#with romeo juliet devdas and other stories

[zeherili-ankhein]

Why do I see so many people making fun of Devdas and calling it a Nibba-Nibbi movie or problematic??? 😭

Get educated people that movie was based on an age old Bengali Novel which wasn't even romance what else do you expect??

Edit: same to people who romanticize Dev and Paro's relationship... Y'all need therapy

[fadelbison]

I really had to read with my own two eyes multiple times since this post had multiple people add on to it, bringing it back to my dash again and again, that the drama from Tharn and Phaya's past life did not feel dramatic at all. And somehow that detracts from taking the drama of the present as seriously as the show is taking it. This story is based on Thai folklore? The Naga and Garuda are eternal enemies. The love between a Naga and a Garuda is an insult to the literal cosmic order. Chalothon who was only trying to preserve the natural order has been wronged by their love. The natural order is also referenced several times but especially when the priest was like keep Phaya and Chalothon away from each other, they're destined to be enemies. Not meeting the show halfway to accepting this as part of your lens as an audience is frankly...an interesting choice to make. The next bit is pure conjecture on account of me not being Thai but I'm trying to relate to what The Sign is likely trying to do from my own understanding of Asian folklore and the way we use those stories to build new stories. What is there to get out of this show other than the big fuck you to 'natural order' of things that must be because of the way that they are. Why can't a Naga and Garuda be in love? This must be a concept that people explore under the general lens of forbidden love in Thailand (pure conjecture but also like I don't know how it can't be true). We all have our poorly explained versions of Forbidden Love gone bad; Romeo and Juliet, Ram Leela, Devdas would be some heterosexual stories of Forbidden Love that kind of hand waves around the forbidden part a little bit that I'm familiar with. Devdas (the story I'm most familiar with of the one's stated) and its myriad adaptations is a story about the absolute ways we hold on to class even as it brings about our own downfall.

It's a great pick for a queer adaptation because the reasons why the lovers couldn't be together was so made up and really came down to ONE person (Devdas' mother) who just couldn't let go of class even though everyone else was literally begging for the two to just be together because let me tell you none of you have met a poor little meow meow on the scale of Devdas.

The Sign is bringing the forbidden love between a Naga and Garuda as a parallel of the forbidden love between two men. Homosexuality outside of the legal sphere really does come down to an ideological difference as to what is natural vs not. Homosexuality goes against a natural order of reproduction. And this is true. Two men cannot reproduce, two women cannot reproduce with each other.

The challenge isn't to prove that they can, it's to prove that reproduction isn't the centerpoint of human life, that we have transcended the need for our life to be dictated by this 'natural' order because on principal our societies just aren't built along the paradigm of 'survival of the fittest' where the benchmark of species fitness is its ability to reproduce.

Thai shows including things that have come out of Idol Factory (that produces The Sign) are often socially engaged with LGBT rights within Thailand. Now that gay marriage is legal or on its way to be, I assume a move in the direction of bringing same sex relationships up to the same societal respect as straight relationships would be a natural direction that future screenwriters will go.

The Sign is trying very hard to take the question of homosexuality right to the heart of Thai culture and tradition and talk about it from that lens [this is less conjecture and more paraphrasing what Saint has said about the show in interviews] And I know that you all are capable of meeting a story halfway in respecting its desire to set up the stakes through references of allegorical story telling since y'all have been doing it with Last Twilight and Le Petit Prince. So I don't know even know why I had to make this post but: tl;dr: The stakes of the love between Tharn and Phaya and the forbidden nature of it is set before you even see much of the show just from the fact that Tharn is a Naga and Phaya is a Garuda and as a member of the audience you have to accept that the love between Naga and Garuda is a deviant form of love in Thai culture.

[storyteller-aprendiz]

Everyday I'm tempted to make a tragic-romance musical (like hadestown or wicked) but insted of the classic musical style is rancheras and boleros.

I am not going to ask anyone to learn spanish but please go and listen to at least one or two songs, google Alvaro Carrillo, and then search the translation of the lyrics. The songs are just feel with so much pasion, like they seem taken out of Romeo and Juliet or Devdas or any other love story that ends in tragedy.

