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News18
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Film Heritage Foundation Celebrates Raj Khosla's 100th Birth Anniversary With Restored Classics
Last Updated: Raj Khosla's centenary will be celebrated with restored 4K screenings of C.I.D., Bambai Ka Babu & more at Mumbai's Regal Cinema. Free public event. On the occasion of legendary filmmaker Raj Khosla's 100th birth anniversary, the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) has announced a day-long celebration titled 'Raj Khosla 100 – Bambai Ka Babu'. Taking place on May 31, 2025, at Mumbai's historic Regal Cinema, the event will offer a rare chance to revisit some of Khosla's most iconic films on the big screen—restored to their original cinematic glory. The retrospective will feature special screenings of C.I.D. (1956), Bambai Ka Babu (1960), and Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971). Two of these films—C.I.D. and Bambai Ka Babu—have been restored in 4K resolution by the NFDC – National Film Archive of India under the National Film Heritage Mission, a government initiative dedicated to the preservation and restoration of Indian cinema. The event will also include a panel discussion featuring distinguished guests such as veteran actress Asha Parekh, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, and Amborish Roychoudhury, author of Raj Khosla: The Authorized Biography. Together, they will reflect on Khosla's cinematic vision and the cultural impact of his diverse body of work. Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Director of Film Heritage Foundation, described Khosla as 'the Howard Hawks of Indian cinema," referencing his mastery across genres—from thrillers and musicals to romance and action. 'He was a filmmaker whose name on the hoarding was as important as his stars," Dungarpur noted, adding that Khosla's innovative storytelling and nuanced depiction of strong female characters made him a trailblazer. 'We are proud to celebrate his centenary with this retrospective, and grateful to the NFDC for restoring two of his classics for the occasion." For Asha Parekh, who worked with Khosla on several hits including Do Badan and Mera Gaon Mera Desh, the tribute is deeply personal. 'He gave me one of my most memorable performances," she said. 'His understanding of emotions and song picturization was unmatched. I'm thrilled the Film Heritage Foundation is keeping his legacy alive for new generations." Mahesh Bhatt, in a heartfelt statement, recalled Khosla as a philosophical mentor. 'He once told me fame is like starlight—traveling across time even after the star is gone. Raj Sahab was that star. His influence lives on in all of us who were lucky enough to be shaped by him." NFDC Managing Director Prakash Magdum emphasized the importance of the restored versions being screened. 'Bombai Ka Babu has been preserved in our collection for decades, and showcasing it in 4K for the first time is a landmark moment. It's our honor to present these restored prints during such an important celebration." The screenings are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis—part of Film Heritage Foundation's ongoing mission to make classic cinema accessible and preserve India's rich film legacy. The foundation has previously curated tributes to cinematic icons like Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Amitabh Bachchan, earning praise for its commitment to cultural preservation. Over the course of his three-decade career, Raj Khosla directed 27 films that redefined the grammar of Hindi cinema. From his early days as an assistant to Guru Dutt to his collaborations with stars like Dev Anand and Asha Parekh, Khosla was an architect of visual storytelling whose work bridged art and commerce. He introduced a lyrical style to thrillers, reinvented romance with psychological depth, and pioneered narrative song sequences that would become standard across Bollywood. As Raj Khosla 100 – Bambai Ka Babu brings his work back to the silver screen, audiences old and new will get to experience the light of a cinematic star whose brilliance refuses to fade. First Published: May 31, 2025, 17:54 IST
The Print
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Print
Cinema meant everything to my father: filmmaker Raj Khosla's daughter Sunita
