MOVIE MILESTONES:
SIMPLY UNFORGETTABLE

As part of SCREEN’s 50th anniversary celebrations, we toast a few of the landmark Hindi movies that made history during the last five decades years. While some of these made an impact with their striking themes, treatment or performance, others make the grade by dint of their phenomenal collections at the turnstiles..

 

THE GOLDEN 50s

Awara (1951)
The film released after the Raj Kapoor-starrer Barsaat made history in many ways. Raj Kapoor acquired the right of the film from KA Abbas who had first offered it to Mehboob Khan, who was looking for a perfect film for Dilip Kumar. Apart from being a big b-o grosser, the film gave Raj Kapoor the first taste of the heady philosophy of socialism from Pandit Nehru and KA Abbas. The film got a tremendous response in Teheran and Russia thus opening the door for an overseas market for Indian films.

Aan (1952)
The Dilip Kumar, Nimmi starrer by Mehboob Khan was the first Indian film in Technicolor shot in 16 mm and later blown upto 35 mm.

Do Bhiga Zameen (1953)
The film starring Balraj Sahni and Nirupa Roy and directed by Bimal Roy brought out the plight of landless labourers. It received critical acclaim and was the first film to get special mention at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mirza Ghalib (1954)
The first film to be made on the life of a renowned poet by Sohrab Modi was also the first to win the President’s gold medal for the best Hindi film of the year.

Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje (1955)
The film, made purely on the theme of dance, became a rage for some unique dance numbers by Sandhya and Kathak exponent Gopi Krishna. The V Shantaram film was also the first 35 mm film to be re-issued on the 70 mm format after a gap of 27 years in 1982.

Shree 420 (1955)
The Raj Kapoor-Nargis starrer directed by RK himself brought to the fore his Chaplinesque figure more prominently in form, content and treatment. The film was not only a big hit in India, but all over, and was released overseas, too, particularly in Russia, The film perpetuated the Nargis-Raj Kapoor legend.

Jaagte Raho (1956)
The subject of the film was narrated by Shombu Maitra and Anil Maitra to Raj Kapoor and he instantly agreed to make the film in Hindi and Bengali. Later the film was also dubbed in Tamil. The film starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis in the lead, won the first Grand Prix at the major International Film Festival at Karlovy Vary in Czechoslovakia in 1957.

Mother India (1957)
The immortal film of Hindi cinema by Mehboob Khan will be remembered long for the fantastic performance by Nargis. And this film also resulted in Nargis and Sunil Dutt coming together in real life. The marvellous actress won the best actress award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The film also had a rare American preview at World Theatre, New York on July 3, 1959.

Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957)
The subject of reformation of criminals attempted by V Shantaram was also a big musical hit. The film walked away with the Catholic Cinema Bureau Award at the Berlin Film Festival and the Samuel Goldwyn International Award in 1958 for the best foreign film which was quite rare in those days.

Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958)
The film featured the irresistible Ganguly trio - Ashok Kumar, Anup Kumar and Kishore Kumar. The film was a big commercial hit and the music was appreciated well. The film supposed to boost the career of Anup Kumar who did not quite enjoy the same success as his brothers.

Kagaz Ke Phool (1959)
This was the first Hindi film made in the cinemascope format, which depicted the tragedy of a showman. Guru Dutt portrayed the role of a filmmaker who has his own ups and down in his career. The film also featured Waheeda Rehman in the role of an actress
.
Navrang (1959)
V Shantaram once again proved his subject was the real hero of the film when he cast relative newcomer, Mahipal opposite Sandhya. Music by C Ramchandra and graceful dances by Sandhya were the major highlights.

Sujata (1959)
Bimal Roy attempted the off-beat social theme of untouchability with this film with remarkable success. Music by SD Burman and Nutan’s performance stood out prominently.

THE SWINGING 60s

Chaudvin Ka Chaand (1960)
A Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman starrer, the film was a big musical success due to its unique love story. It brought an altogether different shade of romance to the Indian audience.

Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hain (1960)
The film may well be said to be the first to propagate the evils of dacoity. The film also started a trend for the dacoity subject on the Hindi screen. Featuring Raj Kapoor and Padmini in the lead, and despite the masala, music and sex-appeal, it conveyed allegorically an important message of love and brotherhood.

