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1-50 of 56
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Amitabh Bachchan was born on October 11, 1942 in Allahabad, British India (present-day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India) to legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan & Teji Bachchan. He also has a brother named Ajitabh. He completed his education from Uttar Pradesh and moved to Bombay to find work as a film star, in vain though, as film-makers preferred someone with a fairer skin, and he was not quite fair enough. But they did use one of his other assets, his deep baritone voice, which was used for narration and background commentary. He was successful in being cast in Saat Hindustani. He got his break in Bollywood after a letter of introduction from the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, as he was a friend of her son, Rajiv Gandhi. This is how Bachchan made an entry in Bollywood, starting with Zanjeer, co-starred with his future wife Jaya Bhaduri, and since then there has been no looking back.
He married Jaya Bhaduri, an accomplished actress in her own right, and they had two children, Shweta and Abhishek. Shweta is married, lives a non-filmy life and has two children.
Being friends with Rajiv Gandhi, got him to decide to run for seat in the Indian National Congress (political party) from his home town but had to leave mid-term because of controversies, particularly after Rajiv and he were implicated in the now infamous "Bofors" case along with the U. K. based Hinduja Brothers.
After a four year break, he was back in the unsuccessful Mrityudaata (1997), a comeback which the actor wanted to forget. Critics written him off but his career was saved with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998). But four flops in 1999 and incurring debt of over 90 crore rupees of his sinking company ABCL saw him at an all-time low. To make matters worse, after the defeat of the Congress party, Bachchan lost considerable political support, the opposition made him a target, and his credit rating deteriorated to such an extent that a leading nationalized bank, Canara Bank, sued him for outstanding loans. He did bounce back, presenting the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire called Kaun Banega Crorepati? (2000). After a series of hits with Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) and Baghban (2003) and Khakee (2004), Bachchan is showing no signs of slowing down and proving the critics wrong once again.
Amitabh and Jaya were interested in getting their son Abhishek married to Karisma Kapoor, the daughter of Babita and Randhir Kapoor, they went through a formal engagement, but later broke it off.
The former Miss World and Bollywood actress, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek, were formally engaged on Sunday January 14, 2007, at the Bachchan residence in Juhu, Bombay, with the marriage taking place at the Bachchan residence on April 20, 2007.
On November 16, 2011, he became a Dada (paternal grandfather) when Aishwarya gave birth to a daughter in a Mumbai Hospital. He is already a Nana (maternal grandfather) to Navya and Agastye - Shweta's children.
He continues to be one of the busiest actors and singers in Bollywood as well as on TV, as can be seen from the commercials that he appears on, especially on Sahara One. Looks like there are no limits for this super-star and once the "Angry Young Man" of Bollywood.- Michael Bates was born on 4 December 1920 in Jhansi, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was an actor, known for A Clockwork Orange (1971), Frenzy (1972) and Patton (1970). He was married to Margaret M. J. Chisholm. He died on 11 January 1978 in Chelsea, London, England, UK.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Saira was born into a Urdu-speaking family in India. Her mom's name is Naseem Banu.
She spent much of her childhood in London and was able to debut in 1961 in a Bollywood movie 'Junglee' opposite Shammi Kapoor.
At the age of 22, she got married to Yusuf Khan, alias Bollywood superstar Dilip Kumar.
