Kalpana Kartik

Kalpana Kartik (original name Mona Singha) is a former Hindi film actress. She starred in six films in the 1950s. She is the wife of Hindi film actor and film maker Late Dev Anand.

Mona Singha was a beauty queen while studying at St. Bede's College,Simla. She was introduced to films by Chetan Anand of Navketan Films  in the film Baazi in 1951. She co-starred with Dev Anand, whom she worked with in all her subsequent films. Her screen name - Kalpana Kartik - was given to her by Chetan Anand during this time.

Her other films were Aandhiyan (1952), Taxi Driver (1954),Husafer (1953),House no 44 (1954) House44 and Nau Do Gyar
aah (1957) 

Dilip Kumar

Born: December 11, 1922 (age 91),Peshawar, Pakistan Full name: Muhammed Yusuf Khan Spouse: Asmaa (m. 1980), Saira Banu(m. 1966) Siblings: Nasir Khan, Ehsan Khan, Aslam Khan Awards: Filmfare Award for Best Actor,Dadasaheb Phalke Award, more

	Dilip Kumar is considered to be one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. Starting his career in 1944, he has starred in some of the biggest commercially successful films in the period 1949-1961. . He was the first actor to receive a Filmfare Best Actor Award and holds the record for most number of Filmfare Awards won for that category. Though he has done films of other genres occasionally like - he balanced out with roles such as the intense Andaz (1949) with the swashbuckling Aan (1952), the dramatic Devdas (1955) with the comical Azaad (1955) and the historical romance Mughal E Azam (1960) with the social Ganga Jamuna (1961), he pre-dominantly specialized in doing love stories or tragic roles from 1944-1961. From late 1960s roles dried up for Kumar as films starring Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar and Shammi Kapoor were more successful from 1961-1969 and also Dilip's films from 1966 to 1976 were box office flops like Dil Diya Dard Liya, Sunghursh, Aadmi, Dastaan, Gopi, Sagina and Bairaag and after 1976 he left films for a five year break. After Rajesh Khanna became first superstar of Indian Cinema in 1969, most of the author backed lead roles from 1969-1991, went to Rajesh Khanna. In 1981 Dilip returned with a character role at insistence of Manoj Kumar in the blockbuster film Kranti and continued his career playing central character roles in multi-hero films such as Shakti (1982), Karma (1986), Vidhaata, Mazdoor, Mashaal, Duniya, Dharm Adhikari, Kanoon Apna Apna, Izzatdaar, Saudagar (1991), Qila. But his only films to be successful from 1981 at box office were Kranti, Vidhaata, Karma, Dharm Adhikari, Kanoon Apna Apna and Saudagar. He has retired from the Indian Film Industry in 1998. He was born Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar Pakistan in a Pashtun family of twelve children. His father Ghulam Sarwar was a fruit merchant and owned large orchards in Peshawar and Devlali in Maharashtra near Mumbai. The family relocated to Mumbai in 1930s and in the early 1940s Yusuf Khan moved to Pune and started off with his canteen business and supplying dry fruits. There he was spotted by a leading actress of those years Devika Rani who was also the wife of the founder of Bombay Talkies Himanshu Rai and helped his entry into the Bollywood film industry. She also gave him the screen name of Dilip Kumar. His first film Jwar Bhata, was released in 1944 which went unnoticed and his next 2 films Pratima (1945),Naukadubi (1947) were box office flops. In 1947 he shot to prominence with the film Jugnu which was his first major hit and followed it up with successful Shaheed (1948) and thereby became a star.His next release Ghar Ki Izzat(1948) was box office flop. He fell in love with Kamini Kaushal and their on-screen paid was a hit with audience. Kamini Kaushal-Dilip Kumar gave hits like Shaheed(1948), Nadiya Ke Paar (1948),Shabnam (1949), Arzoo (1950). Kamini Kaushal was a bigger star than Dilip Kumar even before they did their first film Shaheed(1948) as a pair, since