#punjabi heroes in mumbai

[kirandeep-rayat]

Kirandeep Rayat: A Role Model for Aspiring Actors

Meet KD, or as he is better known, Kirandeep Rayat, a shining star of Punjabi origin in Bollywood and often hailed as a Punjabi hero in Bollywood. He's someone that many look up to, with determination, charisma, and a wide range of skills. KD embodies true grit and authenticity. As an example for those dreaming of the big screen, he never ceases to feed the audience's curiosity and uplift Punjab's image in the movie scene.

[dreamings-free]

Outkast’s Big Boi, EDM artist Zedd, U.K. band Nothing But Thieves, Norwegian artist Aurora, rapper Hanumankind, guitarist-composer Cory Wong will perform in Mumbai on March 8 and 9, 2025

Anurag Tagat Sep 10, 2024

American punk-rock heroes Green Day, pop artist Shawn Mendes, U.K. hitmakers Glass Animals and singer-songwriter Louis Tomlinson are among top-billed acts making their India debut at Lollapalooza India 2025 in Mumbai, between March 8 and 9.

The lineup for the third edition of Lollapalooza India also includes rap veteran Big Boi from Outkast, U.K. band Nothing But Thieves, Norwegian pop artist Aurora, electronic artists like Zedd, John Summit and Alok, American guitarist-composer Cory Wong (known for his work with acts like Vulfpeck), breakout rapper Hanumankind (also our latest cover star), South Korean indie rock band Wave To Earth and rising pop artists Isabel LaRosa and more. Folk-indie singer-songwriter duo Lullanas – comprising Indian-origin siblings – will also make their India debut at Lollapalooza India 2025.

More Indian artists adding heft to the lineup include singer-songwriter Dot., rappers Raftaar and KR$NA, Punjabi artist Talwiinder, sitarist and fusion artist Niladri Kumar, pop artist Lisa Mishra, rock artist Raman Negi, Ahmedabad rap favorite Dhanji, producer Spryk, pianist-composer Sahil Vasudeva, DJ-producer Anushka, multi-instrumentalist-producer Sid Vashi, singer-songwriter Raghav Meattle and indie multi-instrumentalist/producer Sudan.

The announcement in September makes for meme-friendly news for Green Day, known for songs like “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” The band announced their India debut on Instagram and said, “Another first for us!! India, you’ve been calling our name… and it’s finally time to answer. We’ll see you in Mumbai next March for @LollaIndia.” The trio comprising Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool released their most recent album Saviors in 2024 and will likely dig into all-time hits like “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life),” “American Idiot,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and more. Shawn Mendes, known for hits “In My Blood,” “Treat You Better” and new single “Why Why Why,” returns to the live stage after more than two years on his current tour, which includes Lollapalooza India.

Louis Tomlinson, who has a big following in India following his time with pop group One Direction, will also make a long-awaited India debut. Fellow Brits Glass Animals are a big draw on the back of releasing their new album I Love You So F***ing Much in July, but primarily due to their 2020 hit “Heat Waves,” which was the seventh-most streamed song in India on Spotify in 2022.

Glass Animals founder Dave Bayley – who visited India as a 16-year-old – told Rolling Stone India in 2020, “Thank you for the support, I hope you are staying safe and healthy. We can’t wait to come and visit.”

In a wholly new strategy, Lollapalooza India’s 2025 lineup is out six months in advance of the multi-genre festival taking place in March. BookMyShow Live also took a similar approach while announcing the lineup for their festival Bandland, which is taking place on Nov. 23 and 24 in Bengaluru.

Get Lollapalooza India 2025 tickets here.

[filmyypeople]

Manish Goel... Not just an actor!!

18th April, 2023 I Richa Devesar I FilmyPeople

A young boy who was always bullied by his peers for his looks and dark complexion back in school had his eyes filled with dream of becoming, not just an actor, but, HERO. All these odds never discouraged him to follow his dream so after completing his schooling, he straightaway landed in Mumbai to chase the passion he always had. Having started as a Spot Boy on the sets of hugely popular comedy serial of 90s, Dekh Bhai Dekh, he accepted whatever came his way, which included doing crowd scenes with no  dialogues and then getting few dialogues but with limited money and no contacts at all, it was only his passion that was keeping him motivated to achieve more in life.

He kept on doing serials like Just Mohabbat, HipHip Hurrey, CID and few more with a thought that a day will come when people who are just passing by without noticing him, will stop and recognize him and this happened when he was signed by Ekta Kapoor for the serial Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki and since then there has been no looking for this hard working, multi talented actor, Manish Goel, who even after being in this industry for over 28 years has his feet firmly grounded. With no starry air, he proudly says that 'being an actor is my profession and it is because of this profession that people know me, love me, so I cannot even think of taking all this name and fame for granted and be in my own world ignoring my fans and well-wishers.' 

All this is just an iota of his personality, lets explore more about him.

Mujhe Pehchaano, Main Hun Kaun..?

His Nick Names are Money, Manya and Mannu.

He was born in Delhi.

His Schooling is from Father Agnel, New Delhi.

He is married to actress Poonam Narula (2002)

His Popular TV Serials include Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki, Kasauti Zindagi Ki, Bhabhi, Sara Akash, Bhagyalaxmi, Nimki Vidhaayak, Hamaari waali Good News to name a few.

Reality Shows he’s done so far include Say Shawa Shawa, Zaraa Nach Ke Dikha, Maha Yatra, Welcome Baazi mehmaan nawaazi, Nach Baliye.

Pehla Nasha Pehla Khumaar..!

His First Job was as a Spot boy for TV Serial Dekh bhai Dekh.

His First TV Appearance was as a Crowd Actor.  

His First Video Album   was Dil Laigi Kudi by Jasbir Jassi –

You will be surprised to know that Manish was the guy in this so popular Punjabi song of 90s. Have a look!

His First TV Serial was Just Mohabbat - Couldn’t get the clipping of this serial but have a look at young Manish, in the popular serial Hip Hip Hurray which was aired around the same time.

His First Reality Show was Nach Baliye Season 1 - Manish Goel and his actress wife Poonam Narula were declared first runner up in the first season of this reality show. How about having a look at their performances?

His First Web Series was Love Bytes 2

His First Movie as a lead is going to be Hanak.

These are a few of my favourite thingzz..!

Favourite Actor      Shah Rukh Khan and Christian Bale

Favourite Serial      Dekh Bhai Dekh

Favourite colour     White and Blue

Favourite hobby     Journal writing and poetry

All time Fav Movie   Retro Classics

Fav Holiday Spot     Anywhere in India

His Real life Favourite role is that of a Son.

I, Me aur Main!

His Philosophy of Life is ‘Be a good human first, rest follows!’

His favourite characters are Anupam in Kasauti Zindagi Ki, Tilak in Bhabhi, Captain Saurav in Sara Akash, Prithvi in Tantra and Raj in Devi. He further says that ‘Every episodic show I did is my favourite, I played a different role everytime, which was extremely challenging and fun and I continue to do that.’

His Favourite Reality Show is Nach Baliye.

A Multi-faceted Personality

A motivational speaker – Manish himself is a self-motivated person so when he was asked what actually motivated him to be a motivational speaker, his quick reply was, ‘people felt I motivate them and it kind of developed in to this title. Feels good to make difference in other people’s lives and makes me happy too. Lets have a look at Motivator Manish.

A poet – He has always been in habit of writing journals and this habit transformed in to poetry and very soon his poetry book is going to get published. Till then how about enjoying this beautiful poem dedicated to his father.

A Guinness World Record Holder- Yes, Manish Goel is a Guinness World Record Holder and still retains the title. Have a look!

An entrepreneur – Manish Goel, alongwith his wife Poonam Narula is running an entertainment based company DreamBigMakeBig Entertainment which is involved in Talent management, digital ads 360 degree, wedding planner, concerts, brand tvc, ground production.