In fact, you don't need to look, I've translated some songs! Here they are:

Like, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Nat King Cole, even EXO-K (sorry idk k-pop, i know sorry, i'm trying) have sing songs of the genre:

How are they not more popular!? (i know why, but still.)

[torposopla]

I honestly remember watching "Ram-Leela" and even if both leads were extremely hot and the movie was "Romeo and Juliet" Bollywood version (so a tragedy) it was very interesting how women where portrayed in a strong light and in positions of power while men where just portrayed as disgusting creatures who only know how to abuse, rape and watch pornography.

I also think about "Devdas" and I watched two movie versions of that story and is true that is very frustrating to me how Devdas is the protagonist of the story when the true icons are Paro and Chandramukhi. Like I know the movie is also a tragedy about how Paro and Devdas couldn't be together because the difference on their social status but Devdas could've done better, he was also a fucking stupid asshole who died a pathetic death and I'm glad that Paro was living a better life and Chandramukhi stopped working in prostitution (Even if was because of her love for Devdas.) I still love how in the 2002 movie Paro and Chandramukhi become good friends and decided to support each other, it make me love even more their dance sequence.

Not to say that the original post is wrong or something, is true that the idea of romantic love is propaganda and is not only for Bollywood, is for a lot of media around the world, but still I want to take a bit of the positive that stuck to me, I understand not every story is perfect.

i just keep thinking about this tiktok comment and myth of romantic love

[decadeslife]

10 Indian LGBTQ Web Series on Same Sex Love Relationships

Digital entertainment sites have been introducing a lot of bold content in recent months. Web series is one such content that does not have to face censorship like films and TV shows. Although there are web series that feature gay and lesbian characters, there are others that are exclusively about same-sex love and relationships. Below is my list of Indian web series that have gay and lesbian characters.

Here are the list of LGBTQ Web Series that you can watch online

Romil And Jugal

This is a gay web series from the Internet platform ALTBalaji, known for bold content. Romil and Jugal recreate Romeo and Juliet with a twist. Manraj Singh and Rajeev Siddhartha play the gay couple in this series. The couple engages in passionate kisses and intimate scenes, but you will need to have a paid ALTBalaji subscription to watch the entire series

The Other Love Story

In this Web Series, the lead actors are heterosexuals who admitted to having trouble kissing at the beginning. The two lead characters, Shweta Gupta and Spoorthi Gumaste, said that they had trouble expressing lesbian love because they were not experienced in performing that act. The web series is available on YouTube.

Love Life & Screw up

This web series is a story about the romantic relationships of lesbian and gay couples. Zeenat Aman plays a pivotal role in this web series, acting in the story. The other Cast of this Series are Mita Vashisht, Dolly Thakore, Kapil Kaustub Sharma, Yuvraaj Parashar, Diandra Soares, Sonali Raut, Akshay Sethi, Shushant Divgikr, Sezal Sharma, Vibhoutee Sharma, Meghaa, Shipra Kasana, Mahi Sharma, Ruchita Tahiliani, Ashish Sachdeva, Ashish Khatri, Riyaaz Qureshi and Rahul Vyaas. There is a lot going on within this series where Bigg Boss contestant Diandra Soares kisses Mahi Sharma and Sonali Raut & Yuvraj Parashar’s shower scene is made news. The series is available on YouTube.

UNTAG

This is the story of 6 individuals who have their own issues and problems. However, the story is mainly focused on one character and her struggles, the fat girl. Meiyang Chang and Naveen Polishetty plays the Gay characters in the show. They are joined by VJ Andy, Dipannita Sharma and Shiv Pandit.

All About Section 377

This is a fictional series about a heterosexual man living with two gay men. The series aims to educate the viewers on the struggles faced by the LGBT community in India. Amit Khanna and Ankit Bhatia play the gay couple while Gulshan Nain plays the straight man. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube.

Dev DD

Dev DD is the female version of the classic Devdas. Devika is a woman whose addiction to sex and alcohol threatens her life. She is the daughter of a rich businessman and an alcoholic wife. Her boyfriends are both men who are in love with her and have similar backgrounds. Their relationship is based on mutual respect and understanding. This web-series is a fun-filled romantic comedy with some of the hottest kisses.