Saira has a niece, Shaheen, who was once married to Bollywood actor, Sumit Saigal, and the couple have a daughter, Sayesha.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Nazir Hussain was concerned with the Indian film and multimedia.He was born in Usian village near Dildarnagar , famous character hero at his time. He was earlier associated with the Azad Hind Fauz set up by Subhas Chandra Bose. He established the "Kamsaar Film" , under the banner of which many hit films in Bhojpuri were produced. He always gave priority to Bhojpuri culture of the district in his film.His nephew Mr. Tahir Hussain is at moment noted film Director and Producer.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
S.F. Hasnain was born on 12 January 1912 in Allahabad, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. S.F. was a director and producer, known for The College (1943), Bhai-Bahen (1943) and Dil (1946). S.F. died on 9 July 1956 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Tun Tun was a prolific singer and comedienne appearing in over 100 Bollywood films. She began her career as a singer but was soon overshadowed by others. A heavy woman, she turned to comedy, using her weight to her advantage and continued her career as a comedienne. She died at the age of 76.- Director
- Producer
- Actor
Born in Lucknow, India, Waris Hussein moved to England at age nine with his parents. He later attended Cambridge and at 21 started as a trainee director with BBC, where his mother, the late Attia Hussein, worked. In addition to reading news in Hindi, she was also the station's dramatic star--translating William Shakespeare in Urdu and Hindi--as well as an author. Young Hussein, too, was influenced by his mother's artistic abilities and knew very early on that he wanted to be a director. After starting in television with work on Doctor Who (1963) (including directing the very first episode, An Unearthly Child (1963)), Hussein moved on to film, directing such legends as Lord Laurence Olivier, Bette Davis and Joan Plowright.
While considering himself a British filmmaker, Hussein has worked both sides of the Atlantic, as well as in the country of his birth, India.- Director
- Music Department
- Producer
Prakash Mehra, Born on 13th July 1939 in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh was a legendary film maker of Indian Cinema, also known as the Godfather of Amitabh Bachchan, a public and media given title, at which he often frowned upon, always clarifying that he was nobody's Godfather, fate introduced talent to talent, and history was created. Mehra started his career and life, literally from scratch, after running away from his home and village, landing up in the city of Bombay In early 1950's. As a kid, aiming for the stars, with just 13 rupees in his pocket, he began his new life, sleeping hungry on railway stations, being his first address in the city of dreams. Destiny and perseverance, guided him to the sets of Hindi cinema, where he began by observing from the sidelines, whilst doing odd jobs, starting from serving tea to the stars, then getting a chance to become a production controller, then an assistant and so on. Mehra who was never formally educated beyond grade 5, in his village school, somehow always had a knack of writing in his broken words and especially penning down his emotions, backed by years of painful experiences of an orphan child who had lost both his parents, (mother who died when he was 5, father abandoned him when he was 8) and grew up on the mean streets. As luck would have it, Mehra's creativity and hard work was not going unrecognized by his peers and seniors, who spread the positive word, finally getting him a break that turned his fortunes in 1968, when he got his directorial debut with Haseena Maan Jayegi starring Shashi Kapoor and Babita. The film which along with its music, became a huge box office money spinner, steered him on to the path of success from where there was no looking back. From here on, he went on to direct Mela (1971), which became a silver jubilee, starring Feroz and Sanjay Khan, followed by another very successful venture, Samadhi (1972), starring Dharmendra, Asha Parekh and Jaya Bhaduri. It was after the success of "Samadhi", that destiny again played a huge hand through a series of events, that lead to a phenomenal collaboration of a director and actor, the likes of which was never seen before in the history of Indian cinema, the Mehra, Bachchan collaboration. In May of 1973, with everything mortgaged, including his home and wife's jewelry, facing the very real possibility of returning to the streets, as it was also the debut of his production house "Prakash Mehra Productions", Mehra released "Zanjeer".
The idea was that "Zanjeer", originally was to be made with Dharmendra as the lead star, after the success of "Samadhi". Dharmendra being the top super star at the time, opted out due to date constraints. This sent Mehra on the quest to find a replacement, and the expectations of the distributors of the time was, that a super star must be replaced by a super star, but fate would have none of it. One by one, due to some reason or the other, it just didn't workout with any of the top stars of the time. Then one fine day, Mehra received a call from the legendary actor "Pran", who Mehra not only respected as a senior and guide, but also genuinely loved and admired, fondly addressing him as "Pran sahab". Pran, asked Mehra, to check out a new kid on the block, whom he felt had talent, his name was Amitabh, also offered to accompany Mehra to a nearby theatre (Ambar Oscar) to watch his latest film, starring the great Mehmood in the lead. The two went on their way to watch the film. The wheels of fortune were set in motion, destiny through the guidance of a blessed soul "Pran", just introduced its super brilliant diamond in the rough, to its super brilliant jeweler with a keen eye. Talent was introduced to talent, Prakash Mehra was just introduced to Amitabh Bachchan.