We Are Family!

Parents - As Manish Goel hails from Delhi, his parents are settled there and are running a 45-year old Salon by the name of Meghna, in South Delhi.  

Sister – He has a sister named Meghna.

Wife - Manish Goel is married to actress and entrepreneur Poonam Narula and he feels that ‘We are best friends’ and we have this video which says it all.

Kids- Manish and Poonam have two kids a son, who is in college and daughter who is in school.

That's Manish Goel for you all!!

[playermagic23]

Sohail Khan, Mohanlal, Riteish Deshmukh, Sachin Joshii, Akhil Akkineni set for Celebrity Cricket League 2024

The 10th season of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) will air on JioCinema, starting 23rd February 2024.

JioCinema has announced its partnership with Celebrity Cricket League (CCL). In line with this partnership, the platform will exclusively live-stream Celebrity Cricket League Season 10. Spread over four weekends, and with 20 entertaining matches that appeal to a wide audience cohort beyond cricket fans, the adrenaline-pumping tournament will be live-streamed, starting 23rd February 2024, exclusively on JioCinema.

Launched in 2011, Celebrity Cricket League has evolved to become India’s most-watched sport and entertainment event. With an impressive cumulative TV and digital reach, the previous season of Celebrity Cricket League reached out to over 250 million viewers across the country. Comprising 8 teams representing India’s major film industries including Hindi, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam, CCL Season 10 will bring together over 200 most followed and loved film celebrities, under a single platform, making way for unmatched entertainment.

Among the luminaries associated with CCL are Salman Khan, the brand ambassador of Mumbai Heroes, Riteish Deshmukh, the Captain of Mumbai Heroes, Sohail Khan, the Owner of Mumbai Heroes, Venkatesh, the Brand Ambassador of Telugu Warriors, Akhil Akkineni, Captain of Telugu Warriors, Arya, Captain of Chennai Rhinos, Sudeep, Captain of Karnataka Bulldozers, Mohanlal, Co-owner of Kerala Strikers, Indrajith, Captain of Kerala Strikers, Manoj Tiwari, Captain of Bhojpuri Dabbangs, Sonu Sood, Captain of Punjab De Sher, and Boney Kapoor, Owner of Bengal Tigers along with its team’s Captain Jissu Sengupta.

About his association with Celebrity Cricket League Riteish Deshmukh shared, “I have always been passionate about CCL, in fact, all of us have been. There is a very big memory, you can say a hilarious one actually. I remember, when I got married, the next day, I was playing a match for my team. So, at the time of the reception, I had some team members who took me to one corner and persuaded me to play the next day.”

The 10th season of Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) will air on JioCinema, starting 23rd February 2024.

[romaniaroxme]

A rogue or a hero?

Starring: Rajkummar Rao, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Tigmanshu Dhulia, KayKay Menon, Prabhal Punjabi, Prabhleen Sandhu Directed by: Hansal Mehta Genre: Biographical/Drama “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is , what are you doing for others?” Martin Luther King Jr. It has been 15 years since the terror attacks rocked the city of dreams, Mumbai. 166 people were killed in the what was…

[thebobby1432world]

Athiya Shetty Wiki, Biography, Age, Height, Weight, Family, Net Worth

Athiya Shetty Wiki: Athiya Shetty is an Indian actress and the daughter of actor Suniel Shetty. She has appeared in Hindi films such as Hero (2015), Mubarakan (2017), and Motichoor Chaknachoor (2019). Born and raised in Mumbai, Shetty comes from a multicultural background; her father hails from the Tulu-speaking Bunt community, and her mother is the daughter of a Punjabi Hindu mother and a Gujarati Muslim father. Athiya Shetty Wiki After graduating from the Cathedral and John Connon Schools, she studied acting at the New York Film Academy and returned to India to pursue her acting career. After making her debut in Hero, which earned a total revenue of 34.82 crores (US$4.4 million), she gained recognition in the Indian film industry. Shetty got married to Indian cricketer KL Rahul on January 23, 2023.

Athiya Shetty Wiki

Athiya Shetty Wiki

NameAthiya ShettyProfession(s)ActressDebut FilmHero (2015)Athiya Shetty Physical Stats Height (approx.)centimeters– 173 cm meters– 1.73 m feet inches– 5 feet 8 inchWeight (approx.)in kilograms– 54 KgEye ColourDark BrownHair ColourBlackBody Measurement32-26-34Bust Size32Waist Size26Hip Size34Athiya Shetty's Personal LifeDate of Birth5 November 1992Birth PalaceMumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaHometownMumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaResidenceMumbai, Maharashtra, IndiaNationalityIndianAge30 years (in 2023)Star Sign/Zodiac SignScorpioReligionHinduismHobbiesDancing, PhotographyAthiya Shetty Education DetailsSchoolAmerican School of Bombay, Mumbai Cathedral, and John Connon School, MumbaiCollege/UniversityNew York Film Academy, New York, USQualificationGraduate (Filmmaking & Liberal Arts)Athiya Shetty's Boyfriend, HusbandMarital StatusMarriedAffairs / BoyfriendAditya Bhandari (Rumoured) K L RahulAthiya Shetty FamilyParentsFather– Sunil Shetty Mother– Mana ShettySiblingsSister– None Brother– Ahan ShettySpouse / HusbandK L RahulChildrenSon– NA Daughter– N/AAthiya Shetty's Favorite ThingsFavorite ActorSalman Khan, Shah Rukh KhanFavorite FoodRajma Rice, Chicken Fried RiceFavorite Holiday DestinationLondonAthiya Shetty's Net Worth Net worth$2 Million USD (Approx, in 2021)Car CollectionJaguar XF, Mercedes S Class Read the full article

[world-store]

Ladies Finger Curry | Bhindi Curry » Dassana's Veg Recipes

Ladies Finger Curry also called Bhindi Curry in Hindi is a tangy and spiced recipe of sautéed okra in an onion, tomato, spices, yogurt curry base. The recipe is gluten-free. Serve this tasty Indian okra curry with flatbreads like chapati, roti or naan. It also pairs well with steamed rice or jeera rice.

About Ladies Finger Curry

This recipe gets its name as Okra is also called Ladies Finger in English. In Hindi, okra is referred to as ‘Bhindi’. This is a really good home cooked delicious curry made with fresh and tender okra pods.  I have kept the ingredients basic and not added stuff like cashews, poppy seeds, melon seeds, cream etc to thicken the curry. So anyone having Indian spices and ingredients at home can easily make this delicious Bhindi Curry. Bhindi is a family favorite. Hence there are many recipes posted with okra on the blog. I have already posted a semi-dry North Indian, Punjabi style recipe of Bhindi Masala which is another gem made from okra. Usually I make a dry or semi dry curry with okra. We have had bhindi curry a couple of times in restaurants. So I tried to make a restaurant version minus the cream or khoya (evaporated milk solids). The recipe was a success and it tasted awesome. Since okra and tomatoes are two of the hero ingredients, make sure to use tender okra pods and sweet tasting tomatoes that are not very tangy or overly sour. While writing this post, I still remember the flavors and taste of this Ladies Finger Curry. It was damn good. I love cooking more than being a foodie. But for a reason, this okra curry was an exception. It reminded me of the flavor and taste of a Ladies Finger Curry I had many years back in Mumbai. The tanginess of the tomatoes complements the light sweetness of okra very well. This Okra Curry pairs well with soft phulka, chapati or paratha. This mildly spiced okra curry also goes well with steamed rice. Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Ladies Finger Curry

Preparation 1. First rinse 250 grams okra (ladies finger) very well in running water a few times. Then drain them completely in a strainer or colander.

2. Wipe each okra with a kitchen napkin. There should be no moisture on them. You can also allow them to dry naturally at room temperature, by spreading them on a large plate or tray.