Kamini had 4 hits to her name already and Dilip had a crush on her ever since her first film Neecha Nagar became a hit in 1946. In 1949, he co-starred with the then struggling actor-director Raj Kapoor, who had a flop in Aag as a director and had 11 flops as an actor before this film, in the romantic melodrama film Andaz, which went to become a huge success and made him a star. Throughout the 1950s he was one of the biggest stars of Bollywood along with Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. Dev Anand, who had 3 flops from 1946-47, became a star when Ziddi became a hit in 1948 and Raj Kapoor's fortune as an actor changed when Andaz became a hit in 1949.Thus among the trio, first to become a star was Dilip Kumar and then second was Dev Anand and then Raj Kapoor. Dilip became known for playing tragic love story roles in hit films such as Nadiya Ke Paar (1948), Mela (1948), Andaz (1949), Jogan (1950), Babul (1950), Arzoo (1950), Deedar (1951), Tarana (1951), Deedar (1951), Daag (1952), Shikast (1953) which earned him the title of "Tragedy King". . Some of his most famous films in tragic roles were box office flops like Amar (1954), Devdas (1955), Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966) and Aadmi (1968). Madhumati (1958) gave him Filmfare Award for Best Actor. With Nargis he had 5 hits like Mela (1948),Andaz (1949),Jogan (1950),Babul (1950),Deedar (1951) and 2 flops like Anokha Pyar (1948),Hulchul (1951). In 1951, Kamini Kaushal-Dilip Kumar affair ended. The pair of Madhubala-Dilip Kumar had a hit in Tarana(1951) and 2 flops in Sangdil (1952) and Amar (1954) but the couple fell in love with each-other while working in Amar(1954).Later Madhubala and Dilip Kumar broke up in 1957, while working in Mughal -E-Azam but being professionals did work together to complete the film,which took years to finish and got released in 1960. From 1952-1961, he had hits like Daag (1952), Aan (1953) and Uran Khatola (1955) with Nimmi, Shikast (1953) with Nalini Jaywant, Foot Path (1953),Azaad (1955), Yahudi (1958) and Kohinoor (1960) with Meena Kumari, Insaniyat (1955) with Bina Rai,Naya Daur (1957),Madhumati (1958) and Ganga Jamuna (1960) with Vyjanthimala, Musafir (1957) with Suchitra Sen. From 1952-1962, his only flops were Sangdil (1952),Amar (1954),Devdas (1955). So this period of 1949-1961 is considered the peak period of Dilip Kumar's career as a hero. He was also successful in playing lighthearted roles such as playing a swashbuckling peasant in Aan (1952) and a comic role in Azaad (1955). In 1960 he starred in the historical film Mughal-e-Azam opposite Madhubala, which is as of 2008, the third highest grossing film in Hindi film history inflation adjusted [behind Kismet(1943), Haathi Mere Saathi(1971) and ahead of Sholay(1975), Hum Aapke Hai Kaun(1994)] in which he played the role of the Mughal crown-prince Jehangir the son of Akbar. In 1961 he produced and starred in the hit Ganga Jamuna in which he and his real Life brother Nasir Khan played the title roles. Despite the film success he did not produce any film after this but gave away the script for its Tamil version Iru Dhruvam starring Sivaji Ganesan. Dilip had a narrow brush with international fame in 1962 when British director David Lean offered him the role of Sherif Ali in his 1962 film, Lawrence of Arabia. However Kumar declined the part citing its a small role for a big hero like him. The role eventually went to Omar Sharif the Egyptian actor. His next films like the critically acclaimed Leader (1964) and critically panned Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966) which were huge box office flops but he bounced back when he played a dual role of twins separated at birth in the film Ram Aur Shyam (1967) which was one of the biggest box office hits of the year. But again his next releases Aadmi (1968),Sunghursh (1968) flopped and Dilip Kumar's acting career as a hero ended as most of the roles which he would have got