Legacy was something that Khosla never thought off or even talked about with his family, said Sunita, the second of the director's five daughters. Khosla was an important figure in Hindi with several hits like 'C.I.D.' (1956), 'Woh Kaun Thi?' (1964), 'Mera Saaya' (1966), 'Mera Gaon Mera Desh' (1971) and 'Dostana' (1980) to his credit. His 100th birth anniversary will be celebrated on Saturday. Mumbai, May 30 (PTI) Cinema meant everything to Raj Khosla and he kept working till the very end, says daughter Sunita Bhalla, reminiscing about the director's career and the close bond he shared with Guru Dutt, Dev Anand and Vijay Anand. 'He never thought or talked about legacy, like what he is going to leave behind. He just worked and worked. That's all he did all his life. He never regretted what he did. He never regretted his work. He loved his work. He was very happy with what he did till the end. Cinema meant everything to him,' Sunita told PTI in an interview. Khosla would take good care of people who worked with him and maintained a calm atmosphere on his sets, she said. 'He used to enjoy his work and that was the best part… The stars used to enjoy working with him. He would just say, 'Give your best.' Everybody worked so happily with him. He worked with many top actresses — from Madhubala, Sadhana, Mumtaz, Waheeda Rehman, and Asha Parekh, and others,' she added. Among the over 25 films that her father made as a director, Sunita said she loved 'C.I.D.', 'Bombai Ka Babu' and 'Mera Gaon Mera Desh'. She remembered being on the set of 'Mera Gaon Mera Desh', which featured Dharmendra and Asha Parekh in lead roles with Vinod Khanna playing the antagonist. 'It was in Udaipur. I saw my dad taking shots for the movie, the song 'Maar Diya Jaye Ke Chhod Diya Jaye', which is such a brilliant song, was shot in the studios. 'Apni Prem Kahaniyan' was another memorable track. 'We fell in love with the costumes and jewellery and we would tell dad we wanted to wear all that,' Sunita said, adding that she also saw the shooting of 'Dostana' in Ooty, and 'Kachche Dhage' in Mahabaleshwar. Dev Anand and Guru Dutt played a pivotal role in Khosla's life. The director wanted to be a playback but destiny had different plans for him. He served as an assistant director to Dutt before making his directorial debut with 'Milap' in 1955. Anand and Khosla collaborated on several hits, including 'C.I.D.', 'Kala Pani' and 'Solva Saal'. Sunita said the bond between the trio was 'strong' and unbreakable. 'I've been with him to Dev Anand's house. He had close association with Chetan Anand and Guru Dutt. So, it was four of them together. They would often talk about films. I remember a discussion around who would direct 'Guide'. Some of the portion was shot by dad also, and then Vijay Anand took over after that.' She said Bhatt considered Khosla as a mentor. 'He was an assistant at that time, working under him, assisting in movies and all that.' Khosla was also close friends with poet lyricist Majrooh Sultanpuri, lyricist Anand Bakshi, filmmaker Hrishikesh Mukherjee and writer Rahi Masoom Raza. 'They were like a family (Bakshis). I must be 14 or 15 maybe that time. There were so many good moments… Rahi Masoom Raza was his close friend. He also had a bond with Majrooh Sultanpuri, and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. With Hrishkesh Mukherjee, he used to play chess everyday. That's how he used to pass his time in the evenings.' Sunita shared that as a father had set certain rules for his five daughters to follow and weekends were always reserved as 'family time.' 'He used to make sure that all five of us used to be in the house at seven o'clock in the evening. Nobody was allowed to go anywhere (after that) unless we told him. Every Saturday,Sunday, we used to have family time at our ancestral house. My grandfather would be there and keep all our stuff ready for us. We used to eat biryani over there, and enjoy it,' she added. Despite making some of the most critically-acclaimed films of Hindi cinema, Sunita believes her father hasn't been appreciated much. And that's why a retrospective to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary is a 'special' moment for the family, she added. 'All the heroines and people who have worked with him should come together and just honour him. That's all my request from the industry. I would appreciate it if people in the industry understood and just honoured him,' Sunita said. Titled 'Raj Khosla 100 – Bambai Ka Babu', the event will take place on May 31 at Mumbai's Regal Cinema and also features a special panel discussion on the legacy of one of Indian cinema's most versatile directors. As part of the celebrations, three of Khosla's acclaimed films — 'C.I.D.' (1956), 'Bambai Ka Babu' (1960), and 'Mera Gaon Mera Desh' (1971) — will be screened. PTI KKP RB BK BK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
FHF to celebrate Raj Khosla's centenary with screenings of his restored films
The Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) has announced a one-day retrospective to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of writer-filmmaker Raj Khosla. Titled 'Raj Khosla 100 - Bambai Ka Babu', the event will take place on May 31 at Mumbai's Regal Cinema and also features a special panel discussion on the legacy of one of 's most versatile directors. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As part of the celebrations, three of Khosla's acclaimed films -- "C.I.D." (1956), "Bambai Ka Babu" (1960), and "Mera Gaon Mera Desh" (1971) -- will be screened. T he first two movies have been restored in 4K resolution by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and National Film Archive of India (NFAI) under the National Film Heritage Mission, an initiative of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. The event will feature a panel discussion with veteran actor Asha Parekh, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, and Amborish Roychoudhury, the author of "Raj Khosla: The Authorized Biography". Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, director of the Film Heritage Foundation, said, "I would describe Raj Khosla as the Howard Hawks of Indian cinema for his remarkable ability to successfully make films in every genre from thrillers, whodunits, musicals, action adventure to love stories and dacoit films." "He excelled in song picturisation and was known for having strong female characters in his films. It inspired me as an upcoming filmmaker when I saw images of his hoardings that had a director's chair with his name emblazoned on it," he added. Parekh, who collaborated with Khosla on several films including "Chirag", "Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki", and "Mera Gaon Mera Desh", said his 1966 film Do Badan transformed the way audiences perceived her as an artist. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Before my first film with Raj Khosla, I was known more for my dancing and glamorous roles. It was 'Do Badan' that changed people's perception of me as an actress that could perform more serious roles. I shared a great rapport with Rajji and I enjoyed working with him. He was a very fine filmmaker and his song picturization was remarkable," she said. Mahesh Bhatt paid a tribute to Khosla, saying, "His words haunt me still. He likened fame to starlight - a flow emanating from stars long dead, their light journeying across vast distances to reach us. 'The light is the message,' he said, 'but the star, the messenger, is gone'. Raj Sahab is such a star. Though he is long gone, his light still shines through me." Prakash Magdum, managing director, NFDC, revealed that NFDC-NFAI has had a 35mm release print of 'Bombai Ka Babu' in its collection for over 40 years, which made the 4K restoration possible in the first place. "This screening at Regal, Mumbai, is a unique opportunity for the cinema lovers to view, for the first time ever, 'Bombai Ka Babu' in 4K restored version," he added. PTI
Scroll.in
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
Book excerpt: The seduction of Raj Khosla's ‘Woh Kaun Thi?' begins with its opening scene
Unlike his Guru, Raj was quite obsessed with pre-credit sequences. C.I.D has one-and-a-half minute of intrigue before the title sequence begins rolling. Bombai ka Babu has shots of our (anti?) hero ambling out of jail, being picked up by his pal and followed by the police, interspersed with exterior shots of Bombay roads (quite unusual for Hindi films of the period). This continues for a good minute and 16 seconds before the title appears. Even for a romance like Solva Saal, the pre-credit sequence takes two-and-a-half minutes to set up the family that Laaj (Waheeda) is going to abandon. From this, Raj goes up to almost nine minutes – including an entire song – in Anita, and surpasses that in Nehle peh Dehlaa, which, in the tradition of 1970s revenge dramas, sets up the killing of a patriarch and separation of brothers before the title shows up. Yet, it is quite possible that the pre-credit sequence of Woh Kaun Thi? might just be the most iconic opening scene not only in Raj Khosla's oeuvre, but in all of Hindi cinema. A car is braving its way through heavy rains on a country road. We find ourselves inside the car, the screeching of wipers loud and clear. Potholes and ditches are visible through the bumpy ride. Beyond the windshield, a white silhouette comes into view. It's a woman, draped in white. The driver slams on his brakes. He honks away, but she refuses to budge. The driver peeks out of window and says in the most velvety Manoj Kumar voice possible: 'Sunaai nahi deta? Raaste se hato. Kaun ho tum? Can't you hear? Move out of the way. Who are you?' The woman in white (Sadhana), says she is no one. He asks again, 'Kahan jaana hai? Where do you want to go?' Nowhere, she says. After a cryptic conversation, Kumar gives Sadhana a lift with the promise of no more questions. Kumar can't see a thing through the sheets of water, but she can. He notices blood oozing out of her finger. 