Life imitates art

Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, when it was released in 1961, proved Raj Kapoor’s grip on the public imagination to be strong as ever. Surendra Miglani pays a tribute to the great showman on his death anniversary, which falls on June 2



When some ferocious dacoits surrendered to the police on the prompting of Loknayak Jai Prakash Narain sometime in the late 1970s, film critics and cine-goers were amazed to see how life was imitating art. Great showman Raj Kapoor had suggested this solution to tackle the menace of dacoits in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai. Ironically, when the movie was released—in 1961— several critics had described the idea as "ridiculous".

A lot of people, the film tried to convey, were forced to remain dacoits as fear of harsh punishment constantly haunted them. The children of the dacoits, too, did not have any choice but to adopt this profession, as they feared that the society would not let them live with dignity. If the government assured the dacoits that they would be treated leniently, there was a chance to lessen the burden of the dacoits from society to a great extent, the film emphasised.

As if the idea of Raj Kapoor making a film on dacoits was not sufficient to make the observers ridicule it, Raj engaged Arjun Dev Rashk to write the story of the movie. The latter was known to be a writer of urbane and highly sophisticated themes.

Even Shanker (of Shanker-Jaikishan team) refused to do the film, saying a movie on the theme of dacoits had no scope for music. However, Raj, as always, had faith in himself. To convince Shanker, he hit upon an idea. It was a tradition in Raj’s camp to prepare a tune and then write a lyric for it. However, in this case, Raj asked Shailendra to first write the opening lines of the theme song of the movie. Then he invited Shanker and spoke the lines penned by Shailendra, "Hoton pe sachai rehti hai, jahaan dil mein safai rehti hai; hum us desh ke waasi hain, jis desh mein ganga behti hai". He asked the ace composer if he still believed that such poetic words, evoking the flow of the Ganga, did not offer any scope for music.

The two lines were enough to motivate Shanker to sign on the dotted line instantly. Come to think of it, the movie came to be a milestone in the annals of Hindi film music. A record number of five songs—Ho maine pyar kiya.., Mera naam Raju..., Hoton pe sachai rehti hai... Begani shadi mein Abdullah diwana... and O basanti pawan paagal—were played in the annual programme of Binaca Geetmala of Radio Ceylon in 1961 which was considered to be a barometer of the popularity of songs for 41 years.

The song Ho maine pyar kiya`85picturised on Padmini bathing under a waterfall had a mesmerising effect on viewers. The number also faced problems with the Censor Board when it objected to the line Dheere dheere aakhir band kali muskayee, saying it carried a vulgar meaning. Hasrat Jaipuri, who had penned the song, revealed in a TV interview that he was forced to change the words to Dheere dheere aakhir man ki kali muskayee.

Noted music director Anu Malik considers Raj Kapoor as a genius in the field of music. He says he has never been able to understand how he and his team must have produced the unique chorus sound appearing to come from quite a distance in the song Aa ab launt chalen in Jis Desh Mein`85

The movie took the country by storm. At a special premiere of the film at Calcutta, Raj Kapoor came to address the audience during the interval. When he introduced himself as Mera naam..., the whole house interrupted him, yelling Raju, the name of the character played by him in the movie. Padmini said she did not know Bengali, so she would not be able to speak there. However, the fans yelled, "No speech, just say Oi Oi". The expression, thanks to her unique style of uttering it, made her a darling of cine-goers.

Another "style" which cinegoers remember to date was of Pran who essayed the role of ferocious dacoit Raaka who constanly rubbed his fingers round his neck. Pran says the mannerism was meant to convey the fear of noose, which always exists in the mind of every dacoit. Incidentally, the wig and the moustache of the dacoit were "copy" of a real life dacoit who was killed in an encounter those days.

The movie, incidentally, won four Filmfare awards—for Best Film, Best Actor (Raj Kapoor), Best Art Director (M.R. Acharekar) and Best Editor (G.G. Mayekar).