Mughle-E-Azam (1960)
The most ambitious film ever attempted in Indian cinema, it took more than 8 years for K Asif to complete the film and it almost pushed him to the verge of bankruptcy. Despite being so long in the making, it never lost its charm when released unlike other delayed films and was a big b-o success. The historical subject and soul stirring music by Naushad were the major highlights.

Kanoon (1960)
What made the murder mystery strikingly different from the run of the mill fare of the decade was the fantastic performance by Ashok Kumar and the court room drama which was never witnessed before in any films.

Mujhe Jeene Do (1963)
Sunil Dutt started off from where Raj Kapoor left with a film on dacoity. The success of this film made many filmmakers to rush towards the Chambal ravines for a film on the lives of dacoits. The film also starred Waheeda Rehman and Mumtaz.

Ganga Jamuna (1961)
Dilip Kumar for the first time dabbled in producing a dacoit film and also featured himself in the lead. The film was a big commercial success due to a classic performance by Vyjayantimala and music by Naushad.

Dosti (1964)
The film by Rajshree Productions surprised everyone as it was made on a shoe-string budget and featured newcomers, Sushil Kumar and Sudhir Kumar in the lead. But the characterisation by director Satyen Bose and excellent music by Laxmikant Pyarelal made it a big commercial success.

Guide (1965)
The film was the first co-production and also the first to be made in Hindi and English. The Vijay Anand-directed film was based on a story by RK Narayan and was a big commercial success partly due to a few melodious numbers.

Upkaar (1967)
The film was an excellent portrayal of Indian rural life and Manoj Kumar buttered it with his usual dose of patriotism. Pran’s performance was highly acclaimed and some very good music made it a big success at the b-o.

Padosan (1968)
How far Mehmood dominated the cast as a comedian was never more visible than when he took on the likes of Sunil Dutt, Kishore Kumar, Sairo Banu, Mukri and Keshto in this film. It was a big hit and the song Chatura Naal.. became a rage.

Saraswati Chandra (1968)
This film by director Govind Sariya became a sucess due to a solo stupendous effort by Nutan and some very good songtracks by music directors Kalyanji-Anandji.

THE COMMERCIAL 70s

Mera Naam Joker (1970)
It is said that the film was the most ambitious project of Raj Kapoor and was really three films in one, narrating as it did, the story of an eternal clown who makes the world laugh while he himself weeps silently within. The film was too long and had two intervals. The film which was six years in the making was a disaster at the b-o. After this, Raj Kapoor had a string of big hits.

Pakeezah (1971)
It was the last film of the great actress Meena Kumari. Music by Ghulam Mohammed made it a big success at the turnstiles.

Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971)
The film was the first one to be shot n Nepal which portrayed the lives of hippies who came in hoardes to India in those days. The film also featuring Mumtaz and Zeenat Aman was a musical hit scored by RD Burman.

Abhimaan (1973)
The film by Hrishikesh Mukherjee was an inside view on the lives of celebrities and the envy between a husband and wife. The film will be remembered for its brilliant performance by Jaya Bhaduri and beautiful music by SD Burman. Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bhaduri tied the knot soon after the film.

Zanjeer (1973)
This was the first film which totally changed the image of Amitabh Bachchan. The sober-looking actor of films like Abhiman and Mili began to develop the aura of the angry young man.

Bobby (1973)
Raj Kapoor hit back with a vengeance with this film, which launched Dimple Kapadia as an actress. The huge success of this film wiped out all the losses and bad memories of Mera Naam Joker.

Namak Haram (1973)
One a superstar while the other a star in the making. Director Hrishikesh Mukherjee managed to bring Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan together once again through this film after his earlier attempt in Anand made in 1970. The film was received well due to its simpler storyline. But after the release of the film the two could never be paired again as the status of the two actors changed dramatically with Amitabh’s career soaring high with a string of hits and Rajesh Khanna finding himself on a downslide. There can’t be a better example of how the fortune changes in this industry with times.Aandhi (1975)
The offbeat film on a political theme by Gulzar featuring Suchitra Sen in the lead role was banned by the Government of India during the emergency as her character was said to be modelled on the Prime Minister.