3. Chop the bhindi into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces. Keep aside. Do check for worms or black spots as you chop them. Discard the okra pieces if you spot any of these.

4. In a grinder or blender jar, take the following ingredients: - ¾ cup roughly chopped ripe red tomatoes - 1 inch peeled and chopped ginger - 4 to 5 chopped garlic cloves - 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped or 1 teaspoon, chopped Remember to use ripe red tomatoes which are a bit sweet and less sour or tangy.

5. Add 2 tablespoon fresh full fat curd (yogurt) along with 2 cloves, 1 green cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon and 1 single and thin strand of mace. Mace is optional and can be omitted.

6. Without adding water, grind or blend to a fine and smooth paste. Keep aside covered.

Sauté Ladies Finger 7. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy kadai (wok) or frying pan. Add the chopped okra and sauté them on a low heat.

8. Stirring often, sauté them till they are almost cooked, shrunken in size and lightly browned from the sides.

9. When done remove the sautéed okra and place them in  a plate or tray.

Make Ladies Finger Curry 10. In the same kadai or pan, further add 2 tablespoon oil. Add tej patta (Indian bay leaf) and fry for about 5 to 7 seconds on low heat.

11. Add the ½ cup finely chopped onions.

12. Stir to mix.

13. Sauté the onions on low to medium heat till they start to turn light golden.

14. Lower the heat and add the ground spices listed below: - ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder - ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper - ½ teaspoon coriander powder - ½ teaspoon cumin powder

15. Stir the spice powders quickly. You can also switch off the stove top while adding and mixing spices powders, so that they don’t get burned.

16. Add the prepared ground tomato-yogurt-spices paste that we made before. Read the full article

[all-brown-everything]

My favourite Indian films of 2018

Sorry for the wait this year. 2018 in the movies mirrored my own life a lot; the films on the list are films to love, make you feel something human, and they force you to take their characters and hold them close to your chest as if they were your own. While the most interesting mainstream movies from South Asia over previous years on this blog have excelled when they chose to experiment with the language of cinema itself, the 10 I’ve written about here have, similar to great literature, embraced pain, longing, love and everything else that comes with being alive.

10. Theevandi

I’ve seen this film being described as an “anti-smoking movie.” I couldn’t disagree more. It’s a story about the nature of habit (rather than the disease of ‘addiction’), of locating the source of your personality, your soul, and trying to change it against the will of nature. During my time in India this year, nothing brought more joy than an ice burst and cutting tea at the side of the road, perching on the side of the pavement and watching life carry on around you. And while this is a film with a main character who wants to quit smoking, it isn’t about cancer. It isn’t about that horrible sooty smell at the end of your fingers, or yellowing teeth or a decreased sperm count. It’s about how something as innocuous as a tube of rolled up tobacco hanging out of your mouth can act as a fragile crutch for the entire weight of the world.

9. Laila Majnu

Like many of my favourites this year (and every year), this re-telling of one of South Asia’s most important romances wants to know what love is. Here, we see love not as a generous, giving emotion, but as pure greed. With one of Bollywood’s most gorgeous soundtracks, that bleeds furiously out of every frame, and a constant sparkling gleam of glamour over these gorgeous young actors and the Kashmiri hills they prance around in, I enjoyed this enough just based on the commercial tropes it toys with for fun. But its real beauty lies in its brave and painful final declaration; that the most divine love may connect you to God and remove your soul from your body, but it will destroy you and your connections to the Earth, as the cruelest form of asceticism.

8. Cake

I’m including a Pakistani movie (again) because our film industries were birthed under one national identity, and I don’t see the studios of Karachi as any more culturally distant from Mumbai’s Film City than Kodambakkam. Moving to Cake, this stunning portrait of a dysfunctional family surprised me against all my instincts that it was a Western-facing production clearly aimed at piercing its way into festivals and a patronising ‘World Cinema’ bracket. It is in fact, a study of shifting societal politics in an increasingly extreme and polarised World, of figuring out where your values stand in the midst of religion, feudalism and globalisation, and accepting that when these heavy, abstract concepts weigh down on your shoulders, it is the human beings around you who will feel the strain first.

7. Golak, Bugni, Bank Te Batua

I really love Punjabi cinema. Seeing it come into its own and reclaim its cultural narratives and aesthetics from bastardizing Bollywood (where now even a film set in rural Gujarat will feature a Punjabi language song) has brought a lot of joy. Now here comes a  happy little film not set on preaching the glory of Sikkhi or telling an epic tale of brave warriors or earnest farmers, but on bringing us into the lives of a middle class Hindu Punjabi family in a small mohalla of a tier 2 city. And these aren’t the Hindu “Punjabis” of a Bollywood movie set in Chandni Chowk, who might throw in a “tussi” or “tuadi” here and there at the most. These are real people with a real culture, as intertwined with Punjab and their Sikh neighbours as they are separate. The film doesn’t patronise them by drawing humour from their novel identity; the situational character-based slapstick and witty back-and-forth theatrical dialogues exist in a warm parallel with the “World” of the movie. And then the lives of these people change in one instant as demonetisation hits, and we are hilariously reminded that whether you’re Hindu or Sikh, Northern or Southern, you are (unfortunately) still in India.

6. C/o Kancharapalem

I won't say this film stood out as a "Telugu movie", as such slight, subtle films are an anomaly no matter what language they're made in or how brash those other films produced in the same mother tongue may be. These small and quiet tales, with their shy characters who live at the fringes of society, whether that mean they are Muslim prostitutes or simple middle class teachers carving out a living in a small village, are special because they manage to transmit such humanity without stirring from the dark alleyways or shaded courtyards where they take place. Not every film needs to stand tall like an intimdsting Tolstoy tome; some can be as unassuming as an RK Narayan novella and still make us feel like they're an epic.

5. Pyaar Prema Kaadhal

Let's be honest. Casting two leads from a reality show, putting heart shaped balloons in your posters and deciding on the title "Love, Love, Love" pretty much screams "trash" doesn't it? But here was a humbling reminder that Indian popular culture can surprise you in the most pleasant of ways. These two good-looking young wannabe-stars and their social media followings represent so much about the "new India", a steadfastly singular culture (or cultures) whizzing through the fiery hoops of globalisation at breakneck speed, coming to terms with a mixed up value system, raging sexual frustration and an ever widening class gap, all of which have left a generation feeling more connected yet more alienated than ever before. This is 'Pyaar, Prema, Kaadhal', a flawed and horny love story, sweating with tension and all the repulsive angst of human emotion, yet with the glamorous musical heart of Indian cinema still beating loudly underneath.

4. Manmarziyaan

There was as much to love about 'Manmarziyaan' as there was to hate. The age-old filmi love triangle rears its head again, only this time with characters who are more manipulative and frustrating than any you've seen in a "mainstream" movie before. But while the film never forces you to judge (at times leaving you confused about whether you're actually supposed to like any of these people) it demands that you engage. It's encouraged some of the finest writing on cinema I've seen in recent years, and such an unashamedly "Bollywood" film inspiring this thrilling thought and analysis from our finest critics (whether their judgement is kind or not) warrants its inclusion on this list alone. Then there's the way its incredible soundtrack weaves in and out of scenes like the characters own breaths, the way life changing moments are obscured from the script by deafening silences and acutely observed minutiae, and of course THAT lead performance. I'm not sure if I "liked" it or not, but I sure as hell can't wait to watch it again.

3. Pari

The better the film, the harder it is to write about. 'Pari' is rich with metaphor. While being a ghost story (and a damn good one) merely on the surface, it has plenty to say about the way our society treats women, poses the question of if we can truly be born evil, and even critiques our savage treatment of "the other" in a global society where more of us are on the run than settled in our homes. But I think its biggest strength is that while it challenges you to reach into the very centre of your being and take a look at yourself and the World around you, its craft and screenwriting is so good that not at any moment does it give you a second to realise that's what you're doing.