Class of 2017

This is a Teenage Web Series from Ekta Kapoor’s ALTBalaji, starring Rohan Shah and Gaurav Sharma. The series revolves around a young gay couple and the challenges they face in their relationship. The series features a couple of on-screen kisses, which the viewer can watch. The other cast of this Series include Shweta Bajpai, Krissann Barretto, Anshuman Malhotra, Rohit Suchanti, Ashish Chanchlani and Pooja S Jadhav.

Twisted

Twisted is a romantic-thriller web series from Vikram Bhatt starring Nia Sharma and Namit Khanna. Their was a queer twist in the story where Alia and her live-in-relationship girlfriend Dr. Zara Khan indulged in some intimate kissing and lovemaking. You can watch this series on YouTube.

Tanlines

Tanlines is centered around six teenagers who take a holiday together after college. Mehak and Prachi are lesbians and their secret comes out in the open in the web series. Raviza Chauhan and Sachi Maker portray the role of the lesbian couple. You can watch this interesting web series on SonyLiv and YouTube.

Confessions It’s Complicated

This web series tells the story of three girls: Nupur Murthy from Coimbatore, Raka Ghosh from Kolkata and Sameera Saxena from New Delhi start their career in Mumbai with a news organization, Pulse. They are exposed to a city they have never been before. Their stories are intertwined with the lives of the city dwellers, and how they manage the challenges they face. The character endorsing the sponsor products in every episode. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube.

Many consider LGBTQ relationships to be unconventional, and many consider them to be a deadly disease! Love is not a crime, and every individual deserves the right to experience love. Let us not judge people based on their sexual preferences. Hopefully, The web series helps some more people to come out of the closet.

Source: https://www.decadeslife.com/10-indian-lgbtq-web-series-on-same-sex-love-relationships/

[scallionpallion]

Top 5... Uuuh... RetJ productions (as in everything... Musicals, plays, films, on ice... Anything)

This was so hard to rank!! Especially the first two… Really I love them both equally.

 1. Rómeó és Júlia (specifically the 2004 pro-shot)

I could wax on and on about how much I love this production. First off: the actors are perfect - it’s pretty much thanks to Dolhai Attila and Szinetár Dóra I started really appreciating Romeo and Juliet as characters (I’ve always been into the side characters more). Bereczki Zoltán will forever be my favourite Mercutio, he’s just so fun, charismatic and irreverent. Szili is just an amazing actor and I love his version of Tybalt (which must be like the most tragic and conflicted version of the character there is). And the choreography is so energetic and fun and cool (especially love the ones for Lehetsz király and Párbaj). Also the dark aestetic of the production really enchances the feud/hate theme. Random little thing I love about it that I must mention: that standoff between Tybalt, Mercutio, and Benvolio in the middle of “Verona”.

 2. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

I recently rewatched this movie after years (and after getting into the RetJ fandom) and fell in love with it again. I’ve been working on a post for a while about how awesome it is and everything I love about it, so I won’t write heaps here, but some reasons I love it: the flamboyant visual style and 90’s aesthetics, Leo and Claire’s chemistry (yo seriously I think they’ve become my favourite R&J), the soundtrack (I’m kissing you! Lovefool!), Harold Perrineau’s hamminess, and John Leguizamo flashy and badass Tybalt. Also I guess it evokes a feeling of nostalgia in me; I remember when it was a thing when I was a kid (but I was too young to see it then) and my eldest sister having posters of Leo in her room (you know the ones that come in teen magazines? Do those still exist? I’m out of the loop when it comes to that).

(babies *_*)

3. Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela (2013).

Ok so I’ve mentioned before I’m a Bollywood fan, so of course I will appreciate a Bollywood version of R&J – like two things I love in one package. Ram-Leela got some gorgeous, vibrant cinematography that the director of the movie, Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known for (he’s also one of my favourite director and made this other movie, Devdas, that I highly recommend to anyone that is into tragic love stories). As Leo and Claire, the Romeo and Juliet (here Ram and Leela) of this movie have amazing chemistry (fun fact, the lead actors started dating after this movie and eventually got married).

Here’s our Romeo character (don’t be fooled by his looks, he’s a total dork)

4. Romeo et Juliette: Les Enfants Verone (2010)

Second favourite version of the Romeo et Juliette-musical. I especially like the costumes and the scenography. And Tom Ross with his heartbroken Tybalt and John Eyzen with his slightly crazy Mercutio with that manic laugh (plus their chemistry is like better than that between Romeo and Juliette imo). (May I also give a shout-out to whoever came up with Tybalt’s look, because it is the best and I love every single thing about it).

