TRIBUTE TO SWEDISH ACTRESS..BIBI ANDERSSON!

Veteran actress Bibi Andersson!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Veteran Swedish Actress Bibi Andersson's 82nd birthday just happened!

Pretty young Bibi Andersson!

Bibi Andersson started her acting career in 'Royal Dramatic Theatre'. Then her collaboration with renowned Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman began with his advertising film in 1951..And she became his one of the favourite actresses..like Liv Ullmann!

Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman with Bibi Andersson & Liv Ullmann!

After appearing on big screen in 1954..Bibi Andersson first acted in Ingmar Bergman's feature film 'Smiles of a Summer Nights' (1955). Then she did various kind of roles in his films..in which includes 'The Seventh Seal' (1957), 'Brink of Life' (1958), 'Persona' (1966), 'The Passion of Anna' (1969) & 'The Touch' (1971).

Bibi Andersson in 'The Mistress' (1962).

She also worked with other filmmakers like acted in renowned American filmmaker John Huston's 'The Kremlin Letter' (1970)..And she won 'Best Actress Silver Bear' award for her role in Vilgot Sjoman's film 'The Mistress' (1962) in '13th Berlin International Film Festival'!

Bibi Andersson & Victor Sjostrom in 'Wild Strawberries' (1957).

Still remember her beautiful performance in Bergman's classic film 'Wild Strawberries' (1957) as Sara!  


[In our India..Gulzar's Hindi movie 'Mausam's (1975) scenario adopted from it!]

 I am with Swedish Actress Bibi Andersson in 'IFFI'!

I met her..when she was honoured in our 'International Film Festival of India', 1996 held at New Delhi!




Wishing good health to her!!

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

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet in love song scene of 'Titanic' (1997).

"My heart will go on.." 

Love song of beautiful Rose (Kate Winslet) & Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) from 'Titanic' still lingering in our romantic minds!

Young Leonardo DiCaprio!

And heart touching last words of Rose for going Jack in it's climax "I will never let you go!"..are in our hearts!

I remembered this today on the birthday of it's handsome Hollywood star..Leonardo DiCaprio!

He became internationally famous with this 'Oscar' winning movie 'Titanic' (1997) which completed 20 years now!

Leonardo DiCaprio with 'Golden Globe'!

Then his roles from..'Golden Globe' winner 'The Aviator' (2004) and 'Oscar' winner 'The Wolf of Wall street' (2013) & 'The Revenant' (2015) proved his strong acting ability!

Happy Birthday dear Mr. Leonardo!!

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

Veteran actress Mala Sinha.

GRACEFUL ACTRESS MALA SINHA..81!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Today is birthday of yesteryear's beautiful actress Mala Sinha!.She is 81 now!

Raj Kumar & Mala Sinha in 'Nausherwan-E-Adil' (1957).

Born Nepali Alda Sinha appeared on screen as child artist Baby Nazma in Bengali film 'Jai Vaishno Devi'..and became heroine in 'Roshanara' (1952).
Then from Calcutta she came to Bombay as actress Mala Sinha! 

Rajendra Kumar & Mala Sinha in 'Dhool Ka Phool' (1959)

Her first Hindi film was 'Badshah' (1954) with Pradeep Kumar and then she acted in Balraj Sahani's only directorial debut 'Lal Batti' (1957). Same year her roles in Soharab Modi's 'Nausherwan-E-Adil' with Raj Kumar and 'Pyaasa' with Gurudutt were notable!

Mala Sinha with Manoj Kumar in 'Hariyali aur Rasta' (1962).

Simultaneously she acted in Bengali films like 'Looko Choori' (1958) with Kishore Kumar and 'Khelaghar' (1959) & 'Shohorer Itikotha' (1960) with Uttam Kumar!

Mala Sinha got major success as an actress with films..Yash Chopra's directorial debut 'Dhool Ka Phool' (1959) with Rajendra Kumar and Vijay Bhatt's 'Hariyali aur Rasta' (1962) with Manoj Kumar!

Mala Sinha with Shammi Kapoor in 'Dil Tera Deewana' (1962).

She became a popular leading actress and acted with such leading romantic heros of that era like..with Dev Anand in 'Maya' (1960), Shammi Kapoor in 'Dil Tera Deewana' (1962) & Jeetendra in 'Mere Huzoor' (1968).

Mala Sinha in 'Mere Huzoor' (1968).

Her performances in films 'Phir Subah Hogi' (1958), 'Bahurani' (1963), 'BR's 'Gumrah' (1963), 'Jahan Ara' (1964) were critically acclaimed!