went to the first Superstar of Indian Cinema - Rajesh Khanna from 1969-1991. In the period 1969-1976 the career of most of the actors like Rajendra Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor as the hero ended with emergence of Rajesh Khanna. Many of Kumar's films like Sunghursh (1968),Aadmi (1968),Dastaan (1972),Gopi (1973),Sagina (1974), Bairaag(1976) failed at the box office during this period and after the release of his 1976 film Bairaag in which he played triple roles, he took retirement as the hero. But Manoj Kumar ensured that Dilip Kumar made a comeback and put an end to a five year break from acting but offering a role in Kranti in 1981. Initially Dilip Kumar was hesitant to do the role, but Maoj Kumar convinced him to make a comeback. He made a comeback in 1981 with the multi-starer Kranti which was the biggest hit of the year. He went onto play character roles as an elderly family patriarch or a police officer in films like Shakti (1982), Karma (1986), Vidhaata, Mazdoor, Mashaal, Duniya, Dharm Adhikari, Kanoon Apna Apna, Izzatdaar, Saudagar (1991), Qila. But his only films to be successful from 1981 at box office were Kranti, Vidhaata, Karma, Dharm Adhikari, Kanoon Apna Apna and Saudagar. In his last major successful film, Saudagar (1991) he appeared alongside another legendary actor Raaj Kumar after three decades since they last appeared together in Paigham (1959). In 1992 he won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. In 1996 he was supposed to make his directorial debut with a film titled Kalinga, with him and Rajesh Khanna in the lead, but the film was shelved. In 1998 he made his last film appearance to date in the box office flop Qila where in a rare form he played a villainous role. He has since retired from the film industry due to his indifferent health. Dilip Kumar's younger brother Nasir Khan was also an actor and appeared opposite Dilip in Ganga Jamuna (1961) and Bairaag (1976) as well as acted as hero in 22 films from 1948-1961, but 17 were flops. Thus Nasir's career was not as successful and he died in 1974. Nasir Khan's son Ayub Khan is also an actor in the industry. Nasir Khan's wife was 1950s actress Begum Para who made a comeback to films after 50 years in the film Saawariya in 2007 in supporting role. Dilip Kumar married actress and "beauty queen" Saira Banu in 1966 when he was aged 44 and she was 22. At the time, gossip columnists predicted doom for the high-profile couple, but the union has been one of the longest lasting marriages in Bollywood. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Aryaan Ansari Spouse (2) Asmaa (1982 - ?) (divorced) Saira Banu (1966 - present) Trade Mark (1) His deep, rich voice Trivia (22) Formed a popular on-screen couple and had hit films with Kamini Kaushal, Nimmi, Meena Kumari and Vyjayanthimala. But off-screen he had love affair with Kamini Kaushal from 1948-51 and Madhubala between 1954-57. Son-in-law of Naseem Banu. Brother of actor Nasir Khan. Bollywood Second Biggest Star after Ashok Kumar. Dilip Kumar became a star only with 1947 hit Jugnu and Shaheed in 1948. Motilal, Sohrab Modi, Ashok Kumar and K.L. Saigal were regarded as greater actors than Dilip Kumar, when he made his debut. He is known as the "tragedy king". Dilip Kumar was highest paid Hindi actor from 1950-1961 and 3rd highest paid Hindi actor from 1966-68. Is uncle (by marriage to wife Saira Bano) of actress Shaheen, who is married to actor Sumeet Saigal, they have a 6 year old daughter named Sayesha. During escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, he had agreed to accept an award from Pakistan, and was threatened by workers of an extreme right-wing political party in Bombay, India. He actually wrote to the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for protection. The threat has now subsided with improved relations between India and Pakistan. Has been a member of parliament. At the time of marriage, he was 44 and Saira Banu