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The year 2008 marks the 95th anniversary of Bollywood cinema. It was in 1913, that the very first Indian – okay, not technically Bollywood – movie was made – Raja Harishchandra. Few who sat in the Coronation Theatre in Mumbai on May 3rd, 1913 could have realised that they were witnessing one of the most major historical events of all time – the birth of an industry that would eventually employ hundreds of thousands, that would span the globe, that would act as the window to India, and that would provide spiritual and moral sustenance and a sense of identity to a diaspora of hundreds of millions - and entertainment, gaiety, laughter, tears and drama to billions of souls.
It would be impossible and indeed unfair for any one person to draw up a definitive list of ten Bollywood movies that represent the best of the industry. Each must produce their own. However, in this article, I hope to cover at least 10 movies that might be instructional and entertaining to people new to the joys and pleasures that only Bollywood can bring. I hope you will join me on my journey.
The first port of call has to be A Throw of Dice (1929) which, after a gap of many years, was recently shown in its entirety on British television with a new orchestrated score by Nitin Sawhney. The director surprisingly was German, Franz Osten, who worked extensively in India. A somewhat strange character, Osten was a Nazi and held mystical beliefs in the origins and destiny of Indo-Aryan culture. However, little of this need trouble us as we watch a magnificent film, full of expressionist lighting and carefully constructed sets. The story is based on an extract from the Mahabharata. It concerns two kings (one good and one bad) who both love a beautiful hermit's daughter and they play dice – the winner to marry the girl. Of course, I won't tell you what happens next, you must watch the movie and see! The film starred the mesmerising and – oh so – beautiful Seeta Devi in the key role. The real name of this Anglo-Indian actress was Renee Smith and she had changed her name to make herself more acceptable to an Indian audience.
The first Indian talkie was Alam Ara, which debuted at the Majestic Theatre in Bombay on March 14th, 1931. The crowds were so vast that police had to be called in to control them. The director was Ardeshir Irani and it was immensely successful. The first ever Bollywood song starting a tradition that has lasted lifetimes was 'De de khuda ke naam par' and it was sung by the actor Wazir Mohamed Khan – the first of the King Khans! As Shyam Benegal has said, "It was not just a talkie. It was a talking and singing film with more singing and less talking. It had a number of songs and that actually set the template for the kind of films that were made later." The story is essentially a love story between a prince and a gypsy girl and encompasses kings and courts, prisons, exile and two warring wives. Regrettably the fire at the National Film Archives at Pune in 2003 destroyed the last surviving full print and all that remains now are memories. It's worth seeing what you can of it, however, if only to glimpse the breathtaking Zubeida as the gypsy girl. Zubeida was a real life princess, the daughter of the Nawab of Sachin and she had the courage to enter the movies at a time when it was not really considered a respectable thing to do – especially if you were of royal blood.
Mahal in 1949 was a lyrical movie of reincarnation and suspense that launched the careers of both Madhubala and Lata Mangeshkar. Directed by the poet Kamal Amrohi, it is virtually unique in Bollywood for its gothic atmosphere and chilling score. The film also starred Ashok Kumar. Madhubala's own tale of course is one of extraordinary sadness, early poverty, separated by the mores of her time from the love of her life Dilip Kumar, dominated by her family throughout her life so she was never truly free, and then dying at the tender age of 36. And yet on screen, she carried a mixture of confidence and fragility that has led her to be compared to Marilyn Monroe.
The second Madhubala film we must consider is Howrah Bridge in 1956. Once again, Madhubala was starring opposite Ashok Kumar in what can best be described as Bollywood's finest contribution to the early film noir convention. It is most notable for the absolutely stunning final scenes that take place high up in the suspension cables of the famous bridge linking the two halves of Calcutta. Directed by Shakti Samanta, it contains the famous song 'Mera Naam Chin Chin Choo,' sung by the beautiful Geeta Dutt, who by this stage had moved onto playback singing, and picturised by the no.1 item girl of all time, Helen – who, incidentally is Salman Khan's step-mother, as if you didn't know.
It's difficult to follow that, isn't it – but we must move on – and the next port of call must be Mother India
(1957), a film that is truly significant as a social commentary for the way that it encapsulated the trials and agonies of a newly-independent nation of (then) half a billion souls and the challenges that it faced to build a new society for itself. The film itself became a unifying factor in the birth of that great nation, something that everyone saw and rallied around – it had a story that touched on the weltanschaung of the Indian people as they set about their quest of building a nation. Directed by Mehboob Khan, it starred Nargis, and was actually an Indo-Russian co-production. Bollywood movies have always played well in Eastern Europe and Russia. The film is told in flashback and is the life story of Radha and Shamu (Raj Kapoor) and their two sons. It is a tale of hardship and poverty, but also the tale of a strong woman and perseverance. It is a tale of inequality but also of optimism for the future of India, symbolised by the building of a canal to the village. It doesn't sound like much, does it? But it's unlikely that even the most hardened thug in Sing-Sing could watch this movie without tears in his eyes.
