Favorite Decade of Bollywood (2024)

[zen]

5 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

She looked so much like Anita Raaj (80s heroine) . Are they related?

 

That is Zaheeda, not Zahira. Zaheeda is related to Nargis iirc. 
 

Zaheeda was Dev Anand’s love interest, while Zahira was the dancer who helped Dev Anand.

Edited August 17 by zen

[zen]

Talking about Zaheeda, she comes from a family connected with the movie industry. Her notable films are Prem Pujari (1970) and Gambler (1971). She was originally offered Zeenat Aman’s role in Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971) but she declined, wanting to play the Mumtaz’s role. 

 

I liked her performance in Gambler. She had the potential to mature as an actress. After working in some films here and there, she got married and retired from movies. 

In the 70s, there were popular actresses but their acting skills were probably not at the same level as displayed by the key actresses in the 50s-60s. 
 

If Zaheeda had matured as an actress, she could have been a Waheeda Rehman of the 70s. Of course, Waheeda Rehman’s dancing skills would be difficult to match!
 

 

 

[zen]

Gumnaam (1965)

 

A good Bollywoodesque adaption of Agatha Christie’s famous mystery novel - “And Then There Were None”.

 

There are elements from 1930s-40s Hollywood horror films used in it as well, which adds to the atmosphere. Goa as the location suits the film. 

 

The stars of the film were Mehmood and Helen, along with Pran. Mehmood’s comedy works. Helen looks cool and could be in a Bond film. Pran’s role is interesting. Manoj Kumar & Nanda are supposed to be the lead but are relatively average. 

 

The film also has the famous song - ‘Hum Kale Hain Toh Kiya Hua”. It is said that Manoj Kumar wanted to remove this song from the film, probably fearing that Mehmood would outshine him. Thankfully, the filmmakers did not listen to Manoj, and Mehmood indeed outshone Manoj.  

 

Talking about the song, Hum Kale Hua Toh Kiya Hua, Mehmood and Helen are excellent in it: 

 

https://youtu.be/8cmnxNedUEk?feature=shared

Edited August 18 by zen

[zen]

Btw, talking about Gumnaam, I missed certain aspects about Manoj Kumar’s role. Usually, I would not bother with such details (esp. in a film designed for mass appeal) but this appears to be an oversight in tightening up the script: 

 

He is an undercover police officer on the trail of a criminal called “Madanlal”. What was he doing on the plane? How did he expect to find Madanlal with this group? It is also difficult to anticipate that the plane would dump the group on an island. 
 

Anyways, the above (unless I missed a key detail) can be seen as a cinematic convenience. But instead of him being a police officer, why not make him a private detective (or something like that if not a part of the original group) whose boat happened to capsize near the island, drifting him to the shore, therefore, he becomes a part of the stranded group (or something to that order). 
 

IF someone is remaking this (or adapting “And There Were None”), run its screenplay by me  

 

 

[zen]

Similar “script” issues I have with Jewel Thief (1967). It is one thing to become a victim of mistaken identity (For e.g. in North by Northwest 1959) or dealing with a copycat (as in To Catch a Thief 1955), another to be creating a mistaken identity. For that you would need a tighter script. 
 

The film does a good job of setting up the mystery but begins to lose steam relatively speaking once Vinay gets involved with investigating Prince Amar. 
 

 

Edited August 19 by zen

[zen]

Anyway, would prefer to take a break from Bollywood but it is one of the ways to spend time with my “movie fan” mother. Most of the time, I watch these classic Bollywood films for her.

 

She also likes Bond films, Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, etc. One day, I showed her Sherlock Jr (1924) which she loved and has requested that I put it on again for her sometime in future. 
 

She liked Mehmood and Helen in Gumnaan too esp. Helen’s dance in “Hum Kale Hai Toh Kiya Hua” song. She even asked me to rewind and play the song again. 
 

She can’t stay focused so many times she can dose off during a film and then I fill her up on what she has missed. 

