on this day

Actress, filmmaker and politician Kangna Ranaut was born on 23 March 1986 in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.

Credits:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangana_Ranaut

At a time when Tamil cinema was dominated by the superheroics of MGR or the fiery performances of Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan occupied the position of the quintessential romantic hero. His films traditionally featured him as the gentle, soft-spoken hero and were usually devoid of extreme violence. Rising to stardom with his role in Manampol Mangalyam (1953), he would go on to be called the Kadhai Mannan (King of Romance). Today, on his death anniversary, we look back on one of his career's big successes, Ramu (1966). A curious case of the remake being the bigger success than the original, the film was based on Kishore Kumar's directorial debut Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein (1964). The remake had a more fleshed out screenplay by Javer Seetharaman, the film featured endearing performances from Ganesan and Master Rajkumar. Interestingly, the lead role was supposed to go to Jaishankar, but Gemini Ganesan personally went to AVM to request the role. The film became a huge box office success, running over 100 days (Ashok Kumar attended its 100th day celebration function). Many theatre owners demanded the removal of the song Nilavae ennidam nerungadhey, claiming it was slowing the film down. Though AVM was open to removing it, his son Kumaran put his foot down. The film was awarded the National Film Award for Best Film in Tamil.

A legend of Kannada cinema, M V Vasudeva Rao is still remembered for his immense performance as Choma in Chomana Dudi (1975) which won him the National Award. Unfortunately the rest of his career was spent in the shadow of this titanic performance. Today is his death anniversary.

Remembering music director Pandit Shivram, who was mostly known for his work in mythological films. He was born this day 22 March in 1927 in Jodhpur, where he went on to be employed at the Jodhpur royal court as a singer-musician. Entering the film industry, he got his first break in Bombay from V Shantaram with Teen Batti Chaar Raasta (1953) and Surang (1953). In the course of his career, Pandit Shivram scored for films such as Teen Batti Chaar Raaste (1953), Oonchi Haveli (1955), Sati Ansuya (1956), Shravan Kumar (1956), Jai Ambe (1957), Gauri Shankar (1958), Phool Aur Kaliyaan (1960), Kan Kan Mein Bhagwan (1963), Sati Naari (1965), Shankar Sita Ansuya (1965), Shri Ram Bharat Milan (1965), Badrinath Yatra (1967), Dhani Lugaai (1964), Gangaur (1964), and Gogaji Pir (1969). While he composed music for regional languages such as Rajasthani, and Bhojpuri, he also sang in films like Oonchi Haveli, and Rangeela Raja (1960). Pandit Shivram passed away in 1980.

Arguably the most influential cinematographer of early Hindi cinema, Josef Wirsching was born on this day in 1903 in Munich, Germany. Escaping from Nazi Germany, he found an alternative creative outlet through Bombay Talkies, where he went on to define much of their aesthetic.

A dialogue and screenplay-writer, he worked on classic films like Anubhav (1971), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Noorie (1979), Silsila (1981), Chandni (1989) and directed the classic Bazaar (1982). He was alos an accomplished writer of Urdu stories and plays.

Image courtesy: Film History Pics

Composer of memorable music for films like Love in Shimla (1960), Banarasi Thug (1962), Yeh Dil Kisko Doon (1963) and Cha Cha Cha (1964), Iqbal Qureshi began his career composing for IPTA plays. He passed away on this day in 1988.

Cinemaazi wishes a very Happy Birthday to Rani Mukerji.

Bharat Ratna and ‘Czar of the Shehnai’, Ustad Bismillah Khan was born this day, 21 March in 1916. Khan played the shehnai, which was primarily a traditional folk instrument, with such brilliance that he became a leading Indian classical music artist, and also raised the shehnai’s status to one worthy of concert stature. Born into a family of court musicians in Bihar, he started off accompanying his uncle in playing the shehnai at Hindu religious functions, as well as weddings. Learning various ragas and improvising with patterns, he won attention with his concert performance at the All-India Music Conference in Calcutta in 1937. It was the start of a lifetime of concerts, performances, and recordings. Selected to perform at the Red Fort on the occasion of India’s Independence on 15 August, 1947, his popularity also grew in the West. In his association with films, he played the shehnai for Rajkumar's role in the Kannada blockbuster Sanaadi Appanna, and also acted in Satyajit Ray’s Jalsaghar, also playing the shehnai for Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959). Known to have lived an austere life, the only material object that mattered to him was his shehnai, which he lovingly called ‘begum’ after the passing of his wife.

An avid race-goer as a young man, the well-known comic actor Agha often dreamt of the day when he would race horses himself. Apart from playing with his friends and watching races, he did not enjoy much else as a child. When admitted to school, he only attended for three days before dropping out and never returning again. 

A gold medallist student and topper in the Civil Service examinations, Khurshid Anwar's support for Bhagat Singh saw him being rejected by the British board. Also a supremely talented musician, he made his name in Punjabi and Hindi films of the 40's. After his migration to Pakistan in 1952, he was known for rejuvenating Noorjehan's career. Today is his birth anniversary.