5. Romeo and Juliet (1968)

I remember watching the Zeffirelli version in high school (like when I was 17) in English class, and not appreciating it at all back then. I never watched it in full since, but I’ve watched many clips from it several times, and now I really do like several parts of it. Like how the duel is portrayed as being just a bit of fun and games that got out of hand - like they’re just trying to humiliate rather than physically hurt each other, and Mercutio’s death clearly being an accident (just look at Tybalt’s horrified face when he sees the blood on his rapier).

[aishwaryaaraiii]

I'm living for your recommendations, you're a star! Similar to the recent ask, do you have any favourite period drama Indian films? And films about diaspora Indian kids (kind of like Namastey London)?

You’re just in time. I was on Tumblr checking out the marvel tags. Some of my favorite period drama Indian films: 

Lagaan: Once Upon  Time in  India - The people of a small village in Victorian India stake their future on a game of cricket against their ruthless British rulers. It features Aamir Khan who’s done films like Three Idiots, PK and even Dangal.

Lootera - An aristocrat’s daughter falls in love with a visiting archaeologist, but he holds a secret that could drive them apart. (honestly, one of Bollywood’s best films easily, and it’s so goddamn underrated.)

Rustom - In 1959, a decorated naval officer is accused of murdering his wife’s lover. (this movie…..bitch, I got shook by the story. So captivating)

Jodhaa Akbar - Epic romance, set in 16th-century India, about the love story between Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar, the Mughal Emperor of Hindustan, and Rajput princess Jodhaa. In order to extend his empire, Akbar agrees to a marriage of alliance to young and fiery Jodhaa but soon realizes he has to defend his choice of bride as his courtiers voice their displeasure at the idea of their Muslim Emperor marrying a Hindu.

Girl…..I’m in love. The chemistry. Visuals. Background. Music. Acting. I’m done. 

Devdas - After his wealthy family prohibits him from marrying the woman he is in love with, Devdas Mukherjee’s life spirals further and further out of control as he takes up alcohol and a life of vice to numb the pain.

As for similar movies like Namstey London, it’s tricky. Though I can give you films that have a similar storyline or settings. Although, there is a sequel that will be releasing in October 2018, if all goes well. I think it’s called Namastey England. Af first, I was so against it because I wanted the original leads to be in it. But the lead couple playing in it also played a Romeo-and-Juliet adaptation which became one of my favorites. And so, I’m kind of interested now. 

Let’s see.  I would recommend the following.  

Swades - A successful Indian scientist returns to an Indian village to take his nanny to America with him and in the process rediscovers his roots.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania - Badrinath Bansal from Jhansi and Vaidehi Trivedi from Kota belong to small towns but have diametrically opposite opinions on everything. This leads to a clash of ideologies, despite both of them recognizing the goodness in each other. At one point, they even move to Singapore. 

(Although I would caution watching due to sensitive topics discussed in the movie).

English Vinglish - A quiet, sweet tempered housewife endures small slights from her well-educated husband and daughter everyday because of her inability to speak and understand English. 

It touches on the huge issue of language/culture barrier. And Sridevi, may she rest in peace, is such a fantastic actress.

Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham - Rahul, the adoptive son of business magnate Yash Raichand, feels eternal gratitude to his father for rescuing him from a life of poverty. Yet, when Yash forbids his love of poor Anjali, Rahul marries her and moves to London with new wife and sister-in-law, Pooja, breaking the heart of his mother. Ten years later, Rahul’s younger brother comes to London intent on brokering peace between father and son.

And that’s all I can think of for that one. Sorry I wasn’t able to give you more than enough.

