chotu who is brings out the nuances of his character to perfection.

The movie gets a little too melodramatic at times, but in face of such brilliance elsewhere, I am willing to let it pass.  This is one movie every film lover should see.

Men Singing Praises of their beloved

When I was very little, it was hard to escape the radio.  If we did not have the radio on, some obliging neighbour always had theirs on, and at a volume high enough for the whole mohalla to hear.  AIR started at 6 AM with this tune and Vande Mataram



The first song of the day was invariably by KL Saigal, as a tribute to that matchless singer.  Hence I will also start my list of (mostly) solo songs by men praising the beauty of their beloved with a song by K L Saigal.


1. Your two naughty eyes are wrecking havoc on me



If men don't know this already, they might as well commit harakiri.  The way to unlock the door to a girl's heart is flattery.  Why do women dress well?  Why does the cosmetics industry thrive? Why are the papers full of adverts for anything from losing pounds to losing wrinkles?  Take some tips from the following (and one preceeding) songs and learn how to  praise your lady love.


2. How can I find a similie for your beauty?




Yummy yummy Dev and Asha lavish praises on each other.  This is the only duet I have on my list, but I HAD to sneak Dev in.  He's my favorite.
3. These Eyes! Uff yumma



This song was such a rage at one time.  The simple and direct lyrics are very effective.

4. May no one cast an evil eye on your pretty face

Sadhna was so beautiful, so comely, so elegant.  No wonder Rajendra Kumar was all over her... in this song.

5. Oh queen of flowers, Oh empress of spring!


The next two songs have the best serenader in the history of Indian Cinema, Shammi Kapoor.  Like an aasman se bheja hua farishta, he lavishes praise on Kashmir ki Kali Sharmila in the next two songs.  I could not possibly have left either of these out of this list.

6. By God, your pretty face.


7. Your face is bright like the moon:


My favorite glamour girl - Babita - preens while Bishwajeet prances all around her singing this divine song.  It seems like he is praising her make-up more than the girl's beauty, maybe he was trying to pick up tips.  Ankhon me qayamat ke kajal, hoton pe ghazab ki laali hai. (your kohl is deadly, your lipstick is awesome red).  The song is from the movie Kismet.

8. Your kohl is deadly, your lipstick is awesome red.


In Dharti, Rajendra Kumar again tries to cosy up with his girl (Waheeda) by saying she is prettier than an angel and even God is awestruck by her beauty.  (Thanks Raja for correcting me on this)

9. Even God wonders who created my beloved when he peeps down from the skies:


Oh I love this song, and always found Rajshree very sexy.  Biswajeet singing for a dripping Rajshree in Shehnai.

10. Don't let the pearls of water in your hair scatter:



This is the superhit song that made Rajesh and Mumtaz India's sweethearts.

11.  These silken tresses, these syrupy eyes - they are what we all live for.


Back to Babita who soaks in a lotus pond while Jeetendra sings cautiously by the edge.

12. Oh dear, your fair body is like a blooming rose:


Sanjeev Kumar romances Nazima in this uber favorite song of mine.

13.  Oh your smile! Its like a ray of sunshine in the dark:


Shammi again in a b/w song, look at his face when he says 'bemisal'.  He puts so much feeling into this song.

14.  Oh you life of Spring, your beauty is matchless:



Rajesh again, chasing  Nanda all over the park.  I am guessing the children were away at school.  I can listen to this song anytime.

15. When I saw your rosy eyes, my heart was intoxicated

A Beautiful Baby of Broadway

Ek Phool Char Kaante.  Waheeda is an orphan with 4 protective uncles of varying tastes.  Johnny Walker is her youngest uncle who is a rockstar.  Sunil Dutt must impress all four to win the hand of his beloved Waheeda.  Here we get to see Iqbal Singh do an Elvis, Johnny Walker gets up and starts dancing too.



Here Sunil Dutt gets up to show his moves, and impress uncle Johnny.

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 !