Deewar (1975)
The film propelled Amitabh Bachchan to dizzy heights of popularity and gained him the tag of angry young man. It was the major turning point of his career.

Jai Santoshi Maa (1975)
The film made on a relatively small budget competed with Sholay, the all time hit of those days. It became a craze due to its music and Santoshi Maata’s immense devotion prevailing at the time.

Kabhie Kabhie (1976)
This was the first film of Yash Chopra, after he seperated from his elder BR Chopra, as director under his own banner Yashraj Films and it was musical hit with artistes like Amitabh Bachchan, Rakhee, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh and Waheeda Rehman in lead roles.

Sholay (1977)
The mother of all hits, Sholay is the landmark film of Indian cinema as it created history at the b-o. It was the first biggest multi-starrer and brought in big screen entertaiment with its stereophonic soundtrack and 70 mm format.

Kissa Kursi Ka (1977)
The film which was banned during the Emergency and later destroyed by fire was remade but failed to enthuse the audience despite the controversies surrounding it.

Amar Akbar Anthony (1977)
The formula film or masala films came into existance with this one. Manmohan Desai took up the task of narrating the lost and found drama with remarkable conviction and the film appealed to all sections of the audience.

THE TRENDSETTING 80s

Masoom (1980)
The film based on Eric Segal’s Man, Woman And Child, had a delicate subject skilfully handled by Shekhar Kapur, later to make his mark on the international scene as director. The relation between the father and son born out of wedlock was well-etched and made the film strikingly different. It also marked the debut of child artistes Jugal Hansraj and Urmila Matondkar.

Karz (1980)
Director Subhash Ghai made his foothold more stronger with this reincarnation film which was always considered a dicey subject to make films. The music of the film became extraordinary popular and it helped Ghai to establish himself as a filmmaker with an ear for good music. The showman who was on an accent in his career at this time never looked back after this and lived upto the expectation of the cinegoers in his future ventures.

Ek Dooje Ke Liye (1981)
The Kamal Hassan, Rati Agnihotri starrer by veteran LV Prasad was a trend-setter. The musical love story was appreciated well by the youth and family audiences.

Meri Aawaz Suno (1981)
The political action thriller by SV Rajendra Singh starring Jeetendra was banned by the censors owing to its political overtones. The film was later released after a protracted court battle.

Umrao Jaan (1981)
The period film featuring Rekha in the title role was appreciated well by the masses for its music. Rekha bagged the prestigious national award for her role.

Ardh Satya (1983)
The Govind Nihalani movie, backed by searing performances by Om Puri, Sadashiv Amrapurkar and Amrish Puri figures among the best Hindi films ever.

Coolie (1983)
This film proved fatal for Amitabh Bachchan when he was seriously injured while shooting for the film in Bangalore. The entire nation prayed for his life and fortunately he survived after a long battle with life. When the film was relased,the particular shot was prominently shown with frozen shots for the benefit of cinegoers. The film received excellent response.

Saraansh (1984)
The Mahesh Bhatt movie is yet another landmark movie of the decade, and had great performances by Anupam Kher and Rohini Hattangadi as its highlights.

Chotha Chetan (1984)
India’s first 3-D film dubbed from a Malayalam film struck an instant chord with the children. The film was re-released in 1998 with an additional song featuring Urmila Matondkar.

Raam Teri Ganga Maili (1985)
Raj Kapoor based this film on the sorry state of the sacred Ganges through its main character in his own inimitable style. The film received a fair response partly due to its music and presented a new actress, Mandakini, to Hindi cinema.

Ankush (1986)
The first film by editor-turned-director N Chandra made a strong comment on the urban mafia and its effect on middle class society. Though the film was made on a small budget, it sowed the seeds for films based on the mafia, a trend that continues to this day.

Pushpak (1987)
The off-beat silent movie featuring Kamal Hassan and Amala directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao was lapped up well by the audience for its gutsy experimentation with the media.

