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shankarjaikishanfansassnintl · 4 years

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RAMESH SIPPY

Courtesy

Hasan Zaheer

WHY DID THE FIRE NOT BURN AS BRIGHT AS IT BURNED THE FIRST TIME?

Some men (and women) are blessed by destiny or call it whatever that unknown power which leads human beings and no power, no force and no fear can change what is destined for them, a man like Ramesh Sippy, for example.

Ramesh was born the son of G.P. Sippy who was into the property business during the immediate post partition days and was the first to start what was called the “pugree” system by which any one could buy a home after paying an advance, pay a monthly rent and get back the advance when the room was vacated. It was a successful system which was followed by many others and did a world of good to those who did not have enough money to buy their own homes in a city like Bombay. Sippy soon started his own film production company because he saw money in it and gave breaks to a number of young directors who later went on to grow into big and powerful men in the world of films. Sippy Films, the banner he founded was an established banner within a very short time and Sippy was a leader of the film industry …

Ramesh, a graduate, was fascinated by the making of films more than the glamour and the money involved in it. He joined H.S. Rawail, a leading filmmaker of the sixties and worked as one of his many assistants during the making of his most ambitious film, “Mere Mehboob” made with Ashok Kumar, Rajendra Kumar and Sadhna. Ramesh did every thing possible to learn all that he could about filmmaking and he was one of Rawail’s favorite assistants because he had no problems in facing any problems in the line of duty and was willing to work very hard and do even the kind of jobs which spot boys did. One of his main jobs was to keep the stars happy which he believed was “better than half the battle won for a director”. He had learned enough about filmmaking during the making of “Mere Mehboob”, a Muslim social which went on to become a very big hit and he still remembers how he was excited when he saw his name in a crowd of the credit titles of the film “which was like finding your name on the list of someone who had passed a very important examination’.

Ramesh then joined his father’s company and worked in the production department and helped his father in solving all the every day problems and his father was so impressed that he gave him the post of a production executive during the making of his film “Brahmachari” directed by Bhappi Sonie, a common friend of Sippy and the leading man of the film, Shammi Kapoor. The film had Rajshri (daughter of V.Shantaram), Mumtaz, who was playing second leads or parallel roles and even the vamp because all she wanted was work to earn enough money to keep her big family going. Pran was the villain of the film. Shammi Kapoor who was a very big star took a liking for Ramesh and tried to teach him as much as he could and even told his father that Ramesh could make a very good director because he knew more than what many established directors in the industry knew. He made his first film with his favorite, Shammi Kapoor, Hema Malini who had still to find her place as a big star and the superstar Rajesh Khanna whose one song, “Zindgi ek safar hai suhana” and his sudden death leaving Hema a widow who later falls in love with Shammi who played a widower was something new for the audience which made the first film of Ramesh Sippy, the director, “Andaaz” a big hit.

Ramesh was not satisfied with all that he had learned and read all kinds of books on the making of films, read the biographies of stars and star directors and observed all the directors who made films for his father’s banner. It was during this learning period that he met a failed actor and struggling poet, Salim and Javed who were a part of what was called the “Sippy Films Story Department”. They grew into great friends and exchanged ideas whenever they were free. It was during one of their meetings that Salim and Javed who had decided to form a team as writers came up with the idea of making a female version of “Ram Aur Shyam” which was made with Dilip Kumar in his first double role and which was a very huge success. Ramesh was taken up by the idea and the only actress he could think of who could play a double role and make an impact was Hema Malini who had proved her mettle with “Andaaz”. He approached Hema with the role and she was petrified. She did not the have the courage to play a role which was played by the greatest actors of the country, Dilip Kumar. But Ramesh and his two young writers who were very good at making an impression while narrating the story of a film with every scene and dialogue finally managed to make Hema agree to play the role. Ramesh had a perfect script which was almost like “Ram Aur Shyam” but with some new changes to suit a woman in a double role. Dharmendra and Sanjeev Kumar were the two heroes of the two Hemas in the film and the film was a bigger hit than “Ram Aur Shyam” and Hema was accepted as the first female superstar.

Ramesh now wanted to try making a different kind of film. He was a very great fan of all the westerns made in Hollywood and wanted to try his hand at an Indian version of the western. He was also inspired by a small film called “Khotte Sikkey”, a film made by one of his father’s directors Narendra Bedi with Feroz Khan as the only known star and Ajit as the villain and a film made on a very low budget, shot in the jungles of Mumbai and was a success. He talked about his idea to Salim -Javed who loved it. They saw all the classic westerns made in Hollywood, they also had a look at “Khotte Sikkey” and decided that they could try and make a modern version of the Indian western and worked on a script which took them several months because they kept finding new ideas. It was finally decided to make a film with Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, an upcoming actor called Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini and Jaya Bhaduri. But they had a major problem in finding the right villain. They did not want to have the typical dhoti- clad and turbaned typical dacoit seen in several Hindi films. Their villain would be wearing faded jeans, would have a stubble, and would wear army boots and chew tobacco whenever he had to deliver his most powerful lines. They approached actors like Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha and finally Danny Denzongpa and they not only turned down the offer but also scoffed at Ramesh’s idea of changing the image of the Hindi film dacoit. The film was ready to take off on a huge set of an entire village surrounded by mountains on the out skirts of Bangalore, but shooting was held up because of not finding the right villain. Ramesh was in despair when he suddenly thought about his college friend, Amjad Khan who was a theatre actor and the son of Jayant, one of the most handsome sophisticated villains of Hindi films. Amjad had assisted a director like K.Asif and had played a part of a crowd scene in Asif’s film, “Love and God”. Ramesh talked him into playing the role of Gabbar Singh which Amjad accepted as a very big challenge but it was a bigger challenge for Ramesh because the first man to object to his choice was his own father and when he was introduced to the rest of the cast they all felt Ramesh was destroying the film by casting a new actor who they said was too weak to face the challenge of heroes like Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and above all Dharmendra, but Ramesh stuck to his guns and refused to change his choice of Amjad. The film was made entirely on a set of a village specially built for the film on the outskirts of Bangalore, and called Rampur. Ramesh worked like a general going to war during the making of the film and completed it in a record time in spite of all the hassles he had to face. The film was released on August 15, 1975.

Ramesh held a grand premiere for all the celebrities of the industry and was shocked to see the reaction. It looked as if the industry had decided to take a decision to call the film a flop and that was what it was for the first three days, a very big flop. But as if like a miracle the film picked up on the third day and then did not look back for the next five years. The same people who ran down the film called it a classic and a cult film and all those who laughed at Amjad Khan accepted him as the most successful villain and Gabbar Singh became a house hold name. The film was a bigger hit than “Mother India “ and “Mughal-E-Azam” and Ramesh Sippy the director with the Mida’s touch. ..

It took Ramesh a long time to think about making his next film because he knew how high the expectations had soared. In one of his inspired (?) moments he thought of making a city- based, sophisticated version of “Sholay”. He asked his friends Salim- Javed to write a script and the result was “Shaan”, a film starring Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, Bindiya Goswami and two new actors, Mazhar Khan and Kulbhushan Kharbanda in whom Ramesh saw his greatest villain, even a greater villain than Gabbar Singh. He did not cast any one from the cast of “Sholay” for reasons best known to him. A film made with the same passion bombed at the box -office like very few films have and people wondered if this was the same Ramesh Sippy who had directed “Sholay”. The film did not do any good to any one, especially Mazhar and Kulbhushan who saw dreams of the great time to come for them after the released of the film. ..

A shaken up Ramesh was now in serious trouble as people started suspecting his ability as a director. After several months of thinking he came up with a brand new and fresh idea of making a love story called “Saagar”. He had Rishi Kapoor and Kamal Haasan coming together for the first time and created a casting coup when he brought back the married and separated Dimple Kapadia, looking as young and much more gorgeous. The performances of the three stars, the music and that one scene in which Dimple reveals her bosom in a fleeting scene made the film a very classy film but it failed to draw the masses even though the critics gave it raving reviews..

From “Saagar” onwards, it was only one slip after another for the maker of “Sholay”. He tried making “Akayla” with Amitabh Bachchan and Amitabh himself openly asked if this was the director he had seen as the “supreme commander’ during the making of “Sholay”. He also had the unique opportunity of bringing together two of the greatest actors of Indian cinema, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan in “Shakti” in which a young actor called Anil Kapoor played a bit role. It was a film about a major clash between crime and punishment, crime represented by Amitabh and punishment by Dilip Kumar. It was one of the most eagerly awaited films, it had naturally two of the greatest performances but still people who saw the film only concentrated on the performances and neglected the film which resulted in one of the finest chances missed by a director. Ramesh unfortunately could not even save this film. Ramesh showed that he had lost his magic touch. Neither “Akayla” nor “Zamaana Deewana” he made with the new star Shah Rukh Khan failed to bring back any of his lost glory.

