Of Bhagwan Dada and Kishore Da...

This month, we have the birthday of a very well-known star of his time, Bhagwan Abhaji Palav (1913-2002), popularly known as BhagwanDada, who made his debut during the days of silent cinema. Old timers remember his ‘Albela’, which was a major hit in 1951 with its hit number ‘Shola Jo Bhadke’, an evergreen hit.

However, his is a classic case of reel overlapping the real, as blinded by the whiff of greasepaint, he lost whatever he had as rapidly as he earned it. The Bombay film industry’s first lodestar of sorts was then subject to the vile treatment the world reserves for such fallen celebrities, which continued till he died of a heart failure in 2002. He was born on August 1.

Not many have hit the bull’s eye with their first attempt. Shakeel Badayuni (1913-70), a lyricist who grafted the skill into his oeuvre over his growing up years, travelled to distant Bombay in 1944 after a stint in Aligarh Muslim University, which greatly polished his literary skills with its mushairas.

His first interaction with the legendary AR Kardar and Naushad Ali turned successful with the 1947-release ‘Dard’. Among other numbers, seven decades later, people break out into an instant chorus even today if they hear the Uma Devi- rendered “Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon” ...Badayuni went on to collaborate with names to reckon with in Hindi cinema during the tenure he wrote lyrics for over 89 films. Some of his major hits included ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, ‘Mother India’, ‘Baiju Bawra’ and a series of Guru Dutt films. A postal stamp in his honour was released in 2013. His birthday fell on August 3.

August 4 saw the hugely talented actor, director, music director and playback singer Kishore Kumar born in 1929. A naturally talented crooner, he made his debut in Hindi cinema with the 1948 release ‘Ziddi’, which had his friend Dev Anand essaying the lead role.

The first phase of his career till 1969 was a mixed bag, with his image highlighted more for his comic onscreen roles and occasional hits that he could sneak in as the industry was heavily under the grip of Mohammed Rafi and his humongous hits.

Come 1969, with the release of ‘Aradhana’, the singer’s evolution as an unbeatable icon was complete. Till he died in 1987, he had sung for close to 1,200 films in a career spanning four decades, which was punctuated by regular run-ins with the Delhi establishment (AIR banned his songs during the Emergency as he incurred the wrath of Sanjay Gandhi) and clashes with colleagues and heroes, with whom he had a hot-n-cold relationship.

His four marriages and whimsical ways with his family was the stuff of legion. Yet he is an irreplaceable icon for his millions of fans, who adored him for the versatile voice and the magic he weaved with it.