- Sonia

[sridevi]

BIIIIITTTTCCCCHHHH!!!!!! I tried comparing him with some white critically director and you bet your ass Wes Anderson was the only name that came to my mind. Any other movies you love besides Devdas

ok since we talking about bhansali im just gonna list his best films in order:

Ram-Leela (literally baz luhrman could NEVER! romeo and juliet has never before or ever will be done better than this)

Devdas (no comment)

BLACK (phenomenally heartwrenching but it’s basically a remake of the miracle worker or else it would get the number 1 spot)

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (they filmed this movie with a potato but it’s not their fault that technology was sucky atm but this film was really perfect for the era it was in. AND salman khan didnt get the girl so there’s actual JUSTICE AND a happy ending YAAAS)

Bajirao Mastani (priyanka really saved this movie from being absolute trash. ummm slightly elevated visuals from devdas with a slightly smaller story of two adulterers. we all popped the biggest bottles when they both died!)

Saawariya (okay this movie was stunning and had a lot of muslim art and design which was def the highlight and the color correcting was magnificent but it flopped completely bc it was competing with om shanti om but like it’s a good thing bc the whole point of the movie was to feel bad for a man but you just cant do that bc nobody feels bad for a desi squidward)

Guzaarish (there was like... no real point to this movie besides that there are rich christian indians living in india... aditya roy kapur was cute tho)

idk where padmavati is going to go but judging from whatever is released atm i think it will be behind BLACK for me. the cast looks really great and aditi rao hydari is apparently in it and she like picks her roles really well so it should be interesting. 

[anamikasjain]

Top 10 Indian Web Series on Same Sex Love Relationships : WebSeries with Gay & Lesbian Characters

Digital Entertainment Sites have come up with a lot of Bold content lately in the form of Web Series as the content does not have to face censorship like Films and TV Shows. Most of these WebSeries have intimate love making and kissing scenes. There are even some Web Series exclusively on Same sex love and relationships. Given below is my Top 10 list of Indian Web Series that has Gay and Lesbian characters.

Love Life & Screw ups has both Lesbian and Gay characters. This Web Series explores the explores relationship struggles of Couples. Bollywood Actress Zeenat Aman plays a pivotal role in this web series. The other Cast of this Series are Mita Vashisht, Dolly Thakore, Kapil Kaustub Sharma, Yuvraaj Parashar, Diandra Soares, Sonali Raut, Akshay Sethi, Shushant Divgikr, Sezal Sharma, Vibhoutee Sharma, Meghaa, Shipra Kasana, Mahi Sharma, Ruchita Tahiliani, Ashish Sachdeva, Ashish Khatri, Riyaaz Qureshi and  Rahul Vyaas. There are a couple of bold scenes in this series out of which Bigg Boss 8 contestant Diandra Soares kissing scene with Mahi Sharma and Sonali Raut & Yuvraj Parashar's shower scene made news. This Web Series is available on YouTube. 

The Other Love Story is the first Indian Web Series on Lesbian love. This series tells the same sex love between two neighbours who live in Bengaluru, Aachal and  Aadya. Being Hetrosexuals, the lead pair Shweta Gupta and Spoorthi Gumaste revealed in an interview that they had trouble enacting the kissing scene initially. You can find this Lesbian Web Series on YouTube.

 All About Section 377 is a  fictional show about a straight guy living with two gay guys. This Series aims at educating the masses on the struggles of the LGBT community in India. Amit Khanna and Ankit Bhatia plays the Gay couple in the Series while Gulshan Nain plays the role of the straight Guy. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube.

Romil And Jugal is a Gay Web Series from the Adult Entertainment platform ALTBalaji known for bold content.  Romil And Jugal recreates Romeo and Juliet with a twist. Manraj Singh and Rajeev Siddhartha play the Gay Couple in this Series. The Couple is seen indulging in passionate kisses and intimate scenes. But you will need to have an ALT Balaji paid subscription to watch the entire Series.

UNTAG is the Story of 6 individuals living with tags. However, the story mainly concentrates on the fat girl(Anjali Anand) and the Gay. Meiyang Chang and Naveen Polishetty plays the Gay characters in the Show. The other cast include VJ Andy, Dipannita Sharma and Shiv Pandit. You can watch this Series on Voot.

Class of 2017 is a Teenage Web Series from Ekta Kapoor's ALTBalaji. Rohan Shah and Gaurav Sharma plays the role of the Gay Couple. There are a couple of on-screen kisses in this Web Series as well. To watch the Series you will need ALTBalaji paid subscription. The other cast of this Series include Shweta Bajpai, Krissann Barretto, Anshuman Malhotra, Rohit Suchanti, Ashish Chanchlani and Pooja S Jadhav.