The only time he could see a glimmer of hope was when he made a TV serial called “Buniyaad” which is considered a landmark in the history of Indian television. Ramesh has not been able to make another film for the last ten years. He cites several reasons which includes the rising prices of stars and the paucity of subjects, but the bitter fact remains that he has still to find that Ramesh Sippy who had once coloured the pages of Indian film history in blazing letters. Will that Ramesh return or will he always be remembered as the man who made just one great film “Sholay” and then forgot all about making great films?

More on Ramesh Sippy

- He was in love (“before I knew what it was to fall in love”) with Hindi cinema even when he was a student and made it a point to see every film possible and Dilip Kumar and Shammi Kapoor were his favorites and he often dreamt of working with them one day - When he saw “Godfather” he came out saying, “what a script, I can make ten films out of this one script, but I will never do that. If I ever succeed I will make films which will have my own touch. No copying or imitating even the greatest director for me”. - He had the chance to learn thing from some of the greatest directors of the past and also the times he was working in - He never forgot his days when he assisted H.S.Rawail and the kind of jobs he did. He remembers the firings he received from Rajendra Kumar who was the biggest star of those days, the love of Dadamoni (Ashok Kumar) and how one of his duties as an assistant was to carry the chappals of Sadhana, “the heroine who I fell in love with hopelessly” - He remembers his father telling him stories about Dilip Kumar as an actor and a man of great learning. He made those stories the source for inspiration for him and dreamt of the day when he would direct the great actor and that day came when he directed the legend in “Shakti” - He is also a great admirer of Amitabh Bachchan about whom he says, “Anyone who works with Amitabh can make any kind of film and direct the best of actors anywhere in the world”. - Ramesh says he has learned the best under the most trying circumstances when he made the fifty- two episode serial, “Buniyaad” which dealt with the partition. - Ramesh has been on the jury of several National and International Award Festivals, but has found it a very tough task because of politics and manipulation playing a very important role at all awards. - Ramesh married the daughter of Ramesh Patel, the owner of Film Center (now defunct), the leading lab of the film industry for several years. They have two children, Rohan who is a leading director today and Sheena who is an internationally known photographer and has done the stills for several leading films and some even for her father. Ramesh met a young TV actress called Kiran Juneja during the making of “Buniyaad”, fell in love with her, divorced his first wife and now lives with Kiran. The two have no children. - Ramesh broke off all ties with his father and his brother and has nothing to do with Sippy Films because he has started his own banner, R.S.Productions which has still to make a hit during the last twenty- years - He has a very good command over the English language and has his own school of philosophy called the “Ramesh Sippy school of thinking for all occasions” - He is one filmmaker who is concerned about the state of affairs in the country and wants to do something specially now when he says he sees great hope for the country with leaders like Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and Omar Abdullah - He is seventy-two but is a fitness freak and gives a major share of the credit for his good health to his wife Kiran - Ramesh believes that it is man who can make his own destiny - He loves living a good life and is seen at all the parties in the city, dancing with his wife Kiran, a thing he shares with his father, G.P.Sippy who loved the company of beautiful young women and good Scotch - Ramesh now has only one ambition. He will start four films, one directed by himself, one by his son Rohan and the other two by directors from outside.

R.S.PR

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melodrama-and-bouffant-blog · 6 years

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Bollywood’s Zingy Disco Days

The 1970s and 1980s saw a wave of disco songs across Hindi cinema. Funky, upbeat and zingy themed song and dance sequences were the order of the day. Some of them went on to achieve a cult status. When the world saw the hippie movement, Bollywood bragged about its disco movement. With disco king Bappi Lahiri as the flag bearer, playback singers like Asha Bhonsle, Usha Utthup and Nadia Hassan took the nation by a storm with their sensuous vocal renditions of some of the best disco-themed songs. Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi’s head gears, wrist bands and slit dresses with plunging necklines became fashion statements. Let us a take a quick look at some of the unforgettable disco songs...

Laila Main Laila

Image source: Deccan Chronicle

Zingy drum beats serves as the perfect prelude to our favourite Laila Main Laila from Qurbani (1980). Zeenat Aman - in a shimmery white slit dress, white fur muffler and a dazzling head band – looks ravishing. Kanchan’s mellifluous vocals and Kalyanji-Anandji’s magical composition made generations croon to this song. Quirky vocal sounds punctuate the song, thereby making it engaging and conversational. Reportedly, this cabaret number was copied from an African song called Chicano. Years later in 2017, Laila Main Laila was remixed and recreated for the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Raees that took the nation by a storm. Needless to say, this yesteryear dance number continues to cast spells to this day.

Jab Chaaye Mera Jaadu

Image source: Gaana

Lootmaar’s (1980) Jab Chaaye Mera Jaadu continues to be the go-to song in many discotheques even today. Simple Kapadia’s fuschia pink ensemble and Kalpana Iyer’s red play suit upped the oomph factor in this popular disco number. Asha Bhonsle’s sultry vocals added pep to this Rajesh Roshan composition. The background music, that screams prototypical disco track, is an icing on the cake. The song was rebooted for the 2015 film Main Aur Charles that failed to garner any applause from the audience. Old, after all, is gold.

Disco Station

Image source: Hotstar

Reena Roy in a maroon semi saree stole the show in Haathkadi’s (1982) Disco Station. Asha Bhonsle’s scintillating voice added oomph to the retro dance number that became a quintessential disco themed song over the years. The song starts off with hysterical vocals and the sound of an engine that up the quirk factor several notches higher. The backdrop has a train decked up with lights at a station with a platform that resembles a dance floor. The song, heavy on drum beats, conveys the story of a girl who falls in love with a boy and urges the people around her to not stop her from wearing the shackles of love. This is one of Bappi Lahiri’s many unforgettable compositions that earned him the epithet of the eternal disco king.

Jawaani Jaaneman

Image source: Hindi Geet Mala

Timeless diva Parveen Babi’s Jawaani Jaaneman from Namak Halal (1982) redefined her career and became the disco anthem for generations to come. The song is remembered for its opulent sets and Parveen Babi’s golden shimmery ensemble that struck a chord with the audience. She looked resplendent with golden locks, kohl-rimmed eyes, golden eye shadow and orange lips. Asha Bhonsle’s playful voice breathed magic into this memorable number. Her sensual voice complimented Parveen Babi’s sparkling presence and made the song an iconic track. Bappi Lahiri’s yet again regaled the audience into a joyful trance.

Jhoom Jhoom Jhoom Baba

Image source: Mid Day

The disco sequences of the 1980s were all about the domination of orchestra, band and loud instrumentals over vocals. Salma Agha’s Jhoom Jhoom Jhoom Baba from Kasam Paida Karne Waale Ki (1984) is no exception. Agha’s gothic look in the song became a trendsetter. Mithun Chakravarty at the drums became the ultimate definition of ‘coolness’ back in the day. This funky and upbeat track celebrates the joy of youthfulness. The Bappi Lahiri song became so popular that it was included in the official jukebox of the American superhero film Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017).

#Bollywood #Disco #BappiLahiri #AshaBhonsle #Music #HindiSongs #Raees #ShahRukhKhan #ZeenatAman #ParveenBabi

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seveninfi-blog · 6 years

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Amitabh Bachchan Biography, Height, Age, Weight, Birthdate & Other

