"It is the East..and Juliet is the Sun!"

My most favourite romantic quote by great Playwright William Shakespeare from 'Romeo and Juliet'!

HAPPY WORLD THEATRE DAY!!

 - Manoj Kulkarni

LEGENDARY SENSIBLE ACTRESS NANDA!

Nanda in film 'Hum Dono's (1961) song "Allah tero naam..Ishwar tero naam"

Today is 7th death anniversary of..one of the great actresses of our Indian cinema..Nanda!

Nanda in film 'Jab Jab Phul Khile's (1965) song "Yeh sama.."

She is best known for her intense characters and natural acting! 

Her memorable films includes..'Bhabhi' (1957), 'Chhoti Bahen' (1959), 'Kanoon' (1960), 'Aaj aur Kal' (1963) & 'Jab Jab Phul Khile' (1965).

Remembered she acted great song from Dev Aanand's film 'Hum Dono' (1961)..

"Allah tero naam..Ishwar tero naam.."

written by Sahir Ludhianvi & in music of Jaidev it sung by Lata Mangeshkar!

Significance of this song is relevant!

Homage to Nandaji!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

HASHIMOTO WITH KUROSAWA!

Today is 111th Birth Anniversary of Japanese master filmmaker..

Akira Kurosawa!

Here is a rare picture of him with his screenwriter..Shinobu Hashimoto, whose birth centenary already happened!

They first collaborated for 'Oscar' winner film 'Rashomon' (1950) which already completed 70 years!

It's tribute to both of them!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Genius Italian Filmmaker of 'La Strada'..Federico Fellini said it!

REMEMBRANCE OF KIESLOWSKI!

 

Recently there was 25th Death Anniversary of renowned Polish Filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski!

I remember the craze of his films in our 'IFFI'.. 'International Film Festival of India' since 1995 

at Bombay, where his last 'Three Colours: Blue, White & Red' (Trilogy between 1993-94) was screened. That was his cinematic comment on French Revolutionary ideals of liberty!

Most of his films gained international recognition in prestigious film festivals and got awards!! And inspired other filmmakers also like..bollywood film 'Ek choti si love story' (2002) was (frame to frame) based on his 'A short film about love' (1988).

Homage to him!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Saw this meaningful graphic made by an Austrian artist & visual poet Anatol Knotek.

I also think, this is the way..we can find the poem within the problem!

- Manoj Kulkarni

P.C. ANNOUNCED 'OSCAR' NOMINATIONS!

Priyanka Chopra with Nick Jonas announcing 'Oscar' 2021 nominations!

It's pride moment that our international star Priyanka Chopra with her husband singer-actor Nick Jonas announced 'Oscar' 2021 nominations!

Scene from American biographical film 'Mank'!

In these, most of the nominations (including Best Picture) bagged by American & Korean drama films 'Nomadland' & 'Minari', American historical/legal film 'The trial of the Chicago 7' & biographical film 'Mank' on screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz of 40s classic movie.. 'Citizen Kane'!

In Best International Feature Film catergory for other languages - films..'Another Round' (Denmark), 'Better Days' (Hong Kong), 'Collective' (Romania), 'The Man who sold his skin' (Tunisia) & 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' (Bosnia & Herzegovina) got the nominations.

     Scene from Priyanka Chopra's film 'The White Tiger'!

And notable that, in Best - Adapted Screenplay category Priyanka Chopra coproduced & acted film 'The White Tiger' got the nomination. Its - Iranian-American director Ramin Bahrani also wrote the screenplay of it!

Congrats Priyanka-Nick and 

Best wishes to all films!!

'Oscar' ceremony will be held on 25th April!

- Manoj Kulkarni

FIRST INDIAN TALKIE..'ALAM ARA'..90!

Zubeida & Master Vithal on Ardeshir Irani's 'Alam Ara's (1931) poster.

Ardeshir Irani checking print of 'Alam Ara'

Our first Indian talkie film made by 'Imperial Movietone's Ardeshir Irani.. 'ALAM ARA' released on 14th March, 1931 at 'Majestic Cinema' Mumbai..and now completed 90 years!

Khan Bahadur Ardeshir Irani was one of the most important pioneers of our Indian Cinema! 

Earlier he directed 8 silent films..mostly mythological ('Veer Abhimanyu'/1922) & historical ('Shahjehan/1924). 

In 1931 he made our India's first talkie film.. 'Alam Ara'! For this he handled the sound recording by using the Tanar Sound system. It was shot with the Tanar single-system camera which recorded sound directly on to film!

Prithviraj Kapoor & Sushila in 'Alam Ara'

'Alam Ara' was a love story between a prince and a gypsy girl, which based on a Parsi play..written by Joseph David and Munshi Zaheer in Urdu! 

It was cinematographed by Wilford Deming & Adi M. Irani and edited by Ezra Mir! The lead artists in our first talkie were Master Vithal, Zubeida, Jillo, Sushila, L. V. Prasad & Prithviraj Kapoor!

It had music by Ferozshah M. Mistri & B. Irani. Total 7 songs were there, from these "De de khuda ke naam.." was the first song !of Indian cinema which was sung by Wazir Mohammed Khan who played fakir in it! Artists Zubeida & Jillo also sung!

Wazir Khan singing in 'Alam Ara'.

This our first talkie was successful and its music was hit! But the film has long been lost and not available. However I watched the documentary made on 'Alam Ara' in the programme 'Celebrating 75 years of our Indian Talkie' held at Mumbai!

And glad to mention that..the inaugural special issue of my film magazine 'Chitrasrushti' was on '75 Years of World Talkie' published in 2002.

Salute to master of Indian Talkie..Iranisahab!

And tribute to 'Alam Ara'!! 

- Manoj Kulkarni

THE ONLY SMITA!

She was,..She is..

And, She will be there..

As an icon of Rebellious Woman on Screen!

The one and only Smita Patil..

 

Remembering her on Women's Day!

- Manoj Kulkarni