Latest news with #KamalAmrohi
India.com
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Made in Rs 1.25 crore, lead actress of this film died after one month of its release, movie earned Rs…, lead actor was…
Bollywood has seen a number of turbulent productions, but few compare to Pakeezah, a film that stretched across 14 years, survived a marriage and a breakup, and became a posthumous triumph for its legendary heroine. Yes, you read it right! Wondering who are we talking about? She is Meena Kumari. Kamal Amrohi's directorial, starring his then-wife Meena Kumari, the film began production in 1958. Originally shot in black-and-white, the film's progress was derailed by changing technology, personal heartbreak, and health crises. Why did Pakeezah's production stall? The transition from black-and-white to colour was just the beginning. By 1964, Kamal Amrohi and Meena Kumari's marriage ended in divorce, bringing filming to a screeching halt. For four years, the project lay dormant. In 1968, Amrohi revived the film. Meena Kumari, by then struggling with alcoholism and severe illness, nonetheless made a brave return to complete the film, determined to honour the vision she had once believed in. When was the film finally completed? The shooting of the film was wrapped in 1971, and post-production followed swiftly. The film, according to several media reports, Pakeezah, finally saw the light of day in 1972, a full 14 years after its inception. However, just two months after its release, Meena Kumari passed away, a tragic twist that changed the film's fate. Here's how Meena Kumari's death impacted the film According to the reports, initially, Pakeezah saw lukewarm reception. But after Meena Kumari's death, audiences rushed to witness her swansong. The film's poetic dialogues, haunting melodies, and Meena's ethereal presence resonated like never before. The emotional weight of her passing, coupled with the film's lyrical beauty, elevated it from an average release to a cultural phenomenon. Reportedly, with a production cost of Rs 1.25 crore, massive for its time, Pakeezah went on to earn Rs 6 crore at the box office, becoming one of the highest-grossing films of its era. More importantly, it earned the rare title of a cult classic, remembered for its music, art direction, and the sheer resilience behind its making. Today, Pakeezah stands as more than just a film, it's a testament to cinematic obsession, personal sacrifice, and the undying aura of Meena Kumari, the 'Tragedy Queen' of Hindi cinema.
NDTV
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Reliving The Magic Of Filmistan Studios, One Last Time
New Delhi: As the iconic Goregaon studio makes way for luxury towers, we look back at the legends, films, and memories it gave Indian cinema. Another piece of Bollywood history is making way for real estate. Filmistan Studio in Goregaon, established in 1943 and once a powerhouse of Hindi cinema, has been sold to Arkade Developers for Rs 183 crore. The developer plans to launch a premium residential project on the site in 2026, featuring two 50-storey towers with 3, 4, and 5 BHK homes and penthouses. It has a projected Gross Development Value (GDV) of Rs 3,000 crore. YouTube This marks the third iconic film studio in Mumbai to be sold for redevelopment. Earlier, RK Studios in Chembur and Kamal Amrohi's Kamalistan Studios in Jogeshwari were transformed into multi storey buildings. "This place that we could not enter had an arch with Filmistan Studio ' written on it. It's gone," said film historian Amrit Gangar, standing near what was once the main entrance. A Final Glimpse We tried to enter the studio one last time to step inside the space where Hindi cinema once breathed. But the gate, once crowned by the iconic Filmistan Studio arch, was shut. Now private property, we were turned away. Just as we were about to leave, a man living in a house right next to the compound overheard our conversation. When he learned we were working on a story about the studio's past, he invited us in. Inside his modest home, he led us to a back room his bedroom. From the window, we got an unexpected, uninterrupted view into the heart of Filmistan. The same stages where Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Jagriti were shot, the space where countless wedding processions and funeral scenes were filmed was now eerily still. And there it stood, the abandoned temple set, instantly recognisable from so many Bollywood films. Cracked, dusty, and quiet... but unmistakably there. It was like seeing a piece of Indian film history frozen in time, forgotten but still holding on. Where Stories Were Born Filmistan was founded by Sasadhar Mukherjee, grandfather of actors Kajol and Rani Mukerji along with his brother-in-law Ashok Kumar, Gyan Mukherjee, and Rai Bahadur Chunilal, after a split with Bombay Talkies. "The birth of Filmistan is very fascinating. I believe the Nizam of Hyderabad helped fund the land," said Gangar. The studio went on to produce iconic films like Shaheed, Jagriti, and Tumsa Nahin Dekha, and gave music legends like SD Burman and Madan Mohan their big breaks. Even after it stopped producing films in the late '60s, its 7 shooting floors, temple, jail, and village sets remained active for decades
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First Post
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