Upon the announcement of the new hero of Zanjeer, every distributor dropped the film, none would want it. Trade pundits wrote the obituary of Mehra's career, from their point of view, not only was Bachchan, not a star, but a total disaster. Not only that, there wasn't even one song in the film, where the lead hero would sing or dance, this was not only unheard of but almost incomprehensible at the time. Mehra was dubbed senile.
From Mehra's point of view, there was no other star, and this is exactly how the film would be.. This also being the launch of his production house, Mehra had only 2 choices, all or nothing. It was the easiest choice he made, the jeweler knew the value of his diamond. He went all in, he released Zanjeer, with his own money on the line, in most of the major territories.
The movie had an abysmal opening, empty theaters the first few days, Mehra would sit on the wall of Worli sea face in those days and contemplate, "now what"?. Bachchan suffered from a high fever, staring at oblivion himself. Then week two onwards, the phone at Mehra's small office, started ringing, it was calls from exhibitors from Calcutta, it was a phenomenon they had never seen before, there were lines longer than trains at the box office. The same story repeated in various other territories of India, cash registers at the box office went ballistic. Fortune smiled upon the little orphan kid from Bijnor. History was created, and the superstar of the millennium was born.
Thereafter Prakash Mehra and Amitabh Bachchan began a journey, which resulted in 6 more, massive blockbuster hits: Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Laawaris, Namak Halaal and Sharaabi.
Prakash Mehra was aided In creating cinema history by some of the best talent as part of his team. His blockbusters were a collaboration of super talents and legends of the time, such as music maestro duo "Kalyanji Anandji", who's music compositions are untouchable till date. Lyricists such as the great Anjaan. Mehra himself a powerhouse of writing talent, penning many of his super hit songs, such as "Apni toh jaise taise" from Laawaris, etc.. Later addition, the one and only Bappi Lahiri, who became a permanent part of Mehra's team after giving some of the best chart buster music, in Namak Halal, followed by Sharaabi. The fantastic writing duo Salim Javed were the writers of Mehra's Zanjeer. The super talented Kader Khan, wrote some of the most phenomenal dialogues of Muqaddar ka Sikandar.
Apart from being work colleagues and peers, whom he greatly respected, he considered the late great Amjad Khan as one of his best friends and like family. Same was his relationship with late great Pran, legend Raj Kapoor, music maestro duo Kalyanji Anandji, and Bappi Lahiri amongst others.
The final collaboration between Mehra and Bachchan was Jaadugar, which bombed at the box office and ended their untouchable successful streak, bringing an end to an era of a collaboration, the likes of which were never seen before or since.
Prakash Mehra, went on to Produce and Direct "Zindagi Ek Juaa" starring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit in 1991, in 1993 produced Dalal, directed by Partho Ghosh, Starring Mithun Chakraborty in two languages, Bengali and Hindi, along with its music by Bappi Lahiri, it was a huge box office success.
Mehra received a lifetime achievement award from the India Motion Picture Directors Association (IMPDA) in 2006. He also received Lifetime Achievement as Producer from IMPPA (Indian Motion Picture Producers Association) on 19 September 2008.
Mr Prakash Mehra passed away on the 17th of May 2009, from complications arising out of pneumonia followed by multiple organ failure at Mumbai's Kokilaben hospital.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Joy Mukherjee was born on 24 February 1939 in Jhansi, United Provinces, British India. He was an actor and director, known for Humsaya (1968), Chhailla Babu (1977) and Love in Bombay (1974). He was married to Neelam Mukherjee. He died on 9 March 2012 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Sibtain Fazli was born on 9 July 1916 in Allahabad, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a director and producer, known for The College (1943), Bhai-Bahen (1943) and Dupatta (1952). He died on 25 July 1985 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.- Leela Mishra was born on 1 January 1908 in Jais, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. She was an actress, known for Sholay (1975), Anmol Ghadi (1946) and Prince (1969). She died on 17 January 1988 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.
