It is the birth anniversary of Kishore Kumar, a day worth remembering for all lovers of music. Born 4th August 1929, Kishore was never a trained singer. His biopic mentions that he once got badly injured as a child, cried very loudly for several days, and that "opened" up his vocal chords! It is one of those injuries that changed Indian music forever!
He started his film career as a comic hero in many films, where his costar was Bhagwan. It was films like Chalti Ka Naam Gadi, Nayi Dilli and Hum Sab Ustad Hain that established him as a comic hero of some repute. But his heart was in singing and he dabbled in it, until he was finally discovered and established by Sachin Dev Burman as a playback singer. His early tunes were magical, and best when he gave voice to himself:
The man who mesmerized women of all ages for almost a decade, got letters from them written their own blood, and caused mass hysteria wherever he went, Rajesh Khanna, is the subject of this documentary:
BBC reporter Jack Pizzey managed to get exceptional access to Rajesh Khanna and the result is this fascinating documentary – Rajesh Khanna – Bombay Superstar.
(Many thanks to Illusionist for bringing this documentary to my notice) The man who mesmerized women of all ages for almost a decade, got letters from them written in their own blood, and caused mass hysteria wherever he went, Rajesh Khanna, is the subject of this documentary:
BBC reporter Jack Pizzey managed to get exceptional access to Rajesh Khanna and the result is this fascination documentary – Rajesh Khanna – Bombay Superstar.
Part 1:
Hrishikesh Mukherjee and his entire set are waiting for the superstar to arrive for the filming of Namak Haraam. When he does arrive a game of one-upmanship begins and it Rajesh who blinks first.
Part 2:
After making the filming crew wait for five days with appointments he does not keep, he finally meets up with them for this documentary. When asked - How do you stay on top? His response is - You have to be cruel, I am impulsive, do things by intuition. His sudden decision to marry 15-16 year old Dimple, one film old, is described at length in this clip – is it true love or the result of a night with 14 drinks? Gossip columnist Devi (Devyani Chaubal) from Star and Style thinks it is the latter.
Part 3:
Next the film-makers talk to J Om Prakash and a new film he is about to make with Rajesh. On location in Kashmir, Rajesh talks about that “expression” in his eyes, that smile, that acts as a lure for women!
Part 4:
The leading lady is Mumtaz! The crowds on location jostle to see what is going on. Rajesh says he loves the attention. Mumtaz simply shrugs and pouts. Lata sings the song that is to be filmed, before that the microphone is garlanded by Pancham. Mumtaz can turn the smile and pout on and off like a TAP! The bitchy gossip columnist, Devi (an outspoken lady) says Rajesh was better before but all superstars become a bore and they have nothing to offer to anyone. The narrator feels that picturizing a song is an impressively thorough and exhausting business.
Part 5:
We go through 20 takes on one step onto a rock in time to the music! Rajesh talks of how his voice is similar to Kishore Kumar’s and getting the movement perfectly matched to the beat is what gets “seeti” moments in the theater. Then we see poison pen Devi talk about Mumtaz, and how we only know of Naz, her mother, but nothing about her father. Mumtaz decides to take her to court, and says the classic line (the resonates even today in film journalism) “All they want to do is sell magazines!!!” She is also extremely grounded and talks of how one day she may wake and after 5 years at the top it is suddenly ALL OVER.
Part 6:
Things look on the downside for Rajesh as he is not awarded the Filmfare that year. Fans threaten to boycott buying FF and the star arranges a rival party on the awards night. Many show up at the party, even though news is doing the rounds that Rajesh is ill and may not show at either the awards or the party! He does arrive at the party with his young wife in tow. Amitabh is talking the best actor award while the party goes on at the other end of town, with Rakhi, Dilip Kumar and a small number of lesser stars. A king is being dethroned.
Part 7:
When asked what he felt as he attended a rival party while the Filmfares were being awarded, Rajesh replies – “It was a coincidence, it was not planned!!!” His latest film Daag is about to release after 5 flops in a row, and Rajesh is worried. He is looking at different roles, he is introspective about falling from grace. The Daag premiere night and Dimple is getting ready, gushing about loving premieres as her hair is put into an elaborate do. They arrive at the premiere.
(Many thanks to Illusionist for bringing this documentary to my notice) The man who mesmerized women of all ages for almost a decade, got letters from them written in their own blood, and caused mass hysteria wherever he went, Rajesh Khanna, is the subject of this documentary:
BBC reporter Jack Pizzey managed to get exceptional access to Rajesh Khanna and the result is this fascination documentary – Rajesh Khanna – Bombay Superstar.
