indian cinema heritage foundation

on this day

16May
16 May 1994

Cinemaazi remembers Phani Majumdar on his death anniversary

Prolific and innovative, Hindi and Bengali film director and screenwriter Phani Majumdar is known for his films such as Street Singer (1938) starring K L Saigal, Aarti (1962) and Oonche Log (1965). Interestingly, he also made the film Hang Tuah (1955) in Malay, which was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 7th Berlin International Film Festival.
16 May 1940

Cinemaazi remembers Himanshu Rai on his death anniversary

Born in an affluent Bengali family in Cuttack, Himanshu Rai did his schooling in Shantiniketan, followed by an education in law in Calcutta. While he was in London as a young aspiring barrister, a chance meeting with the playwright and theatre personality Niranjan Pal sparked his interest in acting and filmmaking.
16 May 1926

Cinemaazi remembers Manik Varma on her birth anniversary

Padma Shri Manik Varma was a multi-faceted virtuoso of Indian classical, semi-classical and light music. Born Manik Balwant Dadarkar on 16 May, 1926 she initially trained under Shri Bhope Guruji, followed by stalwarts such as Shri Sureshbabu Mane, Ustad Inayat Khan, Shri Bholanath Bhatt, and Pandit Jagannathbhuva Purohit of the Agra gharana. Image credit:  https://gaana.com/artist/manik-varma
15May
15 May 2026

Cinemaazi celebrates the International day of families

Cinemaazi celebrates the International day of families. The worldwide pandemic has brought families together for many weeks, helping people draw strength from one another. On this occasion, we remember Basu Chatterjee’s Khatta Meetha (1978), a story of two families who come to live together involuntarily and end up forming a lifelong bond.   
15 May 2005

Cinemaazi remembers Mahipal on his death anniversary

Today is the death anniversary of popular fantasy, mythological and stunt film star Mahipal. He came to everyone's attention as a performing poet, before getting a chance to act in the film Nazrana (1942). At one point Mahipal's fame stretched well beyond the borders of the nation to places in the Middle East and South East Asia as well.
15 May 1967

Cinemaazi wishes Madhuri Dixit a very happy birthday

Cinemaazi wishes the graceful and vivacious dancing star, Madhuri Dixit a very happy birthday. Dixit's rise to superstardom in the late 80s and 90s came at an important juncture of Hindi cinema. Her films played a crucial role in reviving footfalls in cinema halls, and her incredible dancing skills inspired a generation of youngsters to take up the art.
15 May 1922

Cinemaazi remembers Nazir Hussain on his birth anniversary

When one remembers the actor Nazir Hussain, an affectionate, emotional avuncular man doing his best for his family comes to mind immediately. Known for his legendary ability to cry on command, Nazir Hussain was even called “aansuon ka kanastar” (a canister of tears) in the industry.
14May
14 May 1983

Cinemaazi remembers K Amarnath on his death anniversary

From junior artist to a successful director and producer, K Amarnath saw and did it all. He initially earned renown as a bankable director of stunt films in Madras, before launching his own production house in 1952, making films like Alif Laila (1953), Bara Dari (1955), Bada Bhai (1957) and Kabli Khan (1963). Today is his death anniversary.
14 May 1923

Cinemaazi remembers Mrinal Sen on his birth anniversary

Cinemaazi remembers the director Mrinal Sen on his birth anniversary. Did you know that he also had a Telugu film in his acclaimed oeuvre? Based on the writer Premchand’s story Kafan, the film provides an insight into Sen’s commitment to telling difficult stories.  

social media