Remembering The Golden Era - Part II

Fast forwarding to the fifties; the start of the Golden Era (actually, its pretty difficult to draw a line where it exactly started….was it with the entry of actors like Dev Anand, Madhubala, Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rahman, or with the success of the great singers?..so my narrative will keep going back and forth as and when required, because this is written from memory), the Indian audience received the pathos filled, melancholy eyed romantic hero in Dilip Kumar, and to a lesser extent, Ashok Kumar. Dilip Kumar became the youth icon, fulfilling the teenage passion of ungiven love with classic performances in Jwar Bhatta (debut), Kismet, Milan (1946), Yahudi, and Kohinoor. His break was courtesy Devika Rani, the biggest female star of the 1940’s. She ruled the Bombay Talkies with an iron rod and delivered memorable hits due to sheer quality and management. Dilip Kumar perfected his histrionic skills owing to a well stocked library and theatre at Bombay Talkies. He got the major chunk of the Romantic but tragic hero roles, owing to his impeccable emotional quotient, chocolate good looks and a debonair reserved manner of diction. People identified with this screen idol from across the border and the younger generation took to him instantly. It was nothing new to see young maidens coming out of the theatre weeping copious tears and the eyes of some weak hearted gents would also be glistening. The best remembered and the most heart rendering scene is one when Dilip Kumar comes in and asks Suchitra Sen “Kaisi Hai Paro?”, and Suchitra Sen burns her fingers with a match. That was the smouldering love of Devdas for his Paro, in the best ever Devdas film, Devdas (1955). The Devdas of 2002 is no match for the emotional vitality of the 1955 one; huge sets and crores of rupees do not make up for dry acting. Dilip struck gold in 1948 when Shaheed and Mela came quick on each others heels and helped him dig his heels into the Hindi film world. Fortunately, Kumar could be irreverently funny too. Witness his turn as the audacious peasant who tames a shrewish princess (Nadira) in Aan [1952]. But Dilip seemed to gravitate towards roles that scorched the viewers with sheer intensity. In the mid-1950s came a professionally-fulfilling association with Bimal Roy --- Madhumati [1958], Yahudi [1958] and especially Devdas [1955]. Another film meriting mention here is the horror flick Madhumati. It’s the grandmother of reincarnation stories. Dilip Kumar again delivered a smashing performance, and upheld the very core of love when he commits suicide because his beloved gets murdered. Madhumati is also remembered as Salil Chaudhry’s best Hindi musical score, with gems such as Aaja Re Pardesi, hauntingly delivered by Lata, and the travel song Suhana Safar Aur Yeh Mausam Hasin, immortalized by the genius of Mukesh. That was romance then, when the hero would die for his beloved, and romance now is when the hero shouts that if the girl can’t be his, he’ll make life hell for her. Gosh!

No history of the film industry is complete without a sketch of Madhubala. Debuting in 1942, Indian flim industry’s single most beautiful heroine became a rage with her first hit film, Mahal in 1949. Partly, Lata’s haunting number Aayega Aanewala, contributed to its success, but there was no question as to this lady’s acting; boy could she act! With successes like Tarana, Amar, Neel Kamal (1946), crime thrillers like Howrah Bridge and later comedies like Mr and Mrs 55, and the evergreen laugh riot Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi set her up as the unquestionable queen of cinema. Rarely is one blessed with so much talent, and when one is, it doesn’t remain long enough….she was only 36 when she died of a heart ailment and left behind a legion of memories of this hauntingly beautiful face that still enthrals millions of hearts. Both Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle have sung songs for this girl, but Asha seems to snatch away the magic of Seene mein sulagte hain armaan, Guzra hua zamana, Tere sadqe balam and other Lata gems with numbers like Aaiye Meherbaan, Acchca Ji main hari, Haal kaisa hai janaab ka and Piya piya na lago mora jiya, an earthy folksy number from Phagun.

