Raj Khosla At 100 - Meet The Man Behind Sadhana's 'Mystery Woman'
There's a Hindi proverb which translates in English to "Behind every successful man, there's a woman". In the case of Raj Khosla and Sadhana, this saying proved to be true, both ways.
In his 30-year career, Raj Khosla made a name for himself as a director with star-studded movies such as Dev Anand's CID; Mera Gaon Mera Desh, starring Dharmendra and Asha Parekh; and Dostana with Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha.
Advertisement - Scroll to continue
But what made him stand apart from his contemporaries was his mystery trilogy -- Woh Kaun Thi? (1964), Mera Saaya (1966), and Anita (1967) - all three with Sadhana in the centre. While women characters in Raj Khosla's films were hardly just an arm candy or a mute spectator, his collaboration with Sadhana in the genre holds special importance.
According to Raj Khosla: The Authorized Biography, a book penned by Amborish Roychoudhury in association with the director's daughters Anita Khosla and Uma Khosla Kapur, these three films were "all primarily love stories neatly wrapped in a thrilling exterior. At the heart of the mysteries were a man and a woman (actually two women - Sadhana had double roles in all three films) in love."
Raj Khosla: The Authorized Biography
Photo Credit: Cover designed by Pia Alizé Hazarika
Raj Khosla Kaun The?
Born in Punjab in 1925, Raj Khosla was one of the most prominent filmmakers and screenwriters in Hindi film industry between the 1950s to1980s. May 31 (Saturday) marks the birth centenary of the director.
He cut his teeth in films as an assistant to master filmmaker Guru Dutt before flying solo.
Whether it was experimenting with opening credits, film editing techniques, staying true to genre without compromising on the emotional quotient, or his handling of musical sequences, the filmmaker was a cinematic visionary.
He trained in Indian classical music and came to Bombay, erstwhile Mumbai, looking for work as a singer: he was part of the All India Radio's music staff.
Sadhana As 'The Hero' And Fashion Icon In Raj Khosla's Films
Before embarking on the suspense trilogy, Raj Khosla and Sadhana first collaborated on 1962's Ek Musafir Ek Hasina.
The Hindi cinema of the 1960s and 1970s was dominated by the hero, especially in musical romance films. So to take a female actor and make her the driving force of the story, along with internalised acting and all the song-and-dance (Remember Lag Ja Gale from Woh Kaun Thi? and Jhumka Gira Re from Mera Saaya?), in genres such as mystery and suspense thriller, was almost avant-garde.
(1966) Raj Khosla and Sadhana during the shoot of song 'Jhumka Gira Re', for film 'Mera Saaya'. pic.twitter.com/1vi0nlMpDJ
— Film History Pics (@FilmHistoryPic) February 20, 2018
Sadhana's status as a fashion icon -- the first Hindi film female actor to have a hairstyle famously named after her -- was also a bonus for Raj Khosla's films. Whether it was the floral saree and pearl jewellery in the haunting Lag Ja Gale or an embroidered powder blue saree against the backdrop of a palace in Udaipur in the love ballad Nainon Mein Badra Chhaye (Mera Saaya), the Raj Khosla and Sadhana duo was a winning sartorial combination too.
Raj Khosla, Sadhana And Mystery
According to the book, filmmaker and historian Karan Bali highlighted how the late filmmaker worked with his cinematographer KH Kapadia to get just the right low-key lighting to add to "Sadhana's mystery" in Woh Kaun Thi?, also starring Manoj Kumar.
"... It adds to the confusion that Manoj Kumar is going through, and the way he Khosla makes Sadhana walk so that her face is always within light..."
Raj engaged in an intense conversation with Sadhana, one of his closest friends in the industry.
Photo Credit: Personal collection of Raj Khosla's family
The book, recently published by Hachette India, also states that Mera Saaya had "a better ending" than Woh Kaun Thi?
"While the latter had a series of mysteries and red herrings built into the script, in the end it all boiled down to one explanation: that the heroine had a humshakal, a twin (Bollywood's favourite buzzword till well into the 1990s). However, in Mera Saaya, we already know that there's someone who looks like the heroine. Yet, till the denouement occurs, even seasoned thriller buffs are left scratching their head and wondering what really could have happened. If keeping the audience guessing till the end is a Hitchcockian trait, Raj Khosla was the finest Hitchcockian director India had seen."