was 22. Hindi Megastar. According to Dilip Kumar, the people who molded him into a star-actor were Devika Rani, Ashok Kumar, Nitin Bose, Sashadar Mukherji, Bimal Roy, S S Vasan, Mehboob Khan. A major WWE wrestling fan. Dilip Kumar regarded that chronologically more versatile actors than him are Motilal, Sohrab Modi, Ashok Kumar. He was a fan of K.L.Saigal as well. Dilip Kumar regarded that his seniors M.G.Ramachandran and Pran, his juniors by age Sivaji Ganesan, Sanjeev Kumar and Rajesh Khanna were more versatile than him.Later in the 1990's he added he liked Amitabh Bachchan and Kamal Hasan's contribution as well. Dilip Kumar- Dev Anand- Raj Kapoor's peak period together in film industry was from 1949-1961. Dilip Kumar had 3 flops from 1944-47, before his film Jugnu(1947)made him a star.Similarly Dev Anand became a star after Ziddi became blockbuster in 1948 though he had 3 flops from 1946-48 since his debut in 1946. Raj Kapoor became a star with Andaz and Barsaat becoming hits in 1949 and before 1949, he had done 10 films as hero from 1943-48 and all 10 films were flops. The period 1962-1975 was not good for both Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor as they had many flops and especially Raj Kapoor had put on weight and Raj looked elder by 20 years to Dev and Dilip in 1970's and much older in 1980's; but Dev Anand moved ahead and as he looked younger and fit, Dev did romantic films as well in the 1970's and films of other genres in 1970's and 80's and Dev had many hits right from 1948-1991 as lead hero. Dilip Kumar did 62 films which includes 5 guest appearances. So Dilip's total films as lead hero was 57 only. He had 25 flops from 1947-1996 which includes 2 films in guest appearance as flops. He had 30 box office hits from 1947-1974 including 3 guest appearances and 7 hits from 1980-1998 as lead hero in multi hero films. He had total 23 flops as lead hero from 1947-96 and total 34 hits as lead hero from 1947-1996 from the 57 films he did as lead hero. Of the 62 films he appeared in as an actor, he had 25 flops and 37 hits from 1946-1998. The 1957 film Musafir had one Dilip Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar where sings in Dilips own voice....Lagi nahin chhote rama kahe jiya jai. The film was critically acclaimed. But it was not solo hero film of Dilip Kumar.It covers 3 stories containing episodes of a person's life is birth (Kishore Kumar in lead for this part of the story),marriage (Suchitra Sen in the lead for this part of the story)and death (Dilip Kumar and Usha Kiron in the lead). From 1944-1968, Dilip Kumar did 26 films as lead hero belonging to tragedy genre. Of them 17 were hits and 9 were flops.From 1948-1976, as lead hero, he did films of other other genres like comedy, historical, social drama or suspense in 18 films only and of these 11 were hits and 7 were flops. Devdas was the first film of the pair Dilip Kumar-Vyjanthimala, which though a box office flop, fetched awards for most of the crew and Vyjanthimala got nominated for Best Actress at Filmfare and Dilip Kumar got Best Actor award at Filmfare.They did total 7 films and of them Naya Daur, Madhumati, Paigham, Ganga Jamuna were box office hits whereas Devdas, Leader and Sangharsh were box office flops. The pair of Nimmi-Dilip Kumar had hits like Deedar (1951) ,Daag (1952), Aan (1953) and Uran Khatola (1955) with Nimmi and only one flop Amar(1954). The pair of Dilip Kumar-Meena Kumari gave hits like Foot Path (1953), Azaad (1955), Yahudi (1958) and Kohinoor (1960) with Meena Kumari. Interestingly both are known as tragedy king and tragedy queen respectively but the films they did together belonged to other genres. Azaad was comedy-historical but fictitious, Yahudi was historical real love story, Foot Path was crime genre and Kohinoor was historical film. With Nargis he had 5 hits like Mela (1948),Andaz (1949),Jogan (1950),Babul (1950),Deedar (1951) and 2 flops like Anokha Pyar (1948),Hulchul (1951).