2. Rangasthalam

'Rangasthalam' is so great. Like really really great. Once an innocuous muscle man, Ram Charan has channelled his inner Dhanush and located his physicality, writhing and slanging his way into the mind and body of the quintessential South Indian rural hero, hoisting his lungi and flicking his beedi into one of the most visceral and truly cinematic masala movies in living memory. The thumping pace and kinetic choreography (both of the rousing song sequences and the busy, lived-in frames of the rest of the movie) evoke a dusty, violent world with the same panache of Ameer in 'Paruthiveeran' or Sasikumar in 'Subramaniyapuram', while the moustache twirling dialogues and meticulous emotional beats offer as much pure fun as a "Dabangg" or a "Khakee" or any classic Hindi masala movie. I've read pieces linking the cinema of 'Rangasthalam' to film noir traditions, but to me it simply proved that the masala genre still has as much excitement to offer as any other.

1. Mukkabaaz

I'll remember 2018 as the year that Anurag Kashyap, previously India's frontrunner in the realm of "interesting" (but more often headscatching) cinema, stopped thinking with his very big brain and instead used his even bigger heart. His most straightforward film is undoubtedly his best, Hollywood-esque in its writing but firmly Indian in its sentiment. The scale is small - empty boxing arenas, bleak winding village paths and a cast plucked from the TV screen - but its emotions are pure opera. This is a timeless film, and though it laughs at the ridiculousness of modern India, poking a nasty smug finger at caste oppression, petty politics and the bureaucratic nightmare of simply trying to stay alive, it defies analysis. Much like the song at the centre of the story, the violently stunning 'Paintra', it only asks that you feel. And what more could we want from cinema?

I've had so much fun at the movies this year. From dancing to Dilbar in the cheap seats of G7 in Bandra to reciting Dhanush's Maari 2 dialogues at the bus stop outside Ilford Cineworld, Indian movies have continued to punctuate my life and bring me more joy than they have any right to. I can't wait to do this all again this year. What were the films that stirred you over the last 12 months? Let me know. Xx

[bollywoodirect]

Birthday Greetings to yesteryear Hindi film actress Jabeen Jalil, who turned 83 years today. Jabeen Jalil was a popular actress of hindi cinema of the 50s and 60s. Although She acted in merely 23 Hindi and 4 Punjabi films in her almost 20 year career, She made millions fans of her beauty and wonderful acting. Born in Delhi, Jabeen had her education in Mumbai as her family shifted to Mumbai when Jabeen was young. Jabeen made her film debut with Guzaara(1954)where her hero was Karan Dewan.Her second film was Lutera (1955) where her hero was Nasir Khan. She however got true recognition with her third film, New Delhi (1956) where she played the role of Kishore Kumar's sister Nikki. She got benefitted by the success of New Delhi. In the late 1950s, many films starring her released, including Char Minar, Fashion, Jeevan Sathi, Hathkadi, Panchayat, Raagini, Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane and Raat ke Raahi. In the 60s, Jabeen acted in films like Batwara, Khiladi, Sachche Moti, Taj Mahal and Raju. The Batwara song “Yeh Raat Yeh Fizaayen Phir Aayen Na Aayen” picturised on her and Jawahar Kaul is popular to this day. She also got the National Award for the 1962 Punjabi film Chaudhary Karnail Singh in which her hero was Prem Chopra. Jabeen acted in three other Punjabi movies Kadi Dhoop Kadi Chhaon, Geet Baharaan De and Aye Dharti Punjab Di. Many songs picturised on her were extremely popular including ‘Tum Aur Hum’ (Fashion), ‘Madbhari Yeh Pyaar Ki Palken’ (Fashion), ‘Ta Thaiyya Karte Aana’ (Panchayat), ‘Piya mai hoon patang tu dor’ (Raagini), ‘Qaid mein Hai Bulbul Sayyad Muskuraye’ (Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane), ‘Door Kahin Tu Chal’ (Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane), ‘Aa Bhi Ja Bewafa’ (Raat Ke Rahi), ‘Tu Kya Samjhe Tu Kya Jaane’ (Raat Ke Rahi) and ‘Ek Nazar Ek Ada’ (Raat Ke Rahi). Jabeen quit films in 1968 after wrapping up her career with the film Sweetheart starring Shashi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Jabeen got married in the year 1968. Her Husband Ashok Kak was of Kashmiri Origin and hailed from Jodhpur. He was the President of the Kodak Company and was the youngest CEO of that time. After moving away from films Jabeen was active in social work also. Jabeen and her family stayed in America for some time. The family moved back to Mumbai in 1998. Today she lives with her husband, son and elderly mother-in-law in her flat in South Bombay, and divides her time between playing the de­voted wife and the ideal mother. Kind courtesy of Shri.Shishir Krishna Sharma Beetehuedin

[odishaphotos]

Govinda (actor)

Govinda (actor)

Actor Govind Arun Ahuja (born 21 December 1963) is popularly known as Govinda. He is a Hindi film actor, playwright and former politician. Govinda has been nominated for 12 Filmfare Awards, one Filmfare Special Award, one Filmfare Award for Best Comedian and four Zee Cine Awards. He has been an Indian MP from 2004 to 2009. He has made his first feature film debut in the 1969 film Govinda and has appeared in about 165 films. Govinda's films were full of family drama, action, and romance. He first acted in action films and later introduced himself as a comedian. He has also acted in a number of commercial films, including Govinda Akhen (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Coolie Number One (1995), Hero Number One (1997) and Hasina Marjaegi (1999). He won the Filmfare Best Comedians Award for his film Hasina Marjaegi and the Filmfare Special Filmfare Award for his film Sajan Chale Shashural. Govinda has played the lead role in films such as Zanzibar Para (1992), Akhen (1993), Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan (1998) and Anari No. One (1999). She starred in the roles of Raju, Raju's mother, father, sister, JJ mother and JJ father in the film Had Kardi Apne (2000). After some of his films flopped in 2000, he achieved commercial success in the films Bhagmavagh (2006) and Pattner (2007). Instead of Mithun Chakraborty in 2015, she was the judge of Govinda GTV's dance competition, Dance India Dance Super Moms Season 2. Govinda was elected by the Congress party as the seventh MP from the North Mumbai constituency in Maharashtra.

Early life --- In a Punjabi and Sindhi family, Govinda was born in the arms of actors Arun Kumar Ahuja and Nirmala Devi (singer and actress). Arun Mehboob Khan's Irat (1940) is best known for his films. Govinda was Arun's sixth child. So he nicknamed Govinda "Chi Chi", because in Punjabi "Chi Chi" means "ear finger".

Acting life-- After earning a bachelor's degree in commerce, Govinda's father advised him to build his future in the film industry. She first starred in Tan An-Badan, directed by her uncle Anand. She then started shooting for her next film, Love 86, in June 1985. Govinda's first film was released by Iljam (1986), the 15th hit of the year. In "Street Dancer," she danced to break dance and introduced herself as a dance star. Govinda then went on to star in a number of action films, romance films, and family dramas. Among his films in the family drama were Love 86 (1986), Khudgarj (1987), Murder (1988), Darya Dil (1988), Jit Hai Sanjse (1988). Govinda's successful action films are Marte Damatak (1987), Jungbaaz (1989) and others. For the first time, Govinda co-starred with David Dhawan in the action film Takdir (1989), and he co-starred with Rajinikanth and Sridevi in ​​Gaur Law.

[101percentindia]

To Be ‘Amar’ Is To Be Immortal; Will Amar Chitra Katha Stand The Test Of Our Critical Times?

Remembering ACK, Tinkle comics and Chandamama.

