CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD FILMMAKER..JOHN FORD!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Today is 45th death anniversary of great Irish-American Filmmaker...
John Ford!

Famous Filmmaker John Ford!

In his career more than 50 years..Ford directed more than 140 films and he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential film-makers!

In particular, Ford was a pioneer of location shooting and the long shot!

 
He was famous for both the genre..such as Westerns like 'The Stagecoach' (1939) and Social drama like 'How green was my valley' (1941) which won 'Oscar' awards!

He won four Academy Awards for 
Best Director..which is a record!

Homage to this genius!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]

ISTAVAN GAAL..'FALCON' OF HUNGARIAN CINEMA!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Renowned Hungarian Filmmaker Istvan Gaal!

Renowned Hungarian Screenwriter and Filmmaker Istvan Gaal's 85th Birth Anniversary recently happened!

He is best known for his internationally acclaimed film 'The Falcons' (1970). He used this subject "falcons to protect crops in farms" as a metaphor! This film won Jury Prize in 'Cannes Film Festival'.

Poster of Gaal's famous Hungarian film..
'The Falcons' (1970).

Gaal examined the terror of that era and focused in his films like 'Legato' (1978). He also showed concern towards establish socialist society. His film 'Etude' (1961) was a cinematic representation of human movement!

Filmmaker Istvan Gaal with camera!

Gaal also focused the problem of adjustment with rapidly changing society in his films 'Current' (1963) & 'Green Years' (1965). Came from peasant background he used his observations in his films like 'Dead Landscape' (1974).

Picture of Istvan Gaal's Hungarian film 'Baptism' (1970).

I remember watching Gaal's films 'The Falcons' & 'Orpheus and Eurydice' (1986) in 'FTII' theatre.


He made 27 films during his 40 years of career!

Tribute to this one of the masters of cinema!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti']
   [Pune, India]

"O sanam tere ho gaye hum.."

We had such romantic feelings for this pretty gorgeous face on screen in college days!

Birthday wishes to veteran Beautiful Actress of popular Indian cinema...Saira Banuji!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune]

Hansa Wadkar in social film!

LEGENDARY..HANSA WADKAR!

Poster of Hansa Wadkar acted famous film 'Sangate Aika'

It's death anniversary of yesteryears' Marathi actress...Hansa Wadkar!

She acted in mythological, historical & social films!


Known for her immortal roles from films 'Sant Sakhu', 'Lokshahir Ram Joshi', 'Matevin Bal', 'Pudhacha Paul' & 'Sangate Aika'!

Homage to her..!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune]

ASSAMESE BEAUTIFUL ACTRESS..ZERIFA WAHID!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Elegance beauty...Zerifa Wahid!

Today is birthday of beautiful Assamese Actress & producer..Zerifa Wahid!

Pretty gorgeous..Zerifa Wahid!

She first appeared as a child artist in Assamese film 'Abhimaan' (1990). Then at teen age she played heroine in films like 'Agnigarh' (1994). She also acted in TV serials & video films.

Zerifa Wahid in 'Bandhon' (2012).

In 2000 she became the lead heroine with Zubeen Garg's Assamese film 'Tumi Mor Mathu Mor'. Then with progressive approach & modern outlook she captured attractions! After 'Prem Geet', in 2003 she won state's Best Actress award for her role in film 'Agnisakhi'!

Zerifa Wahid in 'Raag' (2014).

She did various kind of roles in different genre of films like 'Antaheer Jatra' (2004) & 'Ahir Bhairav' (2008). In 2012 she had a prominent role in renowned Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Barua's national award winner film 'Baandhon'! She is also associated with theatre movement in Assam. And she launched her own 'Zerifa Wahid Productions'!

Zerifa Wahid in Kothanodi' (2015).

I met this pretty actress in our 'International Film Festival of India' held at Goa few years back..where her film was in the special section of 'North-East Cinema'! Then saw her film 'Kothanodi' and recently romantic song of 'Prem Obiroto'!

Best wishes to her!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune]

JAI BHARAT!!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY OF OUR INDIA!

- Manoj Kulkarni

TUMSA NAHIN DEKHA!

Today is Death Anniversary of all time popular.. Romantic Rebel Star of Indian Cinema... 
Shammi Kapoor!

To homage him...remembering my nice meeting and conversation with this legend!