- Actor
- Director
Asit Kumar Sen was born on 13 May 1917 in Gorakhpur, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was an actor and director, known for Anand (1971), Mamta (1966) and Apradhi Kaun? (1957). He died on 18 September 1993.- Actor
- Producer
Zeba Muhammad Ali migrated to Pakistan immediately after the partition of the Subcontinent in 1947 and settled in Hyderabad (Sindh), where he was introduced to Radio Pakistan by the then Director General Radio Pakistan Z A Bokhari. he was given a role of hero in the film titled 'Chirag Jalta Raha', directed by Sibtain Fazli in 1962. Formed a favourite couple with actress Zeba Dam Mast Qalandar. His last movie screened in late 1980s whereafter Ali led a secluded life and ran Ali-Zeb Foundation.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Harivansh Rai Bachchan was an Indian Hindi-language poet and writer of the Nayi Kavita literary movement of early 20th century Hindi literature. He was born in a Hindu Srivastava Kayastha family, in Babupatti village in the Pratapgarh district, in the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, in British India. Bachchan is famously known for his early work, Madhushala, which was published in 1935. He is the father of mega superstar Amitabh Bachchan and grandfather of actor Abhishek Bachchan. In 1976, he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his service to Hindi literature.- Composer
- Music Department
- Producer
Regarded as a pioneer of Indian music, Naushad Ali was one of the one of the first and foremost composers in the history of Bollywood. Since 1937, he was composing music for films that, along with his music, formed the very foundation and core of Bollywood. He is also known for introducing the legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi to the world and transfiguring them into the icons they are today. While he did less than a hundred films during his lifetime, 26 of those films went on to celebrate jubilees, some of them making golden and even diamond jubilees!
He was born on December 25, 1919, in the city of Lucknow. From early childhood, he was an avid film buff, listening to the live orchestras that accompanied silent films back then. He studied classical Indian music under renowned musicians like Ustad Ghurbat Ali, Ustad Yusuf Ali, and Ustad Babban Saheb, and began composing music for amateur theatrical groups like the Windsor Music Entertainers. He also spent much of his time repairing harmoniums.
In the late 1930s, he came to Bombay to be a success as a musician. But he had to struggle to make it to the top. Initially he faced rebuffs, and had to endure periods of utter deprivation. Naushad even spent nights sleeping on footpaths before he finally secured a job as a pianist in composer Mushtaq Hussain 's orchestra. Composer Khemchand Prakash took him on as his assistant and taught him, an act for which he remained extremely grateful throughout his life. Soon, Naushad got his break with the film Prem Nagar (1940), but it was only with Sharda (1942) that he got attention. The film Ratan (1944) took him right to the top, and from then on he could produce blockbuster songs for appropriately smash hit films, most notably films made by either Abdul Rashid Kardar or Mehboob Khan.
Naushad's style was renowned for his ability to incorporate classical rhythms into his symphonies. He based his music upon the "ragas" that formed a basis in Indian classical music, and thus his music took on complex formations and . His taste for classical music was legendary - in the Mughal musical Baiju Bawra (1952), he used actual classical singers to sing his ghazals. In spite of his classical tendencies, he could also keep up with the times and adapt Western techniques and instruments into his music, as heard in the films Jadoo (1951) and Mere Mehboob (1963). Naushad was also among the first to use the techniques of sound mixing, of separate recording of vocal and music tracks in playback singing, and using background scores to enhance characters' moods and dialogues through music.
Naushad's career continued at a steady peak throughout the 1950s and 1960s, with some of his melodies being featured in now-perennial classics like the Mughal period films Baiju Bawra (1952) and Mughal-E-Azam (1960) and the epic Mother India (1957). Unfortunately and to his distaste the times were changing and demanded more fast-paced, peppier tunes, and Naushad had to struggle to keep his music pure and classical. In fact for Saathi (1968), he was persuaded, against his will, to re-record two of his songs to pep up their pace and their appeal. It was due to this uncompromising attitude towards his music that he would only compose less than a hundred films in his lifetime.