Another tragic lover boy was the handsome and genteel Sunil Dutt. He delivered some awesome hits, the best of the 50’s being Sujata (1959); his on-screen chemistry with Nutan being the stuff of legends, in other films like Bandidi, Milan etc. Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani sitting chastely apart and singing a sweet love song was the height of Eroticism those days. And the young India took in every drop of this sweet poison. The late forties also saw the emergence and establishment of Raj Kapoor as one of the finest directors and actors ever. Awara (1949), Barsaat (1951) became runaway hits and the RK-Nargis chemistry burnt up the screen. Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua, Dum Bhar Jo Udhar Munh Phere woh chanda, Awara Hoon, redefined the ideals of love and romance. A rain soaked Nargis and RK under one umbrella walking serenely on a lonely road is still a frame that inspires many a young heart. Into the fifties, Guru Dutt took center stage. A fine actor, brilliant director, with a knack for selecting the right combination of technicians and artistes, he revolutionized film making.

Devdutt Pishorimal Anand from Gurdaspur Punjab changed his name to Dev Anand and came to Mumbai in 1943. He and Guru Dutt became the best of buddies and a string of Dutt-Anand ventures were too follow which were resounding success. He also fell in love with the songstress Suraiyya, but her granny nipped the romance in the bud. He and his brother Chetan Anand, under the Navketan banner started to produce films, with Guru Dutt directing most of them. He delivered hits like CID, Taxi Driver, Hum Dono and married his heroine Kalpana Kartik in a lunch break on the sets of Taxi Driver!

This was also when actors, producers and lyricists settled into harmonious partnerships, making the entry of other very talented composers like Madan Mohan very difficult. While on one hand it was RK-Shankar-Jaikishen-Shaiendra-Hasrat-Jaipuri, it was Dilip Kumar-Naushad-BR Chopra, and Guru Dutt-SD Burman under the Navketan Banner-Shair Ludhianvi. Lata and Rafi ruled the roost in the fifties, but younger sister Asha wouldn’t be left behind. She literally seduced the country with her extremely sexy and inviting Aaiye Meherbaan for Madhubala (who else) in Howrah Bridge. Asha also sang some lilting melodies in Pyaasa and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, but success was to elude her due to the clout held by her elder sister.

The music directors went mad, and suddenly she was besieged with offers to sing such stereotyped cabaret numbers and hip-hop sequences. By now, Talat and Mukesh had realized their folly, and tried to make a comeback. Mukesh got his chance with blockbusters like Dharmatma, Aan, Aah, Awara, Barsaat, Phir Subah Hogi and Hariyali Aur Raasta. His greatest songs are Chal Akela (Sambandh), Jinhein Hum Bhoolna Chahein (Aabro), Jis Dil Mein Basa Tha Pyar Tera, and a host of other songs. He became established once again as the voice of the sacrificial romantic hero. Here, it is interesting to note, that though he sang for Dilip Kumar in Andaaz (1949) and Rafi sang for RK, Mukesh later on was to be identified as the voice of RK. Talat, still looking around, managed to convince Dada Burman to give him one chance. The song was to be picturised on a helpless Sunil Dutt declaring his love over the phone to a weeping Nutan in Sujata (1959). No song had ever pulled at the heartstrings of young teens, forbidden in their romantic pursuits in that era of unwarranted prudery than this one. Jalte Hain Jiske Liye became a smashing success and Talat regained lost territory, but could somehow never regain his past mastery. Though, we now remember him as the King Of Ghazals, who cut his first gramophone record at the age of 18 with HMV and gave us gems like Itna na mujhse tu pyar badha, Humse Aaya Na Gaya, Hai Sabse Madhur Who Geet, Milte Hi Aankhen Dil Hua, Aye Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal etc. Hemant Kumar was also going great guns with smash hits like Hai Apna Dil To Awara which ended as the top number in the 1957 Binaca Geetmala, Chandan Ka Palna (Shabab), Yaad Kiya Dilne Kahaan Ho Tum (Patita), Chandni Raatein Pyar Ki Baatein (Jaal), Chupa Lo Yun Dil Mein (Mamta)…all duets with Lata.