DECEMBEER 21: A fire -devastated, decrepit and sad-looking Mehboob Studio is something that most Bollywood veterans would hate to see. It was here, after all, that the likes of Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, BR Chopra and Yash Johar among many others created some of their best work in the annals of Indian cinema. Built in 1952, Mehboob Studio which soon became a landmark in Mumbai's upmarket area of Bandra (W) and saw the shooting of memorable films like Mother India that Mehboob Khan made immediately after completing the studio, Andaz, Roti, Aurat and almost all of Dev Anand's films including Hum Dono and Guide.Mehboob Khan had shot his earlier films like Anmol Ghadi in other studios but constructed his studio at a time when Mumbai was replete with film studios in the belief that a state-of-art studio at a good location that met most requirements of film-making would stand the test of time. It did. Whenever Mehboob Khan was not shooting his film, it was leased out to other producers and film-makers which is how Dev Anand ended up making most of Navketan banner films here except the last two or three. Eventually, Anand rented office space in Mehboob Studio for over 20 years ending his relationship only when Mehboob's sons Shaukat and Iqbal began to harass tenants to vacate the place a few years ago.Recalls Anand, ``In those days Mehboob Khan was not allowing outside producers to shoot in his Studio but he made an exception in my case. My first film to be shot there was Hum Dono followed by the ever sentimental Guide and all others. I had a special make-up room for years which Mrs Mehboob Khan (Sardar Akhtar) had got done for me. It is still locked. There is a special sentiment attached to Mehboob Studio and I feel sad that two floors were gutted.''A huge fire destroyed stage one and stage two of the Studio late on Tuesday night. Well-known director Ramesh Sippy had a set ready there for shooting his latest film Kuch Na Kaho starring Abhishek Bachchan. However, the fire did not reach stage three which was constructed much later though the damage done to the Studio is enormous and film-makers wonder when, if at all, film-making will resume at the historical location.Mehboob Studio was among the few that survived the onslaught of new architecture and demands on land in the city (see box). Most others were either converted into business and commercial locations rented out or simply turned into highrise buildings or made way for the Western Express Highway. Other survivors include Filmistan, R K Studios, Natraj and Filmalaya.Reminisces Mahesh Bhatt who shot Saransh there, shooting him to instant fame in the 80s, ``I feel a deep sense of loss. I was barely 20 when I walked into the Studio as an assistant to Raj Khosla and it was like a temple to me. The glory of the all-time favourite Mother India was everywhere around. It was the last monument of Mehboob Khan's vision. I shot Saransh on the floor that was gutted in the fire. I only hope the management has the strength to rebuild the burnt portions because it was a monument to the golden era of the film industry.''Noted film-makers of yesteryears had their offices here. The late Raj Khosla had his office and shot all his films in Mehboob Studio. Film-makers Johnny Bakshi and Raja Navathe were among the others who had their offices here. In recent years though, Shaukat and Iqbal Khan had all the tenants removed. Unlike other studios, hiring Mehboob Studio was always expensive as the studios had to be maintained well. Thus, only top producers could afford to shoot there. Yash Chopra and Yash Johar, who shot Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai respectively frequented the studios. Yash Johar fancied the studios and shot all his films inlcuding Gumrah and Duplicate.