Indra Ghandhi & Anjali Devi

                                  Indra Ghandhi & actress Anjlali Devi

clark gable

William Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio. Later that year his mother died, and his father sent him toClark Gable's mother died when he was seven months old. At 16 he quit high school, went to work in an Akron (Ohio) tire factory and decided to become an actor after seeing the play "The Bird of Paradise". He toured in stock companies, worked oil fields and sold ties. In 1924 he reached Hollywood with the help of Portland, Oregon, theatre manager Josephine Dillon, who coached and later married him (she was 17 years his senior). After playing a few bit parts he returned to the stage, becoming lifelong friends with Lionel Barrymore. After several failed screen tests (for Barrymore and Darryl F. Zanuck), Gable was signed in 1930 by MGM's Irving Thalberg. Joan Crawford asked for him as co-star in Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) and the public loved him manhandlingNorma Shearer in A Free Soul (1931) the same year. His unshaven lovemaking with bra-less Jean Harlow in Red Dust (1932) made him MGM's most important star. At one point he refused an assignment and the studio punished him by loaning him out to (at the time) low-rent Columbia Pictures, which put him in Frank Capra's It Happened One Night(1934), which won him an Oscar. He returned to far more substantial roles at MGM, such as Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind (1939). When his third wife Carole Lombard died in a plane crash returning from a War Bond drive, a grief-stricken Gable joined the US Army Air Force and was off the screen for three years, flying combat missions in Europe. When he returned the studio regarded his salary as excessive and did not renew his contract. He freelanced, but his films didn't do well at the box office. He announced during filming of The Misfits (1961) that, for the first time, he was to become a father. Two months later he died of a heart attack. He was laid to rest beside Carole Lombard at Forest Lawn Cemetery live with his maternal aunt and uncle in Pennsylvania.

MUKESH :THE LEGEND"

      Painting of Mukesh,the famous Hindi Songster passed away in 1976 in USA.This painting I found  in a cover of a musical cassette which I bought in " THE INN " Airport Hotel, Karachi, Pakistan on the day  this great legend died.
      Mukesh Chand Mathur (22 July 1923 – 27 August 1976), better known mononymouslyas. Mukesh, was an Indian playback singer wiyh a golden voice. His song "Kai Baar Yuhi Dekha Hai" from film Rajnigandha (1973) won him theNational Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer. Mukesh is also popular as being the voice of legendary actor Raj Kapoor.
       How to forget the song "DIL JAL TA HAI" from the film "PEHLI NAZAR"with music composed by Anil Biswas and lyrics written by Aah Sitapuri.He was a fan of K L Saigal.
      Apart from singing Mukesh  had acted in a few films such as NIROSHI,MASHUQUA and AAH. MALHAR and ANURAG proved him as a film producer.
     For his success in singing career, lyric and music gave an extra tempo.
     Raj Kapoor said "In his demise,I've lost my voice('Filmfare' September 17-30 1976)  

      Mukesh is no more, but  the songs he left behind will be treasured in minds of his fans.

M Rezvie Omerdeen
36/19 Harrison Jones Road
Matale
Sri Lanka
2nd January 2014

Drawings of Elizabeth Taylor by S M Hadjirin

 Famous Hollywood actress Elizabeth Taylor drawn by S M Hadjirin in late  1950's.This portrait was admired by many of his fans
.     Mr Hadjirin, my maternal uncle was an old boy of Christ Church College, Matale, "The Historic City of Sri Lanka".He passed away in 1987.

M Rezvie Omerdeen
36/19 Harrison Jones' Road
Matale
Sri Lanka
     

"SIVAJI GANESHAN" Charcoal Drawing by S M Hadjirin

    Sivaji Ganshan  Charcoal Drawing by S.M Hadjirin, my maternal uncle. of Matale in 1950s
     Mr. Hadjirin was a devoted English Teacher expired in 1987.An old boy of Christ Church College, Matale.His drawings and paintings were up to a standard and was appreciated by many of his fans not only in Matale but in many parts of our  island.

