Flipping Through The Celluloid Times...

Celluloid Is The Name Of The Game...
Inspiring Stories Put Up In Multiple Frame!
Novel Ideas Which Lit A Bright Flame...
Extracting The Best Of Talent's Name!
Masking One's Own Identity With Characters, All The Same!
And Entertainment Is From Where It All Came...

~~~

Cinema, Celluloid, Film, Movie, Motion Picture....
Many Names, One Term...

Devised As A Means Of Entertainment...
Which Translates To 'Not Just Entertainment' In Today's Times...

The Showbiz tracks its origin back to 1913, and the era of the blacks and whites...
Since then, to now - is a 'colored hues' journey - well traversed...

For Me, it has been a journey full of ups and downs - witnessing some very new ideas,  some mature talents, some unpolished gems which needed shine and at the same time some earnest attempts...

For Me, it has been a journey of celebration - of efforts, recognition - of talents, correction - of flaws and appreciation - of imagination.

~~~

Since I've now stepped into the 101st year of my being - and begun with baby steps into 'The Centenarian Era', I cannot help but reminisce all that I've been part and parcel of!

Yes It's Me...

Your Very Own Bollywood...
Your Dearest Celluloid…
Your '७० MM का पर्दा '!
Your 'मनोरंजन  का ज़रिया'!

~~~

Being the mother of movies, I know best - which ones have their performances, their impact and most of all - their uniqueness - their 'I'm Different!' attitude - etched on the audiences' psyche...

Let Us Travel Down The Celluloid Lane...

Taking One From Each Decade Of Chronology, So Each Generation Relives Its Youth!

~~~

• Haqeeqat (1964) :- Set against the backdrop of the Sino - Indian War of 1962, the film's plot concerns a platoon of Indian soldiers in the hilly terrain of Ladakh who are taken to be dead but are rescued in near - dead condition Ladakhi tribesmen and Capt. Bahadur Singh, portrayed by Dharmendra.
  
  Disagreeing to succumb to the pressure of retreating, Capt. and his lady - luck, Angmo, potrayed by Priya Rajvansh, die holding the Chinese at bay so that their comrades can retreat to safety. However, even the soldiers are heavily outnumbered.

The 'I'm Different' Factor:- The patriotism upheld by the tribesmen & the soldiers in the film is exemplary, being ever ready to answer to their call of duty towards the nation! Directed by Chetan Anand, this one's a soul - stirring narration...
कर चले हम फ़िदा... is one of the songs that comes to the audiences' mind - fitting to the occasion of Independence Day & Republic Day.

The film went on to bag the National Film Award for the second best feature film in 1965 and also the Filmfare for Best Art Direction by M.S. Sathyu.
The film also went on to become the sixth highest grosser for the year.

~~~

• Manthan (1976):- The word Manthan literally translates to 'Churning' - might remind you of the Amrit Manthan...
  So, this was a unique Amrit - Millk - implying the conception of the White Revolution in 1970.
  
  The film traces a small set of poor farmers of Kheda, Gujarat who worked for the benefit of society and not themselves alone, while tracking Dr. Kurien's revolution. Girish Karnad portrayed Dr. Kurien, while Smita Patil portrayed Bindu - the main protagonists.
  
  The formation of The Kaira District Co-op Milk Producers' Union eventually gave way to the formation of Amul - the same 'Utterly Butterly Delicious - Amul' in Gujarat.
  
  The 'I'm Different' Factor:- Shyam Benegal's visionary direction, the perfect story line by Dr. Verghese Kurien himself, and the way the dialogues had been conceived by Kaifi Azmi Saab - so many talents associated with a single creation needed no introduction.
  
  The awareness towards Operation Flood need to spread and Manthan served as the perfect medium to inform the audiences of this revolution.
  
  To top it all, the title song of the movie - मेरो  गाँव काथापारे रा , दूध की नदियाँ बाहे... was later used as the soundtrack for Amul's TVC.
  The original song was 6:30 while the TVC used it for a minute.
  
  The film went on to bag the National Film Award for the Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1977 and the National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar.
  Preeti Sagar won the Filmfare  for Best Female Playback Singer for lending her voice to the title song.
  
  
  
  ~~~
  
  
• Pushpaka Vimaan/Pushpaka (1987):- This one's a silent black comedy film, based on the 'king - for - a - day' story.
  
  An unemployed youth, portrayed by Kamal Hassan takes up the identity of a rich man. He gets to stay in a 5-star accommodation, where he falls in love with a magician's daughter, portrayed by Amala.
  
  However, a hired killer mistakes the young man for the rich man and is after his life. The events that follow, shape - up the course of the story.
  
  
  
  The 'I'm Different' Factor:- The film by Shrinagar Nagaraj is notable for its inventive recasting of the silent form. The power of silence to narrate a 131 minute long narrative, with elan, is commendable.
  
  The film entails the fact that one must learn to rise over materialistic pleasures - serving as an eye - opener for the audiences.
  
  The film went on to bag the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
  
  ~~~
• Damini (1993):- Considered to be the best woman - centric film ever made alongside an equal classic, Mother India, the film throws light on the plight of a rape victim, belonging to the lower strata of society.
  
  Damini entails the fight put up by a mistress, portrayed by Meenakshi Sheshadri, against the family in order to garner justice for her maid-servant, victimized by her brother-in-law.
  
  Sunny Deol portrayed the role of their lawyer with the evergreen 'तारीख़ पे तारीख़' dialogue.
  
  
  
  The 'I'm Different' Factor:- For the first time, the plight of rape victims was so openly portrayed on Celluloid.
  The film lent power to the fairer sex in distress.
  The sheer power with which each character was portrayed, spoke for itself!
  
  The film went on to bag the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Filmfare for the same for Sunny Deol in 1994. Also Rajkumar Santoshi bagged the Filmfare for the Best Director.
  The film also went on to become the sixth highest grosser for the year.
  
  ~~~
• Black (2005):- Revolving around a blind and deaf girl, and her relationship with her teacher who himself, later develops Alzheimer's, the film draws inspiration from Helen Keller's life and struggle.

The 'I'm Different' Factor:- Sensitivity towards the differently - abled, coupled with Bhansali's impeccable direction, and Mr. Amitabh Bachchan's & Rani's excellent portrayal is an unbeatable combination.

With just one song in its filming - and even that song touched hearts so beautifully!

हाँ, मैंने छूकर देखा है...



Black bagged the Best Feature Film In Hindi Award and Mr. Bachchan received the Best Actor Award at the 53rd National Film Awards.

Black made an all - time record by winning eleven awards - beating Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge & Devdas which had won ten awards each.

Black is one of the five films alongside Guide (1965), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) & Devdas (2002) to bag all of the four major awards (Best Movie, Best Director, Best Actor & Best Actress).

~~~

These were the unique-ly crafted films from my side...

Now, over to the audiences for their agreements, disagreements and even suggestions...

This dialogue itself turned out to be a film's length long, didn't it?

Dasvidaniya, Alvida, Au Revoir, Cheerio, Sayonara, Goodbye for now... :)

~~~

This post is a part of the Miss Lovely Activity in association with BlogAdda.
Miss Lovely, an off-beat film directed by Ashim Ahluwalia is set in the lower depths of Bombay's C Grade Film Industry. The Film is set to hit cinemas on 17 January, 2014.
Check the trailer here...