Meanwhile she acted in hit Nepali movie 'Maitighar' (1966) with Chidambar Prasad Lohani whom she got married! (Her daughter Pratibha Sinha also acted in bollywood films!)

Chidambar Prasad Lohani & Mala Sinha in Nepali 'Maitighar' (1966).

Mala Sinha noted for her strong women oriented, glamorous roles & equal star power with heros!


She also has good singing voice...I still remember a scene of film 'Aankhen' (1968) in which she sung little but sweetly in front of mirror!

Mala Sinha in 'Aankhen' (1968).

Her screen performances got good admiration and she received awards from organisations like 'BFJA'! 

In 2005 Nepal Government felicitated her and in 2007 'Star Screen' honoured her with 'Lifetime Achievement Award'!

Wishing her all the best!!

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

'FRENCH NEW WAVE' CINEMATOGRAPHER..RAOUL COUTARD! 

 - Manoj Kulkarni

Legendary French cinematographer Raoul Coutard.

One year over..legendary French cinematographer Raoul Coutard left his cinematic world!

Filmmaker Jean Luc Godard and cinematographer Raoul Coutard shooting film 'Breathless' (1960).



Started working as a photo journalist..Raoul Coutard then became a cameraman of..one of the pioneers on 'French New Wave' director Jean Luc Godard with his film 'A bout de Souffle' ('Breathless'/1960).

Filmmaker Francois Truffaut shooting

with Cinematographer Raoul Coutard!

Then he also worked for other 'FNW' filmmakers like Francois Truffaut for 'Jules Et Jim' (1962).

After cinematographed a film of Costa Gavras..'Z'...Raoul Coutard written & directed film 'Hoa-Binh' (1970)..And then made other films like 'Operation Leopard' (1980).

Francois Truffaut's film 'Jules Et Jim' (1962).

Cautard was famous for shooting with a handheld camera and use of natural light! In his career of 50 years he shot more than 75 films. His last movie was Philippe Garrel's 'Wild Innocence' (2001).

Close-up of Jeanne Moreau in 'Jules Et Jim'!

I published special issue of my film magazine 'Chitrasrushti' on the 'French New Wave' in 2008!

Humble homage to this master cinematographer!!

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

Nandita Das & Shabana Azmi in film 'Fire' made by Deepa Mehta!

'FIRE'..20 YEARS!

"Fire'..fired!"
That was a reaction of delegates I heard in our 'International Film Festival of India' held at Trivandrum in 1997..after watching the film 'Fire' made by Indo-Canadian Deepa Mehta!

Novel 'Lihaaf's writer Ismat Chughtai!

Based on the novel 'Lihaaf' by Ismat Chughtai..this taboo-breaking film boldly showed the relationship of two Indian women..which portrayed by Shabana Azmi & Nandita Das! 

Conservatives protested against the film; but intellectuals especially feminists discussed the issue seriously!

'Fire's Nandita Das, Deepa Mehta & me at 'IFFI',Trivandrum!

I remembered this because film 'Fire' completed 20 years..And today is birthday of Nandita Das who became famous with this film!

I interviewed Deepa Mehta & Nandita Das in that 'IFFI'!

Regards to both of them!!

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

TRIBUTE TO MASTER FILMMAKER

RITWIK GHATAK!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Great Bengali Filmmaker & Screenwriter Ritwik Ghatak's 92nd Birth Anniversary just happened!

He was a contemporary of great filmmakers Satyajit Ray & Mrinal Sen! Mostly known for his emotional social films...close to Neo-realistic Cinema!

Ritwik Ghatak at young age!

Born in Dhaka (now the capital of Bangladesh)..Ritwik Ghatak moved with his family to Calcutta because of catastrophe Bengal famine of 1943 and then partition of Bengal in 1947! So the plight of refugees depicted in his creative work as an artist!

Ritwik Ghatak's first film 'Nagorik' (1952).

In 1948 he wrote his first drama 'Kalo Sayar'. Then joined 'Indian People's Theatre Association' (IPTA). After that in 1950 he entered cinema with Nimai Ghosh's film 'Chinnamul' in which he acted and worked as an assistant director!

Ritwik Ghatak's first released 'Ajantrik' (1958).

  

In 1952 he written & directed his first film 'Nagorik' which was first Art & neo-realist film in Bengali cinema!..It reflected lower middle-class emotions and unemployment with documentary realism! But this film released twenty-four years later (after his death) in 1977. So missed the honour of becoming pioneer of Bengali art and neo-realistic film of Indian cinema..And that honour went to Satyajit Ray's 'Pather Panchali' which released in 1955. But Ray praised Ghatak as truly original talent in Indian cinema!