Once upon a time, there was magic hidden between the pages of a comic book. They came under the common branding of Amar Chitra Katha and opened a window to a world most of us didn’t know existed – stories drawn from Indian history, mythology, folk lore and legend. Stories we had perhaps heard about but forgotten under the burden of academic pursuits and the struggles of our day-to-day existence. As illustrated books with thought and speech bubbles for the dialogues exchanged between them, all captured within 31 pages. There were tiny footnotes to explain typically Indian words, rituals, Gods, customs and so on. Each comic made a dent in our hard-saved pocket money – a dent of Rs.2.50 to begin, which was later raised by 0.50 paisa.

One man was responsible for this comic book revolution - Anant Pai. Story has it that he was on an official trip from Mumbai to Delhi in 1967, intrigued by the television set that had entered the capital through Doordarshan. Wanting to have a dekko of what lay behind that box, he watched a television programme through the display window of a shop. He was shocked to discover that in the quiz show, children could give correct answers to questions around Socrates and Winston Churchill, but did not know the name of Rama’s mother!

This chemical engineer orphaned as a young boy, realised that children loved comic book heroes like The Phantom. Leisure reading of children studying in English medium schools was also confined to Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Enid Blyton’s and a few comics like Richie Rich and Tintin.

Phantom made ‘politically correct’ for the Indian reader. Image source: thephantomhead.com

He wanted to bring Indian kids back to their roots and joined India Book House, one of the leading publishers in Bombay that was largely into printing, publishing, distribution and selling of books. Pai had already introduced the Phantom series as the first cartoon strip in The Times of India and wanted to use this form of visual reading to entertain and educate through Indian stories. And so the first Indian comic book was born under the brand name of Amar Chitra Katha. It went on to become one of the most popular and high selling series of Indian comics.

Slowly, sales picked up. ACK classics initially used primary colours - blue, green and yellow but graduated to full colours as it’s popularity began to rise. Pai and his team extended the parameters to bring in regional languages - beginning with translations in Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, and Telugu and further into Bengali, Assamese, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil, Urdu and even Sanskrit. It reached beyond its initial target of a middle-class readership to transcend class barriers and reach the upper class children. As ACK reached its 20th birthday in 1986, sales reached a peak of 5 crore copies, and then only two years later, a whopping 7 crores.

Related: Walking BookFairs: A Unique Initiative For Bibliophiles

Frequency also went from one classic every month to to one every fortnight around 1980. This was when IBH also launched its comic magazine Tinkle, that caught the reading fancy of all children at the time. The language used was simple, straightforward, and easy to understand by children not studying in English medium schools.

An entire generation isn’t even aware of this. Image source: amarchitrakatha.com

Amar Chitra Katha opened doors to an alternative visual culture that strived to adhere to its Indian roots. Yet, like all mothers everywhere, I would not allow my daughter to devour the comic books she was slowly getting addicted to. “It will take you away from your studies,” was my boring refrain. Scared of being stopped from reading what she had grown to love, she handed me an issue of Tinkle and asked me to read it. Tinkle was a weekly comic magazine brought out by the same publication – India Book House and the same man. I was bowled over. It was informative, funny, entertaining and carried a message and amusing adventures of the characters. It took me to one story from the ACK series, Ganga and I became a child all over again. I bought my daughter an annual subscription for Tinkle and, separated by a generation, we enjoyed the stories that could be read over and over again.

A position adopted by politicians today? Image source: wishberry.com

Chandamama, another magazine along the same lines, began to create and publish stories adapted from the Indian mythologies such as Ramayana and Mahabharata in 1947, just before Independence. In publication to this day, the magazine and its illustrations are known for its unique storytelling, reminiscent of grandparents' bedtime stories conveyed in print format. This was backed very innovatively with promotional strategies organized by IBH of fancy dress contests, displays in petrol pumps and book stores across every Indian city, launching new titles with press conferences graced by eminent personalities. By 1992, ACK classics were published and sold in 38 Indian and non-Indian languages by which time, Anant Pai had evolved into the children’s icon “Uncle Pai.”

Related: An Afternoon With An Author: Stephen Alter

Not surprisingly, these books started facing a lot of flak from sociologists, cultural historians, comic specialists and so on. This critique is an on-going process of sometimes making mincemeat of the series or questioning its authenticity or pointing out its pro-Hindu, anti-minority and extremely patriarchal bias as far as the representation of women characters go. There has been a lot of research both by Indian and foreign scholars on ACK’s representation of women.

Moot points were, women are conspicuous by their complete absence from the story and the illustrations such as Chandragupta Maurya or many of the Birbal stories. However, there were women protagonists in classics featuring Ganga, Draupadi, Shakuntala, Savitri, Vasavdatta, Mirabai, Padmini, Tarabai, Rani of Jhansi, Uloopi, Chand Bibi, Urvashi, Sukanya and many others. Another noticeable absence was in the Makers of Modern India series of 13 personalities that does not feature a single woman, though India has had many women leaders who should have found place among these makers. Leaders like Indira Gandhi and Sarojini Naidu are not part of this series and Kalpana Chawla was an afterthought. The same absence is noticed in the visibility of Muslim and Sikh leaders.

Rohan Islam, a Bengali literature scholar, in a detailed analysis raises questions about the ACK series that mark out sharp differences between “they” and “we”, “bad” and “good”, “us” and “them”. Islam also draws our attention to the Brahmin-Hindu-Male that takes precedence over Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and of course, women. He states quite assertively that the equations drawn between the Hindu identity and the National identity are quite sharply underlined.

Making History lessons fun. Image source: Amazon.com

Related: A Hospital For The Ageing Typewriter

This leaves us with questions. Why must we always place an entertaining comic series for children with informative stories on our culture, leadership, freedom struggle by contextualising it against the changing history and politics of changing times? Can one deny the historical significance of a classic series that has stood the test of time and space for four long decades? Can we deny ourselves the joy we got going through those stories and wonderful illustrations that took children away from their exams and more serious books? Take away the political, patriarchal and communal biases, which do not appear pronounced while we are reading purely for entertainment and information, and what we have is a harmonious ride into our cultural past.

Uncle Pai is no more. Long live uncle Pai. And with the magic between the yellowed pages of an antique Amar Chitra Katha, we can all live happily ever after. Or, can we?

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are independent views solely of the author(s) expressed in their private capacity and do not in any way represent or reflect the views of 101India.com

By Shoma A. Chatterji Cover photo credit: Amazon.com

[pallabbose-blog]

KRITI SANON

Kriti Sanon (born 27 July 1990) is a Bollywood Diva, an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Hindi films. She pursued an engineering degree from the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, after which she briefly worked as a model. After making her debut in Telugu cinema with the psychological thriller 1:Nenokkadine (2014), Kriti won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for her performance in Sabbir Khan’s action comedy Heropanti (2014), which marked her first Bollywood release.

She has since starred in the commercially successful action comedy Dilwale (2015), which ranks as her highest-grossing release, the romantic comedies Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and Luka Chuppi (2019), and the comedy Housefull 4 (2019). She has also launched her own line of clothing and endorses several brands and products, and has appeared in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list of 2019.

Conversation with the stylish celebrity –

Q. What’s the real Kriti Sanon like?

Kriti- Oh. Well (pause) I’m a simple girl from a middle-class background. I’m not someone who fakes it. You won’t hear me talking in a fake accent or being all hoity toity. The toughest thing is to fake it throughout the day, every day. I like being real and talking to people who’re real. I’m sensitive but not too emotional. I can’t judge people correctly. Effort and gestures matter more than materialistic things. I love spending time with my people and close friends at home rather than party and do small talk. I enjoy a good conversation with good people.

Hi. Kriti, do tell us about your background before everyone came to know you as a filmstar ?