In This Biography Amitabh Bachchan all detail like Height , Weight , Birthdate and Other Detail…. Biography of Amitabh Bachchan Real Name Amitabh Harivansh Rai Shrivastava Nick Name Munna, Big B, Angry Young Man, AB Sr., Amith, Shahenshah of Bollywood Profession Actor Physical Status & More of Amitabh Bachchan Height in centimeters- 188 cm in meters- 1.88 m in Feet Inches- 6’ 2” Weight in Kilograms- 80 kg in Pounds- 176 lbs Body Measurements Chest: 42 Inches Waist: 34 Inches Biceps: 13 Inches Eye Color Black Hair Color Salt & Pepper Personal Life of Amitabh Bachchan Date of Birth 11 October 1942 Age 74 Years Birth Place Allahabad, United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), British India Nationality Indian Hometown Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh (presently lives in Mumbai) School Jnana Pramodhini, Boys High School, Allahabad College Sherwood College, Nainital, India Kirori Mal College, New Delhi, India Education Qualifications Bachelor of Science Debut Film- Saat Hindustani (1969) Television- Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC)- 2000 Family Father- Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Poet Mother- Teji Bachchan, Shyama (step-mother) Brother- Ajitabh Bachchan Best Friends N/A Religion Hinduism Home Address Jalsa, B/2, Kapol Housing Society, VL Mehta Road, Juhu, Mumbai – 400049, Maharashtra, India Hobbies Singing, Blogging, Reading Like &DisLike Like:Collecting Pens, Travelling to London & Switzerland DisLike: He hates the word Bollywood and Beti B (for her granddaughter) Favourite Things Of Amitabh Bachchan Favourite Food Bhindi Sabzi, Jalebi, Kheer Favourite Actress Waheeda Rehman Favourite Actor Dilip Kumar Favourite Film Kagaz Ke Phool, Gone With The Wind, Ganga Jamuna, Black, Godfather, Scarface, Pyasa Favourite Colour White Favourite Sports Cricket Favourite Song N/A Favourite Destination London, Switzerland Favourite Book Madhushala by Harivansh Rai Bachchan Girls , Affairs and More Of Amitabh Bachchan Marital Status Married Affairs Late Parveen Babi, Indian Actress Rekha, Indian Actress Wife Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan, Indian Politician & Former Indian Actress Marriage Date 3 June 1973 Children Son- Abhishek Bachchan (Actor) Daughter- Shweta Bachchan-Nanda Style Of Amitabh Bachchan Cars Collection Bentley Arnage R, Bentley Continental GT, Lexus LX 470, Mercedes-Benz SL 500 AMG, Porche Cayman S, Range Rover SUV, Mini Cooper, Rolls Royce Phantom, Toyota Land Cruiser, BMW 760Li, BMW X5, Mercedes Benz S320, Mercedes Benz S600, Mercedes Benz E240 Bikes Collection N/A Earning Money of Amitabh Bachchan Net Worth $400 million (approx.) Salary per Film 20 Crores/film (INR) This Biography written by www.7infi.com Read the full article

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bollywoodproduct · 3 years

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Lyrics Baahon Me Teri Masti Ke Ghere

Lyrics in English | Baahon Me Teri Masti Ke Ghere | Kaala Patthar-1979 | Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar Baahon MeTeriMasti Ke GhereSaanson Me TeriKhushbu Ke DereBaahon Me TeriMasti Ke Ghere (2)Saanson Me TeriKhushbu Ke Dere (2)Masti Ke Gheron MeKhushbu Ke Deron MeHum Khoye Jaate HainBaahon Me TeriMasti Ke Ghere (2)Saanson Me TeriKhushbu Ke Dere (2)Masti Ke Gheron MeKhushbu Ke Deron MeHum Khoye…

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#A to Z Bollywood Songs #A to Z Hindi Retro Romantic Songs #A to Z Hindi Songs #a to Z Romantic Songs #A to Z Song Lyrics #A to Z Songs #All Time Best Songs of Parveen Babi #All Time Best Songs of Rajesh Roshan #All Time Best Songs of Sahir Ludhiyanvi #All Time Best Songs of Shashi Kapoor #Antakshari Songs from B #Best 100 Romantic Songs of Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar #Best 50 Romantic Songs of Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar #Best Bollywood Romantic Songs of 70s #Best duet Songs of Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar #Best Love Songs of 70s #Best Love Songs of Lata Mangeshkar #Best Love Songs of Mohammed Rafi #Best Love Songs of Shashi Kapoor #Best of Sahir Ludhiyanvi and Lata Mangeshkar #Best of Sahir Ludhiyanvi and Mohammed Rafi #Best of Shashi Kapoor and Mohammed Rafi #Best Romantic Songs of 1979 #Best Romantic Songs of 70s #Best Romantic Songs of Lata Mangeshkar #Best Romantic Songs of Mohammed Rafi #Best Romantic Songs of Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar #Best Romantic Songs of Parveen Babi #Best Romantic Songs of Shashi Kapoor #Best Songs Composed by Rajesh Roshan

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bollywoodirect · 6 years

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41 Years of Amar Akbar Anthony. (27/05/1977)

Amar Akbar Anthony is an action comedy film, directed and produced by Manmohan Desai. The film stars Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor opposite Shabana Azmi, Parveen Babi and Neetu Singh in the lead roles. The plot focuses on three brothers who are separated in childhood and adopted by three families of different faiths—Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. One grows up to be a policeman, another a singer and the third the owner of a country liquor bar.

The soundtrack album was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and the lyrics were written by Anand Bakshi. The film was released on 27 May 1977.

The film about religious tolerance became a landmark in Bollywood masala films. It also had a lasting impact of the pop culture, with its catchy songs, one-liners and the character of Anthony Gonsalves played by Amitabh Bachchan. It won several awards at 25th Filmfare Awards including Best Actor, Best Music Director and Best Editing. It was later remade in Tamil as Shankar Salim Simon (1978), in Telugu as Ram Robert Rahim (1980) and in Malayalam as John Jaffer Janardhanan (1982).

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#Amar Akbar Anthony #Amitabh Bachchan #Rishi Kapoor #Shabana Azmi #Parveen Babi #Neetu Singh #Manmohan Desai #Nirupa Roy #Pran #Jeevan #laxmikant pyarelal #bollywo #bollywoodirect

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shankarjaikishanfansassnintl · 4 years

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Inter caste, Inter religion marriages of film and other important personalities