M Rezvie Omerdeen
36/19 Harrison Jones' Road
Matale
Sri Lanka
Sunday December 29th 2013

Pencil Drawing of Sivaji Ganeshan by S M Hadjirin "PASHUM PAZHAMUM"

Pencil Drawing of Sivaji Ganeshan by S M Hadjirin, my maternal uncle.

"PADMINI" Pencil Drawing by S M Hadjirin

 Pencil Drawing of Padmini was drawn by my uncle S M Hadjirin of Matale, Sri Lanka in late 1950's.
     Padmini had acted in Tamil films as well as in hindi and many other Indian languages.
     Padmini was not only an actress but also a Karunatic  dancer of a great repute.
     Hindi films such as Jish Desh me Ganga Beheti Hai and Mera Naam Joker is worthy of a praise.
     She passed away in USA.
    
     M Rezvie Omerdeen
     36/19 Harrison Jones' Road
     Matale
     Sri Lanka
    2nd January 2014L

JAGJIT SINGH & GULZAR"MARASIM"GHAZAL ALBUM

  

      
     
Memories Woven in Melody   

      When I listen to Jagjit Singh's "MARASIM" album, I'm in a good mood.The Urdhu word" MARASIM" means Relation or Link in English.
       The link between the ghazal singer Jagjit Singh and  Gulzar said to have started when Jagjit Singh composed for Gulzar's serial "MIRZA GHALIB".
       For Jagjit Singh composing wouldn;t have been so difficult coz Jagjit Singh is a Master of Par Excellence when it comes to delivering of ghazal and Gulzar too was well versed  when it comes to his subject.
       What ghazal needs is an extra-ordinary "MIZAJ" for it's heartrending and in understanding of the lyric.
       To compose and this melodious musical album "MARASIM ", it took more than six long years.That may be the reason for this album to become a great success.
       "MARASIM " is the album which is "Memories Woven in Melody". I know Fine Feathers Make Fine Birds.
        I like to conclude with an old quote "Fine Feathers Make Fine Birds".
music was in his blood.

M Rezvie Omerdeen
36/13 Harrison Jones' Road
Matale
Sri Lanka
04 January 2014

SIVAJI PENCIL DRAWING by S M HADJIRIN

                     Sivaji Sivaji Ganeshan in VEERA PANDIYA  by S M Hadjirin drawn in early 1950s                        

JAMES DEAN of HOLLYWOOD

      Hollywood actor James Dean Drawn by my maternal uncle S M Hadjirin, who was an English teacher and a talented artist.Mr Hadjirin was born in Matale, the "Historical City" of Sri Lanka.
      On September 30, 1955, actor James Dean was driving his new Porsche 550 Spyder to an auto rally in Salinas, California when he was involved in a head-on collision with a 1950 Ford Tutor. James Dean, only 24 years old, died in the crash. Although already famous for his role in East of Eden, his death and the release of Rebel Without a Cause caused James Dean to soar to cult status. James Dean, forever frozen as the talented, misunderstood, rebellious youth, remains the symbol of teenage angst.James Dean had acted only in three films.He was born in 1931 in Fairmount Indiana.Immediately after grade school,he moved to New York to pursue his dream of acting. He received rave rewiews for his work as the blackmailing Arab boy in the New York production of Gide's "The Immoralist", good enough to earn him a trip to Hollywood.
James Dean had appeared in a number of television shows before getting his "big break" in 1954 when he was chosen to play Cal Trask, the leading male role in the film East of Eden (1955). (This was the only one of Dean's films that was released before his death.)

Quickly following East of Eden, James Dean was signed to play Jim Stark in Rebel Without a Cause(1955), the film for which Dean is best remembered. Immediately following the filming for Rebel Without a Cause, Dean played the lead role in Giant (1956). (Both of these films were released after Dean's death.)

M Rezvie Omerdeen
36/19, Harrison Jone's Road
Matale
Sri Lanka
5th January 2014