Throwback to when IIFA seemed to be doing the right thing - Page 7

Originally posted by: Maroonporsche

So the clique issue of Bollywood goes back to the 1980s ?

70s actually. My dad says 2 or 3 of Dharmendra’s films could come out at the same time. They would ALL do well. Who talks about his stardom today ? It is all Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. Who were stars of the time too. But not the only ones. 

Cliques were always there in Bollywood and so was media bootlicking and political favours.

It is openly known Nehru promoted Bachchans, Kapoors, Dutts, Dilip Kumar who were their bootlickers.

Actors with other ideologies were often denied due or their films were not played much on DD nor songs played much on AIR.

Bachchan got banned by media for over a decade for his family supporting Emergency and Filmfare neither featured him in peak of his career nor gave him awards until he patched up with media.

Rajesh Khanna got lot of awards until he was media darling and close to INC. Fell out later and became less relevant.

Lot of actors who never kissed anybody's ass and were not from big families nor had dinners with editors, politicians and producers or underworld were sidelined despite hits. Mala Sinha for eg, had solid BO record and second highest number of hits after Hema Malini in history of Indian cinema. Yet no media features her nor gives her awards or mentions her as some icon.

Recognition and hype here, or even your old work shown or discussed later depends on how much asskissing you did.

Dharam has partly himself to blame for fighting with media due to stories they wrote about his personal life, marriages and kids and conversion.

He once chased Devyani Chaubal at a party to hit her against an article she wrote against Hema. It is said incidents like these with high profile journos and editors cost him his image and awards. 

He came to be known more for personal life, anger issues, emotional outbursts and drunken fits than his work or hits or attempts at versatility. I think he would not be relevant today if people were not obsessed with his looks since he was one of rare male actors to be actually physically fit, well built and handsome. He could look sweet or cute and tough at once. If everyone from Jaya who calls him Greek god and Dilip Kumar who said he wished God had made him as haseen as Dharam, had not raved about his looks, and if he did not marry the biggest female star and one of most beautiful female stars of all times, then I bet, people would not discuss him as much as they do now. Sholay being ATBB has also helped him a lot. Though it is sad that rest of his work is ignored.

Originally posted by: Grumpydwarf24

70s actually. My dad says 2 or 3 of Dharmendra’s films could come out at the same time. They would ALL do well. Who talks about his stardom today ? It is all Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. Who were stars of the time too. But not the only ones. 

I don’t think Rajesh Khanna legend has held up that well either. Some people might know him as the star of Wafa 😆

That is only for new generation. The 70s and early 80s ones are mad about Rajesh Khanna and his fans are rabid. They usually have habit of hyping him in all forums and comments. Especially troll Amitabh videos a lot to claim Rajesh had greater supremacy. Or troll Kishore Kumar videos claiming Kishore is famous due to Kaka songs.

Originally posted by: atominis

That is only for new generation. The 70s and early 80s ones are mad about Rajesh Khanna and his fans are rabid. They usually have habit of hyping him in all forums and comments. Especially troll Amitabh videos a lot to claim Rajesh had greater supremacy. Or troll Kishore Kumar videos claiming Kishore is famous due to Kaka songs.

Agreed he was huge !