Hindus who had a Muslim wife 1. Actor Sunil Dutt married Nargis, a Muslim. Nargis’ father was a Hindu. She was named Nirmala after marriage. Their son Sanjay is now married to Dilnawaz Sheikh (screen name Manyata). They have twins – a boy named Shahraan and a girl named Iqra. 2. Urdu author Krishan Chander married Salma Siddiqui 3. Actor Hritik Roshan married Suzanne Khan, daughter of actor Sanjay Khan (Actual name Abbas Khan). They have two sons named Hrehan and Hridhaan. 4. One of the three daughters of politician Najma Heptullah (niece of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad) is married to a Hindu. ———— 5. Actor Atul Agnihotri married Alvira Khan, actor Salman Khan’s Sister and Salim Khan’s daughter. The couple have a daughter, Alizeb and a son, Ayaan. 6. Actor Feroz Khan’s daughter Laila Khan Rajpal married Rohit Rajpal. They are now divorced. 7. Former Sheriff of Mumbai, Nana Chudasama is a Hindu Gujarati Rajput. He married a Hindu lady. They had a daughter, Brinda. Thereafter they divorced and Nana married Munaira Jasdanvala, a Bohra Muslim who was also a divorcee. They have two children- Akshay and Shaina, both of whom are married to Hindus. Shaina is an MP belonging to BJP. Brinda, Nana’s daughter from his first marriage, is married to architect Alfaz Miller, a Muslim. They have two daughters, Ahana and Ashti. 8. Actor Sanjay Khan’s daughter Simone Khan Arora is married to Ajay Arora (and other daughter Suzanne to Hritik Roshan) 9. Actor Aditya Pancholi is married to actor Zarina Wahab. Their children are Suraj and Sarah. 10. Cricketer Ajit Agarkar, a Maharashtrian Brahmin, is married to Fatima Ghadially. They have a son, Raj. 11. Actor Sunil Shetty is married to Mana Qadri, daughter of a reputed Muslim architect of Mumbai. Their children are Atiya and Ahan. Mana is daughter of I. M. Qadri (Muslim) and late Vipula Qadri (Hindu). Qadri and Vipula have two more children, Isha and Rahul, both of whom are married to Hindus. 12. Congress MP Sachin Pilot, son of Late Rajesh Pilot is married to Sarah Abdullah, Daughter of Former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. Thet faced opposition from both families. 13. Actor Govinda’s father, small time actor Arun Ahuja married Nazeem, later known as Nirmala Devi (Govinda’s mother). She is no more. 14. Zubeida, a Muslim girl from a prominent Mumbai family was pushed into marrying a Muslim youth in 1947. The husband divorced her when she refused to migrate to Pakistan with him. She later married Hanuwant Singh, the then Maharaja of Jodhpur. Both later died in an unexplained air crash. She was the mother of film critic-turned director Khalid Mohammed (‘Fizaa’, ‘Tehzeeb’, ‘Silsilay’). Khalid wrote the script of film ‘Zubeida’ which was directed by Shyam Benegal with Karishma Kapur in the title role. 15. Actor Ayesha Takia’s father, Nishit, is a Gujarati Hindu while her mother Farida is a Muslim. Ayesha Takia married a Muslim named Farhan, son of politician Abu Azmi. 16. Bollywood Movie Director Mahesh Bhatt had a Hindu father (director Nanabhai Bhatt) and a Muslim Shia mother (Shireen Mohammed Ali). But they were never married and never lived together. Their relationship has been portrayed in Mahesh Bhatt’s film ‘Zakhm’ starring Ajay Devgan. Mahesh Bhatt’s two nephews, actor Emraan Hashmi and director Mohit Suri are Muslim and Hindu respectively. (Emraan’s mother is Christian). Mahesh Bhatt had a very public affair with Parveen Babi. He later married Kiran. They had a daughter, the film acress and director Pooja and a son, Rahul. Thereafter, they divorced and Mahesh married Soni Razdan who is a Muslim. They have two daughters, Shaheen and actress Aliya (seen in the film ‘Student Of The Year’). 17. Actor Emraan Hashmi ( son of a Muslim father and a Christian mother) is married to Parveen Shahani, a Sindhi Hindu. Their son is Ayaan. 18. Director/Choreographer Farah Khan married director-editor Shirish Kunder. They have triplets – Anya, Diva (both daughters) and Czar (son). 19. Actress Nagma’s (Nandita Morarji) father Sri Arvind Pratapsinh Morarji married a Muslim woman, Seema Sadhana. Seema later divorced Arvind and married producer Chander Sadanah from whom she had two daughters, Radhika and actress Jyothika and one son, Suraj. Thus, Jyothika and Naghma are half-sisters, born to a Muslim mother. Jyothika is now married to Tamil star Surya Sivakumar. Naghma is single. ——– 20. Top Tamil actor Khushbu, a Muslim, married director Sunder C after converting to Hinduism. They have two daughters, Avantika and Anandita. 21. Gangster turned Politician Arun Gawli married Zubeida Mujawar who converted to Hinduism and took up the name Asha. They have five children, Geeta, Yogita, Yogesh, Mahesh and Asmita. Geeta is an active politician in Mumbai. 22. Manoj Bajpai married actor Shabana Raza whose screen name was Neha. She made her debut in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ‘Kareeb’ opposite Bobby Deol. Their daughter is Ava Nayla. 23. Actor Pankaj Kapoor married TV actor Kanwal (screen name Neelima) Azim. Her best remembered big screen appearance was in Mahesh Bhatt’s film ‘Sadak’ as Deepak Tijori’s girlfriend. Parents to actor Shahid Kapur, they are divorced now. Neelima Azim got married a second time to actor Rajesh Khattar (supporting roles in films like ‘Don’, ‘Race 2? and ‘Khiladi 786?). Their son is Ishaan. They got divorced too. Rajesh Khattar later married Vandana Sajnani. Neelima is now married to Ustad Ali Raza Khan, a singer. 24. Karnataka Congress MLA Gundu Dinesh Rao is married to Tabassum. 25. Nayyara Mirza, Miss India finalist of 1967, was the first Muslim to participate in the pageant. She converted to Hinduism after marriage and became Nalini Patel. She is settled in the USA. 26. Noted English writer Anil Dharkar is married to Imtiaz, a Pakistani Muslim. Their daughter Ayesha is an actor who came to limelight with Santosh Sivan’s film ‘The Terrorist’ where she played a suicide bomber. She is married to actor Robert Taylor, a Christian. 27. Legendary actor Waheeda Rahman married Shashi Rekhi, the Punjabi Hindu actor who acted opposite her in the film ‘Shagun’. (His screen name was Kamaljeet). She has a son, Sohail and a daughter, Kashvi. Kamaljeet died a few years ago. 28. Choreographer Saroj Khan’s real name was Nirmala Kishanchand Sadhu (Sindhi Hindu). She got married at young age to bollywood dance master B Sohanlal. They had 2 kids, Kuku and Choreographer Raju Khan (also director of the film ‘Showbiz’). But Saroj did not know that Sohanlal was already married. He abandoned her. Then she married businessman Sardar Roshan Khan who also was a married man. Her children, though not Muslim, use the name Khan. 29. M J Akbar, noted journalist and editor of ‘The Asian Age’ is a Kashmiri Muslim (His great grandfather had converted from Hinduism to Islam) married to Mallika, a Hindu. His children are Prayag and Mukulika. 30. Raj Babbar married stage actress Nadira Zaheer, daughter of Communist parents. Their kids are Arya and Juhi. Arya acted in Mani Ratnam’s ‘Guru’ as Aishwarya Rai’s brother. Juhi also did a couple of films. She was married to Vijay Nambiar but got divorced. She is now married to TV actor Anup Soni. 31. Actor – activist Nafisa Ali, a former Miss India, is married to Colonel (retired) Sodhi, a Sikh (not a Hindu, please note!). She is herself a child of a Muslim father and a Roman Catholic mother. Her daughters are Armana and Pia. Armana is married to Adil Singh Akoi, a Sikh. 32. Hindi writer Nasira Sharma is a Muslim married to a Hindu. They have two children. 33. Yesteryear’s actor Mumtaz married Mayur Madhvani, a businessman. Their daughter Natasha, is married to actor Fardeen Khan. Other daughter is Tanya. Mumtaz’s sister, Mallika married Dara Singh’s brother, Randhawa who featured in many stunt films of 60?s. Their son Shaad acted in the film ‘Woh Lamhe’ as the abusive boyfriend of Kangna Ranaut. 34. The ex Naval Chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat who was dismissed by Defence Minister George Fernandes under controversial circumstances is married to Niloufer Deshmukh – Bhagwat, a Muslim. They have a son, Jawahar (a naval officer) and a daughter, Roshni (a doctor). Niloufer herself is a child of a Muslim father (Mahmood Deshmukh) and a Parsi mother. 35. Actor -singer Kishore Kumar married Madhubala (real name Mumtaz Begum) in 1960. They had a civil marriage without ceremony due to staunch opposition from both families. (It is said that Kishore had converted to Islam for the marriage). Madhubala died in 1969 without becoming a mother. After her death, Kishore married Leena Chandavarkar. Their son is singer Amit Kumar. Madhubala’s sister Zahida married music director Brij Bhushan Sahni (films like ‘Milap’). Her post-marriage name is Madhur Bhushan. 36. Sir VS Naipaul, Trinidad based writer of International reputation, is a Hindu (of Indian origin) married to a Pakistani Muslim called Nadia. 37. Actor Asha Parekh’s father was a Gujarati Hindu and mother, a Muslim. Her affair with director Nasir Husain was the talk of the town but she is unmarried to this day. 38. Suman Chattopadhyay, a Bengali leftist activist of Kolkata (Brahmin by birth) divorced his German wife Maria, converted to Islam and married Sabina Yasmin, a Bangladeshi Muslim singer in July 2008. He has taken the name Kabir Suman. He is now a Trinamool Congress MP. 39. The niece of actor Raza Murad, Sonam (actual name Bakhtawar), best known as the ‘Tridev’ girl, married Rajeev Rai, producer and director of that film. They have one son, Gaurav. 40. Item song girl Sanobar Kabir (cousin of actress Sonam and daughter of actor Raza Murad) is married to actor Rajiv Singh. 41. Yesteryear’s actor Rehana Sultan, known for her bold, controversial films like ‘Chetna’ and ‘Dastak’ in late 70s, married producer – director B R Ishara, a Hindu. Ishara was the director of most of Rehana’s films. They have no children. 42. Social activist Shamim Modi is married to fellow activist Anurag Modi. 43. Veteran actress Zohra Sehgal (originally Khan) married Late Kamaleshwar Nath Sehgal. Their daughter is famous Odessy exponent Kiran Sehgal and and son, Pavan. ——– 44. TV Actress Tasneem Sheikh is married to builder Sameer Nerurkar. Her post-mariage name is Tanisha Nerurkar. Tasneem is a daughter of a Gujarati Hindu mother and a Muslim father. 