Vyjayantimala had a relationship with my dad

‘Of course, Vyjayantimala had a relationship with my dad…’

Rishi Kapoor is livid that the yesteryear actress called her link-up with Raj Kapoor a publicity gimmick in her autobiography
In her autobiography titled Bonding... A Memoir, yesteryear actress Vyjayantimala Bali has denied her much-publicised relationship with the late filmmaker Raj Kapoor.
She has not only denied a relationship with him, but has also implied that it was a publicity gimmick fuelled by the PR machinery of the R K Films banner.
After Sunday Mid Day carried excerpts from her book (see box), the legendary filmmaker’s son Rishi Kapoor is furious with her comments.
An irritated Rishi says, “I respect her as a lady and a senior actress, but she is talking rubbish.
Ideally, I would not have commented on this but my father is no more and I am only speaking to defend his reputation.
I will not lie and say that my father didn’t have a relationship with her.
Of course, my dad had a relationship with Vyjayantimala. How can she deny it?”
He adds that the family has suffered greatly on her account. “I remember I was 11 years old when the relationship started, and my mother and the rest of us left our house and lived in Natraj Hotel for four-and-a-half months.
She caused torment to my family, so the least she can do now is own up. Instead, she’s lying and trying to malign my father’s name by saying it was a publicity stunt driven by him.”
Unable to come to terms with the actress’s turnaround, Rishi laughs, “Can you believe it? It’s absurd. My father never needed that kind of publicity.
The whole world knows that Vyjayanti was involved with him. Why is she denying it? This is the case of ‘nau sau chuhe kha ke billi haj ko chali’.”
The actor, who spoke to his siblings after reading excerpts in Sunday Mid Day, asks angrily, “Why just my father, she finally got married to Dr Bali, who was a married man.
His son Ratan Bali (from his first wife) is now with Air India and is possibly a year or two younger than me. I’m sure he suffered too when his father walked out on the family to marry the actress.”
Kapoor is in no mood to forgive such a distortion of facts. “It’s very nice to write your memoirs, but you should have the guts to be honest. You cannot deny facts.
Why did Vyjayantimala write an autobiography if it was going to be fiction? I would never have reacted to her book if she hadn’t stirred up a hornet’s nest by distorting facts,” he concludes.

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=299

Satyam Shivam Sunderam, Worth while understanding this movie

From the Forum

Pratik:

"Satyam Shivam Sunderam," released in the late 1970's was perhaps one of the most controversial movies at the time as it involved scenes that were not allowed in the Hindi film industry, now known as "Bollywood." This were the kissing scenes where Shashi Kapoor, the younger brother of Raj Kapoor, kissing Zeenat Aman on the lips. But what this movie really showed that amongst many things is that sometimes what we see is not rally what it is. For this reason the late Raj Kapoor used the topic of a disfigured woman who falls in love with a man who hates ugliness and disfurement. At the time of making this movie, actress Zeenat Aman was (and I think that she atill is) beautiful but yet on side of her in the story she is disfigured, which Shashi Kapoor does not see until the night of their wedding and he thinks that this is not the same woman that he loves and throws her out but is then forced to take her back. But to be close to him, she re - hides her disfigurement and meets him secretly.

This movie has another message and that is that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and also god is ultimate.

Originally, Rajesh Khanna was to play the part that was played by Shashi Kapoor as he was considered to be the only actor who was and is capable of showing expressions in an appropriate manner as required by the director in front of a camera. But for some unknown reasons, the role was then offered to Shashi Kapoor. However the role that Zeenat Aman played as "Roopa," the disfigured woman, was offered only to her and no one else. The reason being is that she had a good figure and also as mentioned before - beautiful and lastly Rajji thought that she could handle this role very well. Lastly, this the film in which actress Padmini Kohlapure was introduced even though she was only a child - she played the role of "Roops" as a child. She later, off course went on to become a big time actress as have almost all Raj Kapoor protoge actresses. She also was the main actress in R.K.'s "Prem Rog."

This is one movie that has songs that are more like "bhajans" and does contain some beautiful photography, which is really worth while to watch. I would say that this was one of Raj Kapoor's most memorable films that he produced and directed. And off course, like all his films, it had a story to tell with a lot of meaning.

Sabzi_Nic:

Interesting post on this underrated film...
I havent seen it in a few years, deserves a re-watch :)

kkm:

@Pratik
nice write up
i would like to add that this film raj saab planned with lata in mind and lata agreed initially but backed off later
this film did not do well at box office and i read somewhere on the net that raj saab blamed zeenat
but still its a beautifull movie and the rythum of song stayam shivam sundaram is out of this world

RajKapoorFan:

I don't think that Zeenat can be the Problem in this movie I believe that the People that go to see that Just don't like to see that the hasband think that he marry to other woman and go to the woman that he think that she is his lover but she the same woman that marry him. I think that it woes the people that don't understand the movie. But I Do like the movie. My Siser hate this movie only beacuse what that Raj Kapoor do to Zeenat face.

