This blog had been much neglected over the past two months and I had been planning to revive it before the year ends. A list of 10 of my favourite songs picturised on Sadhana, one of the best actresses of the 60s, had been lying incomplete in the drafts folder for many weeks now and I did not … More My Favourite Songs of Sadhana
An accomplished actress, a Bharatanatyam danseuse par excellence, a Carnatic classical singer and a parliamentarian, Vyjayantimala has several feathers to her cap. Her influence on Hindi cinema has been far-reaching. It is because of her, primarily, that training in classical/ semi-classical dance has become a necessary part of a heroine’s resume in Hindi cinema. The … More Happy Birthday, Vyjayantimala ji
Yes, with Anu flagging off the Dev Anand movie month on her blog (coinciding with my Duniya review) and Madhu following it up with Mahal, it seemed to me that my next review should be of a previously unwatched Dev Anand movie. And what better than a Dev Anand-Waheeda Rehman movie, available on Youtube! I heard of … More Roop ki Rani Choron ko Raja (1961)
I spend a couple of hours in a car daily as I commute from Gurgaon to my work place in New Delhi. Last week, as I was on my way, I started thinking about how so many songs have been picturised in modes of transport – cars, cycles, jeeps, boats, trucks, lorries, trains, bullock carts, horse carts … More My favourite ‘car’ songs
I must have been around 12 years old when I got hooked to old Hindi songs. I had begun to recognise different voices and started forming distinct preferences during this discovery phase. Asha Bhosle was and is my favourite female playback singer. Among the male voices, while Rafi was and is my favourite, I was also fond of Manna Dey … More My favourite Hemant Kumar Songs
Some years back, the vibrant city of Amsterdam with winding canals and narrow houses and steep staircases was the place I used to call home. A singular aspect of life in Amsterdam is cycling. The entire city has a cycling path of nearly 400 kms. It is the preferred mode of travel for most residents. You aren’t … More My Favourite Cycle songs
Here is another song list, quick on the heels of the previous one. This one features a legendary actress who worked extensively with Mr. Sunil Dutt, mostly in the melodramatic Madras productions of the mid-late sixties; though this was not her only claim to fame! Nutan, of the speaking eyes and quiet, elegant dignity, would … More My favourite Nutan songs
If you are looking for a logical, simple plot, this Nasir Hussain movie is not for you. Dil Deke Dekho probably has the most convoluted, complex plot of all Nasir Hussain movies, which is interesting considering that, Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957), Jab Pyar kisi se Hota hai (1961), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1964) and this movie have the same basic … More Dil Deke Dekho (1959)
Let me start with a confession: I share a love-hate relationship with this movie. I love the music and the songs; the two actresses in the movie (especially Mumtaz) are adorable and Kashmir looks breathtakingly gorgeous. So watching this movie should be an enjoyable viewing experience. But it is not. And the reason is subjective. Every time I see a song … More Mere Sanam (1965)
Today is the 43rd death anniversary of one of the most iconic stars of Hindi cinema. The Tragedy Queen, as she was dubbed, thanks to the number of weepy roles that she played, Meena Kumari is one of the best-known actresses of her generations till date. She starred in approximately ninety films in a career … More My favourite Meena Kumari songs
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