Hrishikesh Mukherjee: ’Musical’ director - Page 12

Originally posted by: Qwest

From Ape to Superstar !

by: Sushama

This story was narrated by Satish Wagle, one of the two producers of Namak Haram starring Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Rekha etc and directed by Hrishikesh Mukerjee.

"When Namak Haram was planned, Rajesh was still a reigning superstar, while Amitabh was a jinxed, flop actor. Since they couldn't get Rajesh's dates easily, the producers decided to go ahead with Amitabh's portions, as he was freely available. When the under-production film was shown to a group of distributors, they saw that there was lots of Amitabh and very little of Rajesh on the screen. They thought that Amit was the real hero while Rajesh did a guest role. Naturally they were not interested in buying the film, even though Hrishida was the director. They started finding faults with the film and raised ridiculous objections. Finally they told me bluntly- 'your hero looks like an ape. Do tell him to have a good hair-cut so that we can see whether he has ears or not!'

Zanzeer was released while Namak Haram , was still under-production. Amitabh arrived with a bang as the angry young man. His success suddenly revived distributors' interest in the film Now, not only they liked Amitabh's ears covered with his hair, but also wanted his role to be lengthened. They even suggested that he be given prominence in the press and poster publicity!"

However, the most telling comment on this changing scenario came from the barbers of Bombay. Before the release of Zanzeer , they used to offer a Rajesh Khanna hair-cut for Rs.3 and Amitabh one at Rs.2. But after Zanzeer , the rates were reversed!".

At no point of time did Amitabh EVER look like an ape!!!!!!!!!

Jaya, thanks for the interesting titbits about Hrishida's movies!

Shri Hrishikesh Mukherjee has been named as the recipient of 1999 Dada Saheb Phalke Award. The Award is given by the Government of India to a film personality for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. The Award consists of a Swarna Kamal, a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs and a Shawl. The award will be presented by the President of India on 18^th September, 2000 along with National Film Awards.

Born in 1922 at Calcutta, Shri Mukherjee is a science graduate from Calcutta University. He worked initially as a teacher and a freelance artist at All India Radio. He joined New Theatres Studio in 1945 where he worked initially as a Laboratory Assistant and then as a film editor. His first full editing assignment was the film "Tathapi" (1950). He worked for Shri Bimal Roy as an assistant director and editor. His first directorial venture was the feature film "Musafir" (1957) that won a Certificate of Merit in the National Awards. His other acclaimed works include "Anari" (1959), "Anuradha" (1960), Anupama (1966), "Anand" (1970), "Guddi" (1971), "Abhimaan" 1973), "Namak Haraam" (1973), "Chupke Chupke" (1975), "Mili" (1975), "Arjun Pandit" (1976), "Naukri" (1978), "Golmaal" (1979), "Khubsoorat" (1980), "Bemisaal" (1982), "Rang Birangi" (1983), "Jhoothi" (1986), "Hum Hindustani" (TV) (1986), "Talash" (TV) (1992) and "Jhoot Bole Kaua Kata" (1998).

Shri Hrishikesh Mukherjee has won several National Awards. He has also served as the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification, Bombay and the National Film Development Corporation, Bombay.

The first award was given to Smt. Devika Rani in the year 1969. Shri B.R. Chopra was the recipient of this award for 1998.

Originally posted by: punjini

Jaya, thanks for the interesting titbits about Hrishida's movies!

punjini ji

I am agreeing with you.!!!!!!!At no point of time did Amitabh EVER look like an ape!!!!!!!!!

Yes jaya great post and a very important thread.

Filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee passes away

This song is haunting me a lot, since the moment I heard the sad news...

Zindagi ...kaisi hai paheli, haaye
Kabhi to hansaaye kabhi ye rulaaye
Zindagi...

Kabhi dekho man nahi jaage peechhe peechhe sapno ke bhaage
Ek din sapno ka raahi chalaa jaaye sapno ke aage kaha
Zindagi...

Jinhone sajaaye yaha mele sukh-dukh sang-sang jhele
Wahi chunkar khaamoshi yu chali jaaye akele kaha
Zindagi...

Middle Class was Hrishikesh Mukherjee's forte

Shilpa Jamkhandikar in Mumbai

August 27, 2006 20:51 IST

Film director Hrishikesh Mukherjee's biggest achievement is that he successfully uncovered the face of the vast Indian middle class with its virtues and foibles and made it universally appealing on celluloid.

From the laugh-a-minute Chupke Chupke and Golmaal to the sensitive portrayal of a young couple battling their egos in Abhimaan, Mukherjee understood the nuances that characterised the middle class of the 1970s and depicted it with great skill mixing pathos, sarcasm and objectivity.

Shorn of the glamour and glitz that is so much a part of films in today's cinema, Mukherjee's films still manage to bring a smile tears whether it is Anand's (Amitbah Bachchan's) resounding Babu Moshai that echoes in the room minutes after the character played by Rajesh Khanna is dead or Rekha's daring disregard for rules that results in disastrous consequences in Khubsoorat.

Born on September 30, 1922 in Kolkata, Mukherjee began his cinematic career as an assistant to his guru Bimal Roy in 1951 and made his directorial debut with Musafir in 1957, an interesting film hat strung together three stories in the form three sets of tenants that occupy a house at various points in time.

Success however came with his next venture Anuradha (1960), a sensitive film about a doctor who neglects his family to focus on his work, winning him the President's Gold Medal.

From then on, there was no looking back for Mukherjee.

He made Anupama, a touching film about a daughter who yearns for her father's affection, a role that earned rave reviews for Sharmila Tagore. He followed it up with Ashirwaad and Satyakaam that saw macho man and action hero Dharmendra in a totally different role.

Bollywood mourns death of Hrishikesh

yaa dil kee suno duniyaawaalon
yaa muz ko abhee choop rahane do
mai gam ko khushee kaise kah doo
jo kahate hain unako kahane do

ye fool chaman mein kaisaa khilaa
maalee kee najar mein pyaar nahee
hasate huye kyaa kyaa dekh liyaa
ab bahate hain aansoo bahane do

yek khwaab khushee kaa dekhaa nahee
dekhaa jo kabhee to bhool gaye
maangaa huaa tum kuchh de naa sake
jo tum ne diyaa wo sahane do

kyaa dard kisee kaa legaa koee
itanaa to kisee mein dard nahee
bahate huye aansoo aaur bahe
ab ayesee tasallee rahane do😭

😭

Originally posted by: jayc1234

yaa dil kee suno duniyaawaalon
yaa muz ko abhee choop rahane do
mai gam ko khushee kaise kah doo
jo kahate hain unako kahane do

ye fool chaman mein kaisaa khilaa
maalee kee najar mein pyaar nahee
hasate huye kyaa kyaa dekh liyaa
ab bahate hain aansoo bahane do

yek khwaab khushee kaa dekhaa nahee
dekhaa jo kabhee to bhool gaye
maangaa huaa tum kuchh de naa sake
jo tum ne diyaa wo sahane do

kyaa dard kisee kaa legaa koee
itanaa to kisee mein dard nahee
bahate huye aansoo aaur bahe
ab ayesee tasallee rahane do😭