indian cinema heritage foundation

on this day

23May
23 May 1915

Cinemaazi remembers Vanmala on her birth anniversary

Born on this day in 1915, Vanmala was introduced by Acharya Atre to V Shantaram. Initially offered the role of assistant director, she was finally convinced by the director to star in the film Lapandav (1940). She had a fruitful career which ended with the award winning Shyamchi Aai (1953).
23 May 1896

Cinemaazi remembers Keshav Bhole on his birth anniversary

Keshav Vaman Bhole also known as Keshavrao Bhole was a music director of Indian films as well a film critic He also founded the theatrical company Natya-Manvantara. He is credited for the films Amrit Manthan (1934), Sant Tukaram (1936), Kunku (Duniya Na Mane) (1937), Sant Dnyaneshwar (1940), Das Baje (10 O'Clock) (1940), Ram Shastri (1944), etc. Image credit: &...
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22May
22 May 2011

Cinemaazi remembers Chidananda Dasgupta on his death anniversary

One of the founders of the Calcutta Film Society, Chidananda Dasgupta's writings have become essential reading for scholars and film afficionados alike. He was an influential voice in the discourse of film criticism and a reputed film historian. A prolific writer, he also wrote essays on literature. He also turned filmmaker, with Bilet Pherat (1972) being his most well known work. Image credit:  https://upperstall.com/profile/lum...
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22 May 2002

Cinemaazi remembers Sultan Ahmed on his death anniversary

Maker of hit films like Heera (1973), Ganga Ki Saugandh (1978) and Dharam Kanta (1982), Sultan Ahmed passed away on this day in 2002. Born in Lucknow, his paternal uncle was the great Wajahat Mirza. He began his career as K Asif's assistant, before transitioning to the role of director and producer himself.
22 May 1997

Cinemaazi remembers T R Ramanna on his death anniversary

T R Ramanna delivered several big hits with the likes of MGR and Sivaji Ganesan in the lead. He even started the trend of dressing MGR in western clothes for songs. Married to B S Saroja, it was she who handled the production duties of many of his films. Today is his death anniversary.
22 May 1987

Cinemaazi remembers Shevan Rizvi on his death anniversary

Shevan Rizvi penned several popular songs for films like Apni Izzat (1952), Surang (1953), Hatimtai Ki Beti (1955), Al Hilal (1958), Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962), Golden Eyes Secret Agent 007 (1968) among others. He passed away on this day in 1987. Image source: www.humaraphotos.com
22 May 1933

Cinemaazi wishes Ved Rahi on his birthday

Ved Rahi is an influential writer in the Dogri language, for which he was felicitated by the Sahitya Akademi. He also worked as a story and dialogue writer for several Hindi films and televsion series. He was born on this day in 1933. Image source: www.mayapuri.com
22 May 1911

Cinemaazi celebrates Homi Wadia on his birth anniversary.

Cinemaazi celebrates Homi Wadia on his 109th birth anniversary. A man with a passion for making unadulterated action films, he played a major role in the career of Fearless Nadia, one of the first female stunt heroines of Indian cinema.   
21May
21 May 2011

Cinemaazi remembers Mala Sen on her death anniversary

A reputed human rights activist and writer, Mala Sen's book India's Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi formed the basis of Shekhar Kapur's acclaimed film. She was known for her anti-racist activism in the UK, working to provide safe housing for migrant Bangladeshis. Her image has been painted as a mural in Brick Lane by Jasmin Kaur Sehra. She had passed away on 21 May, 2011.
21 May 1988

Cinemaazi remembers Iqbal Qureshi on his death anniversary

Iqbal Qureshi composed the music for Filmalaya’s Love in Simla (1960) which introduced Joy Mukherjee and Sadhana as lead actors. A runaway success, this was one of Qureshi’s most celebrated film scores with lilting, catchy numbers such as Dil thaam chalein (Mohd Rafi), Haseeno ki sawari hai (Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur) and Love ka matlab hai pyaar (Rafi and Asha Bhosle).
21 May 1960

Cinemaazi wishes Mohanlal a very happy birthday

A very happy birthday to Mohanlal. Called The Complete Actor by his fans, he rose to stardom off the back of his powerful performances in the 80s. He has since wowed audiences with a jaw-dropping range in portrayals on screen. 
21 May 1914

Cinemaazi remembers Agha on his birth anniversary

One day while roaming the streets in his neighbourhood, Agha saw a play being performed in the street. Immediately, he was struck by the thought that this was something he could do. He joined a group of theatre practitioners in the neighbouring locality, and soon became a popular favourite due to his easygoing nature and his instinct for comedy. Impressed by his knack for acting, the other members of the group suggested he try his hand at acting...
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