Dev DD is another WebSeries from ALTBalaji. This Series is the female version of the classic Devdas and tells the story of Devika (Aasheema Vardhan) who is addicted to sex and alcohol. Devika's best friend Chandni is a Lesbian and lives with her partner. There are some intimate and kissing scenes in this web series too! You can watch Dev DD here.  Sanjay Suri and Akhil Kapoor plays the role of Devika's boyfriends.

Tanlines is centered on six teenagers who take a holiday together after College. Mehak and Prachi  are Lesbians and hiding the secret from the rest of the group. What happens when their secret comes out in the open? Raviza Chauhan and Sachi Maker portrays the role of the Lesbian Couple. You can watch this interesting web series on SonyLiv and YouTube.

Confessions It's Complicated tells the story of 3 Girls - Nupur Murthy from Coimbatore, Raka Ghosh from Kolkata and Sameera Saxena from New Delhi start their career in Mumbai with a News organization named Pulse and the struggles they have to go through to survive in the city. Other than some straight intimate and kissing scenes, this series also have a kissing scene between the characters Raka and Myra. What is annoying? The characters endorsing the Sponsor Products in every episode. You can watch this Web Series on YouTube. 

Twisted is a romantic-thriller web series from Vikram Bhatt starring Nia Sharma and Namit Khanna in the lead roles. Their was a queer twist in the story where Alia (Nia Sharma) and her live-in-relationship girlfriend Dr. Zara Khan (Isha Sharma) indulge in some intimate kissing and lovemaking.  You can watch this webseries on YouTube.

Many consider #LGBTQ relationships inconventional and unnatural. Many treat them as if they are some deadly disease! Love is not a Crime and every individual deserves the right to experience love. So let us not judge people based on their sexual preferences. Hopefully, these LGBTQ Web Series helps more people to come out of the closet. Check out my Video below!                                                                               

Did you like this Post on Web Series based on Love between the same gender? If Yes, Please like and Share! Do you support the LGBTQ Community? Which Webseries in this list is your favorite? Have I left any? Please share your opinion by commenting below!

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[lazyupdates]

There have been so many moments on the silver screen when all we could do was get emotional. But Filmfare has had to overlook many gems in an effort to put forth a definite 100 films that have stood the test of time. And we assume shall continue to do so. This isn’t the list. Believe us, if we had a free hand we’d have compiled a 1000 movie list. Instead, we prefer a hot list that stands for what is the best of our cinema. Yes no amount of commiserations can console the runners up who didn’t make the cut. But every single movie featured in the following list deserves its place at the top of the marquee. 

Raja Harishchandra Year: 1913 Director: Dadasaheb Phalke Producer: Dadasaheb Phalke Cast: Dattaraya Damodar Dabke, Salunke, Bhalachandra D Phalke, P G Sane

The ad for the first Indian film read like this: Raja Harishchandra. A performance with 57,000 photographs. A picture two miles long. All for only three annas. Dadasaheb Phalke was influenced by Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings and based his film on the travails of king Harishchandra, who gave up his kingdom, his wife and children to keep his promise to sage Vishwamitra. Dadasaheb couldn’t find women to act the female parts and eventually had to settle for young boys for such roles. The film was processed in London. It’s said Phalke’s wife manually perforated the reels in the night. Live music was used as an accompaniment. The film was an instantaneous success. It opened to packed houses everywhere. Sadly, only an incomplete copy of the film exists today. Harishchandrachi Factory, a tribute to Phalke made by Paresh Mokashi, is a must-see for all cinema history buffs as it gives a fair idea about the challenges faced by the man who pioneered Indian cinema. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Phalke’s wife cooked food all alone for the cast and crew of more than 500 people. 2. Filmmaking as a profession was virtually unknown back then. Hence, Phalke advised his cast and crew to tell others that they were working in the factory of one ‘Harishchandra’. 

