Latest news with #Bandini
News18
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
This Bollywood Lyricist Was Born Hindu But Is 'Culturally Muslim'
Last Updated: His journey began in 1963 with "Mora Gora Rang Laile" for Bimal Roy's Bandini. Over the years, he gave gems like "Tere Bina Zindagi," "Kajrare Kajrare," and "Chaiya Chaiya" A legendary lyricist and poet continues to shine in Hindi cinema and literature. Known for unforgettable songs in Hindi films, he has penned works in Urdu, Punjabi, Khariboli, and Hindi, leaving a lasting impact on generations. Born Sampurn Singh Kalra, Gulzar's poetry and lyrics remain deeply cherished across the country. Gulzar's works often reflect the pain of partition, the essence of Delhi's streets, and the influence of Ghalib's writings. In an interview, he described himself as 'culturally Muslim' due to his mixed Hindi and Urdu heritage, a sentiment evident in his writings. His journey began in 1963 with the song ' Mora Gora Rang Laile ' for Bimal Roy's film ' Bandini '. Over the years, he has gifted us numerous gems like ' Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi Shikwa Nahin ', ' Kajrare Kajrare ', and ' Chaiya Chaiya ', showcasing the diverse hues of his pen. His writings vividly portray the transition from Delhi's Ballimaran lanes to Mumbai's bustling trains. Born on August 18, 1934 in Jhelum (now in Pakistan), Gulzar has always captivated audiences with his simplicity, sensitivity, and profound words. His life is perhaps best understood through the perspective of his daughter, Meghna Gulzar, a successful film director known for films like ' Raazi ', ' Chhapaak ', and ' Sam Bahadur '. Meghna often shares that her father played a pivotal role not just as a writer or lyricist, but as a responsible and sensitive guardian. Gulzar married actress Rakhee, but they separated when their daughter Boski (Meghna) was just one year old. Despite the separation, Gulzar ensured Meghna never felt the absence of her mother. At the Jaipur Literature Festival in 2019, Meghna emotionally recounted how her father never scolded her but maintained discipline. Gulzar took care of all her needs, from preparing her for school to picking her up in the afternoon. He allowed her freedom but emphasised the importance of education, with the rule, 'Complete your studies, then do whatever you want to do." Gulzar's powerful voice also resonates through his dialogues in television advertisements and films, often sounding like poetry. Even today, when he speaks on stage, audiences listen in rapt silence, reflecting the timeless appeal of his words and sentiments. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
In Pics: Rithvik Dhanjani Attends His First-Ever Music Festival In Amsterdam
In the post, Rithvik Dhanjani was seen dancing to foot-tapping beats and even enjoying thrilling rides. Rithvik Dhanjani is soaking up the best of Europe on his much-deserved vacation. From scenic bike rides on mountain terrains to having delicious breakfasts amid the white blanket of snow, Rithvik's European escapade is all about joy, adventure and new experiences. Now his latest stop shows he is clearly living his best life. Currently in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the popular television star attended his first-ever music festival, the iconic Awakenings Festival. Sharing snippets of the electrifying experience on social media, Rithvik gave fans a glimpse into the unforgettable event. In the post, he was seen dancing to foot-tapping beats, enjoying thrilling rides and embracing the vibrant atmosphere. He was accompanied by close friend and digital creator Pryanca Talukdar, making the musical event all the more fun. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rithvik D (@rithvikk_dhanjani) Awakenings Festival is the highlight of Europe's techno music calendar. With 80,000 visitors from over 80 countries, the 3-day festival witnessed more than 120 artists presenting their best sounds in 8 different areas. This year, the event was held from July 11 to July 13 at Hilvarenbeek. Now let's talk about his professional life. Rithvik Dhanjani stepped into the lights-camera-action world in 2009 with the TV series Bandini. But he rose to fame with his portrayal of Arjun Digvijay Kirloskar in the hit show Pavitra Rishta, co-starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Asha Negi. The actor also achieved widespread recognition with the show Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani, where he essayed the role of Jay Khurana. Besides ruling audiences with his acting chops, the actor was also part of several reality shows like Nach Baliye 6 and I Can Do That. He also stepped into the hosting role in the year 2013. Rithvikk presented shows such as India's Next Superstars, Super Dancer, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 11, India's Best Dramebaaz, and So You Think You Can Dance. That's not it. Rithvik also ventured into the digital world with the web series I Don't Watch TV in 2016. He has also been part of successful web series, including XXX and Cartel. Most recently, he impressed audiences with the Amazon Mini TV series Half Love Half Arranged. First Published: July 15, 2025, 16:36 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Aasiya Kazi returns to TV after two years with Ishani