Raj Khosla and Sadhana collaborated on four films - Ek Musafir Ek Hasina and the mystery woman trilogy. Why we never got another film remains a mystery.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Dia Mirza shares hilarious nickname from stepdaughter: 'Dia, not yet the evil stepmother'
Dia Mirza , who married businessman Vaibhav Rekhi in 2021, often shares heartwarming glimpses of her family life on social media. Recently, she candidly opened up about her relationship with her stepdaughter, Samaira Rekhi, humorously recalling the unique "stepmom" title Samaira has given her, which comes with a witty and sassy twist. Challenging fairy tale biases In a recent interview with Official People of India, Dia reflected on her own experience growing up with a stepfather, Ahmed Mirza. She shared that her limited exposure to traditional fairy tales actually helped her avoid common biases against step-parents. According to Dia, these stories often perpetuate the notion that "stepfathers and stepmothers are always evil." This personal reflection immediately brought to mind her stepdaughter, Samaira Rekhi. Dia revealed, 'Which brings me to Samaira, who has saved my number on her phone as - Dia, not yet the evil stepmother. That's what fairy tales do, right? I wonder if she's changed the description under my name.' This playful revelation highlights how Samaira is playfully navigating the conventional, often negative, stereotypes associated with step-parents. A moving bond with her own stepfather The Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein actress also shared a poignant memory with her own stepfather. She recounted how, as a child, she instinctively began calling him 'abba' soon after her mother married him, embracing him wholeheartedly. Dia shared that her stepfather was not overtly expressive or physically affectionate. However, she noted that they eventually "turned him into a hugger." She movingly recalled their last meeting before his demise in 2003. "I remember the last time I met him in Hyderabad before I went to an overseas shoot, during which time he passed away. I'll never forget the hug he gave me and the tears he had in his eyes as he said goodbye,' she shared, underscoring the deep emotional bond they shared. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Has he gone mad?': Ram Gopal Varma recalls Mani Ratnam's blunt reaction to changing Dil Se climax
's 'Dil Se' stands as a significant film in Hindi cinema, but its initial release was met with mixed reactions, largely due to its tragic ending where Shah Rukh Khan's character dies. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a recent interaction, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who co-produced the film, revealed a fascinating behind-the-scenes conflict where he acted as a mediator between Ratnam and another producer, Bharat Shah. The proposed alternate ending RGV recalled that producer Bharat Shah was profoundly unhappy with Dil Se's poignant climax. Following the film's initial negative audience feedback, Shah even suggested a drastically different ending to Mani Ratnam. Speaking on IndiaTV ShowBiz, RGV recounted Shah's exact proposition: "When Dil Se released and there was massive negative talk, initially Bharat Shah said that people didn't like Shah Rukh being killed. He asked not to make it a tragedy. After the film released, he told me that we should cut the bomb blast scene. He said that the moment Shah Rukh and Manisha hug each other, we should switch to the 'Chaiya Chaiya' song.' Shah's intention was for the audience to perceive a happy ending if a popular song played after the lead characters embraced. Mani Ratnam's blunt response RGV, acting as the intermediary, conveyed Bharat Shah's unconventional suggestion to Mani Ratnam. He recalled the director's unequivocal and blunt reaction: "Mani told me, 'Has he gone mad or what? How can Shah Rukh hug Manisha and in the next moment imagine Malaika Arora.'" This humorous yet firm dismissal underscored Ratnam's commitment to his artistic vision for the film's tragic narrative. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Dil Se concludes with Manisha Koirala's character, a suicide bomber, being embraced by her lover, played by Shah Rukh Khan, just as the bomb detonates, killing both of them. The reason behind the unusual suggestion During the interview, it was also revealed that Bharat Shah's unusual idea to end the film with 'Chaiya Chaiya' wasn't random. It stemmed from feedback he received directly from exhibitors. Apparently, a significant number of people purchase tickets primarily to watch the immensely popular 'Chaiya Chaiya' song, which plays approximately ten minutes into the film, and then leave the theatre shortly thereafter. This practice caused financial issues for theatre owners, particularly impacting sales of snacks like popcorn, cola, and samosas. Exhibitors had reportedly suggested moving the hit song to a post-interval slot to encourage audiences to stay longer and boost concession sales. Despite its initial box office challenges in India, Dil Se garnered positive reviews from critics and achieved significant success overseas, cementing its status as a cult classic.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
When Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty spoke about Bollywood's class divide
and are one of the most successful actor-director duos in Hindi cinema. Out of Rohit Shetty's 14 films, 12 starred Ajay. These include all four movies from the comedy series 'Golmaal' and the four films in the cop universe, starting with 'Singham' in 2011 and going up to 'Sooryavanshi' in 2021. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In 2014, before the release of Singham Returns, Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty spoke about the class divide in the Hindi film industry during a promotional interview with Film Companion. They referred to a message Ajay had sent to Rohit back in 2011 on Karan Johar's chat show Koffee With Karan, where he said:"I am so happy that people who abused your kind of movies want to work with you now", the actor and the filmmaker were asked if a class divide exists within Bollywood. The Tanhaji star, Ajay Devgn, said he personally hadn't faced the issue but had heard people call Golmaal 'trash cinema.' He pointed out the irony that those same people later approached Rohit Shetty to direct films for them, realizing that they needed such so-called 'trash cinema' to stay relevant in the industry. Rohit Shetty, who also hosts the popular reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi, said he has no ego or arrogance about his work and believes he's simply making films for his audience. He shared that many people have now come around, saying he's not doing anything wrong or harmful. Referring to the earlier criticism from the elite crowd, Rohit humorously compared himself to Amitabh Bachchan's 'bad guy' character from Deewar (1975), calling the critics Nirupa Roy and the elite Shashi Kapoor. He concluded by saying he's happy being Amitabh—the so-called bad guy—at the end of the day. In November last year, Rohit Shetty's Sooryavanshi revived the Indian box office, earning nearly ₹200 crores after theatres reopened nationwide following a two-year Covid-19 lockdown. Rohit and Ajay have also hinted at the next film in their cop universe, Singham 3, though an official announcement is still awaited. Rohit Shetty