Alam Ara Year: 1931 Director: Ardeshir Irani Producer: Imperial movie tone Cast: Master Vithal, Zubeida, Jillo, J Sushila, Prithviraj Kapoor Music: Ferozshah M Mistri, B Irani

Alam Ara, as we know it was our first talkie. When it was first released on March 14, 1931 at Majestic cinema in Mumbai, police had to be brought in to control the crowds. This Ardeshir Irani film had many firsts to its name. The first song of Indian cinema, Dil de khuda ke naam par, was sung by Wazir Mohammed Khan. It was recorded live (Khan played a fakir in the film) as there was no playback then. The period film was mostly shot at night to avoid modern daytime ambient sounds. Hence, Alam Ara also started the tradition of shooting under studio lights. Hidden microphones were used to record the voices of the actors. Incidentally, two actors connected with the film, Prithviraj Kapoor and LV Prasad, went on to become giants in their own right. Both were awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (Kapoor posthumously in 1972 and Prasad in 1982) for their immense contribution to Indian cinema. 

DID YOU KNOW? 1.The last known print of this film was destroyed in a fire at the National Archives of India, Pune, in 2003. 

2. Director Mehboob Khan was briefly considered for the male lead’s role, which finally went to Master Vithal.  

Devdas Year: 1936 Director: Pramathesh Chandra Barua Starring: K L Saigal, Jamuna Barua, TR Rajakumari Music: R C Boral, Pankaj Mullick

If the West has the classic Romeo And Juliet, we have Devdas. The immortal love story written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee has seen numerous cinematic interpretations down the years. The pioneering one was this Bengali/ Hindi bilingual directed by PC Barua. The Hindi version had KL Saigal playing the doomed lover while Barua himself essayed the role in the Bengali version. The story was a critique on the prevalent cast system. Devdas couldn’t marry his childhood sweetheart Paro as she belonged to a lower caste. The dejected lover finds solace in the arms of a nautch girl, Chandramukhi who gets reformed through love. Paro is married off to a wealthy widower and a distraught Devdas, his health  deteriorated  by excessive alcohol, finally dies at her doorstep. The film helped Saigal carve his superstardom and its influences impacted all the subsequent interpretations.

Achhut Kanya Year: 1936 Director: Franz Osten Producer: Himanshu Rai Cast: Ashok Kumar, Devika Rani Music: Saraswati Devi

If Devdas talked about disparity between the classes then Achhut Kanya went a step further and tackled untouchability, which was a curse during those days and is still rampant in our social fabric. Interestingly, Ashok Kumar was cast in the film because the original actor Nazam-ul-Hassan tried to elope with the producer’s wife Devika Rani. Ashok Kumar played a Brahmin’s son in love with an untouchable girl played by Devika Rani. Director Franz Osten didn’t shrink away from depicting the truth of the situation and the film is remembered for its intense mob scenes. It’s also known for its musical score. The song, Main ban ke chidiya sung by the lead stars is popular even today. Incidentally, the music was given by Saraswati Devi, one of our pioneering women composers. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Ashok Kumar worked as a laboratory assistant in Bombay Talkies when he was asked to play the lead in the film.

Kismet Year: 1943 Director: Gyan Mukherjee Producer: Bombay Talkies Cast: Ashok Kumar, Mumtaz Shanti, Shah Nawaz Music: Anil Biswas

This can be termed as Bombay Talkies’ most successful film and earned for its protagonist Ashok Kumar the tag of the superstar. The dye for the suave, urban hero was cast and Ashok Kumar’s urban chic serves as a model to date. The film pioneered the lost-and-found formula and the ‘double role’ formula as well. Also, the public accepted that lead characters could be grey-shaded as well. The film is also known for its nationalistic song, Door hato ae duniyawalon Hindustan hamara hai. The British thought lyricist Pradeep was writing anti-German and anti-Japanese slogans in the middle of World War but the Indians got its true meaning. By the time the British realised it, it was too late. Another song, a duet between Ashok Kumar and Amirbai Karnataki, Dheere dheere, is also remembered till date. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Kismet ran for three years at a theatre in Kolkata.   2. The movie also has the distinction of being the first ‘double-role’ played by any Indian actor.