Mr India (1987)
The subject of the invisible man and the comedy track struck an instant chord with the masses. The Shekar Kapur film starred Anil Kapoor and Sridevi in the lead. Music by Laxmikant-Pyarelal proved to be an added advantage.

Mirch Masala (1987)
The Ketan Mehta-directed film, featuring Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil in the lead, received a great deal of well-deserved critical acclaim.

Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
This film re-established the faith in musical love stories among filmmakers. In fact, a new trend emerged after the release of this film and filmmakers realised the importance of good music track.

Maine Pyar Kiya (1989)
The Rajshree movie featuring Salman Khan and Bhagyashree in lead roles was a big success at the turnstiles.

THE YOUTHFUL 90s

Aashique (1990)
The star sytem took a back seat and films with newcomers became the order of the day. This film with a new leading pair was a big success and its music became a rage and revolotionised the music market in a big way.

Ghayal (1991)

Dil (1991)
Both films were released on the same day with divergent subjects — one with a love story and the other, an actioner - and both became the top films of the year. The films were a tremendous boost to their heroes, Sunny Deol and Aamir Khan.

Saudagar (1991)
Showman Subhash Ghai came up with a casting coup by featuring thespian Dilip Kumar opposite the enigmatic Raaj Kumar. It also marked the entry of actress Manisha Koirala.

Bombay (1995)
The film set against the backdrop of the 1992 riots in Mumbai was riddled with controversies due its subject of a muslim girl in love with a Hindu boy. Religious fundamentalists created a big issue but the film managed to get released and was well-received.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun (1995)
The film by young Sooraj Barjatya proved that his earlier hit, Maine Pyar Kiya was not just a flash in the pan. The film broke all b-o records of Indian films, drawing terrific collections all over. In terms of collections, the film overtook the records of the all-time hit Sholay.

Khamoshi-The Musical (1996)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali made his debut with this sensible film about the lives of a deaf and dumb couple and their interaction with their only child. The film unfortunately didn’t do well as filmgoers were disappointed finding a fiery actor like Nana Patekar in a role where he couldn’t mouth his dialogues. The director has to wait for another two years to pocket maximum awards with Hum Dil Chuke Sanam.

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge (1997)
The film directed by Aditya Chopra recently completed its 250-week run, which is rare in our times.

Bandit Queen (1997)
This film by Shekhar Kapur on dacoit queen turned politician Phoolan Devi ran into a lot of trouble before finally hitting the marguee. The producer had to resort to an out of court settlement with the reformed dacoit to ensure its release. The disturbing film was received well all over, especially in the overseas market.

Border (1997)
The JP Dutta Film made against the backdrop of cross-border terrorism was not just critically-acclaimed but was also a commercial success. Sunil Shetty, Akshaye Khanna, Sunny Deol and Jackie Shroff played lead roles.

Dil Se... (1998)
The plot of the film by Mani Ratnam had a close resemblance to the modus operandi adopted by Tamil rebels to eliminate Rajiv Gandhi. An inspired performance by Shah Rukh Khan and Manisha Koirala and some very popular soundtrack including the phenomenally-successful Chaiyya chaiyya number by AR Rahman made it a special treat. Its performance at the b-o left a lot to be desired, though
.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
Another young filmmaker Karan Johar took over from his father and came out with a breezy love story with outstanding music.

Viraasat (1998)
The remake of the Tamil superhit Thevar Magan was directed by Priyadarshan, who made some changes in the original script. The film was well-received. Anil Kapoor won the national award for best actor for his performance in the film.

Satya (1998)
The film, a stark, unsparing take on the Mumbai underworld makes the grade for Ram Gopal Verma’s realistic directorial touches. The film received a good response all over, despite the typical Bambaiyya subject.

THE UNFINISHED 2000s

Kaho Na... Pyar Hai (2000)
Rakesh Roshan’s young prodigy Hrithik Roshan attained stardom with his very first film, and became the new darling of young cinebuffs. There’s a great deal of expectations pinned on Hrithik, after his seasoned performance in his debut movie. The film completed its silver jubilee run recently when majority of films rarely go past the 10 week run at theatres.

Padmaraj Nair