On the basis of his rogueish Veeru in Sholay and Parimal in Chupke Chupke, Dharmendra softened his He-Man image and went on to do a series of charming comedies.
Some of his best known works are Us Paar, Rajnigandha, Chitchor, Piya Ka Ghar, Khatta Meetha and Baton Baton Mein.
'It is wrong to say he turned director to create starring opportunities for himself. He was happy with what he had.'
'I always felt that Basu Chatterjee was a kind, gentle, man who truly believed that in directing films like Chhoti Si Baat, he was impacting our lives,' remembers Aseem Chhabra. 'He seemed to be on a mission to make us believe that the world could be a better place.'
'Songs are a commercial compromise.' 'I had to invent tricks to fit songs into my films.'
'Basuda welcomed viewers into a world that was instantly familiar and comfortable,' observes Sukanya Verma.
'I don't think Waheeda had the confidence that I could pull it off, so she said no.'
His cinema of compassion inspired me, gave me tools to develop empathy for others. But it also made me understand that serious, socially committed cinema with deeply engaging narratives and great performances is an art form to admire, appreciate and explore. Aseem Chhabra remembers Shyam Benegal, who passed into the ages on Monday evening.
As Yesudas turns 84 on January 10, Subhash K Jha salutes the legend.
In our special series re-visiting great Hindi film classics, we look back at Ashok Kumar, Utpal Dutt and A K Hangal starrer Shaukeen (1982).
National-award winning actor, producer, hotelier, ex-politician, cricket team owner, philanthropist, highest tax payer, reality show judge, animal lover and, above all, people's hero -- Mithun Chakraborty -- who has been conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award -- is truly a force of nature, notes Sukanya Verma.
'Here are 25 stories special to me for one reason too many,' says Sukanya Verma who scored 25 years writing about the movies last week.
'These days you are the main inspiration for a lot of young film-makers. They are mimicking your films.'
Hema Malini and Dharmendra, who celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary on May 2, made a beautiful couple on screen.
With the monsoon sweeping across many parts of India, Subhash K Jha picks 5 of his favourite romantic rain songs.
Shabana Azmi regards Basu Chatterjee as the true father of Middle Of The Road cinema.
An amateurish crime comedy that wants to be taken seriously, Mrs Undercover can never quite find its bearings, observes Sukanya Verma.
Basu Chatterjee's films have wonderful songs, 10 of which Joginder Tuteja lists here.
Girish Karnad's demise leaves Shabana Azmi shattered.
Not so hatke after all, but no reason to stay bachke either, notes Sukanya Verma.
'...saying 'I love you'.' 'In none of the films has my character ever uttered 'I love you' or 'Main tumse mohabbat karta hoon'.'
Meenakshi Sundareshwar is a Basu Chatterjee slice-of-life packaged in a glossy ad film whose source of heart are its two genuinely likeable leads, feels Sukanya Verma.
She breathed her last in a hospital in Mumbai on August 15.
Apparently, the number and the style in which it will be shot will echo the chiffon-in-the-snow style of Karan's mentor, Yash Chopra.
'Basuda hardly spoke, but he had a sense of humour and that showed in his films.'
'His wicked sense of humour, his compassion will be hard to replace.'
'Bapi's characters looked and spoke like people we know.'
'I would rather focus on the good rather than what didn't happen.'
Subhash K Jha remembers the dear departed.
'I wasn't getting the roles I wanted to play and the respect I thought I deserved as a senior actor, so I cut myself off from the industry for a while and moved to the US.'
After another hiatus that lasted a decade, the actress makes a comeback once again, this time in JugJugg Jeeyo, where she taps into her comic side to play Anil Kapoor's wife.
Sukanya Verma toasts the man, the movies and the many, many, MANY memories he's made on big screen through 80 Amitabh Bachchan moments.
Here's your chance to ask her anything at all!
Subhash K Jha selects his favourite rain songs. Do list your favourites in the message board below!
Sukanya Verma remembers the star in some of her significant movies.
On her 72nd birthday on September 18, Sukanya Verma gives three cheers to the legend and lists 20 of her stellar performances.
The trio will feature in Aye Dil Sambhal Zara, along with Paresh Rawal.
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