45. Late politician Rafique Zakaria’s daughter Tasneem is married to Vikram Mehta. 46. Pakistani actress Anita Ayub who appeared in some films in 90s, got married to Saumil Patel and is now settled in USA. They have one son. 47. Congress MP from Assam, Rani Narah was originally Jahan Ara Chaudhary before she married Politician Bharat Chandra Narah and converted to Hinduism. They have two sons. 48. Filmmaker Tinu Anand (Also known as Virender Raj Anand, director of ‘Shahanshah’) is married to actress Shahnaz (sister of actor Jalal Agha. Acted in ‘Saat Hindustani’). Their son is director Siddharth Anand (Director of ‘Salaam Namaste’). 49. Scriptwriter Shama Zaidi (who has worked with Shyam Benegal on many films) is married to noted filmmaker MS Sathyu who had made ‘Garam Hawa’ starring Balraj Sahni. 50. Roshan Ara, Daughter of Ustad Allauddin Khan married Ustad Ravi Shankar and became the famous Sitar Player Annapurna Devi. Their son is Shubhendra Sarkar. Annapurna is a Padma Bhushan awardee. Shubhendra died in 1992. 51. Cinematographer Fowzia Fatima (works in Malayalam industry) is married to Pradeep Cherian. They have one daughter, Ana Mariyam. ——– 52. Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas is married to Fareeda. They have two daughters, Nayaab and Rewa. 53. Yesteryear’s actress Zahida (Hussain) who acted opposite Dev Anand in ‘Gambler’ and ‘Prem Pujari’ and opposite Sanjeev Kumar in ‘Anokhi Raat’, married Mr KN Sahay. She is actor Sanjay Dutt’s cousin. Her sons are Brajesh and Nilesh. 54. The most tragic case is that of Producer-director Brij Sadanah (Victoria No 203). Against wishes of both families, he married small time actress Saeeda Khanum, who had acted in films like ‘Modern Girl'(Pradeep Kumar), ‘Honeymoon'(Manoj Kumar) and ‘Crorepati’ (Kishore Kumar) in 60s. (The song ‘Ye Mausam Rangeen Sama’ from ‘Modern Girl’ is still heard on radio sometimes). Saeeda converted to become Sudha. They had a daughter, Namrata and a son Kamal (the lead actor opposite Kajol in ‘Bekhudi’). Namrata fell in love with a Muslim boy and wanted to marry. Brij could not accept this. One day, he got drunk, shot his daughter and his wife, and then killed himself with the same gun. Kamal survived as he was not at home that time. Kamal is now married to Lisa John and has one son, Angath. Saeeda’s younger sister is screenplay writer Shagufta Rafique who has written recent Mahesh Bhatt films like ‘Awarapan’ and ‘Woh Lamhe’. 55. Actor Nirmal Pandey (won national award for ‘Daayra’)was married to Kausar Munir, one of the very few woman lyricists working in Bollywood. They got divorced. Nirmal Pandey is no more. Their daughter is Sophie. 56. Veteran film and media critic Amita Malik (a Bengali Hindu) married radio producer Iqbal Malik. However, they separated later. They had no children. Amita died in Feb 2009. 57. Actress Tabassum known for her TV show ‘Phool Khile Hai Gulshan Gulshan’ on DD is the daughter of Ayodhyanath and Asghari. She is married to Vijay, brother of actor Arun Govil (Lord Ram of TV Serial ‘Ramayan’). 58. Model Feroze Gujral is the daughter of a Christian father, George and a Muslim mother, Viqar. She is married to Mohit, son of painter Satish Gujral. They have a son, Armaan and a daughter, Alaiyah. 59. Late Asif Currimbhoy was a well-known actor of Mumbai’s English stage. His daughter Nahid is married to Amit Moitra. They have 2 daughters, Tehzeeb and Tahini. 60. Yesteryear’s actress Meena Shorey (Khursheed Jahaan), whose claim to fame is the blockbuster hit ‘Ek Thi Ladki’ (1949), married Roop K Shorey, the producer and director of this film. A few years after partition, she divorced Roop and migrated to Pakistan. Over there, she married Pakistani actor Asad Bukhari but divorced him too. Roop K Shorey died in 1973. Meena died in 1987 in abject poverty. Her funeral had to be arranged on charity money. 61. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta (Woodstock Villa, Chhal, Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai) is married to Safina, daughter of actor Yusuf Hussain who does supporting roles in bollywood. Their daughter is Kimaya. 62. Theatre actress Ayesha Raza is married to actor Kumud Mishra. ———- 63. Iconic bollywood villain Ranjeet (Bedi) is married to Nazneen. Their daughter is Divyanka. 64. ‘Raam Teri Ganga Maili’ star Mandakini (real name Yasmeen) was born to a Christian father and a Muslim mother. She is married to one Dr Thakur and has one son. 65. Cricketer Manoj Prabhakar is married to Farheen, an actress who was seen in a few films in the 90s and was noted for her resemblance to Madhuri Dixit. Their son is Rahul. 66. Hyder Ali, writer of the film ‘Jodha Akbar’, (also the onscreen singer of the song Khwaja Mere Khwaja) is married to Dr Uma Shankari. His sister is Naqi Jehan (Nandini after marriage to Vikram Kamdar) who was the Miss India 1967. She also acted opposite Rajesh Khanna in ‘Akhree Khat’. Their parents were first Miss India Esther Victoria Abraham (Jewish) and Syed Hassan Ali Zaidi, who acted in ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ with screen name Kumar. 67. Elahe Heptollah, assistant director and producer of most Nagesh Kukunoor films, was married to cricketer Vidyut Jaysimha. They are now divorced. 68. Journalist Shabnam Minwalla (herself a child of Muslim – Parsi marriage) is maried to Rohit Ramakrishnan. They have three children. 69. One of bollywood’s best-known child actors, Baby Naaz (real name Salma Baig) was married to Late Raj Kapoor’s cousin, actor Subi Raj. She won many awards for her 1954 film ‘Boot Polish’. She was also a skilled dubbing artist and provided voice for Sridevi and other actresses. She died in 1995. 70. Indian English writer Amitava Kumar is married to Pakistani Muslim Mona Ahmed Ali. They have a daughter, Ila. 71. Singer Shamshad Begum (Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar Laga Teer-e-Nazar) married Ganpat Lal Batto. He died in 1955. Their daughter is Usha. 72. World-famous beauty expert and entrepreneur Shahnaz Husain married and divorced a Muslim man. Now she is married to a Hindu businessman RK Puri. 73. Actor Jackie Shroff is son of a Hindu father, Kakubhai Shroff and a Turkish Muslim mother Hoorunnisa (Rita post-marriage). Their other son, Hemant died in childhood. Jackie Shroff has a son, Jai and a daughter, Krishna. 74. Legendary Urdu writer Late Ismat Chughtai’s daughter Seema is married to Mr Sawhney. Their son is Ashish. 75. Actress Veena (Tajour Sultana, sister of actor Iftekhar). married character actor TK Sapru. Their children are supporting actor Tej Sapru who did countless negetive roles in 80s and 90s and actress Preeti Sapru. 76. Maharashtra Congress politician (who has also been a minister) Ramesh Bagwe is married to Zainab, a Muslim of Irani origin. Their sons are Avinash and Yaser. Yaser is married to Irani Muslim Mahdiyeh Vaseei. 77. Old-time actress Chand Usmani married director Mahesh Kaul. 78. Late Safdar Hashmi’s sister Shehla Hashmi is married to Mr Grewal. 79. Actress Aditi Rao Hyderi who played Sonam Kapoor’s sister in the film ‘Delhi 6? and was one of the leads in Ýeh Saali Zindagi’, is a curious case. Her maternal grandfather is the royal Brig. Raja J Rameshwar Rao of Hyderabad and her father’s grandfather was the Prime Minister to the Nizam of Hyderabad, Sir Akbar Hydari. Her husband is Satyadeep Misra. Her mother is Shanta Rameshwara Rao who runs the publishing house Orient Longman. 80. Mehelka, sister of legendary ‘tragedy queen’ actress Late Meena Kumari (Mahjabeen Bano) married Kishore Sharma and was renamed Madhuri after marriage. Meena Kumari and her sisters were daughters of a Muslim father and a Bengali Hindu mother. 81. Late Dhrupad singer (died Aug 2006) Asghari Bai was married to Chaman Lal Gupta. Her children were Kamal, Ashok, Parveen, Anju etc. 82. Tamil film director Late Jeeva (died 2009) was married to Anees Tanvir. 83. Yaman Khan, daughter of classical singer Late Vilayat Khan (and a Hindu mother, Monisha), was married to Raja Bahadur Shivendra Singh. They are now divorced. 84. Veteran singer Asha Bhosle’s son Hemant is married to Sajida (Rama after conversion to Hinduism). Their children are son Chaitanya and daughter Anika. 85. Paki actress Noor was married to Dubai-based NRI Vikram Seth. They had no children and are now divorced. 86. Actress Noor Jehan’s half-Paki, Half-French granddaughter Sonya Jehan (who played Shah Rukh Khan’s sister-in-law in “My Name Is Khan”) is married to Indian Hindu Vivek Narain. They have a daughter. 87. Graphic novelist Sarnath Banerjee, a Hindu of Indian origin is married to Bani Abidi, a Pakistani Muslim. 88. Yesteryear’s bollywood actress Jabeen Jaleel married Kashmiri Pandit Ashok Kak, once the President of Kodak India. Their son Dwij acted in the 2005 film ‘Saathi’. 89. Malayali Hindu artist Sumedh Rajendran is married to Masooma Syed, a Pakistani Muslim. 90. News anchor Sehar Zaman (presently with CNN IBN) is married to writer Dhiraj Singh. ——- 91. Bollywood actor Aftab Shivdasani is son of a Hindu father, Prem Shivdasani and a Muslim mother, Sandha. Aftab’s sister Afsana is married to a Hindu, Amit Varma. 92. CNN-IBN Newsanchor Fatima Mahdi is married to Gaurav Karan. Their son is Azaan. 93. Politician and present Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari is married to Nazneen Shifa. They have a daughter. 94. Malayalam actress Zarina Moidu (screen name Nadiya) is married to investment banker Shirish Godbole, a Maharashtrian Hindu. They have two daughters, Sanam and Sera. 95. Communist leader Late Indrajit Gupta married Suraiya at the age of 65. Suraiya was previously married to a Muslim. 96. Communist leader Sitaram Yechury is married to journalist Seema Chisti. 97. Zubeida Begum, the lead actress in the first Indian talkie film ‘Alam Ara’, married Maharaj Narsing Dhanrajgir Gyan Bahadur of Hyderabad. She herself was from the royal family of Surat. Their son is Humayun and the grandchildren include socialite Rhea Pillai (ex wife of Actor Sanjay Dutt) among others. Zubeida died in 1988. 