Part 1:
Hrishikesh Mukherjee and his entire set are waiting for the superstar to arrive for the filming of Namak Haraam. When he does arrive a game of one-upmanship begins and it Rajesh who blinks first.
Part 2:
After making the filming crew wait for five days with appointments he does not keep, he finally meets up with them for this documentary. When asked - How do you stay on top? His response is - You have to be cruel, I am impulsive, do things by intuition. His sudden decision to marry 15-16 year old Dimple, one film old, is described at length in this clip – is it true love or the result of a night with 14 drinks? Gossip columnist Devi (Devyani Chaubal) from Star and Style thinks it is the latter.
Part 3:
Next the film-makers talk to J Om Prakash and a new film he is about to make with Rajesh. On location in Kashmir, Rajesh talks about that “expression” in his eyes, that smile, that acts as a lure for women!
Part 4:
The leading lady is Mumtaz! The crowds on location jostle to see what is going on. Rajesh says he loves the attention. Mumtaz simply shrugs and pouts. Lata sings the song that is to be filmed, before that the microphone is garlanded by Pancham. Mumtaz can turn the smile and pout on and off like a TAP! The bitchy gossip columnist, Devi (an outspoken lady) says Rajesh was better before but all superstars become a bore and they have nothing to offer to anyone. The narrator feels that picturizing a song is an impressively thorough and exhausting business.
Part 5:
We go through 20 takes on one step onto a rock in time to the music! Rajesh talks of how his voice is similar to Kishore Kumar’s and getting the movement perfectly matched to the beat is what gets “seeti” moments in the theater. Then we see poison pen Devi talk about Mumtaz, and how we only know of Naz, her mother, but nothing about her father. Mumtaz decides to take her to court, and says the classic line (the resonates even today in film journalism) “All they want to do is sell magazines!!!” She is also extremely grounded and talks of how one day she may wake and after 5 years at the top it is suddenly ALL OVER.
Part 6:
Things look on the downside for Rajesh as he is not awarded the Filmfare that year. Fans threaten to boycott buying FF and the star arranges a rival party on the awards night. Many show up at the party, even though news is doing the rounds that Rajesh is ill and may not show at either the awards or the party! He does arrive at the party with his young wife in tow. Amitabh is talking the best actor award while the party goes on at the other end of town, with Rakhi, Dilip Kumar and a small number of lesser stars. A king is being dethroned.
Part 7:
When asked what he felt as he attended a rival party while the Filmfares were being awarded, Rajesh replies – “It was a coincidence, it was not planned!!!” His latest film Daag is about to release after 5 flops in a row, and Rajesh is worried. He is looking at different roles, he is introspective about falling from grace. The Daag premiere night and Dimple is getting ready, gushing about loving premieres as her hair is put into an elaborate do. They arrive at the premiere.
Mumtaz, the beautiful and bubbly actress from the golden 60s and early 70s is often remembered by today’s generation for the scintillating song and dance numbers she performed in her movies. Her mesmerizing appeal lay in her sparkling eyes and dazzling smile and of course, in the oodles of oomph she possessed! To quote Shobhaa De, “she was in the Marilyn Monroe mould- every man’s fantasy woman”! Even though she won filmfare best actress award, Mumtaz was by and large typecast for eye candy roles probably due to her infectious charm and inherent joi de vivre. She was offered fewer performance-oriented roles than her contemporaries like Sharmila Tagore. However, she was eventually recognized for her contribution to Hindi cinema by a Lifetime achievement award in 1996. For the last few years, Mumtaz has been battling cancer in her life with the same indomitable spunk and never-say-die spirit which had once made her the heartthrob of millions. Here’s wishing Mumtaz a very happy and healthy long life!
Enjoy my top dozen picks from her vast repertoire of brilliant songs!
1. Super-energetic Shammi, gorgeous Mumu, crazy music, and twist dance….need i even say more?
2. A gem from Lakshmikant Pyarelal ! Lata’s voice has a mischievious quality in this song that used to be Asha’s trademark style!
3. The iconic number from the magical duo of RD Burman and Asha superbly picturized on screen by the awesome pair of Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz. Just wish Mumu’s damned wig wasn’t so yellow and Kaka wasn’t such a pathetic dancer!!