Sabzi_Nic:

I think the film wasn't receieved well in its time because of the partial nudity, it must have been shocking for people, I think it was tastefully done though.

RajKapoorFan:

You Right Sabzi It also can be a problem.

kkm:

chk this out
Zeenat tried her best to find recognition as a good actress but unfortunately never succeeded. She made one last attempt when she tried her best to impress Raj Kapoor. She played the true Indian woman who was more soul than body, according to Raj Kapoor in his film 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram' but like Raj Kapoor himself confessed, 'people will come' to see Zeenat's body but will go back seeing the soul of my film. It is through her beautiful body that I am discovering the soul of the beauty of a woman.' Both Zeenat and 'Satyam Shivam Sundaram' flopped at the box office which was a major setback for Raj and left Zeenat a heart broken actress.

RajKapoorFan:

It is wily Sad I sorry for Both of them.

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=546&st=10

Melody-master Raj Kapoor

Melody-master Raj Kapoor
By I.M. Soni

RAJ Kapoor was a melody-master par excellence. Lata Mangeshkar says, “One thing I have noticed through the years — that, no matter who be the music director of an RK film, in the end the music is given by Raj Kapoor himself.”

He was unlike others who engage a music director and the lyrics are set to tunes. He “composed” the tunes himself and stored them to be used later in his films as when the situation demanded.

O basanti pavan pagal... was shaped into a beautiful song in “Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai.” But it was first used in a snatch as background music in “Awaara” when Prithviraj Kapoor visits his son in jail and calls him “beta” for the first time.

Sun sahiba sun...was approved by Raj Kapoor for RK’s “Ajanta” as far back as 1952. The film did not go on the floor at all.

Raj had visualised the song on Nargis, but it was finally picturised on Mandakini decades later.

When Raj Kapoor launched on his career as a film-maker, he had wanted Shanker-Jaikishan for “Aag”, but Ram Ganguly was thrust on him by Prithviraj.

“Aag” launched Mukesh as Raj Kapoor’s ghost voice with Zinda hoon.... Mukesh become Raj’s “soul mate” in the latter’s own words.

Shanker-Jaikishan who evolved a fresh style of music for RK camp were guided and inspired by Raj himself. It was Raj Kapoor who fashioned Lata’s singing technique for the duo, according to Kishore Bhiwani.

The dream sequence in “Awaara” was shot for 23 hours at one stretch. The takes were repeated till Lata’s voice became limpid, a silver stream of sweet melody.

Raj Kapoor was always present at the time of song rendering. Chithiye dard firaaq waaliye... (“Heena”) had been composed and ready for Lata. Raj Kapoor came into the recording room. He changed the tune and the orchestration of Ravindra Jain. Chithiye... thus turned into a tune composed impromptu Raj Kapoor.

Laxmikant-Pyarelal who composed music for “Bobby” said they walked out as the music for the film was given by Raj himself. They had only to arrange it.

Raj Kapoor’s heart was not really in the “Mera Naam Joker” songs sans Lata for reason which may not be stated here. The songs did not come from Raj Kapoor’s heart. The voice was missing. The vision (Nargis)had already vanished.

Lata says in the book named after her: “Very few film makers in our industry have such a grounding in music. He could play the piano, the tabla and the flute... The opening lines of the songs in his films were written by him... and even some of the tunes were composed by him, not entire songs, but the opening lines.”

The music master is gone. Now his ever-haunting legacy of songs will endure like the RK emblem — the lover with a violin in his hand

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=572

Discuss about Neel Kamal Movie (From the Forum)

RajKapoorFan : Like I Read in Raj Kapoor Biography is that Raj woes Kidar Nath Sharma assistant but this time I Try to late Raj to play the Hero.
Did you see to the girl that play Ganga in her young age I think she the same girl that play on Boot Pulish.
I don't find her on the cast list but it stile can be her

Kkm: i have read this in different sites and raj kapoors different biography's that when he refused to carry on his studies his father who at that time was working with kidar sharma asked kidar to give him some work so raj got some work in the studios washing the floor errecting sets etc etc
while he was working there he became a clapper boy

kidar was shooting a scene of a movie where the king is dying but he could not get it right for 2 days because he wanted to shoot the sunset with king dying now the 3rd day everything was perfect the shot was ready the clapper boy was missing because he was combing his hair he rushed to the set and clapped but unfortunately the beard got stuck in his claps and came off everybody on the set started laughing which made kidar crazy and he slapped raj with great anger
kidar remembers he could not sleep that night

next day when he came to studios to his amazment raj was on duty
he called him in his office and saw marks of his slap still on this face
in regret he just offered him a role of hero in his next movie neel kamal

after reading all this if you watch the movie you will know what you are looking at