98. Priyanka Gandhi’s brother-in-law Richard Vadra (Robert’s brother) married Saira. Robert and Richard are sons of a Hindu Punjabi father and a Christian mother. In spite of their Christian names, they are Hindu by faith. Richard died in 2003 and was cremated as per Hindu tradition. Saira is daughter of a Muslim father and Christian mother. Richard and Saira’s daughter is Simran. 99. Actor Sumit Sehgal married actress Shaheen (seen opposite Govinda in film ‘Mahasangram’). Their daughter is Sayesha. 100. Stylist Pernia Qureishi is married to entrepreneur Arjun Prasad, a relative of Congress politician Jiten Prasada. 101. Legendary Marathi stage actor Balgandharva (famous for his female roles on stage, real name Narayan Rajhans) married actress Gohar Jan Karnataki in 1951. This was his second marriage, after demise of his first Hindu wife. Gohar Jan was the sister of film actress Ameerbai Karnataki and herself had acted in a few films. Balgandharva and Gohar Jan had no children. Balgandharva had two daughters from his first marriage and Gohar had an adopted daugher, Ashamma. Neither converted at the time of marriage. Gohar Jan was buried after death and Balgandharva was cremated. 102. Dr Rubina Baskhi, the grand daughter of Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad (former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir) is married to Ranjit Malhotra. 103. TV actor Gajendra Chuahan (who played Yudhishtir is BR Chopra’s series ‘Mahabharat’ on Doordarshan) married bollywood choreographer Habiba Rahman. 104. Pakistani Muslim journalist Sonya Fatah is married to indian Hindu husband Rajiv Rao. They have one son. 105. Saba Naqvi , co-editor of Outlook magazine, is married to Sanjay Bhowmick. 106. Celebrated Malayali soft porn actress Shakeela married businessman PG Satheesh, a Tamil Hindu. 107. Umaima, who is daughter of well-known social activist from Vadodara Dr Juzer S Bandookwala, is married to Maulin Gajjar, a Gujarati Hindu. 108. Uttarakhand Congress leader and MLA Kishor Upadhyaya’s brother Sachin is married to Nazia Yusuf. 109. Maharashtra politician Late Hamid Dalwai’s daughter married Sharad Chavan. 110. Writer-activist Arshiya Sattar is married to Sanjay Iyer. 111. Tamil actor – director – dancer Prabhu Devaa (Now famous as director of Hindi films ‘Wanted’ and ‘Rowdy Rathore’) married Ramalat, a Muslim. She converted to Hinduism and was renamed Latha. They are now divorced. 112. Mediaperson and writer Shabia Hussain is married to Ravi Walia and has a daughter Sia. 113. Poet Iqbal who wrote the song ‘Sare Jahan Se Achchha Hindustan Hamara’ but unfortunately, later became the biggest proponent of idea of Pakistan, had Kashmiri Pandit ancestry. It is said that he was son of Ratan Lal Sapru and a Muslim woman Iman Bibi. It is also said that Ratan Lal had to convert to Islam at the time of marriage. 115. USA based filmmaker Rohi Mirza is married to felow filmmaker Gitesh Pandya. Her brother Ameer is married to a Hindu. Their parents are Pakistani Muslim (father) and Filipino (mother). 116. Actor-wrestler Dara Singh’s son Vindu (also an actor) married 80s actress Farha Naaz. Their son is Fateh. They are long divorced. According to Vindu, “The fights started because of the way our son was being brought up. Farha was turning Fateh into a fanatic. When she decided to leave with our son, I didn’t try to stop her.” Vindoo is now married to a Russian Christian lady. 117. Old-time music composer Anil Biswas (died 2003) married Mehrunnisa, a Kutchi Muslim actress who converted to Hinduism and was renamed as Ashalata. They had three sons- Pradeep, Utpal and Amit – and a daughter, Shikha. They later seperated and Anil married Meena Kapoor. 118. Mubarak Begum, the legendary playback singer of old times, married Jagannath Sharma. They seperated later. Their children are Muslim. 119. Actor Aamir Khan’s sister Nikhat (daughter of filmmaker Tahir Hussain, aunt to actor Imran Khan) is married to Santosh Hegde. Their children are Sehar (daughter) and Shravan (son). 120. Kolkata-based medical specialist and activist Dr Sariha Abubaker is married to Alokesh Banerjee. Their children are Zinnya and Zoriyon. 121. Artist Niloufer Suleman married a Malayali Hindu man. They are now divorced. Their children are daughter Shiloh and son Shan. Niloufer is a self-confessed believer in Lord Ganesha and Godess Saraswati. 122. Niece of Humayun Kabir, educationist, politician, writer, philosopher (also a minister in Nehru govt), Shukla Kabir, a judge, is married to Manas Sinha. 123. Actress Salma Agha’s grandmother Anwari Begum (who had acted opposite KL Saigal and other leading actors of those times) was had a daughter named Nasreen from her Muslim husband. Later Anwari divorced her first husband and married actor Jugal Kishore Mehra, brother of Prithviraj Kapoor’s wife Ramsarni Mehra. Jugal Kishor Mehra had to convert to Islam and assume the name Ahmed Suleman before marriage. Nasreen too, later married a Muslim. This is an example of an entire family getting incorporated into the fold of Islam and remaining so for generations, even though the man was a Hindu. 124. Actress Gohar Mamajiwala (famous as “Glorious Gohar”, died in 1985) was in a long, lifetime relationship with Bollywood movie mogul Chandulal Shah (died 1975). She never left his side even though he fell upon bad days later. However, they were never officially married. Shah remained married to another (Hindu) woman and the marriage was never dissolved. 125. TV actress Shabnam Syed married TV professional Saurabh Vanzara. She converted to Hinduism before marriage and has renamed herself Surbhi Vanzara. 126. Designer Arshiya Fakih is married to Rij Eippen, a Malayali Hindu. 127. Malaysian citizen Siti Fatimah Abdul Karim (daughter of a Christian father and Hindu mother who both converted to Islam), married a Hindu named V. Suresh, converted to Hinduism and renamed herself Revathi Masoosai. The couple had to struggle against Islamic law in Malaysia for a long time. They have a daughter named Divya Darshini. 128. Journalist (presently editor of Asian Age) Seema Mustafa is married to a Hindu man. Her children are Agneya and Gayatri. 129. Oriya film actress Aparajita Mohanty is daughter of a Muslim father and a Hindu mother. She is married to actor Uttam Mohanty and has one son, Babusan. 130. Businessperson, Socalite and Charity Founder Faiza Seth is married to businessperson Pallak Seth who is presently Vice Chairman and Managing Director of PDS Multinational Group. Faiza is daughter of Tahir and Tasneem Abbasi while Pallak is son of Deepak Seth. 131. IPS officer Mrs Aslam Khan is married to Hindu Husband Mr Pankaj Kumar Singh. They have one daughter Sufi. 132. Legendary Sitar player Ravi Shankar (died 2012) married Roshanara Khan (daughter of classical singer Allauddin Khan). She converted to Hinduism and took up the name Annapurna Devi. Their son was Shubhendra(died young in 1992). The marriage did not last long. After divorce, Annapurna remained single for a long time, before marrying Rishi Kumar Pandya. 133. Bangladeshi Hindu music composer Kamal Dasgupta (son of Taraprasanna Dasgupta and Kamini) married singer Firoza Begum. Their sons Hamin and Shafin and daughter Tehsin are all Muslims. Kamal Dasgupta died in Dhaka in 1973. 134. South film actress Sakshi Shivanand (and her sister actress Shilpa Shivanand too) is daughter of a Hindu father and a Muslim mother (Parveen). 135. Roohi Oomerbhoy, daughter of business tycoon Ahmed Oomerbhoy (and sister of Riyaad) is married to Chetan Jaikishen. 136. Grand niece of legendary Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto and noted Pakistani historian, Ayesha Jalal is married to Indian Hindu Husband Sugata Bose, who is grand nephew of One of Greatest Indian Freedom Fighter Subhash Chandra Bose and grandson of Sarat Chandra Bose. 137. Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar’s son Nakul Vengsarkar married TV anchor Ayesha Faridi. She is herself a child of a Muslim father, Javed and Hindu mother Vinita. 138. Prominent filmmaker Subhash Ghai married Rehana Farooqui who converted to Hinduism and adopted the name Mukta. Their daughters are Meghna and Muskaan. Meghna is married to Rahul Puri. 139. TV actress Alefia Kapadia was married to Prem Nawaz Dharmraj. They are now seperated. Their children, Altaf and Mahika are Muslim. 140. Actor Emraan Hashmi (himself married to a Hindu), belongs to a family that, in spite of inter-religious marriages, has been entirely incorporated into the Muslim fold. His grandmother is actress Poornima (screen name). She is a Bohri Muslim by the name of Meher Bano. Curiously, she is daughter of a Hindu father, Ram Sheshadri Iyengar and a Muslim mother (name not known). In spite of the man being a Hindu, the family thus merged into the Muslim fold. Apart from Meher Bano, they had another daughter Shireen, who was the second wife of filmmaker Nanabhai Bhatt, (parents of director Mahesh Bhatt). Poornima married a Muslim, Shauqat Hashmi and had children. One of them was Anwar Hashmi, actor Emraan Hashmi’s father. However, Shauqat migrated to Pakistan at the time of India’s partition. Therafter, Meher Bano (Poornima) got married again, this time to a Hindu filmmaker, Bhagwan Das Varma. However, they did not have any children. Anwar Hashmi married a Roman Catholic woman who converted to Islam. Emraan Hashmi is their son. He is a Muslim. He, in turn, has also married a Hindu woman, Parveen. 141. Famous character actor Iftekhar (himself married to a Jew who converted to Islam) had two daughters, Salma and Sayeeda. Salma married Bipin Chandra Jain. Their son is Vishal. Ifthekhar’s other daughter, Sayeeda married a Muslim. 142. Yesteryear’s leading actor Shyam (born Shyam Sunder Chaddha) who died in 1951 after a fall from horseback during a film shoot, was married to Mumtaz Qureishi. They had a daughter, Sahira and a son Shakir (born after Shyam’s death). After Shyam’s death, Mumtaz migrated to Pakistan and married a Muslim. The two children were converted to Islam. Anyway, they had Muslim names. Courtesy :