[zen]

Del

Edited August 22 by zen

[zen]

Rating films watched in the current Bollywood cycle (the last 12 or so months)  

 

 

Aan (1952)

Junglee (1961)

Teesri Manzil (1966)

 

1/2

Baazi (1951)

Naya Daur (1957)

Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957)

Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behati Hai (1960)

Kala Bazar (1960) 

Professor (1962)

Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963)

Gumnaam (1965)

Padosan (1968)

Gambler (1971)

Kati Patang (1971)

 

New Delhi (1956)

Nau Do Gyarah (1957)
Anari (1959)

Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960)

Kohinoor (1960)

Dil Tera Diwana (1962)

Half Ticket (1962)

Bluff Master (1963)

Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963) 

Rajkumar (1964)

Arzoo (1965)

Waqt (1965)

Suraj (1966)

Jewel Thief (1967)

Milan (1967)

Patthar Ke Sanam (1967)

Ram Aur Shyam (1967)

Shagird (1967)

Brahmachari (1968)

Intaquam (1969)

Prince (1969)

Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973)

Namak Haram (1973)

Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973)

Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai (1981)

 

1/2

Taxi Driver (1954)

Paying Guest (1957)

Dilli Ka Thug (1958)

Chhaliya (1960)

Kanoon (1961)

Himalay Ki God Mein (1965)

Baharon Ke Sapne (1967)

Hamraaz (1967)

Prem Pujari (1970)

Abhimaan (1973)

Agneepath (1990)

 

Kala Pani (1958)
Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)
Janwar (1965)

Kashmir Ki Kali (1965)

An Evening in Paris (1967)

Shikar (1968)

Pyar Ka Mausam (1969)

Sajan (1969)

Tumse Accha Kaun Hai (1969)

Dharti (1970)

Purab Aur Paschim (1970)

Caravan (1971)

Jawan Mohabbat (1971)

Amir Garib (1974)

Khoj (1989)

 

1/2

Dil Deke Dekho (1959)

Jhumroo (1961)

Do Badan (1966)

Aankhen (1968)

Saccha Jhutha (1970)

Aandaz (1971)

Jaane-Anjaane (1971)

Sharmeelee (1971)

Lalkar (1972)

Joshila (1973)

Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (1977)

 

Jaal (1967)
Jugnu (1973)
Charas (1976)

Zabardast (1985)

 

 

PS Updated on Sept 07, 2024 w/ Kohinoor (1960)

Edited Saturday at 08:00 AM by zen

[zen]

Shagird (1967)

 

A fun film with good songs! … It could have worked even better without a villain. It is as if filmmakers feel a film to be incomplete without a villain. So they somehow try to insert one.

The film could have ended with IS agreeing to get Saira married to Joy. Or maybe at a segment where IS finds his match at the wedding (or in a sequence such as where a new lady principal is appointed at his university and they meet in a hilarious situation). There was no need for Madan Puri’s character. 
 

 

Edited August 22 by zen

[coffee_rules]

3 hours ago, zen said:

Shagird (1967)

 

A fun film with good songs! … It could have worked even better without a villain. It is as if filmmakers feel a film to be incomplete without a villain. So they somehow try to insert one.

The film would have ended with IS agreeing to get Saira married to Joy. Or maybe at a segment where IS finds his match at the wedding (or in a sequence such as where a new lady principal is appointed at his university and they meet in a hilarious situation). There was no need for Madan Puri’s character. 
 

 

I.’S. Johar is so underrated as an artist. Much better than the loud Mehmood. 
 

Try GP Sippy’s Mere Sanam in this genre. Has your fav Gujju Asha Parekh, amazing soundtrack from OP Nayyar and of course Pran! 
 

The film was shot in the beautiful locales of Kashmir just before the outbreak of Indo-Pakistani war of 1965

[zen]

38 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

I.’S. Johar is so underrated as an artist. Much better than the loud Mehmood. 
 

Try GP Sippy’s Mere Sanam in this genre. Has your fav Gujju Asha Parekh, amazing soundtrack from OP Nayyar and of course Pran! 
 