Neecha Nagar Year: 1946 Director: Chetan Anand Producer: Rashid Anwar Cast: Kamini Kaushal, Uma Anand Music: Ravi Shankar

The film’s top notch quality shared the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film award at the first ever Cannes Film Festival held in 1946. The film was director Chetan Anand’s magnum opus and brought to light the disparities of the millions of Indians who have next to nothing while a few rich enjoy all the benefits. In an era which thrived on escapist musicals, the maverick director brought out his Marxist leanings into play to make a grim realistic film, which stands tall with the best of  Satyajit Ray or Ritwik Ghatak products. It can be called the granddaddy of the parallel film movement that was to follow later. The film is still relevant in the sense that nothing has changed, there are parallel Indias which co-exist – the India of glass towers and the India where people don’t have access to clean water are juxtaposed. Kamini Kaushal and sitar maestro Ravi Shankar were the other two besides Chetan to begin their careers with this film. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. The opening credit shows the certificate of the award won by the movie at the Cannes Film Festival.

2. The film starred Uma Anand,  Chetan Anand’s wife in a prominent role.

Mahal

Year: 1949 Director: Kamal Amrohi Producer: Ashok Kumar and Savak Vacha Cast: Ashok Kumar, Madhubala Kanu Roy, Vijayalaxmi Music: Khemchand Prakash

Kamal Amrohi’s classic is home to many firsts – it started off the trend for reincarnation thrillers, it turned the 16-year-old Madhubala into a superstar and made Lata Mangeshkar  a household name. It’s said that the name of the singers on record jackets started appearing only after the immense popularity of Lata’s Aayega aanewala. Music director Khemchand Prakash brought out the echo effect in the song by making the singer walk from one corner of the recording room to the mike kept in the middle. Cinematography by German cinematographer Josef Wirsching, reminiscent of German expressionist cinema added to the film’s appeal. The film was the biggest earner at the Indian box office that year, its revenue eclipsed that of Andaz and Barsaat released the same year. The film proved to be another feather in Ashok Kumar’s cap, who was also one of the producers of the film. 

DID YOU KNOW?

Mahal was the first Hindi thriler to have a song which worked as a leitmotif throughout the film. This became a trend and was followed in other such films like Madhumati, Woh Kaun Thi and Mera Saaya.

Andaz Year: 1949 Director: Mehboob Khan Producer: Mehboob Khan Cast: Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Nargis Music: Naushad

This Mehboob Khan venture was the only film in which Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor starred together. Andaz was a sizzling love triangle with Nargis and offered a preachy take on the flirtatious nature of modern women. The film played up the strength of its heroes. Dilip was the shy, introverted lover who takes to tragic undertones after rejection while Raj was the happy-go-lucky man who charms the heroine and later lectures her on how she shouldn’t be engaging as it lead to misunderstandings. We might find the melodrama involving missing letters and miraculous revelations a bit clichéd today but the audience went berserk seeing their favourite stars in tandem and the film’s popularity gave rise to multistarrer romances. It could be a precursor to the Yash Chopra formula of having stylised, upper class characters falling in love in exotic locales. Another highlight of the film was music director Naushad effecting a reverse by making Mukesh sing for  Dilip Kumar and Mohammed Rafi for Raj Kapoor.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Cameraman Faredoon Irani was unhappy with Dilip Kumar’s casting and allegedly asked, “Who’s this monkey?” when Khan first walked in on the set

2. At the time of its run at the theatre, Andaz was considered an ill omen for the director and his stars, with Mehboob losing his mother and brother, Nargis losing her mother and Dilip Kumar being assaulted by goons at Worli. 

Awara Year: 1951 Director: Raj Kapoor Producer: Raj Kapoor Cast: Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Leela Chitnis, KN Singh Music: Shankar Jaikishan

The Russians loved it, the Turks loved it, the Egyptians loved it and so did the Europeans. Such was the film’s craze that it was remade in Turkey as Avaray. The song Awara hoon is still popular in the former Soviet bloc countries. Awara is touted as a premier Indian product, which found a global audience. Its lead pair  Raj Kapoor and Nargis achieved cult status abroad. The film, written by leftist writer Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, dealt with the issue of nature versus nurture. It railed against the false notion of lineage – that the son of a criminal would have crime running in his veins and vice versa. One can also interpret it as a critique about the class disparity in India. The film cut a chord with the Nehruvian socialism that was sweeping across the country at the time. Another reason for its evergreen popularity is the sizzling chemistry between Raj and Nargis, which owed much to their off-screen romance. 

DID YOU KNOW?

1. The character Raj is given prisoner number 308, which is the same as article number of Indian Penal Code for which he is charged and tried i.e.’Attempt to commit culpable homicide’ in the film.