'Mujhe khoon achha lagta hai. I like blood,' she says. Eventually, she asks him to pull over next to a graveyard. As he wonders what business she could possibly have there, she reminds him of his promise. When she leaves the car, the wipers screech back into life. Kumar realizes that all this while, with the mysterious woman inside the car, the wipers had stopped moving. Sadhana casually walks into the graveyard, as the gate creaks open by itself. There is a bloodcurdling scream, followed by the song 'Naina barse rim jhim rim jhim', and the title, Woh Kaun Thi?, splashes across the screen. This opening sequence is one of the most effective buildups seen in mainstream Hindi films, giving the viewer a taste of what's to come. It's eerie and delivers just the right dose of chills without underscoring the theatrics. There is something unique about the pace. It's not hurried, yet there is a sense of urgency, as if the events are unfolding at a rapid pace. It's not easy to place your finger on it. It finally clicked for me when Manoj Kumar explained. According to him, Woh Kaun Thi? was the first Hindi film that was 'cut to cut'. 'There were no fade-outs or fade-ins, no dissolves or wipes. Likhi hi aise gayi thi. It was written like that,' the actor told me. It was Raj Khosla's adroit sense of filmmaking and inventive editing that gave Woh Kaun Thi? its feverish feel. He was helped by editor Dattaram Pai, an alumnus of Filmistan and Filmalaya. The editor was shadowed by a 32-year-old who was already being noticed for his skills in cutting film: Waman Bhonsle. Waman and Raj later collaborated on a number of films. From the outset, Raj was certain that this film needed a specific atmosphere. To establish the chilling, sinister feel, he decided to film it in Shimla. This was the early 1960s and the hill station was yet to become the darling of filmmakers. Despite this, the idea was stuck in his head. It wasn't cheap either, especially for a producer like N.N. Sippy, who was making his first film with A-list stars. 'N.N. Sippy was making small, stunt films then,' recalled Raj later, 'and couldn't afford to shoot in Shimla. Somehow, I persuaded him to raise funds, and we shot in the snows. This was very important to give that cold, eerie atmosphere to the film.' Raj shot the film in one fell swoop, without any unnecessary retakes or reshoots. They couldn't afford any. Early on in Woh Kaun Thi?, Dr Anand receives a call to see a patient in a dilapidated mansion near Versova post office. As he approaches the house, the doors swing open, allowing the camera to roll in and expand our view of the interiors. Cobwebs are aplenty and you can distinctly hear – and eventually see – a bat. It is suggested that the good doctor pick up a candle and light it. The man quietly complies and climbs up the rickety stairs to the patient's room. To his horror, this patient is the same woman he had driven to the graveyard the other night. But this woman is dead. While on his way back from the misadventure, Dr Anand is waylaid by two cops who claim that the house he has just been to is in fact abandoned. The doctor protests and leads them back into the mansion, only to find it truly abandoned. The only things in common with his last visit are the cobwebs. Raj littered the film with such spooks. Not only do you have bats, cobwebs, screeching doors and repeated shots of a grotesque man holding flowers, Raj found a way of emphasizing the unearthly ambience with the help of the filmmaking devices at his disposal. After the somewhat shocking and untimely death of his girlfriend (Helen), Dr Anand's mother compels him into a marriage of convenience. Bizarrely, the heartbroken doctor, still mourning the loss of his beloved, discovers on his wedding night that his bride (whom he hasn't seen before) is the same mysterious woman he had dropped to the graveyard and also found dead in the abandoned mansion. To add to his woes, his new wife keeps breaking into the same song the woman in white sang as she disappeared into the graveyard: 'Naina barse rim jhim rim jhim'. As Dr Anand spies on his bride through a window, she begins to hum those lines. They sound faint at first, as if coming from a distance. As the camera – and the viewer – goes past the window and halts at the doorframe, the singing gets louder. In another instance, Dr Anand walks out of his office into the hallway to investigate a noise. It is pitch dark and the camera follows him in a sluggish tracking shot as he ambles through the hallway, turning the lights on one by one. First. Second. Third. Fourth. As his hand inches to flick the fifth switch, a woman's voice rips through the silence, asking him not to turn this last one on. Almost instantly, a Venus de Milo appears in the frame. Dr Anand freezes, staring at it in disbelief as his wife emerges from behind the statue. Khosla employed such techniques throughout Woh Kaun Thi?, constantly inspiring the feel of a thriller.