Kriti- I am originally from Delhi, now settled in Mumbai. My dad, Mr. Rahul Sanon, is a Chartered Accountant and mom Mrs. Geeta Sanon, is a professor at the University of Delhi. We are Punjabi. Everybody knows that I have a younger sister Nupur, who lives with me here. I schooled from Delhi Public School, RK Puram and later secured Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida

Q. Do tell us about your association with the Film industry till now?

Kriti — I made my acting debut in 2014 with Sukumar’s Telugu film 1: Nenokkadine, a psychological thriller, in which I played the role of Sameera, a journalist who is also the love interest of Mahesh Babu’s character. Later that year, I got a chance to make my Hindi film debut, opposite Tiger Shroff, in Sabbir Khan’s action romance Heropanti. It emerged as a commercial success. Later I won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for this film.

Then I did a Telugu film release with Sudheer Varma’s Dohchay, a crime film co-starring Naga Chaitanya followed by Rohit Shetty’s action-comedy Dilwale, in which I starred alongside Varun Dhawan, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.

Then I starred alongside Sushant Singh Rajput in Dinesh Vijan’s directorial debut Raabta, which tells the story of star-crossed lovers who are reincarnated. My next release, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s romantic comedy Bareilly Ki Barfi, was a super hit. Last year I starred opposite Kartik Aaryan in Luka Chuppi, a romantic comedy about a couple in a live-in relationship. Commercially, it proved to be a success. My next two releases of the year were the comedies Arjun Patiala and Housefull 4. The latter emerged as a commercial success despite receiving unfavourable reviews. My last film before lockdown happened was Ashutosh Gowariker’s period drama Panipat, based on the Third Battle of Panipat.

Q: Which of your films has benefitted you the most?

Kriti- “Heropanti” was a film that was designed to launch two newcomers — Tiger Shroff and me. It did well. But for someone like me who did not come from a film family, it was “Dilwale” that gave me a huge reach. It was so much fun that it did not feel like work at all, and because it had Shah Rukh (Khan)-sir, Kajol ma’am, Varun Dhawan and Rohit (Shetty)-sir as Director, my audience reach increased hugely. Today, children still love my songs in the film and come and show me my steps.

Q: How do you choose a script now?

Kriti: I have always been instinctive about scripts. I like what the aam janta (masses) would, and I ask myself if I would want to watch this film. We give at least three months to a film, so I should enjoy working on it and wake up with excitement every day. My character comes next, and it is not about how different my character is, but about how important it is for the film.

Q: How would you compare your heroes till now?

Kriti: All are very hardworking and great actors. Tiger and I both have a hunger for improving and Tiger is very disciplined, whether at work or about his workouts. Varun is spontaneous, and always wants to do better until he gets it right. Sushant is very methodical and thus very inspiring. And Akshay sir is by far the best. He is a seasoned actor.

Q. There are reports of you doing a film based on surrogacy ?

Yes, it’s an exciting project with Maddock Films, yet untitled. It’s an entertaining story with its heart in the right place. It’s going to be directed by my Luka Chuppi director, Laxman Utekar. I share a great bond with him. It was an idea initially, which has shaped into a script, better than I expected. Laxman sir has the knack of presenting an emotional subject in an entertaining manner. This will be the first film, which will ride on my shoulders as the protagonist is a girl. It’s challenging. I’m nervous about it. Shooting will start later this year, once this Covid 19 issue gets over.

Q. You still model too and endorse brands?

Kriti- Yes, of course. I endorse for several brands and products. These include Titan Watches’ Raga Collection, Parachute, UrbanClap, among others. I also promote my

own clothing line, labelled ‘Ms. Taken’.

Q: Your sister is also exploring singing and acting now.

Kriti: Yes, she was always passionate about singing, and has taken three or four years of classical training. I told her to keep all doors open.

Q: Unlike most young actresses of today, you have never sung in a film?

Kriti: Yeah (Laughs)That is because I am not trained. I would like to be first trained, and then sing

Q. Your biggest inspiration?

Kriti- My Mom and Dad.

Q. What’s next then?

Kriti- There’s one script which I have said yes to, which I would only want the producers to announce. It’s a thriller. There are two other scripts that I have liked. There are other things to be put together — as to how and when it happens — which needs to be figured out. So it’s all up in the air for now.

When did you sign your first autograph?

Kriti- My first autograph (pause and thinks). Thats an interesting question. I think while shooting my first film Heropanti..on the sets.

Any special message to your fans?

Kriti — Take precautions during this lockdown. Lets pray that we all come out hale’n’hearty. And do watch all my movies now..one by one.( Laughs !) And See you all soon at the cinema halls.

Visit www.ifdainternational.com

[atakportal]

'Sacred Games' will make you crave an Indian golden age of television

New Post has been published on https://www.uberbuyer.com/2018/07/13/sacred-games-will-make-you-crave-an-indian-golden-age-of-television/

'Sacred Games' will make you crave an Indian golden age of television

If you’re making your first Netflix original, you have to swing big. 

This is a tradition that started with House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. Now, as the company expands its worldwide empire, Netflix India has debuted its first original series: Sacred Games, based on the novel by Vikram Chandra. It’s a big, magnificent swing, and the first season hits it out of the park.

Sacred Games, based on the novel by Vikram Chandra, is the story of Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), a notorious gangster who contacts police officer Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan) with a threat against the city of Mumbai. Singh ends up working with federal agent Anjali Mathur (Radhika Apte) as they try to solve the elusive criminal’s puzzle. 

Though Singh is our de facto hero and the knight in shining armor, Gaitonde is the central character, whose life is pieced together in flashbacks throughout the eight episodes.

Structurally, the show is part Da Vinci Code, part Slumdog Millionaire. It also harkens significantly to streaming sibling Narcos, with its use of multiple languages and immersion in the underworld. It bears the unmistakable artistic signature of directors/producers Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, a sensibility found in India’s independent features and short films. 

India boasts a voracious film and television audience, but almost all TV shows in India are reality shows or soap operas (“serials”). In 2017, Amazon bet on the sports drama Inside Edge, which performed positively and earned a second season. Notably, Kashyap’s 2012 opus Gangs of Wasseypur (also starring Siddiqui) used to be on Netflix – not as the two four-hour films as which it debuted, but as an eight-episode miniseries.

Sacred Games faces pressure on the international stage, due in part to Netflix’s reach and in part to the popularity of Chandra’s novel.

Though Sacred Games is a rare form of Indian entertainment, it’s hard to imagine Sacred Games in any format besides this series due to the rich craftsmanship of the show. Gaitonde’s world and life are overwhelmingly immersive, as is the ominous trail he leaves for Singh. 

There’s an English dub available, but the original Hindi (and sometimes English, Marathi, or Punjabi) is vital to the viewing experience. The dialect is harsh and guttural and curses – whether you understand them or not – sting with the sharpness of their delivery.

It’s also violent – like Game of Thrones violent or Daredevil violent – which may surprise audiences who only know India for colorful song-and-dance rom-coms. But violence has been a staple of Bollywood for decades – it even used to be in those sweeping musicals about love. Though Sacred Games sets up a world in which you expect assault, rape, and gun fights, they fit into Gaitonde’s uncouth reality through careful production and cinematography.

Siddiqui, a proven talent, is nothing short of hypnotic as Gaitonde with all his rage and ambition. (Lion‘s Sunny Pawar plays a young version of the gangster, ensuring he won’t be pigeonholed as “adorable child” for long.) Though not fully a household name even in India, Sacred Games could propel him to the international versatility of an Irrfan Khan or an Anupam Kher. 

Apte nails her portrayal of Mathur, perhaps because she makes it so unremarkable. Women on India’s screens are almost always airbrushed, lightened, perhaps wearing colored contracts, and caked in makeup within an inch of their lives. They are a fantasy, but Mathur (and Apte herself) is a real woman, a highly competent women in a competitive field and patriarchal society.

She’s driven by duty and justice while Singh has a more a personal stake (Gaitonde knew his father). Khan, better known for popular commercial films, delivers a subtle performance that is one of his best. 

