A thread to talk about the Bollywood of yore. Hindi movies, music, stars, legends, film magazines, and TV programs like Chitrahaar were a beloved part of our childhoods. Not to forget All India Radio, Vividh Bharati and Radio Ceylon. We'll revisit Bollywood personalities of yesteryears on their anniversaries. Talk about their lives and legacies. Some movie anniversaries too. Occasionally some rare photographs and nostalgia-filled surprises. .
Yash Chopra (birth anniv. 27th September) Known as The King of Romance in Bollywood, director and producer Yash Chopra (27 September 1932 - 21 October 2012) was born in Lahore, British India, the youngest of eight children, the oldest was almost 30 years his senior. Movies that come to mind right away: Waqt, Deewar, Kabhi Kabhie, Trishul, Noorie (producer), Silsila (of course), Chandni (helped bring back the romantic musical genre, 1989), Darr, Lamhe (was ahead of its times) and Dil to Pagal Hai (one of his last directorial hits). He gave us: Chiffon sarees for the heroine and the carefully casual sweater draped across the hero’s shoulder that were a hallmark of his movies. As were high quality poetry and picturesque landscapes. Movies with multi-starrers, unconventional love, the more familiar extra-marital affairs and all things Swiss. My favorite songs from his movies: Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen (Waqt, 1965) Mein pal do pal ka shayar hun (Kabhi Kabhie, 1976) Dekha ek khwab (Silsila, 1981) Tere mere hothon pe (Chandni, 1989) Trivia: Lake Lauenen in Switzerland is unofficially referred to as Lake Chopra. A cinema-themed suite at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa in Interlaken is named after him. Switzerland’s Jungfrau Railways inaugurated a train in 2011 that features his signature and name on a signboard. And, also in Interlaken, there is a life-size bronze statue of him posing with a movie camera. Wrapping up the tribute with this lovely song: Let's forgive the legend for having heroines wear thin sarees in the snow. : )
Lata Mangeshkar (28th September) Happy 92nd Birthday to the Melody Queen (born 28 September 1929 in Indore). My favorite is #5. The expression in her eyes looking away from the camera is just too bemused and innocent. Which is your favorite of the above pics?
I created a fun quiz: Lata Mangeshkar solos - 15 songs. The clue is given in English. You guess the song. Do not post answers below. Post only your score. Three songs are B&W, rest are color. Picturized on 11 popular heroines. 4 heroines are in two songs. All the songs are well-known hits and easy to guess, except #15 which is my favorite. Do not post answers below. Post only your score. If you need help, this link will show you the names of the heroines for all songs: Lata Mangeshkar Solos quiz with heroines names. The heroine names can make the quiz too easy. The link below has all the 15 answers!!! Check only when you are done with the quiz!!! Lata Mangeshkar Solos Quiz ANSWERS!!!! . .
I got about 5 correct. Looking at the answers, I have heard of only 2 more. My favorite is #4: "Come to my arms" But going back about Lata Mangeshkar, the first song that ever captured my attention as a kid and still remains one my most favorites: Strange tale is this, where does it start and where does it end, where are these destinations neither he could understand, nor could i.
I did like Lamhe a lot, but I think a lot of credit goes to the dialogue writer - Rahi Masoom Raza. If you remove the wonderful dialogues out of the movie, I think it falls into a mediocre range. Of course, Sridevi and Waheeda lift the film along with awesome Anupam Kher and Anil kapoor under plays without spoiling. A lot of his movies were over-rated IMHO like Silsila, DTPH, Darr, Kabhi Kabhi ( which again without the songs, I don't know where it would fall ). Deewar was probably the best in the list and Trishul was good as well. However I would probably rate the best Yash Chopra movie as "Kala Pathar", simply because it is not a tear jerker like Deewar. (I haven't seen Waqt or Noori.)
I got 6/15. I recognized, #1 song (with the last clue today again there is desire to live) #3 song (the first clue itself and my faourite one) #4 song (last clue of shhh sh shh) #5 song (first clue) #10 song (with the clue I found old man) #13 song (with the first clue and one of my favorites)