The film was shot in the beautiful locales of Kashmir just before the outbreak of Indo-Pakistani war of 1965

I like IS Johar. And I like Mehmood too. At times, it depends on who the better fit is for a role. In Gumnaam, for e.g. it is difficult to imagine anyone else in that (iconic) role. Even Pasosan, which iirc is produced by Mehmood too. Johar works well when he is playing a senior family member role. There are those Johar-Mehmood films as well.

I recall briefly (as I skipped parts) checking out Mera Sanam when I was watching Nasir Husain films. I liked the songs but the movie felt like a time pass. There was this stupid comedy as well where Rajendra Nath is breaking someone’s jeep and the other guy is breaking his bicycle. Maybe the print wasn’t that good. 

One of the nice aspects about 60s-early 70s films is the location - Kashmir, Darjeeling, Oory, Nanital, Shimla, Sikkim, Goa, etc. 

Then the focus shifted to mazdoor, basti, smuggling themes, action, etc., and it appears as if songs and locations took the backseat. 
 

PS For “bastis”, B&W photography works better as the location gets a poetic touch. 

Edited August 22 by zen

[coffee_rules]

4 hours ago, zen said:

I like IS Johar. And I like Mehmood too. At times, it depends on who the better fit is for a role. In Gumnaam, for e.g. it is difficult to imagine anyone else in that (iconic) role. Even Pasosan, which iirc is produced by Mehmood too. Johar works well when he is playing a senior family member role. There are those Johar-Mehmood films as well.

I recall briefly (as I skipped parts) checking out Mera Sanam when I was watching Nasir Husain films. I liked the songs but the movie felt like a time pass. There was this stupid comedy as well where Rajendra Nath is breaking someone’s jeep and the other guy is breaking his bicycle. Maybe the print wasn’t that good. 

One of the nice aspects about 60s-early 70s films is the location - Kashmir, Darjeeling, Oory, Nanital, Shimla, Sikkim, Goa, etc. 

Then the focus shifted to mazdoor, basti, smuggling themes, action, etc., and it appears as if songs and locations took the backseat. 
 

PS For “bastis”, B&W photography works better as the location gets a poetic touch. 

Rajendranath is silly, but very funny. That scene is a copy of some Hollywood -either three stooges or Laurel &Hardy. Hence, it is awkward. Rajesndranath and Premnath are siblings and their sister Krishna is married to Raj Kapoor.

 

Mere Sanam is very much like NH movie with similar plots as Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon or Tumsa Nahin Dekha. Son is lost and father adopts a girl child and in the end that son and daughter hook up (real son and step daughter). Pran plays spoilsport in between. There is love , misunderstanding and then all ends well. Simple plot looks nes. Only that Shammi  Kapoor should have acted instead of very effeminate Biswajeet. 

Edited August 23 by coffee_rules

[zen]

15 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

Rajendranath is silly, but very funny. That scene is a copy of some Hollywood -either three stooges or Laurel &Hardy. Hence, it is awkward. Rajesndranath and Premnath are siblings and their sister Krishna is married to Raj Kapoor.

 

Mere Sanam is very much like NH movie with similar plots as Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon or Tumsa Nahin Dekha. Son is lost and father adopts a girl child and in the end that son and daughter hook up (real son and step daughter). Pran plays spoilsport in between. There is love , misunderstanding and then all ends well. Simple plot looks nes. Only that Shammi  Kapoor should have acted instead of very effeminate Biswajeet. 

Talking about Shammi, his Kashmir Ki Kali is similar as in he goes to Kashmir, his house has been turned into a hotel (though not by the villain), etc. 

[zen]

Below is how I have roughly tiered many Bollywood actors based on both acting skills and charisma during the 1949-1979 period: 

 

Tier One

 

The trio of Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, & Raj Kapoor, along with Shammi Kapoor (esp. in his type of films) and Pran. 

 

Tier Two 

 

Kishore Kumar, Mehmood, Raaj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar (aka Jublee Kumar),  Sanjeev Kumar, & Sunil Dutt, along with maybe Shatrughan Sinha for his style. 

 

Tier Three

 

Amitabh, Bishwajeet, Dharmendra, Feroz Khan, Jeetendra, Manoj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Sanjay Khan, Vinod Khanna, etc. 