See photo (on right) in which I showed my film magazine 'Chitrasrushti's special issue to him...And while appreciating..with curiosity he was seeing my main article on Mohammed Rafi (his singing voice) & his association with him!

Great Moment!..Shammisahab, Tumsa Nahi Dekha!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune]

QUEEN OF POP~NAZIA HASSAN!

Today is 18th death anniversary of beautiful pop singer of Pakistan...Nazia Hassan!

Pretty Nazia Hassan with guitar!

Best known as Queen of Pop.. Nazia first appeared in children programme 'Kaliyon Ki Mala' on PTV in 1975..And at the age of 15 she made her singing debut in popular Indian cinema with song "Aap jaisa koi.." which composed by Biddu and Feroz Khan used it in his hit film 'Qurbani' (1980) on Zeenat Aman!

After that along with her brother Zohaib Hassan..Nazia released music album 'Disco Deewane' (1981) which became popular! Then again in the music of Biddu she sung "Boom Boom.." for Bollywood movie 'Star' (1982).

Zeenat Aman performed Nazia sung 

"Aap jaisa koi." in 'Qurbani' (1980).

She was the first Pakistani singer who won 'Filmfare award' here! And She received Pakistan's highest civilian award 'Pride of Performance'! She was also appointed by 'UNICEF' as it's Cultural Ambassador'!

Her early death at the age of 35..touched the heart!

I still remember teenage days..and craze of her song..
"Aap jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye 
to baat ban jaaye.."

A Homage!!
 
- Manoj Kulkarni 
['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]

CHABROL'S NEW WAVE FILM..60.

- Manoj Kulkarni

First film of French New Wave..'Le Beau Serge' made by Claude Chabrol in 1958..now completed 60 years!

Gerard Blain, Bernadette Lafont & Jean-Claude Brialy in 

French film 'Le Beau Serge' (1958) made by Claude Chabrol.

Basically Chabrol was a film critic of film magazine 'Cahiers du cinema' which gave motivation to French New Wave movement. In 1958 he wrote & directed his first film 'Le Beau Serge' (Handsome Serge)..which was financed by his first wife Agnes Goute!

Leading pioneer of French New Wave..Claude Chabrol.

'Le Beau Serge' was inspired from Alfred Hitchcock's 'Shadow of a Doubt' (1943). This was because Chabrol chose popular genre 'thriller' to work in such kind of cinema..which was different from his contemporaries of new wave..like Francois Truffaut and Jean Luc Godard!

'Le Beau Serge' tells the story of a man who returns to hometown after many years to meet his friend and find out the reason of his alcoholic. But both entangled in affairs with beautiful girl..which makes things complicated! Gerard Blain portrayed the lead of handsome Serge and Jean-Claude Brialy played friend's role..with them beautiful Bernadette Lafont appeared as their love interest!

Jean-Claude Brialy, Bernadette Lafont & Gerard Blain in 'Le Beau Serge' (1958).

Chabrol did the shoot of this film in a village of his mother..and handled this story with non-standard style, using lighting gimmicks & more close-ups of objects. In this cinematographer Henri Decae, Editor Jacques Gaillard & music director Emile Delpierre also did good supportive work!

Isabelle Huppert in 'Madame Bovary' (1991).

Chabrol's latter films also used such genre like..'Les Biches' (1968) & 'Le Boucher' (1970) in which his another wife Stephane Audran acted! Most of his films like..'Masques' (1987) entered in international film festivals. in 1991 he too made film on popular romantic novel 'Madame Bovary' by Gustave Flaubert. In this pretty Isabelle Huppert portrayed the title role!

Great French Filmmaker Claude Chabrol with award!

Up to last 'Bellamy' (2009) every year of his long career Chabrol made film. I also saw his films in our 'International Film Festival of India'!



A decade back I published special issue of my 'Chitrasrushti' on '50 Years of New Wave Cinema' with reference to it's first film 'Le Beau Serge!

A Tribute!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti']
  [Pune, India]

HOMAGE TO KALAIGNAR..KARUNANIDHI.

DMK patriarch M. Karunanidhi.

Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and legendary Script Writer M. Karunanidhi is no more!

Script Writer M. Karunanidhi.

DMK patriarch Muthuvel Karunanidhi was also an eminent writer and contributed to Tamil literature a lot through stories, poems, novels & plays!