In the 1960s, he composed for Dilip Kumar 's dacoit drama Gunga Jumna (1961), which became a smash hit in India. However, both Kumar's and Naushad's days were numbered, and as their films came unstuck at the box-office, their fortunes dwindled. Naushad was still held in high regard, but he was now given mostly period films, most notably the courtesan romance Pakeezah (1972). However, he still gave his all in his efforts and he continued composing for films right through to the 1990s. He received the Dhundiraj Govind Phalke Award in 1981 for his lifetime contribution to Bollywood cinema and in 2004, when Mughal-E-Azam (1960) was re-released in colour, he was on hand along with Dilip Kumar - to attend the premiere and revive their days of glory.
In early 2006, Naushad was admitted to Ninavati Hospital after complaints of uneasiness, and on 5 May 2006, he died of old age. His last film, Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005), while receiving mixed reviews, was greatly praised for its musical score. Even in today's fast-moving world, people still found something special in his music. Such is the hallmark of a truly great composer...- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Asif was born Asif Karim in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh to Parents Dr. Fazal Karim and Bibi Ghulam Fatima. He was the youngest of his siblings with Sikander Begum, wife of versatile Actor/Director/Producer Nazir Ahmed Khan being the Eldest and Masood Karim, the first Muslim President of Sindh Club second in line. Asif Karim went to Bombay to his brother-in-law Nazir Ahmed Khan and later took the name K. Asif. He became a Successful director due to his perfectionism in weaving his imagination into an art form and gave birth to Mughal-e-Azam, a legendary film in the Sub-Continental Cinema which needs no introduction. He passed away at very early age- K.N. Singh was born on 1 September 1908 in Dehra Dun, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was an actor, known for Barsaat (1949), Spy in Rome (1968) and Howrah Bridge (1958). He died on 31 January 2000 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
- Music Artist
- Composer
- Music Department
Ravindra Jain was born on 28 February 1944 in Aligarh, United Provinces, British India. He was a music artist and composer, known for Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978) and Ramayan (2008). He was married to Divya Jain. He died on 9 October 2015 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Actress
- Music Department
Nimmi was born on 18 February 1933 in Agra, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India (now Uttar Pradesh, India). She was an actress, known for Arpan (1957), Barsaat (1949) and Alif-Laila (1953). She was married to S. Ali Raza. She died on 25 March 2020 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Music Department
- Actor
- Writer
Majrooh Sultanpuri's reputation as a poet was ironically overshadowed by his being a lyricist for popular Bollywood films. It has happened very frequently that the real merit of a person is pushed into the background by some lesser work that is done for a medium with a bigger outreach or for some popular event. Though Majrooh was a very successful lyricist and his "geets" were hummed by millions of people in continents where Indian cinema is the rage, yet it would be unfair to judge him based solely on this lesser work. He was a serious poet who made significant contributions to the development of a sensibility and an idiom, that was truly inspired by the Progressive Writers Movement. In the early years after partition the poets felt hugely hemmed in by the their lack of reaching out to the people they were supposed to be addressing. Though they had a steady audience, it was very tiny compared to that enjoyed by popular media including that of the cinema. It was decided by a few poets and literary organisations to ride on the back of a popular medium to exploit the greater outreach of the cinema, and as it were, to spread the message. Pardeep, Sahir Ludhianvi, Qamar Jalalabadi, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Shakeel Badayuni, Saghar Nizami, Rajinder Krishen and Majrooh Sultanpuri, were all sucked into the insatiable vortex of the film world with Sahir having remained the most outstanding but Majrooh Sultanpuri being a close second. It may be said that when these poets agreed to write for the films the quality of poetry in the context of the film lyrics showed a vast improvement. If it was a loss to urdu poetry it was