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Sir john

By Sir john
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1983-2011 Newbie

1983-2011

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So what are the opinions in this site of Sunny Leon entering Bollywood? Most of you are probably like this : *****es invading bollywood -->bollywood killing Indian culture --> Indian culture on the verge of extinction --> end of the world :( Im like dayym..who cares...just watch and enjoy the movie!
not really, what does bollywood have to do with indian culture
Rajiv Collaborator

Rajiv

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Open Book name all the models in the video MseRfdRDU3o OK, Sarika is 1
Is it Kimi Katkar or Sonam at 2:03 on the left, did I spot Swarop Sampat too? Madhu Sapre and Mehr Jessia ( gotta be there )
Sir john Newbie

Sir john

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Villains in Indian Cinema

Pran Kishan Sikand dreamt of becoming a professional photographer. Little did he know that a measly, humble ÃÑaan (betel leaf) would change his life and set him on his destined path. It was 1939 or thereabouts. Pran was at a ÃÑaan shop at Lahore, enjoying a munch with his friends when a stranger approached him and asked whether he wanted to act in films. Pran was amused and asked his name. Stranger introduced himself as Muhammad Walli, a renowned film maker in the flourishing film district of Lahore. He said he was making a Punjabi film and Pran looked a perfect fit for the role of a villain in the film. Pran just brushed him off. Walli kept insisting that he pay a visit to the studio, and pushed a piece of paper with his address into PranÃÔ hands. The film was Yamla Jat (1940), a runaway hit that year. Pran, the villain, was born. In one of his very interesting and insightful talks on Secularism in Indian Cinema, Javed Akhtar once said that if one were to make the list of the villains of Hindi Cinema, one can write the socio-political history of India for the last sixty years. Nothing could be more apt. In the two decades following the first éindi film, Alam Ara (1931), most of the films produced were either historical or mythological fables. In the 30s-40s, we come across the incredibly flamboyant and awe-inspiring Chandramohan, in films like the bi-lingual Amrit Manthan (1934), where he plays a cold-blooded, maniacal High Priest of a ähandika cult, or Amar Jyoti (1935) where he is ÃÂ¥urjaya? the arch-nemesis of Pirate-Queen ôaudamini? played by Durga Khote, even the early socialist drama Roti (1942) in which he is a tramp who is picked up to step in the shoes of a millionaire look-alike. This causes immediate transformation into a ruthless monster that tramples anything and anyone on its way. By 1941, he was one of the busiest villains and the highest-paid star in India. As fate would have it, no one knows him today. Another name that emerges in any discussion of villains of that era: Krishan Niranjan Singh, popularly known as K.N. Singh. Hailing from the Bishnoi community of Uttar Pradesh, young Krishan, son of a Bar-at-Law from Dehra Dun, harboured dreams of participating in the Berlin Olympics of 1936, and was selected to represent India in Javelin and Shot Put events. But fate played spoil-sport and he was summoned to Calcutta to attend to his sister who was to have an eye-surgery. In Calcutta, he bumped into Prithviraj Kapoor, and thus started a long lasting friendship, till much later when K.N. Singh had fallout with Raj Kapoor. K.N. Singh started working in films, making his mark in films like Baghban (1938), Jwar Bhata (1944), Humayun (1945),Barsat (1949), and many other films throughout the next five decades. The man just had to raise an eyebrow, and one got a hint of his sinister intentions. Known to be a gentleman in real life, KN Singh played the dapper villain wearing a complete suit, cigar/ wineglass in hand, saying his signature ÅÃakwaas bandh karo©ô pointing one brow to the sky. The 50s brought the Hollywood-Film Noir-inspired urban gangster. Besides K.N. Singh, the other two actors who could pull this off with remarkable grace were Madan Puri and Pran. In his early years, like everyone else, Madan Puri did mythological and historical roles. But over time, through films like Howrah Bridge, Jeet, Nau Do Gyarah, China Town and many others, he established the image of the cigar-toting, smooth-talking, urbane crook in a suit. In later years, he was seen in a variety of roles as pivotal characters, many of them in positive, quite likeable roles. But the one actor who left an indelible imprint as a baddie for generations to come was Pran. They say, those days, no one named their children Pran, the very name had such a negative, scary context. So much so that a couple of years back, when his Biography ©Ând Pran was announced, his family declared a worlwide éunt for Pran contest wherein the oldest man bearing the name ñran was to be awarded the first copy of the book. After Yamla Jat, there were a few more films in quick succession, including his only outing as a hero, Khaandan (1942) though this one was a hit as well, Pran decided against doing any more leading men roles, as he found the ÃÓunning around trees routine downright boring and uninspiring. Instead, he chose to be the one who would scare the heroine and make the hero run for cover! In 1947, liberty from oppression came with the end of British Raj, but with it came the searing pain of Partition. One of the worst affected cities was Lahore, PranÃÔ adopted hometown, also where his films were being made. He shifted base to Bombay, and to an industry which didnÃÕ really know him. For the next few months, he struggled to make ends meet, switching hotels every few days depending on how his finances fared him. One day, acclaimed Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto took him to Bombay Talkies, and Ziddi (1948) happened. The film, a huge hit, also launched the careers of two other young men Dev Anand as leading man and Kishore Kumar as his singing voice. With Badi Bahen (1950), Bahar (1951), Aah (1953), Munimji (1955), Halaku (1956), Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957), Pran struck terror into peopleÃÔ hearts with one villainous adventure after another. His bad guy persona was so convincing that while shooting for Johar Mahmood in Hong Kong (1970), when Aruna Irani was asked to spend the night in the same hotel with Pran, she was deeply terrified that heÃÅ break into her room and try to rape her! It was when Pran asked her to be careful and bolt her door properly and inform him in case of emergency, she realised, to her embarrassment, the true gentleman that Pran was. In later years, Pran too turned to character roles, notably in Upkar (1967), Zanjeer (1973), Parichay (1972) and excelled there as well. In the decades post independence, Indians dreamt of a resurgent, progressive nation under the aegis of a Socialist, agrarian economy. There were talks of phasing out the Fedual System and pushing Agrarian reforms. From this evolved the new villain: the blood-sucking moneylender and the Zamindar. And no one played the moneylender to as much perfection as Kanhaiyalal did. Pandit Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi had come to Bombay from Benares, in order to try his hand at theatre. He worked on a number of plays, including his own Pandrah August. He acted in a couple of films too, but his big break came when Mehboob Khan was scouting for an actor to play an evil priest cum moneylender in his upcoming production Aurat (1940). Kanhaiyalal played Sukhi Lala with much aplomb and gained immediate recognition. Seventeen years later, when Khan was to remake Aurat, the only man he could conceive of playing Sukhi Lala was Kanhaiyalal. This time, Chaturvedi endowed Sukhi Lala with as much evil and menace as he could possibly muster the very mannerism and speech reeked of lust and greed. Needless to say, the film was Mother India(1957). The next two generations were to see Kanhaiyalal play evil Lalas, Munims and Mahajans with effortless ease in film after film. With the advent of the 70s, the country was faced with a new set of challenges and with it, arrived a new generation of villains: the smuggler. The new breed was crueler, greedier, but equally suave and urbane as his 50s counterpart. Hamid Ali Khan aka Ajit Hamid Ali Khan, born to a family that served the Nizam of Hyderbad, is said to have ran away to Bombay to act in films. Rechristened as Ajit, he was markedly unsuccessful as a leading man in a string of flops in the 1940s, only to be granted a new lease of life through the character of Durjan Singh in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). But his most successful stint was in the ?0s, playing the stock ÃÔmuggler persona. His Ã*ion character was immensely popular, and long with the supporting Robert and Mona characters, has spawned an entire sub-culture of online humour, referred to as âjit jokes? His dialogue, Å´ari duniya mujhe Loin (Lion) ke naam se jaanti hain©ô is still quite popular and an oft-repeated ÃÇilmi quote.
akshayxyz Newbie