India.com
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actor who became star with one show, quit midway, made Ekta Kapoor angry, Jeetendra warned him to..., his name is..., Not Ram Kapoor, Karan Patel
Meet actor who became star with one show, quit midway, made Ekta Kapoor angry, Jeetendra warned him to..., his name is..., Not Ram Kapoor, Karan Patel Rajeev Khandelwal became one of India's most popular television actors, credits to Ekta Kapoor's show Kahiin To Hoga. But, after few years, the actor decided to move on. His decision met with a lot of opposition back then and even made Ekta Kapoor angry, who was considered the 'queen of fictional television shows' in those days. He was even warned by Ekta's father, veteran actor Jeetendra that he is 'committing a mistake' but the actor didn't change his mind and continued with his decision. Earlier, in an interview, Rajeev revealed the actual reason behind his exit from the show. The actor shared that he couldn't handle the fandom, and hence decided to call it quits. While speaking to Bollywood Bubble, the Left Right Left actor shared, 'Yes, when I started, my first character became very popular with the people. I played a character called Sujal in the series Kahin Toh Hoga. It became so overwhelming that I had to leave the series. I left the series because whenever I would go out, sit in the car, or come back home, I would find people waiting for me everywhere. If the car stopped at a signal and I accidentally looked out the window, people, especially girls, would get excited. It started happening too much. It affected me so much, and I've been saying this since then, but people thought that 'Rajeev now considers himself very important, and that's why he left the series.' He revealed that nobody knew the real reason behind his decision to leave the show midway. 'But no one knows, I think only Ekta, Jeetu ji, and Shobha ji know, with whom I had discussions that I wanted to leave. They know the real reason why I left. The real reason was that I couldn't handle so much love. I couldn't handle so much affection. I felt that if I was receiving so much love, I needed to give it back in terms of my performance. If I was doing a scene that I felt was not up to the mark, I felt it was wrong.' 'When you're receiving so much love, you have to give it back. When I felt that I wasn't able to give back through my work, I decided to leave. I left it. I was getting double the money and many other things, but I left it only because I couldn't handle it. Then I thought if I went far from this and created something else, it would feel like the love I received was deserving, otherwise, it was just for the character. It became very overwhelming for me.' Rajeev concluded Apart from Kahiin To Hoga, Rajeev Khandelwal starred in various television shows like Time Bomb 9/11, C.I.D, Left Right Left and more. But, then quit the telly world and ventured into films. He made his Bollywood debut with Ronnie Screwvala's action thriller Aamir. Though he received critical acclaim for his performance, but the film tanked at the box office. Similarly, his other few releases like Shaitan, Soundtrack, Will You Marry Me?, Table No. 21, and Ishk struggled to impress commercially as well as critically. The actor was last seen in Disney + Hotstar series Showtime , opposite Mouni Roy, Emraan Hashmi, and Naseeruddin Shah.
