Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Tabassum 60
Then, 13
Role Play I played the chubby, chirpy daughter of a slave who grows up to become the bewitching Anarkali. I used to roam about in the 8216;royal courtyard8217;. Main Jalal Agha young Salim ki manzoome nazar thi I was his first love.
Sepia Tone When the qawwali clash Teri Mehfil Mein Kismat Aazmake Hum Bhi Dekhenge was being shot, Nigar Sultana K Asif8217;s wife who was pitted against Madhubala8217;s Anarkali told Asifsaab: 8216;Madhubala may be your film8217;s heroine, but I am your heroine in real life. Give me equal footage8217;.
After the shoot, we would sit for baitbaazi an antakshri where couplets are exchanged. Asifsaab was a great mimic and would imitate producer Shapoorji Palonji8217;s bad Hindi pronunciation.
Colour Code I have not seen it yet. But Asifsaab will be smiling up there, just as I8217;m feeling elated here. Life After I remained a character artiste. Television happened in the 8217;70s and I hosted Phool Khile Gulshan Gulshan 1972-1993. I am 60, but people still call me Baby Tabassum.
| nbsp; | I can never forget the moment Asifsaab slapped Madhubala. She was supposed to look hungry and weak for the song. She staggered to the ground in pain. 8216;I want you to look sick and sad. You8217;re playing a broken beloved8217;, he said Minoo Mumtaz |
Minoo Mumtaz 65
Then, 14
Role Play I was part of the troupe participating in the qawwali competition. It was a minor role but significant since the beautiful qawwali, rendered by Shamshad Begum and Lata Mangeshkar, was one of the highlights.
Big Break I had done many movies, like Gharana and Ghoonghat, and was an accomplished dancer. But by the time Asifsaab made his epic, I had quit dancing. I told him that I didn8217;t want any role, but he wouldn8217;t listen. 8216;You have to be in it. Join Nigar Sultana in the qawwali sequence8217;, he ordered. We would shoot just one or two scenes in a day. Being a perfectionist, Asifsaab would want numerous retakes.
Sepia Tone I can never forget the moment when Asifsaab slapped Madhubala on the sets. She was supposed to look hungry and weak for the song, Bebas Pe Karam Ki Jiye Sarkare Medina. She came for the shot fettered by actual iron chains. He asked whether she was hungry. And when she said she was, he slapped her on the face. She staggered to the ground, crying in pain. 8216;I want you to look sick and sad. You are playing a broken beloved8217;, he said.
Colour Code I am in Canada and haven8217;t seen it yet. I will be in Mumbai next month and will see it at a theatre. They have fulfilled Asifsaab8217;s dreams.
Life After I did some films after Mughal-E-Azam. Many people thought I was a better dancer than Helen. But after my marriage in 1974, I quit Bollywood. My brothers Mehmood and Usman Ali asked Asifsaab if they could borrow a part of the Sheesh Mahal created for the sets; they used it to decorate my marriage pandal.
Madan Kothari 81
Then, 35
Role Play I distributed Mughal-E-Azam in the Mumbai circuit. I would ask Asifsaab about the film and he gave me dates, which he would not honour. Then I stopped asking him thinking it would never release.
Big Break A friend suggested I distribute the movie since it was a big project with an impressive cast. Asifsaab showed me just the song, Jab Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya, and I was enticed. Here was a masterpiece. I knew people would love it.
| nbsp; | Asifsaab asked me to look after the water tanker. I decided to quit direction that day. But I don8217;t regret it. It was from people like him that I learnt to be sincere 8211; Surinder Kapoor |
Sepia Tone Asifsaab was madly in love with his project and used real weapons and chandeliers. The costumes looked as if they were straight out of a Mughal wardrobe. We suggested that the costumes should be displayed at an exhibition. Thousands turned up to see them at the Jehangir Art Gallery.
Colour Code I saw it at its premier last month. I met Yusufbhai Dilip Kumar after a long time. He hugged me. He had skipped the 1960 premiere due to differences with Asifsaab.
Life After I had a contract for 10 years with the producers. I didn8217;t distribute any other Hindi film after that. I quit distribution in the 1980s, and now spend time with my grandchildren and my memories.
Santosh Singh Jain 84
Then, 40
Role Play I was the manager of Maratha Mandir in Central Mumbai where the movie was premiered on August 5, 1960. Maratha Mandir was decorated like a bride. We booked tickets a week in advance. Thousands spent the previous night, a rainy one, in the open, waiting for their tickets.
Four sub-inspectors and 40 constables were in charge of controlling the crowd. The cavalcade of the then chief minister, YB Chavan, took an hour to reach Mumbai Central from Tardeo, a distance of a mere one kilometre. The invitations went in the form of a shahi firmaan royal order.
Big Break I joined the brand new theatre in 1958. We planned to open it with Mughal-E-Azam, but went ahead with Sadhna as its release got delayed.
Sepia Tone I would often visit Mohan Studios during the film8217;s shooting and find Asifsaab sleeping on a mat. A chain-smoker, he would hold his cigarette between the index and middle fingers and take deep drags through his cupped fist. He was a man of the masses, often breaking bread with the artistes.
Colour Code My son-in-law owns a theatre in north Mumbai, where the refurbished Mughal-E-Azam is now running. But I have not seen it yet. Colouring it is like giving it another life.
Life After I entered film distribution in 1961. I8217;m also a distributor for
Kodak8217;s raw stock, which is used for making film prints. I don8217;t see films or watch TV. Nobody makes films like Mughal-E-Azam today. You would be mad to do that.
Surinder Kapoor 78
Then, 28
Role Play I was one of Asifsaab8217;s several assistants. Since I was young, I did a lot of running around. Initially, I was in charge of the labourers who worked on the sets. But the carpenters did not like me. They complained to Asifsaab and I was asked to do other errands. We would work for just two or three months and would sit out the rest of the year. It8217;s during that time that I learnt to play rummy. I still play it.
Big Break Since my father came from Peshawar, he knew Prithviraj Kapoorsaab. My parents were in Meerut while I lived in Delhi, and I wanted to get out of the city. A cousin wrote to Prithviji and he asked me what I could do. I said, 8216;Get me anything. Gauni bhi utha sakta hoonI can even carry sacks8217;. He called me to Mumbai and I arrived by the Frontier Mail. The same evening, he took me to Asifsaab. He wouldn8217;t say no to anybody. 8216;Chalo lag jao Come on, join me8217;, he said. And that8217;s how I got into it for a princely sum of Rs 80 a month. I worked with him for five years, but ultimately got bored of direction.
Sepia Tone We were in Jaipur for the outdoor shoots. Water was scarce there and since many armymen were part of the battle scenes, water would come from the army cantonment. Asifsaab asked me to look after the water tanker. I decided to quit direction that day. But I don8217;t regret it. It was from people like him that I learnt to be sincere and dedicated. Woh to bilkul paagal tha he was completely mad about his work.
Colour Code I saw it on its premiere. Except for the first reel, the rest looks as if it was originally shot in colour.
Life After Once I left Asifsaab, I turned to production. My first film was Jabse Tumhein Dekha Hai in the late 8217;60s. I8217;ve produced 11 films, including the hugely successful Mr India.