And then the third Madhubala film that no serious list could ever be without is the immortal Mughal-e-Azam, first released in 1960 in black-and-white and then re-released in colour to equal worldwide success in 2005. What is there left to say about this movie that was the highest-grossing Bollywood movie right up until Sholay in 1975. It starred Madhubala alongside the true love of her life Dilip Kumar. Although they had been forced apart by convention for years, their chemistry on screen is heartbreaking. Of course, everyone knows the story. The great emperor, Akbar the Great has a weak and poetic son, Salim. Salim falls in love with Anarkali, a slave and dancing girl. The father of course objects – an imperious Prithviraj Kumar – and throws Anarkali in prison. Salim rebels against his father (Goodness! I can remember the whole plot and it's been years since I saw it! That's the impression it makes!). Anyway, Salim rebels against his father, loses, and is condemned to die. Anarkali pleads her life for Salim's. Her wish is granted but in a horrifying scene, she is walled up…alive! To find out what happens next, you know what you must do!! The film took ten years to complete – the battle scene comprises of 2000 camels, 4000 horses and 8000 soldiers.
Okay, it's time to lighten up a bit now with three movies that are simply great fun. The first is Jewel ThiefPink Panther mode. It contains a cast to die for – including Ashok Kumar, Helen and the sultry southern beauty Vyjayanthimala. Of course, it's all about a jewel thief and a jewel robbery but that's like saying that Mahabharata is about Khrishna. It has so many twists and turns, hilarious scenes, false identities, and spectacular shots that it rates way up there with the best of the Bond movies or those chic French comedy capers of the 60s starring Mireille Darc.
(1967) with the classically suave and elegant Dev Anand in
Speaking of Shammi Kapoor, we must mention China Town(1962). Yet another Shakti Samanta film (was there no end to this man's talent!), it also featured Shakila and Helen. This film has a lightness of touch and constant movement that is exhilarating. It also encapsulates the urban night club life of the early 60s – fashions, hairstyles, mannerisms and interior design in a way that appears to turn the whole movie into a work of art – not a single inch of screen space is wasted in creating the effect. Shammi, of course, overacts outrageously in the usual dual-role (separated twins and so on) and includes a gangster-based plot set in the heart of Calcutta and focusing on the night-club activity of the redlight district. It's great fun from beginning to end.
The second one to add to your shopping list is the endearingly romantic An Evening in Paris (1967) with Shammi 'Elvis' Kapoor and the effortlessly gorgeous Sharmila Tagore. Again directed by Shakti Samanta, this has no plot really but the chemistry between the two leads – purely acting it seems – is just extraordinary. It's a typical everyday Bollywood story of twins separated at birth, a beautiful rich girl swapping identities with her secretary because she wants to find a man who will love her for herself and not her money, and there's a kidnap, an idiot hero (Shammi of course) and, well, I can't begin to tell you how all of these threads unfolds – you'll just have to see it! Most of all the movie has a colour palette that defined Bollywood movies for about three decades – heavy on technicolour reds and yellows – it's wonderful.
Good Lord! I've just checked back and I realise I've covered nine already and I'm still in the 1960s. Well, okay, the last one on the list has to be Sholay – or "Once Upon A Time In India" as I prefer to think of it. But that will still only bring us up to 1975 – so it looks like there's going to be a follow-up article soon called something like '10 More Greatest Bollywood Movies of All Time.' Watch this space. So, what can be said about Sholay that hasn't already been said. In real terms adjusted for inflation, it still the greatest grossing Bollywood movie of all time. Directed by Ramesh Sipy, it of course cemented the careers of 'King' Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra and gave us the drop-dead gorgeous Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri in the same movie. Really, what more could anyone want? The story is basically that of two bounty hunters, shall we say, and their efforts to capture the dacoit Gabbar Singh – ah! What images that name conjures up! The film ran continuously for five years at the Minerva Theatre in Bombay. So basically, it's a western movie in the Sergio Leone style but also interestingly has echoes of Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai, with the two good guys acting to rescue a village from the bad guys. But also of course, this being Bollywood, it has romance and music. Helen pops up as a gypsy dancer, and in this case, the romance of course seeped off the screen from reel life into real life, giving the hundreds of millions of fans even greater pleasure – Dharmendra married Hema Malini and Amitabh married Jaya Bhaduri.
I guess Sholay is the ultimate escapist movie and it's fitting that it should be the last in this first set of 10 Great Bollywood Movies. But there are so many more, Umrao Jaan, Devdas, Main Bhari Maang... my list could go on forever – and you know, that's the great thing about Bollywood, great movies, great songs, great actors, great personalities, everywhere you look, and above all, great entertainment!
http://www.bollyspice.com/view.php/1817-ten-bollywood-movies-everyone-shou
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