 

Basically, actors who are more or less monotonous. You can close your eyes and visualize them acting. Many actors in this group are highly popular and have even enjoyed “superstar” status. Many of them are known to copy actors such as Dilip Kumar. 

 

 

[coffee_rules]

55 minutes ago, zen said:

Below is how I have roughly tiered many Bollywood actors based on both acting skills and charisma during the 1949-1979 period: 

 

Tier One

 

The trio of Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, & Raj Kapoor, along with Shammi Kapoor (esp. in his type of films) and Pran. 

 

Tier Two 

 

Kishore Kumar, Mehmood, Raaj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar (aka Jublee Kumar),  Sanjeev Kumar, & Sunil Dutt, along with maybe Shatrughan Sinha for his style. 

 

Tier Three

 

Amitabh, Bishwajeet, Dharmendra, Feroz Khan, Jeetendra, Manoj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Sanjay Khan, Vinod Khanna, etc. 

 

Basically, actors who are more or less monotonous. You can close your eyes and visualize them acting. Many actors in this group are highly popular and have even enjoyed “superstar” status. Many of them are known to copy actors such as Dilip Kumar. 

 

 

Gross injustice to Amitabh , who was a one-man industry from say 1975 - 1990 . He should be above Tier One. 

[zen]

3 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

Gross injustice to Amitabh , who was a one-man industry from say 1975 - 1990 . He should be above Tier One. 

Above Tier One? I don’t think that his acting was on par with likes of Sanjeev Kumar, Mehmood, etc., to even be in tier  two. 
 

Yeah, Amitabh had charisma but so did Dharmendra, Manoj, Rajesh, Shashi, etc. 

[coffee_rules]

9 minutes ago, zen said:

Above Tier One? I don’t think that his acting was on par with likes of Sanjeev Kumar, Mehmood, etc., to even be in tier  two. 
 

Yeah, Amitabh had charisma but so did Dharmendra, Manoj, Rajesh, Shashi, etc. 

 

Your opinion. But Amitabh excelled in comedy as well. Nobody was as as popular like him. You must hate him to put him in Tier3 below  the likes of Mehmood. Anyway disagree there.

 

Raj Kapoor had no charisma and he was a one-trick pony . The only movie I liked him was Teesri Kasam.  He tried to do Chaplin mostly. Dev Anand in the 70s was a pale shadow of his 50s and he still played lead, should have been into character roles like Shammi Kapoor. 

[zen]

10 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

 

Your opinion. But Amitabh excelled in comedy as well. Nobody was as as popular like him. You must hate him to put him in Tier3 below  the likes of Mehmood. Anyway disagree there.

 

Raj Kapoor had no charisma and he was a one-trick pony . The only movie I liked him was Teesri Kasam.  He tried to do Chaplin mostly. Dev Anand in the 70s was a pale shadow of his 50s and he still played lead, should have been into character roles like Shammi Kapoor. 

Hate? I don’t hate anyone. Amitabh is among my favorites. His acting esp. in the period mentioned is more or less one dimensional.

 

Raj Kapoor is a top actor. Guys like Shatrughan & Anil Kapoor follow him. 

 

Yeah, Dev Anand lost his charm in mid to late 70s, mostly working in films directed by him or in his home production. But he was at the top of his game in 50s and 60s. I think Rajesh Khanna is somewhat inspired by him.

Edited Friday at 02:38 PM by zen

[zen]

Taking about Amitabh, now when I watch his films (from the 70s) even his “angryness” can appear comical and his fights are almost unwatchable (less said about the background score in those the better): 

 

Trushul fight

Take almost any such clip from his films, and it is usually the monotonous (and now probably boring) stuff  

 

 

Edited Friday at 04:16 PM by zen

[zen]

Kohinoor (1960)

 

Starring: Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, Kumkum, & Jeevan 

 

This is a fun film. Dilip Kumar is said to have gone into depression because of playing “tragic” roles, so he was advised to also play fun/comedy roles, and this film is likely a result of that.