Aasiya Kazi Aasiya Kazi, who was last seen in Janam Janam Ka Saath, is all set to return to television after a two-year hiatus. She has been cast to play the role of Nandini in Ishani, a spin-off series of Jhanak. The show features Megha Chakraborty in the title role, while Karamm S Rajpal has joined as the male lead. A source associated with the show shared, 'Aasiya will portray Nandini, a pivotal character who will play a significant role in shaping the lives of the entire family. Her entry will bring a major twist to the storyline. The character has multiple shades and is different from the kind of roles Aasiya has played in the past. It's a long-running character that will be responsible for driving several interesting plot developments. Her entry is scheduled to air in tonight's episode.' Aasiya could not be reached for comment. The actress was on a break from work to enjoy her marital life. She tied the knot with actor Gulshan Nain in November last year in an intimate ceremony after being in a relationship for eight years. Aasiya has consciously stayed away from television during this period. There were mainly two reasons behind this decision — one, she was looking for roles that were different and substantial, and two, she wanted to devote time to her new phase in life and cherish the early days of marriage with her family. Ishani marks her first acting project post-marriage. Known for being selective about the roles she takes up, Aasiya became a household name with her portrayal of Santu in Bandini (2009–2011). Over the years, she has been a part of several popular shows, including Matti Ki Banno, Dharampatni, Hitler Didi, Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch Kaha 2, Yeh Hai Aashiqui, Balika Vadhu, and Tenali Rama.
India Today
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Dharmendra suggested Big B for Sholay, convinced Ramesh Sippy he'd be perfect
Veteran actor Dharmendra recently reminisced the time when he recommended Amitabh Bachchan to director Ramesh Sippy for the iconic film 'Sholay' (1975).Dharmendra, while recalling the casting of Jai for 'Sholay' mentioned that though he is not vocal about it, he did recommend Bachchan's name to an interview with ANI, he said, "It has already been mentioned. Yes, I recommended him... Mai to kehta nahi maine unko (Amitabh Bachchan) role dilaya.. (I never claimed that I got him the role of Jai.) Ye mujhe milne aate the Amitabh sahab (Mr Amitabh used to come to meet me).advertisement To maine Ramesh Sippy ji ko kaha yeh naya ladka hai uski awaaz se to lagta hai bahut acha kaam jo andar se chahna khud se pyar karne ki khoobsurati thi vo achi lagi...(I told Ramesh Sippy that this new boy seems promising because of his had an inner beautiful quality to love himself, that impressed me)," Dharmendra legendary icon further said, "Maine kaha inko lelo (So I told him to take him)."While praising the cult classic, Dharmendra said, "Yeh film mere khyayal se sadiyon ke liye ban gayi hai (This film will be there for centuries)."'Sholay' is the story about a village called Ramgarh, where retired police chief Thakur Baldev Singh (Sanjeev Kumar) plots to bring down the notorious bandit Gabbar Singh (Amjad Khan).advertisementHe hires two criminals, Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) and Veeru (Dharmendra) to eliminate gained popularity in the mid-1960s for films, such as 'Ayee Milan Ki Bela' (1964), Bandini (1963), Phool Aur Patthar and Aaye Din Bahar was last seen in Shahid Kapoor-Kriti Sanon's 'Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' (2024).Dharmendra also featured in Karan Johar's romantic-drama 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani' (2023) with Ranveer Singh and Alia will next be seen in Sriram Raghavan's 'Ikkis' along with Agastya Nanda. The film is slated to hit the big screens on October 2, Watch
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
How S.D. Burman's music was deeply influenced by folk and classical traditions
Recalling an amusing incident on the sets of the 1960 film Kala Bazar, actor Waheeda Rahman describes how the entire team laughed when music director Sachin Dev Burman lifted his dhoti up to demonstrate what steps she should do in the song 'Rimjhim ke taraane'. 'We found it really sweet,' she says. In another instance, Gulzar talks about a debate between Burman and Bandini director Bimal Roy over how Nutan should be depicted in 'Mora gora ang le le', his debut song as a lyricist. Though they represent different shades of S.D. Burman's personality, they provide evidence of how closely the music director was involved in the way his songs were depicted on screen. This trait of his is mentioned often in the book The Monk And His Music (Qurate Books) by Moti Lalwani and Richa Lakhanpal. Other aspects such as his approach to studio recordings, the way he interacted with musicians and filmmakers, his sense of dressing, how he was a fan of the East Bengal football team and his love for paan are mentioned too. This isn't a quintessential musical