4. When Lakshmikant-Pyarelal, Anand Bakshi and Mohd. Rafi come together, what else can one expect in a song other than perfection….and perfection it is in this romantic poetry! Mumtaz looked stunning in this one!
5. An absolute masterpiece duet by RD Burman ! The beautiful rendition by Kishore and Lata, scorching chemistry of Rajesh-Mumtaz and brilliant picturization- What more could one ask for?
6. I don’t think the festival of Holi goes by any year without this number being played everywhere! The crazy abandon of Rajesh-Mumtaz after a shot of bhaang...beyond awesome!
7. A brilliant song by Rafi! A handsome Dharmendra steals the show here from Mumtaz- but that could clearly be my bias speaking! Confession- I absolutely adore Dharam Paaji….according to me, he is the most good-looking star we have ever had in Bollywood!
8. The seductive voice of Asha and a sexy Mumtaz playing a vamp and trying to seduce Biswajeet with her beguiling charms- Deadly combo!!
9. An unforgettable classic by Lakshmikant Pyarelal! Mumu dancing in rain in those tight churidars with a young Rajesh Khanna...so retro 60s and yet so cool !
10. The super-glamorous Mumtaz dances with gay abandon here... What a presence! She literally burnt the screen here with her shimmering sensuality and owned the scenes completely inspite of the presence of heavyweights like Dharam, Feroz, and Saira!
11. Soft and melodious- penned by the poet Neeraj, such profound lyrics and soul-stirring music!!
12. A terrific romantic duet by Kishore and Lata! A personal fave of mine!
Enjoy these golden classics and I look forward to your choices !!
P.S. I apologize for flooding this post with Rajesh-Mumtaz duets, but before I get accused of die-hard romanticism here, I think most of her unforgettable songs are romantic duets with Rajesh Khanna!
Mumtaz, the beautiful and bubbly actress from the golden 60s and early 70s is often remembered by today’s generation for the scintillating song and dance numbers she performed in her movies. Her mesmerizing appeal lay in her sparkling eyes and dazzling smile and of course, in the oodles of oomph she possessed! To quote Shobhaa De, “she was in the Marilyn Monroe mould- every man’s fantasy woman”! Even though she won filmfare best actress award, Mumtaz was by and large typecast for eye candy roles probably due to her infectious charm and inherent joi de vivre. She was offered fewer performance-oriented roles than her contemporaries like Sharmila Tagore. However, she was eventually recognized for her contribution to Hindi cinema by a Lifetime achievement award in 1996. For the last few years, Mumtaz has been battling cancer in her life with the same indomitable spunk and never-say-die spirit which had once made her the heartthrob of millions. Here’s wishing Mumtaz a very happy and healthy long life!
Enjoy my top dozen picks from her vast repertoire of brilliant songs!
1. Super-energetic Shammi, gorgeous Mumu, crazy music, and twist dance….need i even say more?
2. A gem from Lakshmikant Pyarelal ! Lata’s voice has a mischievious quality in this song that used to be Asha’s trademark style!
3. The iconic number from the magical duo of RD Burman and Asha superbly picturized on screen by the awesome pair of Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz. Just wish Mumu’s damned wig wasn’t so yellow and Kaka wasn’t such a pathetic dancer!!
4. When Lakshmikant-Pyarelal, Anand Bakshi and Mohd. Rafi come together, what else can one expect in a song other than perfection….and perfection it is in this romantic poetry! Mumtaz looked stunning in this one!
5. An absolute masterpiece duet by RD Burman ! The beautiful rendition by Kishore and Lata, scorching chemistry of Rajesh-Mumtaz and brilliant picturization- What more could one ask for?
6. I don’t think the festival of Holi goes by any year without this number being played everywhere! The crazy abandon of Rajesh-Mumtaz after a shot of bhaang...beyond awesome!
7. A brilliant song by Rafi! A handsome Dharmendra steals the show here from Mumtaz- but that could clearly be my bias speaking! Confession- I absolutely adore Dharam Paaji….according to me, he is the most good-looking star we have ever had in Bollywood!
8. The seductive voice of Asha and a sexy Mumtaz playing a vamp and trying to seduce Biswajeet with her beguiling charms- Deadly combo!!
9. An unforgettable classic by Lakshmikant Pyarelal! Mumu dancing in rain in those tight churidars with a young Rajesh Khanna...so retro 60s and yet so cool !