akshayxyz

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Actually this belongs to WTF thread. Deepika Padukone to be honoured with Smita Patil Memorial Award

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone would be honoured with the biennial Smita Patil Memorial Award instituted by Priyadarshni Academy for her contribution to the film industry. The award would be presented to her at the 28th anniversary global awards function of the Priyadarshni Academy on September 18 here, its Chairman Nanik Rupani said in a statement here today. Several Bollywood divas have received this honour before Deepika Padukone. Immediate competition considered, haven't Vidya Balan and Kareena Kapoor done much more to earn the accolade? After debuting with Parineeta, Vidya Balan starred in films like Paa, Ishqiya and more recently The Dirty Picture, Kahaani. Kareena Kapoor too has films like Refugee, Chameli, Omkara, Jab We Met to her credit
Mariyam Grand Master

Mariyam

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In how many and which movies was the hero called "Kunwarji". I remember at least one shammi film (janwar?) and one rishi (HKSKN).
There was a movie with Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit in which Anil Kapoor is a prince of some sort and is called Kunwarji. Can't recollect the name of the movie though.
CSK Fan Newbie

CSK Fan

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In how many and which movies was the hero called "Kunwarji". I remember at least one shammi film (janwar?) and one rishi (HKSKN).
So what does kunwarji mean? The younger prince? Something else?
Prakat Community Regular

Prakat

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Yup. Younger prince. @mariyam Anil Kapoor actually is a shocker. For one he normally plays the bumpkin or the rowdy. You don't associate him with princely roles. And also would have thought that such roles went out around the 70s... Will be interesting to find out which movie it is.

suraj Newbie

suraj

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There was a movie with Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit in which Anil Kapoor is a prince of some sort and is called Kunwarji. Can't recollect the name of the movie though.
Anil kpaoor is also called Kunwarji in Lamhe
DomainK Newbie

DomainK

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In how many and which movies was the hero called "Kunwarji". I remember at least one shammi film (janwar?) and one rishi (HKSKN).
Lamhe? Anil Kapoor is called Kunwarji?
Nova Newbie

Nova

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Thanks. Any of these worth watching?
Bees Saal Baad is a classic with lovely songs. Stoneman Murders is good. I liked it. I have not seen Samay, but Domaink said it's not bad. I have read that Sushmita Sen's acting is good in that movie. Also one more movie - Khamosh (1985). This is an underrated thriller. I am watching it right now: :) Don't compare these movies with hollywood because you won't find high production values, but if you are interested in the suspense element involving serial killers, then good. PS. I have a nice list of serial killer movies for Hollywood if you are interested.
coffee_rules Grand Master

coffee_rules

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Bees Saal Baad is a classic with lovely songs. Stoneman Murders is good. I liked it. I have not seen Samay, but Domaink said it's not bad. I have read that Sushmita Sen's acting is good in that movie. Also one more movie - Khamosh (1985). This is an underrated thriller. I am watching it right now: :) Don't compare these movies with hollywood because you won't find high production values, but if you are interested in the suspense element involving serial killers, then good. PS. I have a nice list of serial killer movies for Hollywood if you are interested.
Samay is "inspired" by Seven (Pitt and Freeman), decently made tho. For unintentional comedy you can watch: Nagin (old) Jaani Dushman (old and new) Older (70s) somewhat good : Red Rose (RK) or Sigappu Rojagal (Tamil - Kamalhaasan) Tamil - Tik Tik Tik (kamalhaasan), don't remember it made in Hindi.
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