http://starwebmedia.blogspot.com/2015/11/hindus-who-had-muslim-wife.html

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shankarjaikishanfansassnintl · 5 years

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Shailendra’s Teesri Kasam: Sapne Jagaa Ke Tune Kaahe Ko De Di Judaai

August 30, 2019 | By Ratnottama Sengupta

Teesri Kasam was made in another age and time. But more than 50 years after it briefly lit up the screen before it was yanked off the majestic Apsara Cinema of Bombay, “the finest human document written on celluloid”— as one viewer describes it— continues to live in the heart of every single viewer. Ratnottama Sengupta pays a tribute to the man behind this ‘love-lyric on celluloid’ – Kaviraj Shailendra, with some untold stories about the making of the classic.

Was it 1966 or 1967? Radio was big then. There was no television, so cinema lived in the lives of us pre-teenagers only through the songs. There was this kid who was boasting to his friend— both about ten years old— that his father had bought a new car. This had raised the social status of his family, a fact both the kids were aware of even at that juvenile age. Just then, Mukesh’s voice rang out, Na haathi hai, na ghoda hai, wahaan paidal hi jana hai… Sajan re jhootth mat bolo…” As if on cue, the second child responded, “Heard that? We will all have to go to God on foot. So what good is your father’s car?”

Song link Sajan re jhooth mat bolo (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Shailendra/ Mukesh)

That was the impact of the enchanting combination of Shailendra’s words, Mukesh’s voice, and Shankar-Jaikishan’s melody. And the song got further etched in my consciousness once I saw the film – albeit long after its release in 1967. By then it had got the National Award for the Best Film of 1966. Shailendra had passed away. Waheeda Rehman was a major star for me after Guide. I had come to revere Subrato Mitra as a hero who had made Pather Panchali – in fact the Apu Trilogy – a lesson in cinematography. Phanishwar Nath Renu had come to our house in Malad, to discuss Maila Aanchalwith my father – Nabendu Ghosh – and I had learnt that Baba was a screenplay writer who was soon turning director with that novel. And what is screenplay? “It is direction on paper,” my mother Kanaklata had simply explained.

Got the hang of it? Teesri Kasamwas made in another age and time. But more than 50 years after it briefly lit up the screen before it was yanked off the majestic Apsara Cinema of Bombay, “the finest human document written on celluloid”— as one viewer describes it— continues to live in the heart of every single viewer. Yes, Raj Kapoor was somewhat flabby, and looked too sophisticated as a gaadiwaan. Yes, the film could have been edited more tightly. Yes, it was rooted in a region that was far, far away from the world of Sangam and Guide, Mamta and Teesri Manzil – the megahits of that time – so the average viewer had to recalibrate his sensitivity in order to relate to a Nautanki dancer in rural Bihar who leaves her company rather than crush the love of a naïve bullock cart driver who worships her as a goddess. Love stories such as Hiraman and Hirabai’s are the stuff of folklore.

song link Laali laali doliya mein (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Shailendra/ Asha Bhosle)

But let me today unfold the other loves that went into the making of Teesri Kasam. And, no two ways about it, I must begin with Shailendra. For, even today, people believe that the lyricist who was anointed Kaviraj by The Raj Kapoor died heartbroken because of the commercial failure of the film which was his first production and his last ‘child’, carrying forward his name in the world of moving images. The truth, his son asserts, is a long way away: “Shailendra was commanding a princely sum for writing songs like Wahaan kaun hai tera. So he would have certainly recovered his financial investment. He was shattered by the shards of his dream!”

Shailendra met Basu Bhattacharya, in all probability, during the making of Parakh. Bimal Roy was an icon for whom he had already written unforgettable songs for Do Bigha Zameen, Madhumati and Yahudi, which anointed him the Best Lyricist at the 6th Filmfare Awards. And Basu was a regular visitor to his house, along with the director’s daughter he would soon marry. Basu Bhattacharya had a striking ability to cast a spell when he spoke: every one from Shailendra to Raj Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna to Sharmila Tagore, Sanjeev Kumar to Rekha— why, even Indira Gandhi!— was to come under his spell.

But, and perhaps more importantly, Shailendra was in love with the rustic simplicity of the two personas, Hiraman and Hirabai, who called each other Meeta. It was a love story rooted in the soil of Bihar, the land of his ancestors who had travelled all the way from Ara district to Rawalpindi where Shailendra was born, and then moved to Mathura. The song writer made up his mind to produce it, perhaps also because the short story had every possibility of becoming a musical masterpiece. Basu Da was to direct it; Mehmood was to be the gaadiwaan, and Nutan the dancer.

Song link Chalat musafir moh liyo re (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Shailendra/ Manna Dey)

The first roadblock came from the actress who had played Sujata. She was pregnant with Mohnish, and refused to shoot any film at that point. Waheeda Rehman was a natural choice, being a dancer and also having acted for Satyajit Ray’s Abhijaan. Subrata Mitra was already on board, remember? Even today we cannot imagine a better Hirabai. Just think Paan khaaye saiyyan hamaro, Laali laali doliya mein, or watch the Mahua ghatwarin sequence!

Song link Paan khaaye saiyyan hamaro (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Shailendra/ Asha Bhosle)

For the sake of realism, actors were picked up from theatre groups. And umpteen other roles were to be enacted by his own family of friends and mates. What a chest of delights the credit titles are! Nabendu Ghosh, who transcripted the short story into ‘a love-lyric on celluloid’ played a drunkard who gets beaten up by Hiraman for suggesting that he pimp on his behalf for the “nautanki ki bai”.

There was Kesto Mukherjee who would later get typed in the role of an alcoholic. It marked the debut of A K Hangal on screen. Iftekhar stepped into the role of the zamindar when a theatre actor from Bihar failed to deliver a single line. Dulari got under the skin of Hiraman’s bhaujai. Pacchi, who had produced Jaali Note in 1960 (directed by Shakti Samanta), was then directing Around the World(1966) pairing Raj Kapoor with Rajshri. And there was the Producer himself, playing a villager, who tries to peep in on the romantic couple when Hiraman and Hirabai are sitting in the open, eating curds and rice. Shailendra runs away when Raj Kapoor chases him. It was a fun role that got deleted in the final cut.

However I am more surprised to see that the credit titles attribute the lyrics to ‘Shailendra-Hasrat’. Why did the man who wrote O Sajna barkha bahar aayi, Yeh mera deewanapan hai, Mera joota hai Japani, among hundreds of other unforgettables, share the songs of his own film with a peer who one expects to be seen as a rival? My reading: The producer was perfecting the mood of the scene since Hasrat Jaipuri had penned the number, Maare gaye gulfaam. There’s another reason, says Dinesh. “Shailendra wanted the team of Shankar-Jaikishan, Hasrat Jaipuri and Shailendra to be together. That is why he shared the credit for lyrics with a peer.”