10. The super-glamorous Mumtaz dances with gay abandon here... What a presence! She literally burnt the screen here with her shimmering sensuality and owned the scenes completely inspite of the presence of heavyweights like Dharam, Feroz, and Saira!
11. Soft and melodious- penned by the poet Neeraj, such profound lyrics and soul-stirring music!!
12. A terrific romantic duet by Kishore and Lata! A personal fave of mine!
Enjoy these golden classics and I look forward to your choices !!
P.S. I apologize for flooding this post with Rajesh-Mumtaz duets, but before I get accused of die-hard romanticism here, I think most of her unforgettable songs are romantic duets with Rajesh Khanna!
You get in the car or get ready to board a plane and there is this flashback moment. You hurriedly search for just the right song to play on your iPOD as you travel! Here are some of my favorites:
Pukarta chala hoon main (Mere Sanam)! Forget that Biswajit is just a footnote in Hindi film history now, this is THE quintessential road song, an avenue of tall trees (poplars?), the girls on bikes, the guy in an open jeep:
How about the guy walking on a road and trying his best to obstruct the way of a bevy of beauties in a car? Only Dev Anand could carry off this song, singing and walking in his signature loping walk with a big white plastic fish dangling on the line! And Tanuja was cute as a button – unforgettable in this film.
Next up are two phenomenal road songs with a similar graph – the girl is on a train and the guys on cars and there is ample romance and nok jhonk between the two. In Jab Pyaar Kise se Hota Hai we have Dev romancing Asha Parekh on the train. Rafi’s singing is divine and Shakar JaiKishen are unforgettable here:
No doubt this was the inspiration for Shakti Samanta and the SD Burman/RD Burman duo as they spun this most famous number between Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in Aradhna:
Pride of place in train songs has to belong to Chaiyya Chaiyya! Not satisfied with dance and romance in a train or on the road, here the romance is near dead - “Duniya ki sabse choti prem kahani”, as the girl is gone! And the hero is on the rooftop of a train in an exuberant number as he details the qualities of love. Gulzaar, AR Rahman, and Farah Khan combined to make this Shahrukh Khan and Malaika Arora number one for the history books.
Then there is this unusual road song, part patriotic, part self-discovery, sung while driving a motorhome – again AR Rahman combines with Ashutosh Gowarikar and Javed Akhtar to bring this Shahrukh Khan and Makarand Deshpande song to us.
I want to end with a bicycle song – from Padosan! The one and only Saira Banu and her gang on sakhiyaan, singing while they take to the road on bicycles!
You get in the car or get ready to board a plane and there is this flashback moment. You hurriedly search for just the right song to play on your iPOD as you travel! Here are some of my favorites:
Pukarta chala hoon main (Mere Sanam)! Forget that Biswajit is just a footnote in Hindi film history now, this is THE quintessential road song, an avenue of tall trees (poplars?), the girls on bikes, the guy in an open jeep:
How about the guy walking on a road and trying his best to obstruct the way of a bevy of beauties in a car? Only Dev Anand could carry off this song, singing and walking in his signature loping walk with a big white plastic fish dangling on the line! And Tanuja was cute as a button – unforgettable in this film.
Next up are two phenomenal road songs with a similar graph – the girl is on a train and the guys on cars and there is ample romance and nok jhonk between the two. In Jab Pyaar Kise se Hota Hai we have Dev romancing Asha Parekh on the train. Rafi’s singing is divine and Shakar JaiKishen are unforgettable here:
No doubt this was the inspiration for Shakti Samanta and the SD Burman/RD Burman duo as they spun this most famous number between Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore in Aradhna:
Pride of place in train songs has to belong to Chaiyya Chaiyya! Not satisfied with dance and romance in a train or on the road, here the romance is near dead - “Duniya ki sabse choti prem kahani”, as the girl is gone! And the hero is on the rooftop of a train in an exuberant number as he details the qualities of love. Gulzaar, AR Rahman, and Farah Khan combined to make this Shahrukh Khan and Malaika Arora number one for the history books.
Then there is this unusual road song, part patriotic, part self-discovery, sung while driving a motorhome – again AR Rahman combines with Ashutosh Gowarikar and Javed Akhtar to bring this Shahrukh Khan and Makarand Deshpande song to us.
I want to end with a bicycle song – from Padosan! The one and only Saira Banu and her gang on sakhiyaan, singing while they take to the road on bicycles!
A long, long time ago, when the reigning Badshah of Bollywood would have been a toddler and the Shehenshah was just a newcomer, struggling to find his feet in the film industry, one man, single-handedly rewrote the rules of stardom.
