Latest news with #KabhieKabhie
India Today
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
7 Neetu Singh-Rishi Kapoor films
7 films of Neetu Singh with Rishi Kapoor July 8, 2025 Credit:Instagram/neetu54 Actor Neetu Singh is celebrating her 67th birthday today. On this occasion, here are seven films in which she starred opposite her late actor-husband Rishi Kapoor. Credit: Instagram/@neetu54 This was Rishi and Neetu's first film together. The film is a tragic love story set in a small town, showcasing an intense and emotional side of both actors. Zehreela Insaan Credit:IMDb The romantic drama released in 1976. It explored love, loss, and generational conflict. Neetu and Rishi added youthful charm to this multi-starrer emotional saga. Kabhie Kabhie Released in 1980, the movie is about a poor boy who inherits sudden wealth, leading to comic and emotional twists. Rishi and Neetu's playful romance is the highlight of the film. Dhan Daulat The 1979 comedy film is about lies spiraling out of control when two friends move to the city. Rishi and Neetu's comic timing and energy shine through in the drama. Jhoota Kahin Ka College pranks take a dark turn in this thriller film, starring Rishi and Neetu. The real-life couple's chemistry made this film a hit. Khel Khel Mein Adapted from 1959 American film Some Like It Hot, this comedy film sees two men disguising themselves as women to escape the mafia. Rishi and Neetu's hilarious antics steal the show. Rafoo Chakkar This heartwarming film is based on a middle-class family's struggles and dreams, as a school teacher aspires to buy a car. Neetu and Rishi bring warmth and chemistry in this late-career reunion. Do Dooni Chaar Wishing Neetu Singh a very happy birthday!
India.com
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This Amitabh Bachchan film was shot in Kashmir, became huge hit, earned Rs…, featured actor's real relatives as wedding guests in a scene, movie is…
Kashmir has long been more than a postcard destination—it's a muse for many filmmakers. While the valley is often in the news today for political tensions, in the 1970s, it was Bollywood's favourite outdoor location. Few filmmakers loved Kashmir like Yash Chopra, who repeatedly captured its romance on screen. Well, among his many iconic shoots, Kabhie Kabhie (1976) holds a special place, not just for its beautiful visuals and poetic storytelling, but also for one of the amazing BTS moments involving the cast's real-life families. The scene you didn't know The film starring Amitabh Bachchan, Rakhee, Shashi Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Singh, and Waheeda Rehman, Kabhie Kabhie was a romantic drama woven around love, loss, and fate. When the film's wedding scene was being shot in Kashmir, the entire crew had brought along their families to enjoy the serene locale. Yes, you read it right! Grabbing the opportunity, Yash Chopra turned this vacation into cinema, roping in everyone's family members to play extras in a lavish wedding scene. So, when you watch the baraat unfold in the film, know this: those guests were not actors, but wives, husbands, children, and relatives of the leading stars. A love story that still resonates with all of us The film that hit cinemas in 1976, Kabhie Kabhie, was a romantic saga revolving around the characters Amit (Amitabh Bachchan) and Pooja (Rakhee). Bound by love but separated by parental expectations, Pooja marries Shashi Kapoor's character instead. Years later, fate brings them back together, setting the stage for emotional reckonings and tangled relationships. The film may have been a semi-hit at the box office, but its emotional depth and sweeping visuals left a lasting impression. Timeless music and memories What Kabhie Kabhie lacked in commercial firepower, it made up for in music. The title track, 'Kabhie Kabhie Mere Dil Mein,' remains one of Bollywood's most iconic love songs, with its poetic lyrics and haunting melody. The film went on to win four Filmfare Awards, cementing its place in cinema history. More than just a movie, Kabhie Kabhie was an experience—one that blurred the lines between reel and real in the most heartwarming way.