This actress testified against the underworld, was harassed by her fiancé, said no to Rs 600 crore ancestral property
In an interview, the actress revealed, 'For the record, if I knew that everyone was going to back out, I also would have. It was a scary time in my life.' read more Preity Zinta made her Bollywood debut in the year 1998. In 2001, the media said she was the only man in the industry when she testified against underworld gangsters in court. Her film Chori Chori Chupke Chupke was reportedly funded by gangster Chhota Shakeel. Producers Bharat Shah and Nazim Rizvi were even sent to jail. In an interview, the actress revealed, 'For the record, if I knew that everyone was going to back out, I also would have. It was a scary time in my life. I should have been protected. Whatever I said in court was on TV ten minutes later.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She added, 'I was fine till they were scaring me, but once they started abusing, I lost it. I can take stress, but not people abusing me. I learnt that if you get a call from +92, don't pick up! Luckily I was famous. Had I not been, it would've been tough.' Refusing Kamal Amrohi's ancestral property Kamal Amrohi, the legendary filmmaker's son had a strong bond with Preity Zinta and wanted to bequeath Amrohi's Rs 600 crore ancestral property on her name but the actress declined. 'I am not in such a bad position that someone else's property is required,' said Zinta in a statement years ago. Amrohi then said in an interview, 'If I said that Preity is like a daughter to me, did I commit a crime? Log aaj kal apni beti ko bhi sahi nazar se nahi dekhte aur maine kisi gair ki beti ko izzat dee hai (These days people cast a wrong eye on their own daughters, and I gave respect to someone else's daughter).' That's not all, back in 2014, Preity Zinta accused former fiancé Ness Wadia of harassment and abuse. The matter was then settled out of court.
Hans India
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hans India
'Chidiya' director Mehran Amrohi says he can never reverse engineer a film as per market demand
Mumbai: Director Mehran Amrohi, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming movie 'Chidiya', has said that he can never reverse engineer a film, and make it as per the market demand. The director, who is a distant relative of the late filmmaker Kamal Amrohi, spoke with IANS ahead of the film's release, and shared his opinion that film's shall be made keeping the heart of the story at the forefront. He told IANS, 'I will never be able to make a film like this because I write a film for a year, the market may change after a year, till then, my film will be old. So, I will never be able to work like this. It is my firm belief that if I want to make a film, if I want to tell its story, then I will write that story, and whatever story it is, on the basis of that story, its market should be decided'. He further mentioned, 'Unfortunately, there is a situation today, that the market is decided first, and then the story is written, and because of that, the films either look the same, sound the same, or the music sounds the same. If I make a film, I'll make it from my heart, and then think about how to market it. Only then will I be able to do justice to the film'. The director told IANS that only a handful films that are made in Hindi cinema appeal to this audience and make a mark. 'We have such a big industry, we make 200-300 films in a year, but you will remember 5 films, compared to the other 200-250 films, because they were made in a different voice. Otherwise, the market will decide that we should have a certain song, a certain dance, or action, and if we want our industry to flourish, we need to change how we work', he added.
India.com
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Actress Meena Kumari bought 2.5-acre plot in Mumbai's Pali Hill in 1959; here's why the property is going viral
Director Kamal Amrohi, who has delivered back-to-back hits like Mahal, Pakeezah, Daaera, was married to Meena Kumari. They met during the filming of 1952's Tamasha. Veteran actor Ashok Kumar introduced them. They fell in love and married in the same year. Their love story has been discussed several times in the past, and it has now again come into the news for a reason. When they were alive, Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi purchased a land measuring over 11,000 square yards at Pali Hill in Bandra. It was priced around Rs 5 lac at that time. The land was leased to the Cozihome Co-operative Housing Society Limited in 1966, who built five buildings at a rent of Rs 8,835 per month. 162 families In 1990, Amrohi terminated the lease agreement, claiming that the society had failed to pay the agreed rent and had defaulted in payments. The society said they paid less rent because some of the land did not belong to the owner. In 1991, Kamal Amrohi filed a suit to vacate the land as the rent was outstanding. The outstanding rent was Rs 66,060. Amrohi died two years after filing the case, but his children continued the legal battle. On April 23, 2025, the Small Cause Court of Bandra gave its verdict in favour of Kamal Amrohi's son, builder Tajdar Amrohi and Arham Land Developers. Tajdar said that they won the case. The society, with 162 families, has been asked to vacate the place within six months after a 33-year-long legal battle.
