Book/Film Reviews

One hundred years of Sarat Chandra’s ‘Devdas’

Devdas June 30, 2017

Some time back,  there was an interesting discussion between Ashok Kumar Tyagi and Hans about the story of Devdas and as to why Sanjay Leela Bhansali took so much liberties with it. I doubt if they realised that it was the centenary year of the publication of Sarat Chandra’s eponymous novel. Such coincidences have often happened […]

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Naushad’s Priceless Moment: ‘Anmol Ghadi’

Anmol Ghadi December 25, 2015

Wishing Merry Christmas to all with a tribute to Naushad, Rafi and Noorjehan I heralded 2015 with Naushad’s Crown Jewel, Rattan (1944), and decided to celebrate the year as The Year of Naushad. I cannot think of a better way to conclude the year than to remember his next Priceless Moment in his career, Anmol […]

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Raju Bharatan’s ‘Naushadnama’

Naushadnama May 5, 2015

Book Review as a tribute to Naushad on his 9th death anniversary (25 December 1919-5 May 2006)   Naushadnama By Raju Bharatan Hay House India (2013) pp. 341 The most important thing about Raju Bharatan’s Naushadnama is that it is Raju Bharatan’s Naushadnama. Which means, if you are familiar with his writings, that there is a […]

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The Master of Musical Comedies C Ramchandra and his ‘Patanga’ (1949)

Patanga (1949) January 12, 2015

A tribute on C Ramchandra’s birth anniversary January 12 (12 Jan 1918-5 Jan 1982) In my simplified history of Hindi film music, when I move from RC Boral-Pankaj Mullick to Anil Biswas to Naushad, it would be quite unfair if I miss C Ramchandra. The Great Maratha (in the sense of one belonging to Maharashtra) […]

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The Jewel in the Crown of Naushad: ‘Rattan’ (1944)

Rattan January 1, 2015

SoY celebrates 2015 as the Year of Naushad in the 75th Anniversary Year of his debut If I were to write the history of Hindi film music, it would go as follows. Once upon a time there were RC Boral and Pankaj Mullick. Then came Anil Biswas. He was followed by Naushad, who in a […]

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A ‘serious’ review of Sangam (1964) in its Golden Jubilee Year

Sangam March 17, 2014

Raj Kapoor overturns Bollywood triangle to convey profound social messages Reviewing a film is not a joke unless you are Madhu, Anu or Memsaab Greta. Then, why am I venturing into a field in which I have no expertise, and why Sangam? Review of a Bollywood blockbuster like Sangam suffers from both the ends. At […]

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Well Done Abba: Mainstreaming of the ‘Muslim’ in Hindi films

Thumbnail image for Well Done Abba: Mainstreaming of the ‘Muslim’ in Hindi films June 7, 2010

You would be hard put to recall a mainstream film whose hero bore the name Salim, Javed or Asghar – unless it was a ‘Muslim’ film.  You might think of the student-poet Anwar (Rajendra Kumar in Mere Mehboob, 1963) plaintively singing Mere mehboob tujhe meri mohabbat ki kasam in the college farewell function, which was […]

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