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
When Kishore Kumar's Songs were Banned
When Sanjay Gandhi, the unelected son of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, wanted to promote his 20-point programme — a list he put down as socio-economic development initiatives — during the Emergency, he decided to commission members of the film industry to further his reform agenda. He organised 'Geeto Bhari Shaam', the state-sponsored charity event under the aegis of the Indian Youth Congress, in Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium on April 11, 1976. Even as brute force was used for a mass sterilisation drive under the guise of family planning all over the country (11 million were eventually sterilised), the programme went on. This was the time actor Dilip Kumar spoke about population outbreak and need for family planning from the stage. He even used a couplet to highlight his point besides compering a chunk of the programme. Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Mukesh and Mahendra Kapoor crooned under RD Burman's baton. Amjad Khan took on the Gabbar avatar to tell Burman, 'Bahut jaan hai iske sangeet mein,' as the audience went into splits. Amitabh Bachchan recited Sahir Ludhianvi's 'Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aata hai' just before actors Rakhee and Shashi Kapoor announced the song from the film 'Kabhie Kabhie' (1976). Shabana Azmi and Zeenat Aman shook a leg as Bhosle sang 'Hare rama, hare krishna', the eponymous song from the 1971 film, starring Dev Anand and Aman. While some of the most sought-after names were present in the gathering, Kishore Kumar, a fixture in Burman's numerous songs, such as 'Ye shaam mastani' and 'Ek main aur ek tu', including the recent hit 'Sholay', was missing from the event. He was also that year's Filmfare winner for the title song in the Uttam Kumar and Sharmila Tagore-starrer 'Amaanush' (1974). The Emergency took place at the peak of his popularity. Kumar had refused to be part of the event and said 'no' to singing jingles for the government, even though the directive had come straight from the top. Gandhi was also looking at alleviating despair from people's lives and Kumar's presence seemed necessary for that. According to 'Kishore Kumar, the Ultimate Biography' (Harper Collins, 2022) by Aniruddh Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar, SMH Burney — the then secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting headed by VC Shukla — had approached Kumar in January 1976 to be part of the show. The singer refused, mainly because it felt like an order and not an invitation. Also read – Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography pieces together the many ups and downs of the actor-singer's life Burney was swiftly directed to arrange a meeting with a few government officials and industry representatives in Mumbai. The meeting took place on April 29, 1976, days after 'Geeto Bhari Shaam' in the Capital. It was attended by GP Sippy, the then head of the All-India Film Producers' Council, director Shriram Bohra, BR Chopra, Subodh Mukerji and Nasir Hussain, among others. It is also reported that Sippy tried to persuade Kumar, who wouldn't budge. He also refused to meet Joint Secretary CB Jain regarding the same. Kumar is quoted from one of his interviews in the book: 'I did what I thought best. Singing at private functions is definitely not an anathema. With genuine love and respect, I am only too eager to bend. However, if someone decides to rest his foot in my head, he will not have the good fortune to witness the best of my courtesies.' Years later, he told Pritish Nandy in an interview, 'No one can make me do what I don't want to do. I don't sing at anyone's will or command.' Kumar's refusal was taken as rebellion and defiance. A sweeping ban on all his songs was imposed on May 4. They were removed from AIR and Doordarshan broadcasts, including on Ameen Sayani's 'Binaca Geetmala'. The sale and distribution of his records were halted. Jain also wanted the BBC to stop the broadcast. According to the book, the note from Burney — approved by Shukla a week after the order came into effect — read: 'All the songs of Sri Kishore Kumar should be banned from AIR and DD and that all films in which he was the playback singer should be listed out so that suitable action can be taken against these films. Besides, the representative of HMV and Gramophone recording companies should be sent for and, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, the sale of Sri Kishore Kumar's records and discs should be frozen.' Eventually, former Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray stepped in and held a meeting with Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Vijay Anand, Dev Anand (who was a vociferous protester of the Emergency) and Shukla. Kumar finally agreed to be part of another show at the Sanjay Gandhi Flying Club. The ban was lifted on June 16, 1976, two days after the meeting.