In 1958 his first film released 'Ajantrik' which was a satire in which automobile used as a character.This film was a special entry at 'Venice Film Festival' in 1959!

Bimal Roy's Hindi film 'Madhumati' (1958) which Ritwik Ghatak wrote!

Meanwhile he achieved big success as script writer with Bimal Roy's Hindi film 'Madhumati' (1958) which deal with the reincarnation! Acting king Dilip Kumar and beautiful Vyjayanthimala acted this musical romantic film became hit. But that was the only one film for which Ghatak wrote the story for Bimal Roy! This film won Best Film National Award and nine Filmfare awards!

Supriya Choudhari in 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' (1960).

After that his trilogy 'Meghe Dhaka Tara' (1960), 'Komal Gandhar' (1961) & 'Subarnarekha' (1962)..was based in Calcutta and depicted the conditions of refugee. In these three films realism came with emotional elements which touched the hearts..like Supriya Choudhari's crying scene with nature in 'Meghe Dhaka Tara'!

In 1966 he moved to Pune and taught in Film Institue (now 'FTII'). I have observed how the established filmmakers (alumni of his time) remember him emotionally as a great teacher of filmmaking!

Ritwik Ghatak directing the scene of film!

In 1970 he returned to 'his cinema'..And that year he was honoured with 'Padmashri' from our Government of India!

Then he directed Bangladeshi film 'Titash Ekti Nadir Naam' (1973) which was produced by Habibur Rahman Khan! Based on novel..this film explored the life of fishermen! For this film he got 'Best Director Award' from 'Bangladesh Cine Journalists Association'!

Bangladeshi film 'Titash Ekti Nadir Naam' (1973).

After that due to his poor health filmmaking became difficult for him..And last film he made 'Jukti Takko Aar Gappo' (1974). This film was technically superior; but won only Best Story National Award!

He directed eight feature films in Bengali only. Main focus of 'Ghatak cinema' concentrated on human beings and their struggle for life! He was theorist also in that way..and he used film medium to express his anger towards sorrows & suffering of people!

Ghatak's last 'Jukti Takko Aar Gappo' (1974).

His elder daughter Samhita Ghatak was with us in 'Film Appreciation Course' at FTII, Pune in 1989. Came to know that she made docufeature 'Nobo Nagarik'!


Humble Tribute to this master filmmaker!!


- Manoj Kulkarni

['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]

TRIBUTE TO GREAT PRITHVIRAJ KAPOOR!

 - Manoj Kulkarni 

Today is 111th Birth Anniversary of..one of the pioneers of our Indian theatre & cinema..great actor Prithviraj Kapoor!

Prithviraj Kapoor in India's first talkie 'Alam Ara' (1931).

Started acting on theatre..Prithviraj Kapoor latter shifted to 'Imperial Film Company' in Bombay. And after few silent films he acted in India's first talkie 'Alam Ara' (1931) made by Ardeshir Irani! Then his most notable role was Alexander in Sohrab Modi's 'Sikandar' (1941).

Prithviraj Kapoor in 'Vidyapati' (1937).

He was associated with 'IPTA' and latter founded his own 'Prithvi Theatres' in 1944. It's plays were influential & inspired youth to participate in our India's independence movement!

Prithviraj Kapoor in 'Sikandar' (1941).

He also acted in popular Punjabi film 'Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai' (1969). Then in 'Kal Aaj Aur Kal' (1971) he appeared (after 'Awara') with son Raj Kapoor & grandson Randhir Kapoor! Started with him..Kapoor family's four generations contributed a lot to Indian film industry!

Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor & Randhir Kapoor in 'Kal Aaj aur Kal' (1971).

After 'Sangeet Natak Akademi's awards..in 1969 Government of India honoured him with 'Padma Bhushan' and he remained Rajya Sabha member for 8 years. In 1971 'Dadasaheb Phalke Award' was conferred on him!

Prithviraj Kapoor & Dilip Kumar in 'Mughal-E-Azam' (1960). 

Still remember his great characters on screen like king in 'Vidyapati' (1937) and Emperor Akbar in K. Asif's 'Mughal-E-Azam' (1960) in which the way he raised the voice towards son played by Dilip Kumar.."Saleeem...!" was a moving experience!

Tribute to Prithviraj Kapoorsahab!!

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