surely a gain for the "filmi" song text and the vast divide of serious writing and popular writing was narrowed a little by the Bombay films. Majrooh had earlier fought the hardest battle of his life as a ghazalgo. It was an article of faith with the early progressive poets that the stylised form of ghazal with its well wrought references and associated inferences was not suitable for the new sensibility which needed a new form. The same rationale was also behind the movement known as the naturi shairi of the mid nineteenth century but it was sponsored from the top by the establishment. Like all movements the Progressive Writers too took an extreme position and denounced much in the name of being a product of feudalism. Literature and the arts were seen in the framework of a one to one relationship and the entire effort seemed to be based on exclusion rather than incorporation. But Majrooh did not tow the line and held the position that ghazal could retain its glory through its ability to say new things for the new age. He was himself an outstanding ghazal poet and introduced new imagery and new diction into the heavily stylised format. He was able to maintain the lyrical quality of the ghazal which is its real spirit and test without losing on the vigour that was supposed to be an integral part of this new poetic idiom. The awareness of where the exploitation has taken the ordinary man and a whipping up of emotions for greater activism was the twin aim of these poets. Majrooh was not alone in this struggle. He had support from a contemporary, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who too was not keen on losing the rich referential and allusive matrix of the traditional ghazal while talking about the main contradiction of the class divide that cut across board. It was the awareness that the rejection of the ghazal would be a turning away from our tradition that made its acceptance and currency possible again by the fifties. When Majrooh appeared on the scene Faiz's Naqsh e Faryadi, Majaz's Aahang, Ali Sardar Jaffery's Parwaz, Jazbi's Ferozaan and Makhdoom's Surkh Sawera had already been published with leading critics like Ehtesham Hussain and Doctor Alim, being the real opponents of the ghazal, wanting to do away with this archaic form as a critical canon. Faiz and Majrooh gradually introduced the themes generally associated with the Progressive Movement, and transformed the ghazal without losing on its strength. During the fifties ghazal was gradually and grudgingly accepted as a legitimate form of poetry even by Ehtesham Hussain who wrote about it then. Poetry thus disengaged itself from being a mere slogan, and moved towards the lyrical and melodic richness generally associated with ghazal. It abandoned the harsh declamatory style meant to exhort the listener to take up arms against the sea of troubles for a more introspective mood where awareness became part of a larger collective consciousness. The Urdu poets found themselves being edged out in the new socio-cultural environment of India and saw their language shrink and the literate audience dwindle. Amidst the growing demand of Hinduising Urdu Majrooh stood his ground and fought for the rightful place of his language with a rich heritage. Perhaps history will judge Majrooh as a poet who partially frittered away his talent by writing for the films. The limited opportunity and the constraints of the situation do not let the poet grow and prosper in the same manner when he is just writing poetry as a an autonomous form. But Majrooh's contribution in giving a new meaning to the ghazal will keep the torch of his name burning for quite some time.- Lalita Ahmed (maiden name Chatterjee) was born in Lucknow, India on November 25th 1939. She worked for All India Radio before moving to London in the 1950s, where she joined the Hindi language department of BBC World Service Radio. She worked as a presenter on Asian programmes for BBC television and presented Indian cookery on BBC Pebble Mill. She has also written a number of cookery books. As well as her film roles Lalita has appeared in a number of British television shows.
- Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905 - 3 December 1979) was an Indian field hockey player, who is widely considered as the greatest field hockey player of all time. Chand is most remembered for his extraordinary goal-scoring feats, in addition to earning three Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, and 1936) in field hockey, during an era where India was the most dominant team in Hockey.