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Emergency: From censorship to arrests, when culture, artists came in crosshairs
In January 1976, state-owned television broadcaster Doordarshan started airing a show called Geeton Bhari Shaam. A brainchild of Sanjay Gandhi, the son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, it brought together some of the most popular singers and actors of the time to extol the 20-point programme, a set of socio-economic development initiatives initiated by the government. Actor Dilip Kumar delivered a four-minute speech on the importance of population control. Singer Asha Bhonsle and music composer RD Burman sang the popular number, Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, from the 1975 film, Khel Khel Mein, with a full-instrument orchestra that included Rishi Kapoor on the tambourine. Another popular singing duo, Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh, performed a song from the hit film, Kabhie Kabhie, as Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor and Rakhi (the cast of the film) stood beside them. But what Doordarshan didn't show was the sordid truth about why the most popular singer of the time was missing. PREMIUM Movies like Kissa Kursee Ka and Aandhi, which had characters that seemed to be based on then PM Indira Gandhi and peopleclose to her, were banned after Emergency was imposed. (IMDB) On June 25, 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed the Emergency proclamation on account of 'internal disturbances' that 'threatened the security'. Indira Gandhi's government censored the press, jailed opposition leaders, and sterilised thousands of people. Cinema, the stage and the canvas bore the brunt, too. Outspoken playwrights and actors were vindictively crushed or harassed. Films like Kissa Kursi Ka and Aandhi were banned, and artistes were made examples of. Kishore Kumar was one of them. 2 In April 1976, then information and broadcasting minister Vidya Charan Shukla deputed CB Jain, joint secretary in the ministry, and PV Krishnamoorthy, the director-general of Doordarshan, to visit Bombay (as Mumbai was then called) and meet industry representatives. The meeting took place on April 29, and included producers and directors such as GP Sippy, BR Chopra, Subodh Mukherjee and Sriram Bohra, the head of the All India Producers Council. However, Kumar refused to show up. When Jain phoned Kumar asking to pay him a visit at home, Kumar replied that his doctor had advised against meeting people on account of heart trouble, and in any case, Kumar did not want to sing on stage or television. Incensed, Jain hung up. A witch hunt ensued. On May 4, 1976, Kumar's songs were banned by the Air India Radio and Doordarshan. Overnight, his voice was written out of all broadcasts — authors Aniruddha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar wrote in the book Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography (2022)that even duets were played with only the female singer's voice. In 1977, the Janata Party-led government , formed after Indira Gandhi's defeat in the general elections, instituted a commission headed by former Chief Justice of India JC Shah to investigate the excesses committed during the 25-month-long Emergency. Shukla admitted to the commission that 'the team of I&B ministry officers [...] were unhappy over the attitude displayed by one of the leading artistes, Shri Kishore Kumar. Because of the feeling that Shri Kishore Kumar was not willing to cooperate with Akashvani and Doordarshan, some action was contemplated.' 'The harsh measures taken against Shri Kishore Kumar had a 'tangible effect' on film producers,' the commission's interim report read. 'Apart from the constitutional responsibility, [Shukla] is actually responsible for gross misuse of power,' it stated. Kumar wasn't the only one caught in the crosshairs of the then government. The censor board rationed raw film negative, and imposed arbitrary rules on what could be depicted on screen — images of liquor bottles and blood were cut; action sequences were limited to only 90 seconds at a time, with a total of only six sequences permitted — and it routinely asked directors to re-edit their films. In April 1975, Amrit Nahata, a film producer and Congress MP, submitted Kissa Kursi Ka, starring Shabana Azmi, Raj Babbar and Manohar Singh, to the censor board. The film was a parody on Indian politics and featured characters who seemed to be based on individuals close to Indira Gandhi. There was also a clear reference to Sanjay Gandhi's small-car project, and the alleged favouritism that helped set up his Maruti factory in Haryana. However, a review committee and the I&B ministry banned the film. All prints, including its masterproof, were burnt. Gulzar's Aandhi, starring Suchitra Sen and Sanjeev Kumar, was banned because the leads apparently bore an uncomfortable resemblance to Indira Gandhi and her husband, Feroze. 