While the country is gripped by Ram Mandir frenzy, Danish Husain -- without shouting from the rooftops -- silently staged his opinion with this play on one of India's best-known poets, observes Neeta Kolhatkar.
Ashi Dua, who produced Bombay Talkies, will produce the film titled Sahir.
'Somewhere our society's collective morality is lost. There's a kind of moral confusion in our society which reflects in our films.' 'Filmmakers are hiding behind romance, ghost stories, murder mysteries and sex. No film is looking at social issues.'
S D Burman enjoyed a productive partnership with Dev Anand's production house Navketan for two decades, but their collaboration reached its apogee with Guide.
'No matter how big the name, no one lives forever; like medicines, we come with an expiry date.' 'But, in the short time that we have, we try to make something that will stay on long after we are gone.'
Can anyone forget S D Burman's classic songs in Devdas, Sujata and Bandini?
Mumbai-based Film Heritage Foundation, a not-for-profit NGO, found these items recently amid a dump of newspapers and magazines at the scrap shop in Juhu and now plans to preserve and exhibit "the archives".
'I played five different versions of Woh Subah Kabhie Toh Aayegi for Raj Kapoor, only to be greeted with a totally blank reaction.' 'Thereafter, for 40 minutes, he disappeared, leaving us baffled.' 'But when he emerged, he couldn't stop appreciating our efforts!' 'He said Sahir Ludhianvi's writing was sheer poetry and since all my five tunes were equally wonderful, he would leave it to my discretion to chose the final tune.' 'What could be greater appreciation for an artiste?'
'I was super shy and awkward and had no idea what huge stars I was working with.'
'Bappi Lahiri was looking for a break so he and his father would meet me.' 'I told Director Bhisham Kohli about this promising young boy from Kolkata, and Bappi came over with his harmonium.' 'Bappi played this composition and Bhisham liked it immediately.' 'As we were discussing, I said I would give the words, and that's how I wrote this song.'
Sukanya Verma remembers some of his greatest solo numbers in our fondly curated playlist.
'At a time when the 'my country, right or wrong' attitude is sweeping over the majority, the Pyaasa song Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahan Hain brings a much-needed sense of reality. It questions: How can one feel any sense of pride when women are treated like this? Utkarsh Mishra salutes Guru Dutt's classic that turns 68 this month.
'When I heard the tune for Abhi Na Jao I was bowled over.' 'Of course, I never knew it would be such a timeless rage.'
Deepika Padukone signs on for the yet-to-be-titled Sahir Ludhianvi bio-pic, reports Subhash K Jha.
'A struggling actor once came to me and told me there's no work.' 'I said when there's no work, that's when you have a lot of work.' 'He said he didn't understand.' 'I explained that you have to keep reading, watching, writing, traveling.' 'It is like riyaaz for an actor.'
Piku co-stars may reunite for a film on Sahir Ludhianvi and Amrita Pritam.
'Rafi Saab was such a skilled singer he could create any mood through his voice.'
What happened on the sets of Saagar. The role Irrfan desperately wanted to play. What Sayani Gupta is up to.
As Independent India turned 76, so did the ethereal Raakhee I know better than most, says Subhash K Jha.
Gems you can enjoy from the time he was at his handsome and magnetic best.
Sukanya Verma lists 25 unforgettable Dilip Kumar melodies to love and listen to.
We've been carrying Deepak Kirpalani's Punjab travelogue. We begin from where Kriplani left us last -- in freezing cold in 'the city of the magician'.
You know the celebrated Raksha Bandhan songs. Subhash K Jha lists the ones you don't.
O saare jag ke rakhwale Nirbal ko bal dene wale Balwano ko de de gyan... These lines by Sahir Ludhianvi ask the One who empowers the weak to give wisdom to those who wield power. I think it is one of the greatest lines ever written. It fits so well in today's scenario, says writer-lyricist Swanand Kirkire.
'India was 10 years old when Guru Dutt made Pyaasa, but even at that young age, its poets -- including the film's lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi -- appeared disappointed with the direction the country was taking.'
The show's called Classic Legends and will premiere at 7.30 on December 11 on Zee Classic.
The novel has an ambiguous ending, but in the film the man becomes a saint and risks his life as he goes on a fast. He just cannot let down the thousands of people who have faith in him... Arthur J Pais reveals little known facts about Dev Anand's film, Guide.
The graves of several luminaries of Hindi cinema, including legendary playback singer Mohammad Rafi and music composer Naushad are in the danger of being dug out to make way for new ones. This is due to the space constraints faced by the Muslim Majlis, the trust which manages the Muslim Kabrastan (Burial ground) in the Santacruz-Juhu area of suburban Mumbai.
B R Chopra was a reformist film-maker, way ahead of his times, says Subhash K Jha.
'We all face challenges in life. It's our approach towards them that absolutely decides what you become.'
Rahul Dev Burman's collaboration with Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar was unique, but he saved his best for Lata Mangeshkar.
Sukanya Verma salutes most beloved Rishi Kapoor melodies.
Let us get high on Pathaan and his simple-minded antics, sure, but let us also take a moment to think about Jim who, with that one cunning piece of dialogue, goes on to boldly state that patriotism is a many-hued thing, observes Sreehari Nair.
'...It was because Lataji sang for us.'
Film music flourished in the 1970s. Some old masters did some great work, but it was also the decade of new composers.
"The consequence of the demand to declare Hijab as an essential religious practice is huge because there is an element of compulsion or else you will be expelled from the community," Navadgi told the court.
Among Hindi cinema's leading men of the last century, Sunil Dutt, who passed away 16 years ago on May 25, did not hesitate in doing women-oriented films which addressed the issues of their upliftment, empowerment and equality.
We celebrate Kishore Kumar's 90th birth anniversary on August 4 with Amit Kumar's 10 favourite Kishore Kumar songs.
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