Song link Maare gaye gulfam (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Hasrat Jaipuri/ Lata Mangeshkar)

So, the unit was one big family of friends in an era of celluloid camaraderie. But that was to take its toll on the producer in terms of both, production cost and emotional turbulence. The first day Shailendra took Basu to meet Raj Kapoor, he hugged the lyricist of Awara hoon and said, “You’ve discovered a genius.” However, after the first day’s shoot, he took Kaviraj aside to say, “You are screwed. This gentleman is a novice in cinema.” This, by some accounts, was not off the mark as Basu had not graduated to be one of Roy’s trusted lieutenants. Later, “Subrata Mitra’s outbursts during the shooting would bear him out,” says Dinesh Shankar, the youngest son of Shailendra.

“The cinematographer, whom Kodak would send their newly developed raw stock for his approval, had startled Mumbai technicians by putting white paper on the walls to obtain ‘bounce light’. He was a very important person all through,” he adds, “as Basu Chatterjee, who was the chief assistant, left even his job as a cartoonist to pursue his own interest in direction. BR Ishara proved to be the only qualified man to shoot a film.” He is said to have written some of the dialogues too. Thus started the journey of a man (BR Ishara) who rose from being a Tea Boy serving on the sets to be a director who, at one point of time, was completing a film virtually every other month – including watershed titles like Chetana – and presenting talents like Rehana Sultan, Anil Dhawan, and Parveen Babi among others.

Another casualty of investing in friends was that a large chunk of the film was shot in Bina in Madhya Pradesh. I know for sure that the riveting last scene, where Hiraman glances back, to see Hirabai’s train recede into the horizon was shot in Borivali, close to Malad in Bombay, and no one can fault it for not being in Bihar. Much else could have easily been shot in some rural pocket outlying Bombay. Yet, the entire bullock cart journey was taken to a far-flung location, only to help the Production Controller Santosh— Shailendra’s wife’s brother— court a lady, later recognised as Nandita Thakur. Their romance had a happy ending when they got married. But in the process, the shooting of the entire film became a picnic for everyone, at the producer’s cost. So much so, that they would shoot during the day, and at night they would go hunting!

One funny incident happened when Pachhi shot what he thought was a Neelgai – and it turned out to be a buffalo owned by the village Pradhan. As a result, the group of shooters were taken into custody and Shailendra had to pay a fine. But at the Police Station they were royally treated by the constables who stood at attention, with folded hands, before the ‘hunters’ as it included Raj Kapoor too! Funny? Yes, but would you like to know the cost of the entertainment? When all the arrangements were made for the outdoor shoot, the Distributor said he had no money to finance the film that was in the making from 1961 till 1966. Further, the leading lady could not be expected to join in until she was paid.

Naturally, the producer was dejected. Seeing his downcast chehra his wife asked him, “What’s the matter?” Once he confided in her, she opened her cupboard, took out her saris one by one, and shook them. As she did so, currency notes started falling on the floor like leaves in autumn. And by the time she touched the bottom of her pile of saris, Shailendra had enough to see him through the shoot – “and more,” Dinesh laughed as he narrated the incident during a screening at Nandan, in March 2016. It had marked the 50th year of Teesri Kasam; of Shailendra’s passing, and had also set off the Nabendu Ghosh Centenary Celebrations.

Song link Haaye gajab kahin taara toota (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Shailendra/ Asha Bhosle)

For those interested in saris, here’s a bit more. Mrs Shailendra, like you and I, was fond of saris and every now and then she would buy what caught her eye. But, instead of taking them home, she would give them for stitching falls and then drop it at the laundry. When the poet husband noticed his wife in a sari he had never seen before, he’d ask her if it was new. She’d point to the laundry tag and say, “This is what happens if one is married to a poet. He doesn’t even notice his wife is wearing only old saris!” What’s more, every day after he came home, the smart lady would siphon off the ‘small change’ he carried in his pocket and stow away the notes in the folds of her ‘fresh from the laundry’ drapes. That’s why she could rise to his assistance when he was let down by his investment in people.

The song book of Teesri Kasam— one of my prized possessions from my school days— opens a can of memories. I had not recognised Baba when I first saw the classic: A beggarly fella who’s beaten up not once but twice by the hero! Not surprisingly, an aunt of his had advised my mother, “Bouma (bahu), don’t you go to watch this movie. Mukul (Nabendu’s pet name) has got such a thrashing from that no-good gaadiwaan!”

My brother Subhankar, director of Woh Chhokri and of the teleserial Yugantar, adds another anecdote. “One night, Shailendra came to Baba accompanied by Renu. ‘Dada, I will trash what I have shot but I will not change the ending just because Raj Saab wants me to,’ he told Nabendu Da. ‘But why would he want that?’ Baba asked. ‘So that the film has a happy ending with Hiraman and Hirabai becoming man and wife. But that would kill the story!’ Renu joined in, ‘Dada you must explain this to Rajji.’ At midnight, they set out to meet the star who told the screenwriter, ‘You have the pen in your hand, you must change the ending.’ Nabendu Da said, ‘Certainly the ending can be changed but before that you must change the Title of the film.’ ‘Why?’ Raj Kapoor was startled. ‘Because, if they marry and settle down, why would he take the third vow and promise that – like smuggled goods and bamboo poles – he will never ferry a dancer in his cart?’ That settled it and— like Bandini— it went on to play out its inevitable resolution, flowing unabated like a river.

Song link Aa aa bhi ja (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Shailendra/ Lata Mangeshkar)

More than half a century ago, when Shailendra screened the completed film for his friends, he meticulously noted down the comments of all those present. While Trade Guide had ranked it as ‘Average’ and Bunny Ruben had written ‘Press report excellent but audience conflicting’, Hrishikesh Mukherjee had predicted, ‘Award film.’

Teesri Kasam remains one of the gems in the filmography of actor Raj Kapoor. The showman knew the potential of the character and had therefore bulldozed his way into the role that had not an iota of glamour about it. But, in return, he did not come forward to give financial tips when his trusted Kaviraj was in deep waters. The optimist that he was, Shailendra had jotted down in his diary, ‘It will be a hit.’ But he was shattered when, though he was too unwell to step out and his entire family was suffering in silence, his dream film was premiered in Delhi with celebrations in full swing.

Song link Sajanva bairi ho gaye hamaar (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Shailendra/ Mukesh)

Some listeners have pointed out that sifting through the songs he penned between 1961 and 1966 gives an insight into his dejection. Sample this: Dost dost na raha… Zindagi hamein tera aitbar na raha in Sangam. When friends offer ‘reasons’ for staying away, he says, Sajan re jhootth mat bolo, Khuda ke paas jaana hai. He questions himself, Tune toh sabko raah bataayi, Tu apni manzil kyoon bhoola (Guide). He concludes: Rula ke gaya sapna mera (Jewel Thief).

“Mukesh was the only one of his many ‘friends’ who had rushed to Northcote Nursing Home on December 14, 1966 when he heard Shailendra’s condition is worsening,” recounts Dinesh. Mukesh alone was let in, while Shailendra’s wife and children stood in the corridor outside the room and the hospital staff kept rushing in and out of the room. Alone, the Voice of Raj Kapoor watched the AwaraPoet give up his battle for life. Two days later, the creditors procured a court order and attached every piece of furniture in Rimjhim, the bungalow in Khar, that had been mortgaged to complete his Teesri Kasam.

But the story has a silver lining. Mukesh came forward to inform Mrs Shailendra that he had paid off the mortgage amount and the bungalow was free again. ”It’s not a favour,” he assured her. For, his company, Mukesh and Sons had acquired the distribution rights of Teesri Kasam for Bombay. That was Mukesh – not only a balmy voice but a friend indeed. The company ensured the film’s release in late 1967, but only for a week, as the theatre was pre-booked for Duniya.

Was it poetic justice that viewers of this film came out singing Hiraman’s lines –

Duniya bananewale, kya tere mann mein samaayi!

Kaahe ko ‘Duniya’ banaayi…?

Song link Duniya banane waale (Shankar-Jaikishan/ Hasrat Jaipuri/ Mukesh)

(The views expressed by the author are personal.)

Courtesy : https://learningandcreativity.com/silhouette/shailendra-teesri-kasam/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork&fbclid=IwAR1D5vibOMN2I2XzA9DR2kYCVeW-8TwMNdP0Gw7f_OnCPtsqtvN1Kob6uMc

#Teesri Kasam #Shailendra and shankar jaikishan #shankar jaikishan with shailendra #shailendra #hasrat jaipuri #mukesh

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