The epithet, ‘superstar', was used for the first time for Rajesh Khanna, who, with his handsome ‘boy-next-door' freckled looks, stylised mannerisms and loads of talent elevated star status to a much higher plane, which, hitherto, even the iconic trio of Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar had failed to accomplish. In “Do Raaste”, he was at the zenith of his prowess as an actor, capable of generating unprecedented mass hysteria that became part of folklore – as stories of girls writing love letters in blood – spread like wildfire.
The film, based on a novel by Chandrakant Kakodkar (which won the film its sole Filmfare award that year, for the best story), was adapted for the silver screen by G.R. Kamath, while Akhtar Rohani wrote the dialogues. Raj Khosla, who produced, as well as directed the film, had a winner at hand the moment he finalised the cast and crew, including music composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal and lyricist Anand Bakshi.
Needless to say, they created sheer magic, giving Hindi film industry some of its biggest and most enduring chartbusters of all time, including “Bindiya Chamkegi”, “Yeh Reshmi Zulfein”, “Chhup Gaye Saare Nazare” and “Mere Naseeb Mein Ae Dost”. Khosla demonstrated panache for shooting song sequences in style. Kishore Kumar, who later became the voice of Rajesh Khanna, sang only one song for the actor in this film, the other two were by Mohammed Rafi.
Box-office success
The story of the film played a major part in scripting its box-office success, based as it was on the trials and tribulations of a lower middle class family (with some characters that could loosely be identified from the epic Ramayana- the dutiful eldest step-son, who is his stepmother's favourite and works tirelessly for the betterment of his family and younger siblings, his long suffering wife, who is the epitome of dignity and sacrifice, the respectful youngest brother and the selfless friend).
The story played on the emotions that have dominated the Indian psyche for ages – respect for elders, paramount status of the mother, sanctity of the joint family and supremacy of relations that are stronger than ties of blood. Khosla managed to infuse his rendition with dollops of pathos – although a tauter editing could have made the film more enjoyable.
These days, a lot of emphasis is laid on the ‘chemistry' of ‘jodis' by fly-by-night judges, proliferating on reality shows that are aired dime a dozen on all channels. They just need to watch Khanna serenading a voluptuous Mumtaz in the film to know what chemistry is all about.
The actress, who graduated from doing lead roles in C-grade stunt films to side roles in mainstream cinema to being the topmost female star of her times speaks volumes of her calibre as an actress and perseverance as a fighter.
Whether clad in a sober salwar-kameez, eyes covered with dark sunglasses in “Yeh Reshmi Zulfein” (with an unshaven Khanna) or drenched in rain for “Chhup Gaye Saare Nazare” or clad in a bright orange sari for “Bindiya Chamkegi”, (a modern day Shakuntala, out to win the attention of Khanna, who is busy studying on his terrace) she manages to seduce the camera with her pout and underplayed sensuality.
She was indeed the ultimate diva, who induced a million fantasies.Only Sridevi, in later years, managed to essay roles that Mumtaz did so effortlessly.
The support cast of the film also added to its view-ability, with a list of A-grade actors in main roles. Balraj Sahni (as the eldest of the three brothers and one sister), Kamini Kaushal as his dutiful wife, Prem Chopra as the wayward middle-brother, Bindu as Chopra's westernised wife, Asit Sen as Bindu's laid back, but good natured father and Leela Mishra as his scheming wife, all jelled into the roles they have essayed innumerable number of times.
Veteran actor Jayant, as the wide bodied, large hearted Khan bhai – bringing in the secular touch – who stands by the family in difficult times, dealt the character with maturity, in a role, which, in the hands of a lesser actor could have become a caricature.
One area where Khosla, despite his adept handling of the story, could not restrict himself from falling in the trap was in depiction of college pals of Khanna and Mumtaz – the Parsi, Punjabi and Bengali students were too predictable to elicit any laughter with their antics.
Khanna is perhaps one of the most heart-rending tragedies of the Hindi film industry. His decline from being an icon to a captive of his stylised mannerisms, into which he straitjacketed himself, did not do justice, neither to his immense talent nor to legions of his fans. A fine actor, who did not hesitate to portray different roles, he lost track midway in an industry notorious for being ruthless and unforgiving. How one wishes that he had straddled into the sunset like a colossus.