I worked for Khan during production of his 2014 film Happy Ending, and based on conversations at that time it’s clear that Sacred Games is the kind of project he’s spent years trying to find. He was frustrated with the stagnancy of commercial Bollywood and the lack of new stories to tell, intrigued by darkness and folklore, which interweave subtly throughout Sacred Games.

With such a powerful debut, Sacred Games sets an impressive bar for India’s Netflix originals, and creates a show unlike anything else available on the streaming platform. With the stars’ tight film schedules, a second season might be challenging, but Netflix is undoubtedly eyeing it. You’ll want it too, after you take a breather for this one. This game is not for the faint of heart. 

Sacred Games is now streaming on Netflix.

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[asksabhaniblog]

Geeta Bali lived a short life of stardom. But whatever she achieved still remains a dream for many in the Indian film industry. The actress who belonged to the golden era of Bollywood - the 1950s and 1960s, died of smallpox at a young age of 34, leaving behind an incomplete Punjabi film and an elite body of work comprising of around 70 films. Her silver screen career stretched for only 14 years, but she accomplished enough, both professionally and personally, becoming a reference point for the futuregenerations of actors and filmmakers.

Actress Vidya Balan is set to play her part in her Marathi debut Ekk Albela. It is a biopic on legendary actor Bhagwan Dada with whom Geeta Bali made a hit onscreen pairing delivering several memorable films together. The film's first song which released recently has Vidya recreating Geeta's magic in the iconic song Shola Jo Bhadke.We go down the memory lane and give you some lesser known facts about Geeta Bali, a name that only remains alive in our minds, and the filmographies of classic Bollywood films.

1. Geeta Bali contributed a lot in making her husband Shammi Kapoor, a superstar"If you see the way Shammi Kapoor danced, that was Geeta Bali's personality. My mother was a bigger and more successful star than my father when they got married" says their son Aditya Raj Kapoor who is writing a biography on his mother.Geeta gave Shammi his confidence and personality. Whatever he did onscreen was a reflection of Geeta. She was a bigger and more successful star than Shammi.

2. During their wedding, unlike the stereotypical practice of putting sindoor, Shammi put red lipstick in Geeta's maanYes, she was such a lady who didn't think twice before breaking rules. Shammi (23) and Geeta (24) fell in love during the shooting of their film Rangeen Ratein in Ranikhet. Though Shammi proposed to her, Geeta took her time to say yes. They had planned a simple temple wedding, but the temple was closed. They went again next morning at 4 AM and finally got hitched. Their wedding was as dramatic as their films. Instead of sindoor, red lipstick was used to do the needful.Shammi, in an interview, had said that after they returned to Mumbai from the shooting of Rangeen Ratein, they realised they couldn't live without each other! Since she had worked with other men of the Kapoor family too, she was hesitant. But Shammi was adamant."We went to a temple where the priest informed us that the Gods have now retired for the night and if we wished to get married we should come back early morning at 4 o'clock. So we went back to my parents' house and then waited. It was raining heavily as we arrived at the temple at 4.30 in the morning. The priest performed the ceremony and we were declared husband and wife. Geeta took out a tube of lipstick from her purse and asked me to apply it on her maang. We went home to my place and rang up my parents and informed them that I was a married man now!" - Shammi Kapoor.

3. She was the only woman to continue working in films even after becoming a Kapoor bahu, in that era.

Geeta was a career girl from a young age. After working in several Punjabi films as a child artist, she did the film The Cobbler at the age of 12. Geeta refused to become a sit-at-home mother. Her family remembers her as loving and full of life. She was adventurous too and went on long drives with her children. She was also a disciplinarian and a promoter of fine arts

.4. Geeta was a Sardar and knew martial arts too.She was born in Amritsar in 1930. Her real name was Harkirtan Kaur. She did regular shows as a classical dancer. She even did stage plays and sang for All India Radio. That's not all! She knew horse riding and had learnt the martial art form Gatka. Quite a lot for a woman in those times.

5. She changed her name when she began acting in Bollywood.She was just 16 when she came to Mumbai. That's when she also changed her name to Geeta, which was the name of one of the characters she played. She used "Bali" which was her maiden surname.

6. Geeta refused to play the typical crying heroine. Her pairing with Dev Anand is still remembered.She did several hit films with Dev Anand, like Baazi, Jaal, Ferry, Milap, Faraar and Pocket Maar. Geeta's charm lay in her naughtiness and grace. Her vivacious character in Albelais one of the most memorable ones. Heard of the songs "Bholi Soorat Dil Ke Khote", "Balma Bada Nadan Hai" and "Shola Jo Bhadke"? All of these are from Albela.

7. She had also romanced her in-laws in films!Geeta was paired opposite her future brother-in-law Raj Kapoor in Bawre Nain. She also shared screen-space with her father-in-law Prithviraj Kapoor in Anand Math.  

8. Geeta's secretary was Surinder Kapoor.And Surinder Kapoor is the father of producer Boney Kapoor, actor Anil Kapoor and Sanjay Kapoor. He then went on to set up his own production house.9. She is also the aunt of Yogeeta Bali.And actress Yogeeta Bali is married to Mithun Chakraborty. Quite a family tree, isn't it?!10. Geeta's sudden demise left Shammi heartbroken for many years.The legendary actress got smallpox during the shooting of a Punjabi film, Rano, based on a novel "Eik Chadar Maili Si" by Rajinder Singh Bedi. She returned to Mumbai with high fever and passed away in just 15 days. Shammi couldn't come to terms with her death for a long time. Though he married Neela Devi, but he always maintained that no one could fill Geeta's void. It is said that filmmaker Bedi was so devastated by Geeta's untimely death that he abandoned the project. He even put the novel on her burning funeral pyre marking the death of the film as well!Family and friends remember Geeta as a woman with a big heart. She agreed to do Albela starring then character artist Bhagwan Dada. She said '"This is a lovely script and you deserve success." We look forward to the way Vidya Balan will recreate her magic onscreen.'I fell in love with Geeta Bali'

Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor got to know actress Geeta Bali during the shooting of a film at Ranikhet. He proposed marriage to her several times, till she finally relented. An extract from a new book by Rauf Ahmed  

Shammi Kapoor working on his steps on the sets of Janwar

Shammi Kapoor had first met actress Geeta Bali during the making of Miss Coca Cola (1955), produced and directed by one of his closest buddies, Hari Valia (originally Hari Ahluvalia). It was a routine hero-meets-heroine encounter as everyone thought. "Pleasant and warm," as Shammi later described it, but more "professional" than any he'd had with an attractive young actress/woman. For a change, Shammi had refrained from trying out any of his stock-in-trade one-liners on the cool-looking sardarni.

"I got to know the essential Geeta during the outdoor shooting of Kidar Sharma's Rangeen Raaten in Ranikhet," Shammi had recalled. "Curiously, Geeta was not the heroine of the film. Another protégé of Kidar Sharma's, Mala Sinha, was... Geeta was not in the original cast of Rangeen Raaten. She had literally gatecrashed into it to do a cameo of a man."

Ranikhet, which means Queen's Meadow, is a quaint little hill station tucked away in the salubrious, breathtakingly beautiful environs of Kumaon in the Great Himalayan Range.

"There couldn't have been a more potent place to make sparks fly between two vulnerable hearts seeking each other," Shammi had reminisced... "After pack-up, there used to be ample time for two crazy people, who had been inevitably thrown together, to freak out amidst the majesty of the hills. Geeta had the restlessness of a mountain spring and outrageousness amazing for a star. Nevertheless, she was mature beyond her years. She was only 24 then, a year older to me. But, as she told me, she'd lived a very hard life. Her father, a low-paid school teacher, had lost his eyesight. Her brother, sister and mother were partially deaf. It was a situation that could have unnerved anyone, but not her...