3 Ideological differences were subjected to worse punishment. On June 25, 1975, Snehalata Reddy and her husband, Pattabhirama Reddy, had just finished filming the Kannada film, Chanda Marutha (Wild Wind), which was based on the play by P Lankesh, Kranti Bantu Kranti, and dealt with themes of people's protests and state dictatorship. The film was shot in the couple's home, which was a well-known Bangalore landmark, where all manners of writers, artists, and filmmakers were welcome. Snehalata was soon picked up under the Maintenance of Internal Securities Act (MISA) after the Central Bureau of Investigation argued that she was a close associate of George Fernandes, a fellow socialist and later member of the Janata Party. She was eventually released in January 1977 due to her deteriorating health and died within days. The Emergency also saw artists create hard-hitting political critiques on stage and canvas, often at great risk. In the 1970s, Navjot Altaf, was a member of the Progressive Youth Movement (PROYOM), which was sympathetic to the Communist Party of India (Marxist - Leninist). The police used the Emergency to crack down on who it saw as sympathisers of the Naxalbari movement, an uprising of the rural and urban youth against the state. Navjot recalled hiding the cyclostyle machine on which they made PROYOM posters, and burning documents. In 1977, one of her drawings made in response to the Emergency showed a citizen wrestling with the monstrous tentacles of the state, Nancy Adajania said in the artist monograph, The Thirteenth Place. On stage, too, actors and playwrights responded to the corrupting influence of unchecked power. Utpal Dutt produced Bengali plays such as Barricade, Duswapaner Nagari (City of Nightmares), and Ebaar Rajar Pala (Enter the King), which were banned by the government. Vijay Tendulkar's Dambadweepcha Mukabala used a folk tale to satirise the Emergency and Indira Gandhi. 4 At the same time, the 1970s was a good decade for the business of films. In 1975, over 13,000 theatres dotted the country and box office collections of mainstream Hindi cinema crossed a billion dollars annually for the first time. Films such as Deewar and Sholay, depicting Bachchan as the Angry Young Man — devoid of political angst, but fuelled with the desire to do good — became blockbuster hits. The government also course-corrected its own media strategy during the Emergency. In order to recover loans from defaulting filmmakers, a report on New Indian Cinema brought out by the government in 1976, proffered the Film Finance Corporation (later the National Film Development Corporation) new criteria, such as 'Indianness in theme and approach', 'human interest stories', 'approachable characters', among others, to grant loans. According to film scholar Ashish Rajadhyaksha, this period complicated the state's influence on New Cinema, which emerged in the 1960s fuelled by FFC. The films, which already possessed an 'aesthetic of state control', were able to take on political issues and offer social and political critique, such as Satyajit Ray's Charulata (1964), Nayak (1966) and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne (1968) as well as Mrinal Sen's Bhuvan Shome, Mani Kaul's Uski Roti and Basu Chatterjee's Sara Akash, all produced in 1969. During the Emergency, the Films Division, set up in 1948 to educate the public through short films and documentaries, was tasked with making 20 films to extol the virtues of the government's 20-point programme. The FD separately also made short films with titles such as Freedom from Fear, Kidhar Ja Rahe Ho [where are you going], Kaisa Andhera [what kind of darkness], and Our Indira that depicted young people who had lost their way through protests and violence. 'From colonial times, the state has been afraid of the cinema, because of its potential for disruption of law and order and thus, it has practised regulation in the name of public order. Indira Gandhi was an important figure in that she had made possible the New Cinema Movement of the late 60s-early 70s, with the formation of Film Finance Corporation that was not only aesthetic and well-made but also spoke for the state, as it were. So when the Emergency came along, the idea of cinema that was more supportive of the state was not a new one,' said Rajadhyaksha.
India.com
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet Amitabh Bachchan's 'mother' and sometimes his 'wife', is five years older than Big B, her name is…
Amitabh Bachchan, the superstar of the century, achieved a lot in his career. He did many types of films and characters and also did many experimental roles. He has been active for many decades and is still working. He became the biggest hero of action and his pairing with big heroines was quite a hit. But do you know the heroine of Amitabh Bachchan who played the role of his mother and wife? Yes, she is a big heroine who ruled the screen and was also counted among the highest-paid actresses. The most amazing thing is that she is also 5 years older than Amitabh Bachchan. So let us tell you about this pair. We are talking about Amitabh Bachchan's co-star and veteran actress Waheeda Rehman. Waheeda and Amitabh Bachchan have worked together in many films. But the amazing coincidence is that Waheeda Rehman played the role of Amitabh Bachchan's wife in a film and she has played the role of his mother in many films. First of all, let us tell you the age difference between Amitabh Bachchan and Waheeda Rehman. Amitabh Bachchan of Allahabad was born on 11 October 1942. He is currently 82 years old. Whereas Waheeda Rehman was born on 3 February 1938. She is currently 87 years old. According to this, Waheeda Rehman is 5 years older than the actor. Iconic actress Waheeda Rehman played the role of Amitabh Bachchan's wife in the film 'Kabhi Kabhi'. In 'Kabhi Kabhi', Amitabh Bachchan was seen in the role of Amit Malhotra and Waheeda Rehman in the role of Anjali Malhotra. Rakhi Gulzar and Shashi Kapoor were also in the film. Where a love story and the meaning of relationships were shown. This film was made under the direction of Yash Chopra. In this way, Waheeda Rehman played the role of Amitabh Bachchan's wife in 'Kabhie Kabhie', apart from this she played the role of Amitabh Bachchan's mother in films like 'Trishul' (1978), 'Namak Halal' (1982) and 'Coolie' (1993). There was a time when Waheeda Rehman ruled the industry. She was also the highest paid actress but after the age of 40, she stopped getting lead roles.