A long, long time ago, when the reigning Badshah of Bollywood would have been a toddler and the Shehenshah was just a newcomer, struggling to find his feet in the film industry, one man, single-handedly rewrote the rules of stardom.
The epithet, ‘superstar', was used for the first time for Rajesh Khanna, who, with his handsome ‘boy-next-door' freckled looks, stylised mannerisms and loads of talent elevated star status to a much higher plane, which, hitherto, even the iconic trio of Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar had failed to accomplish. In “Do Raaste”, he was at the zenith of his prowess as an actor, capable of generating unprecedented mass hysteria that became part of folklore – as stories of girls writing love letters in blood – spread like wildfire.
The film, based on a novel by Chandrakant Kakodkar (which won the film its sole Filmfare award that year, for the best story), was adapted for the silver screen by G.R. Kamath, while Akhtar Rohani wrote the dialogues. Raj Khosla, who produced, as well as directed the film, had a winner at hand the moment he finalised the cast and crew, including music composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal and lyricist Anand Bakshi.
Needless to say, they created sheer magic, giving Hindi film industry some of its biggest and most enduring chartbusters of all time, including “Bindiya Chamkegi”, “Yeh Reshmi Zulfein”, “Chhup Gaye Saare Nazare” and “Mere Naseeb Mein Ae Dost”. Khosla demonstrated panache for shooting song sequences in style. Kishore Kumar, who later became the voice of Rajesh Khanna, sang only one song for the actor in this film, the other two were by Mohammed Rafi.
Box-office success
The story of the film played a major part in scripting its box-office success, based as it was on the trials and tribulations of a lower middle class family (with some characters that could loosely be identified from the epic Ramayana- the dutiful eldest step-son, who is his stepmother's favourite and works tirelessly for the betterment of his family and younger siblings, his long suffering wife, who is the epitome of dignity and sacrifice, the respectful youngest brother and the selfless friend).
The story played on the emotions that have dominated the Indian psyche for ages – respect for elders, paramount status of the mother, sanctity of the joint family and supremacy of relations that are stronger than ties of blood. Khosla managed to infuse his rendition with dollops of pathos – although a tauter editing could have made the film more enjoyable.
These days, a lot of emphasis is laid on the ‘chemistry' of ‘jodis' by fly-by-night judges, proliferating on reality shows that are aired dime a dozen on all channels. They just need to watch Khanna serenading a voluptuous Mumtaz in the film to know what chemistry is all about.
The actress, who graduated from doing lead roles in C-grade stunt films to side roles in mainstream cinema to being the topmost female star of her times speaks volumes of her calibre as an actress and perseverance as a fighter.
Whether clad in a sober salwar-kameez, eyes covered with dark sunglasses in “Yeh Reshmi Zulfein” (with an unshaven Khanna) or drenched in rain for “Chhup Gaye Saare Nazare” or clad in a bright orange sari for “Bindiya Chamkegi”, (a modern day Shakuntala, out to win the attention of Khanna, who is busy studying on his terrace) she manages to seduce the camera with her pout and underplayed sensuality.
She was indeed the ultimate diva, who induced a million fantasies.Only Sridevi, in later years, managed to essay roles that Mumtaz did so effortlessly.
The support cast of the film also added to its view-ability, with a list of A-grade actors in main roles. Balraj Sahni (as the eldest of the three brothers and one sister), Kamini Kaushal as his dutiful wife, Prem Chopra as the wayward middle-brother, Bindu as Chopra's westernised wife, Asit Sen as Bindu's laid back, but good natured father and Leela Mishra as his scheming wife, all jelled into the roles they have essayed innumerable number of times.
Veteran actor Jayant, as the wide bodied, large hearted Khan bhai – bringing in the secular touch – who stands by the family in difficult times, dealt the character with maturity, in a role, which, in the hands of a lesser actor could have become a caricature.
One area where Khosla, despite his adept handling of the story, could not restrict himself from falling in the trap was in depiction of college pals of Khanna and Mumtaz – the Parsi, Punjabi and Bengali students were too predictable to elicit any laughter with their antics.
Khanna is perhaps one of the most heart-rending tragedies of the Hindi film industry. His decline from being an icon to a captive of his stylised mannerisms, into which he straitjacketed himself, did not do justice, neither to his immense talent nor to legions of his fans. A fine actor, who did not hesitate to portray different roles, he lost track midway in an industry notorious for being ruthless and unforgiving. How one wishes that he had straddled into the sunset like a colossus.