biography. Thirteen books have already been written on the composer, including biographies in English by H.Q. Chowdhury, Khagesh Dev Burman, Anirudha Bhattacharjee-Balaji Vittal and Sathya Saran. We might see more in the years to come because Burman dada's music is eternal. Though he belonged to an era gone by, admirers of his work across the globe are still eager to know how he managed to create songs that continue to tug at our heartstrings. S.D. Burman's music was a beautiful blend of folk and classical that he imbibed as a child growing up in Comilla (now part of Bangladesh). Quite a few of his songs drew a visual imagery of Bengal through their Baul and Bhatiali-inspired tunes. While Burman's mother, Rajkumari Nirmala Devi, was the royal princess of Manipur, his father, Nabadwipchandra Dev Burman, was the son of the maharaja of Tripura. Moving away from the royal trappings, Burman found his calling in music. In The Monk And His Music, Moti and Richa have interviewed several people associated with Burman either professionally or personally such as radio personality Ameen Sayani, music directors Anandji Shah, Ravindra Jain, Pyarelal Sharma and Khayyam, classical musicians Pt. Shivkumar Sharma and Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, and lyricists Yogesh Gaur and Gopaldas Neeraj. Thus the book has many anecdotes. The interviews have been uploaded on YouTube, and then edited and compiled for the book. Filmmaker Brahmanand Singh, who has made documentaries on R.D. Burman and Jagjit Singh, has written the foreword. Says Moti, 'The name S.D. Burman has such a magical effect that it opened all doors for us. Initially, we planned to make a biopic, but it proved to be an expensive proposition. So we ventured into writing this book.' .' The book is divided into various sections featuring musicians, filmmakers, lyricists, composers, singers and other industry personalities. Some articles by musicologists give specific accounts of Burman's life. The back cover carries a quote by son Rahul Dev Burman (Pancham) — 'And now he is indeed gone forever, bequeathing his exalted legacy to me, a monumental legacy I will try my best to carry forward.' Pancham had said this to Ameen Sayani after dada passed away on October 31, 1975.. Some of the most interesting observations come from the musicians and arrangers. Describing Burman's work ethic, rhythm player Ranjit Gazmer says, 'The musicians would come at 9 a.m. and tune their instruments. Dada would come around 10.30 a.m. He did not have any airs, unlike some other composers. His recordings usually got over on time.' Saxophone player and arranger Manohari Singh speaks about how Burman wanted only short interludes in a song. 'He felt that if the interludes were lengthy, nobody would listen to his tunes.' Kersi Lord, arranger and accordion player, describes Burman as 'diplomatic'. He recalls, 'Once a famous tabla player was playing at a very fast pace. We tried to keep up with his tempo. Seeing this, dada told him – 'the rest of the musicians are not as well-prepared as you are. Please go a little slow'.' Lyricist Gopaldas Neeraj, who used to write according to the tunes Burman came up with, says the composer loved experimentation in writing. He cites the examples of the Prem Pujari song 'Phoolon ke rang se', where the mukhda comes after the antara, and the Gambler hit 'Dil aaj shayar'. which had no mukhda. Neeraj adds, 'Before composing, Dada would understand the story, and create music according to the situation. To get to the heart of the scene, he would sometimes enact the role of the actor where the song was to be picturised.' While the book takes readers back in time to the golden period of Hindi film music when melody reigned supreme, the section on singers seems weak. Quotes from Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle would have added more weight to the narration. The section has just singer Poornima Shrestha sharing how Dada encouraged her after the death of her father, tabla artiste Bhola Shrestha. . Lyricist Yogesh Gaur talks at length about the recording of songs for Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Mili, when Burman suddenly took ill. Arranger Bablu Chakraborty shares how Dada always closed his eyes while singing, totally unaware of his surroundings. Gulzar was closely associated with both S.D. and R.D. Burman. Though he started his career with the senior Burman in the 1960s, his collaboration with Pancham resulted in some of the finest films and songs of Hindi cinema. Remembering Dada, Gulzar says in the book that he was always impeccably dressed, wearing a well-starched shirt even at home. Many interviewees talk about S.D. Burman's love for paan. According to santoor maestro Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, he would rarely share it, but if he liked someone's work, he would offer paan as a reward. S. D. Burman's songs covered a wide spectrum of emotions. The Monk and His Music through 50 interviews gives an insight into his distinct personality and musical oeuvre. A cultural traveller of sorts, his songs bridged different musical traditions. His song 'Hum hai rahi pyar ke' (Nau do gyarah) sums up his journey.