RajKapoorFan: What I Know that this movie woes shoot after Raj Saab leave the last studies. He move to work with Kidar Nath Sharma
"That is how I began my career, as the sixth or seventh assistant, trolley-puller, clapper-boy, somewhere in the laboratory picking up odd shots and in the editing department looking at the use of the gamma plus (the solution uses for editing) - that gave me a lot of basic training about the fundamentals of cinema. In 1944, Mr Kidar Sharma gave me my first lead as an actor in his film Neel Kamal. I had been his junior-most assistant for three years. One of my tasks was to give the clap before every shot. " (Raj Kapoor)

The movie show the begin of Raj Kapoor Career of Actor what he cell at an accident But Raj Never stop thing about his dream. He same the money from his Acting from his Company.
There same thing that Only His Big Fans can fell on this movie and this is the way of his act Raj doing great work in here the true that this film woes shoot after "Dil Ki Rani". It look like Raj woes waiting to this Drama movie. He woes so connect to the Drama.
I don't know way but I Stile think that there same thing missing in this movie. The Story also good but same thing stile missing.

Kkm: i think the missing thing is that the script is not very good

it feels that if different scenes are collected put in a box give it a good shuffle and thats it

i also felt that film maker was in a hurry in making the movie

RajKapoorFan: Yeah it sure what wily make you fell that the movie maker try to hurry by making this film.

It can be also the problem with the Person that Write the script Maybe He write Shurt Script and He think that the songs take same time of the movie.

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=567&st=0&#last

Raj Kapoor's familiarity in China Revealed

Minister of Tourism and Culture Ambika Soni had a surprise to hear that Raj Kapoor who is known popular in Soviet Union and today's Russia, also equally familiar with Chinese older generation.

While she was attending an award function a senior citizen approached her and enquired about screening of Indian film stars or songs would be a part of the festival she answered in negative, the elderly person recounted with her by saying that he grown up listening to the songs of Raj Kapoor's film 'Awara'.

The minister was surprised to hear such words since it is restricted to the knowledge that RK was familiar with Russia alone.

Raj Kapoor through his films even penetrated beyond so far known boundaries, as it reveals by the event.

But RK once told during the visit to USSR, "My popularity in Russia is a phenomenon I can't explain myself, except that my films Awara and Shree 420 came at an opportune moment, when the Russian people were changing themselves culturally. In these films they saw the spirit of the Indian youth in revolt and they loved him, as he became the symbol of their own spirit. This identity with the Indian youth that I portrayed drew us closer; our friendship has been a long-standing one. Even today I get a warm welcome from them."

This version seems to be applicable to all regimes where ever there is a change and transformation happens as China also experienced such moments in the post-Mao lead revolution.

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=570

Why Turkey still loves Raj Kapoor?

Hardly anyone knows Amitabh Bachchan in Turkey or for that matter, Aishwarya Rai, the Khans, and other Bollywood icons.

Unlike other Muslim countries including Egypt, Morocco and neighboring Syria, Turkey has remained cold to Bollywood. Once upon a time, and that was long, long time Raj Kapoor's Awara had become a smash hit in Turkey. Why Hindi films slipped off Turkey's cultural radar in the years since remains a mystery.

Imagine our surprise, then, when a group of eight women in the bustling city of Antalya, after confirming that my wife and I were indeed from India, began singing the title song from Raj Kapoor's Awara. They wanted to know if we were staying longer in Antalya, and if we had by any chance DVDs of Indian films. "We also love Mithun Chakraborty," one of them said.

The women, almost all in their 40s, were from Russia, and had settled down in Turkey along with their families. "We like everything here, including the food and climate," one of them said. "And there is very little crime. But we miss Indian films."

Antalya, which gets over a million visitors a year from Germany, has also begun witnessing an influx of newly rich Russians. There are an estimated 50,000 Russian and 80,000 German families settled in Antalya, which has nearly one million citizens.

Last year, some 200,000 visitors from Russia and the former Soviet countries visited Antalya, one of the prettiest and cleanest cities in Turkey, known not only for its archaeological sites but also for organic farms and excellent meat products. In fact, the fondness of Russians for Antalya and a few other Turkish cities was recently a page one story in The New York Times.