"I can't point to the exact moment when I fell in love with Geeta. I guess it was a small incident involving a tiger that did it. I had been pining away for a tiger that had given me the slip. Geeta kept patting my knee and saying, 'Don't worry Shammi, you'll find him.' One night, we were returning to our hotel after dinner. Geeta was in a jeep ahead. As I turned the corner, I saw her jeep parked midway on a bridge and she was on the bonnet doing a strange sort of jig. I ran to her in panic. 'It's that tiger, Shammi, your tiger. It just went this way. Get your gun,' she was yelling out. I was speechless. There was a wild tiger on the prowl in the vicinity and this woman was doing a jig on the bonnet of her jeep in celebration. She just wasn't scared. So how could I help it? I fell in love with her. Madly. I still remember the day. It was April 2, 1955.

Geeta Bali, with whom life had acquired a new meaning and purpose for Kapoor.Pictures from the book

"It was destined," Shammi had reflected. "Or else, why did Geeta force herself into Rangeen Raaten when there was no suitable role for her in the original script of the film?"...

Shammi and Geeta had fallen madly in love with each other... "There were a few question marks, though," Shammi had reflected. "Geeta was a year older to me. She had co-starred with my father Prithviraj Kapoor in a film called Anand Math (1952). She had also worked opposite my brother Raj Kapoor in Kidar Sharma's film Bawre Nain (1950). I was not sure how my family would react to it. But the apprehensions were momentary. I was adamant within myself that it had to be Geeta. She was the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with. But, ironically, the hurdle was Geeta herself. A pragmatic, down-to-earth woman, she kept cautioning me, 'Shammi, I love you. I can't think of living without you, but I just can't marry you. I can't let my family down. They depend on me. They have nowhere else to go to.'

"...Thankfully, that didn't separate us... My passion had grown to a point of insanity. In spite of her resistance, I kept proposing to her once every few hours like a smitten teenager. And she kept turning me down with her lovely smile.

"Four months of agony, tears, cajoling, pleading, separation and desperation followed. Then one day, the inevitable happened, just out of the blue. On August 23, 1955, we were at Juhu Hotel, Bombay... I had been staying there as there was no one at home. My parents were out in Bhopal with the Prithvi Theatres troupe. I proposed to Geeta again, knowing she'd shake her head once more and smile. But she didn't. Instead, she knocked me out of my wits. She said, "OK Shammi, let's get married. But it's got to be now..."

"You mean right now? This moment?" I asked her in disbelief.

"Yes, just now... or it may never happen." she said in a no-nonsense tone.

"I jumped up and said, 'OK, just now... done.'"

"We drove straight to our common friend, Johnny Walker (the late comedian) for guidance. He had eloped with his girlfriend (actress Noor) and got married barely a week earlier... 'We are Muslims,' he said. 'We just had to find a Kazi. You are Hindus, you may have to go to a temple and get married.' That made sense. We drove to Bandra to my friend, Hari Valia, producer of Coffee House in which Geeta and I were working at that point.

"Hari had had a similar experience. He took us to the famous Banganga Temples off Napean Sea Road, in South Bombay... When we reached the temple at the crack of dawn, Geeta in her by-now crumpled salwar-kameez and I in my kurta-pajama, it was pouring cats and dogs. With Hari Valia as the sole witness, the pujari (priest) performed the ceremonial rites and we took seven pheras (rounds) of the holy fire and were declared husband and wife. Geeta took out a lipstick from her purse and asked me to apply it on her maang (parting of the hair) like sindoor (vermilion) to proclaim our marital status.

"Geeta and I were married at last.

"We drove back to Matunga to my grandfather's to seek his blessings. He welcomed us with open arms and blessed us. I then called my parents, who were in Bhopal, to tell them that I was a married man now. They were surprised but happy. We then went to Geeta's parents to inform them of the best thing that had ever happened in the lives of two people in love. They were in for a shock. Geeta hadn't told them anything. She hadn't connected with them since leaving home for work the previous morning. There had been panic in the house as she hadn't returned home at night. They let out a huge sigh of relief when they saw us."...

Months later, Geeta's sister Hardarshan Kaur had narrated what had happened on the morning of August 24, 1955: "When the doorbell buzzed non-stop early in the morning, I had woken up with a start and run to the door, literally trembling. Geeta had not come home at night, so I was very scared. When I opened the door, I saw my sister standing with Shammi, grinning. Seeing my stunned look, they quickly bent down and touched my feet and announced that they had gotten married. I was speechless. As there were no sweets in the house, I ran into the kitchen to get some sugar. When the couple turned, they saw a sweeper standing close by. They bent down and touched her feet as well. We Sikhs believe that if you run into a sweeper while embarking on an important mission, it's a good omen."

(A few years later, recalling the episode, Hardarshan had said, "Marriage to my sister did prove very lucky for Shammi, didn't it? Look how his career took off overnight from nowhere.")

Extracted from Shammi Kapoor: The Game Changer by Rauf Ahmed; Published by Om Books International; Price: Rs 595; Extracted with permission from Om Books International

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Birthday Greetings to yesteryear Hindi film actress Jabeen Jalil, who turned 82 years today. Jabeen Jalil was a popular actress of hindi cinema of the 50s and 60s. Although She acted in merely 23 Hindi and 4 Punjabi films in her almost 20 year career, She made millions fans of her beauty and wonderful acting. Born in Delhi, Jabeen had her education in Mumbai as her family shifted to Mumbai whenJabeen was young. Jabeen made her film debut with Guzaara(1954)where her hero was Karan Dewan.Her second film was Lutera (1955) where her hero was Nasir Khan. She however got true recognition with her third film, New Delhi (1956) where she played the role of Kishore Kumar's sister Nikki. She got benefitted by the success of New Delhi. In the late 1950s, many films starring her released, including Char Minar, Fashion, Jeevan Sathi, Hathkadi, Panchayat, Raagini, Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane and Raat ke Raahi. In the 60s, Jabeen acted in films like Batwara, Khiladi, Sachche Moti, Taj Mahal and Raju. The Batwara song “Yeh Raat Yeh Fizaayen Phir Aayen Na Aayen” picturised on her and Jawahar Kaul is popular to this day. She also got the National Award for the 1962 Punjabi film Chaudhary Karnail Singh in which her hero was Prem Chopra. Jabeen acted in three other Punjabi movies Kadi Dhoop Kadi Chhaon, Geet Baharaan De and Aye Dharti Punjab Di. Many songs picturised on her were extremely popular including ‘Tum Aur Hum’ (Fashion), ‘Madbhari Yeh Pyaar Ki Palken’ (Fashion), ‘Ta Thaiyya Karte Aana’ (Panchayat), ‘Piya mai hoon patang tu dor’ (Raagini), ‘Qaid mein Hai Bulbul Sayyad Muskuraye’ (Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane), ‘Door Kahin Tu Chal’ (Bedard Zamana Kya Jaane), ‘Aa Bhi Ja Bewafa’ (Raat Ke Rahi), ‘Tu Kya Samjhe Tu Kya Jaane’ (Raat Ke Rahi) and ‘Ek Nazar Ek Ada’ (Raat Ke Rahi). Jabeen quit films in 1968 after wrapping up her career with the film Sweetheart starring Shashi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Jabeen got married in the year 1968. Her Husband Ashok Kak was of Kashmiri Origin and hailed from Jodhpur. He was the President of the Kodak Company and was the youngest CEO of that time. After moving away from films Jabeen was active in social work also. Jabeen and her family stayed in America for some time. The family moved back to Mumbai in 1998. Today she lives with her husband, son and elderly mother-in-law in her flat in South Bombay, and divides her time between playing the de­voted wife and the ideal mother. Kind courtesy of Shri.Shishir Krishna Sharma Beetehuedin Bollywoodirect बॉलीवुड डायरेक्ट Bollywoodirect