M. Karunanidhi wrote film 'Parasakthi' (1952).

At young age Karunanidhi started working as a script writer in Tamil Film Industry and in 1947 he wrote his first film 'Rajakumari' for 'Jupiter Pictures'. Actor of that film was famous M. G. Ramachandran who then acted in most of the films Karunanidhi wrote like 'Abhimanyu' (1948) and 'Modern Theatres' super hit 'Manthiri Kumari' (1949).

Famous Tamil Actors Kamal Hassan & Rajinikanth 

with legendary Script Writer M. Karunanidhi.

Karunanidhi wrote notable film was 'Parasakthi' (1952) which introduced two more prominent actors of Tamil Cinema..Sivaji Ganesan and S. S. Rajendran! He mostly focused on the social issues (untouchability & religious hypocrisy) and gave messages (widow remarriage) in his films writings. 

Karunanidhi wrote almost 40 films and received high admiration. In 2011 he wrote last film 'Ponnar Shankar'!

Humble Homage!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune]

HOMAGE ON..HIROSHIMA & NAGASAKI DAYS!

- Manoj Kulkarni

More than seven decades over..the tragedy happened in Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki..during II World War. While paying homage...
I remembered great docu-film with this backdrop..

Great French Filmmaker Alain Resnais with camera!

'Hiroshima Mon Amour' (1959) made by filmmaker Alain Resnais..one of the pioneers of French New Wave! This film used miniature flashbacks to create a non-linear storyline..Marguerite Donnadieu wrote the screenplay of it! Michio Takahashi & Sacha Vierny cinematographed this film edited by Henri Colpi & Anne Sarraute!

Horrible realism in 'Hiroshima Mon Amour' (1959) by Alain Resnais!

In this, while making an anti-war film in Hiroshima a French Actress does conversation with her Japanese architect lover and they share their perspectives on war! Pretty French actress Emmanuelle Riva and Japanese actor Eiji Okada did these roles intensely in it!

Japanese actor Eiji Okada & French actress Emmanuelle 
Riva in French film 'Hiroshima Mon Amour' (1959).

This film was excluded from that time 'Cannes' official selection, because of it's sensitive subject & to avoid upsetting U.S.! But after many years it was shown as part of the classic section at '66th Cannes Film Festival' in 2013. This is very important landmark film in the history of world cinema which gives the strong message against war!


Now world leaders, 
please take care..there will be no more war!

We want peaceful & happy world!!


- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti']
  [Pune, India]

Kiki Challenge is nothing..but new bollywood version road self dance!

Here is Amitabh Bachchan did same thing in film 'Khuddar' (1982) in which he played a role of taxi driver!


You can see this in it's song "Hat ja bazu.."

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]

JANMOH DIN MUBARAK..ABU SAYEED!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Bangladeshi renowned Filmmaker Abu Sayeed!

Today is birthday of renowned Bangladeshi Filmmaker friend Abu Sayeed!

Pretty Shabnur & Doly Johur in Abu Sayeed's film 'Nirontor' (2006).

One of the leading filmmakers of independent cinema in Bangladesh..
Abu Sayeed made his first short film in 1987 on sensitive subject.. 'Aborton' which got national award there! 

Then he continued making short film and in 1997 turned to television for financial stability! After three years he returned to big screen and in 2000 directed his first feature film 'Kittonkhola' which also won national award!

Abu Sayeed directing a film with camera!

And his second film 'Shankhonad' (2004)..
I saw in 'Asian Film Festival' here and had good interaction with him in it! Since then I have been watching his films and meeting him in our film festivals!

 
In 2006 I saw his film 'Nirontor' in our 'International Film Festival of India' (IFFI) at Goa. This film focused on the struggle of woman and beautiful actress Shabnur acted nicely in it! This film won 'Special Jury Award' in our 'IFFI'. And it was Bangladesh's entry for 'Oscar's best foreign language film'!

From 2007 he started writing & producing films with 'Banshi' & then 'Rupantar' (2008) under his banner 'Aangik Communications'.
I think his cinematic treatment mainly concentrate on emotions of society!

Mamunul Haque & Tanvin Sweety in Abu Sayeed's film 'Banshi' (2007).

He made two short films and six full-length feature films. He received six national awards there and four international awards!

Wishing all the best to him!!

 
- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]