Friday 3 May 2013

Bollywood turns 100: the superstars of Hindi cinema

By Hindustan Times
Hindi cinema wouldn't have been the same without these faces. Their inimitable style and quirk has made Bollywood what it is today - a grand melting pot of fine acting, music and storytelling. 
KL Saigal
KL Saigal's debut film with New Theatres, Mohabbat Ke Aansoo in1932 was a disaster. It was followed by more blunders until three bhajan's composed by RC Boral for the studio's Puran Bhagat and sung by Saigal did the trick. Audiences kept coming back to theatres again and again to sing with Saigal. Chandidas (1934) and Devdas (1935) skyrocketed him to the pinnacle of superstardom. 

Saigal was the antithesis of the rugged, handsome prototype of the film hero of the Silent Era. His popularity was also due to the Bard tradition of the singer-performer. Saigal's phenomenal hold over the audiences continued till his death in 1947 at the age of 42 due to cirrhosis of the liver. If he had any rival during his long reign at the top, it was Bombay Talkies' Ashok Kumar. 

Dev AnandDev was introduced in 1946 by Prabhat Talkies, Poona, in their Hum Ek Hain, directed by P L Santoshi. But his career didn't take off until he had set up his own company Navketan at the turn of the '50s. He also did two films Baazi directed by Guru Dutt and Taxi driver written by a still-college younger brother Vijay Anand and directed by elder brother Chetan Anand. 

When Dev Anand made his entry to the industry, he happily cast himself in the mould of a city-smart romantic dandy. He was a star first and a star last. He believed that in Hindi films what mattered the most was the ability to cultivate an acceptable image. 

Dilip KumarDilip Kumar, a Devika Rani discovery, had had a tentative beginning. He hit the big time with his fourth film Jugnu (1947) where he played the lead opposite the legendry Noorjehan. The film was a runaway hit and marked the beginning of a glorious career.

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