As a spinoff effect, cab drivers, tour guides, hotel managers and jewellery merchants, who speak English and German to varying degrees, have now begun speaking in Russian, too.

Raj Kapoor made yet another appearance in another unlikely place -- the ruins of Ephesus. The guide had finished showing us the Roman ruins and cursing the British for stealing many of the pillars and busts and taking them to London over 100 years ago. He then showed us the hill where Mary, mother of Jesus, and John, one of the apostles, are said to have settled down -- which, incidentally, is local belief based on very little actual evidence.

A young woman discusses the evidence, or lack thereof, of this legend with the guide, while the nearly 20 people in our group listen in rapt attention. Suddenly, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. A man in his early 40s asked me if I was from India. He then took me off to one side, away from the theological discussion, and recited a few lines in chaste Hindustani.

He then started singing one of the most famous songs from Raj Kapoor's Awara: Dam Bhar Jo Udhar Mu Nah Phera. I tell him that I had the impression people in Turkey didn't care much for Hindi films -- and he likely wasn't even born when Awara was released.

He explains that his father was crazy about the film, and had managed to get a DVD about 15 years ago, from England. "He made us watch the film every week," the man, a cab driver, said. "I think I must have seen it more than 50 times.'

He was surprised to find so many 'Turkish' words, including duniya, in the film. He prided himself on being a bit of a linguist, and pointed out how words from various languages have made into India.

"I think I know at least 100 Turkish words," I tell him. He demands that I demonstrate. With an eye on the guide, who is getting ready to take us to the next site, I reel off the words: Vatan, kanun, hafta, hawa, subji (subze in Turkish), kitab, sharab (sharap, locally).

Masha Allah, I add, pointing at the bright sky that, just a few minutes ago, was dark and gloomy. "You are a Turk or what?!" the man laughs.

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=558

Aag 1948

If You see Aag and See at with out losing any point. You can find that Raj Kapoor Re Shoot Same Screen.
About what I talking Late I Show. In the beginner of the movie Aag Raj don't Have mustache. (What make weird to see him With out) So I Take to Screen from the Beginner of the Movie


Here you can see Raj Kapoor With out Mustache.


After 2 second from the second screen you See Raj Kapoor With His Mustache

And then Back with out Mustache?


But I love the part with the mustache (Yeah I Name at like that) It so amazing all the place is Dark and only a little Fire next to him. Light his Face.

I love the way he shoot movies amazing!

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=523

News from Raj Kapoor Fanclub

Before a week we Talk about Same Good Idea that give us our friend from the Forum Kkm.

The Idea is that any Two Weeks we Upload Raj Kapoor Movies from Beginning. Today Is Aag.

First all the members have to Watch the movie Before. Then we comment on the movie including each and every scene, song dialogues,direction etc etc

So every two weeks we going to watch and Comments about Raj Kapoor Movie.

*If you dont have the movies dont worry we upload all the full movie on the Forum Include English Subtitle.

See you all soon

RajKapoorFan

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?act=idx

Bollywood not giving up

In the Last years, Bollywood makes copys of same bigest high Bollywood old movie like Devdes, Sholay, Boot Polish (In Punjabi)
And Shree 420 (also woes copy ones again in the bollywood movies making and also in Punjabi)

One day I Get a massage in my email by the man that make the copy of Shree 420 in Punjabi. I see his profile in Myspace and see there same video of behind the making of the movie Boot Polish in Punjabi, that woes also Direct by him. He woes won't to invit me to the shooting bat I don't live in india and second I don't like this Re copy.

Why people do this why? What Dilip Kumar don't doing great job on Devdes in 1955, I don't say that SRK Doing bad work bat why they do Re copy to this movie.
Devdes also Re Copy 6 times in the Bollywood cinema it not enough?
They also Re Copy Sholay and Name the movie "Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag" also the movie woes get low Rating. also, why Amitabh Bachchan accept this job?

So.. what now. Sangam?
I write that many Director try to copy Sangam bat thanks god no one can get to the best Work that Raj Kapoor do bat I hear that SRK Work on new movie that have kind same story of Sangam. the director don't have a name for the movie so He decide to name at Sangam?

Why they ruin the best old movies?

For Voting Click on the next Link

http://z6.invisionfree.com/RKForum/index.php?showtopic=443