Known as "The Wizard" for his superb ball control, Chand played his final international match in 1948, having scored more than 400 goals during his international career. The Government of India awarded him the third highest (then second highest) civilian honor of Padma Bhushan in 1956. His birthday is celebrated as National sports day in India (August 29th). - Writer
- Director
- Music Department
Kamal Amrohi was born on 17 January 1918 in Amroha, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a writer and director, known for Pakeezah (1972), Mahal (1949) and Daaera (1953). He was married to Meena Kumari. He died on 11 February 1993 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Muzaffar Ali was born on 21 October 1944 in Lucknow, United Provinces, British India. He is a director and writer, known for Umrao Jaan (1981), Congregation (1986) and Gaman (1978).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Ismat Chughtai was born on 21 August 1915 in Badayun, United Province, Uttar Pradesh, India. She was a writer and director, known for Garm Hava (1974), Arzoo (1950) and Fareb (1953). She was married to Shaheed Latif. She died in 1991.- Writer
- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Rahi Masoom Reza was born on 1 September 1927 in Ghazipur, United Provinces, British India. He was a writer, known for Lamhe (1991), Tawaif (1985) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). He died on 15 March 1992 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Composer
- Actor
- Director
S.N. Tripathi was born on 14 March 1913 in Benares, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a composer and actor, known for Rani Rupmati (1959), Lav-Kush (1967) and Sati Sulochana (1969). He died on 28 March 1988 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
S.F. Mabood Fazli otherwise known as Syed Fazle Mabood Fazli was born in Allahabad, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a part of the Fazli Brothers film production. Alongside his siblings, S.F. Hasnain, Sibtain Fazli, and Fazal Ahmad Karim Fazli (F.A. Karim Fazli), he would assist in producing, directing, and writing movies.- Music Department
- Writer
- Actor
Kaifi Azmi was born on 14 January 1919 in Mizwaan, United Provinces, British India. He was a writer and actor, known for Garm Hava (1974), Shama (1961) and The Fog (1964). He was married to Shaukat Azmi. He died on 10 May 2002 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Director
- Cinematographer
- Editor
S. Sukhdev was born on 1 October 1933 in Dehra Dun, United Provinces, British India [now India]. S. was a director and cinematographer, known for An Indian Day (1968), After the Eclipse (1967) and My Love (1970). S. died on 1 March 1979 in New Delhi, Delhi Union Territory, India.- Producer
- Additional Crew
R.D. Bansal was born in 1923 in Agra, United Provinces, British India. He was a producer, known for The Coward (1965), Saat Pake Bandha (1963) and Charulata (1964). He died on 11 December 2010 in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Subodh Mukherji was born on 14 April 1921 in Jhansi, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a producer and director, known for Junglee (1961), April Fool (1964) and Abhinetri (1970). He died on 21 May 2005 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Director
- Producer
S.U. Sunny was born on 9 November 1915 in Allahabad, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. S.U. was a director and producer, known for Mela (1948), Kohinoor (1960) and Uran Khatola (1955). S.U. died in 1966 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Devendra Goel was born on 3 March 1919 in Meerut, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a director and producer, known for Aas (1953), Dus Lakh (1966) and Dharkan (1972). He was married to Raj Goel. He died on 26 February 1979 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Sasadhar Mukherjee was born on 29 September 1909 in Jhansi, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. Sasadhar was a producer, known for Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962), Paying Guest (1957) and Leader (1964). Sasadhar died on 3 November 1990 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India [now Mumbai].- Arun Nehru was born on 24 April 1944 in Lucknow, United Provinces, British India. He died on 25 July 2013 in Gurgaon, Harayan, India.
- Music Department
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Anjaan was born on 28 October 1930 in Benares, United Provinces, British India. Anjaan was a writer, known for Kaabil (2017), Don (2006) and Don (1978). Anjaan died on 13 September 1997 in India.- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Shahryar was born on 19 June 1936 in Aonla, United Provinces, British India [now Aonla, Uttar Pradesh, India]. Shahryar is known for Umrao Jaan (1981), Faasle (1985) and The Namesake (2006). Shahryar died on 13 February 2012 in Aligargh, Uttar Pradesh, India.- Writer
- Director
Wajahat Mirza was born on 20 April 1908 in Sitapur, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. Wajahat was a writer and director, known for Gunga Jumna (1961), Kohinoor (1960) and Yahudi (1958). Wajahat died on 4 August 1990 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.- Additional Crew
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Birju Maharaj was born on 4 February 1938 in Handia, United Provinces, British India [now Handia, Madhya Pradesh, India]. He is known for Bajirao Mastani (2015), Vishwaroopam (2013) and Devdas (2002). He died on 16 January 2022 in New Delhi, India.- Ibrahim Nafees was born in 1940 in Agra, United Provinces, British India [now Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India]. He was an actor, known for Dil Nasheen (1975), Do Sathi (1975) and Ehsaan (1967). He died on 20 May 2012 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Ananda Shankar was born on 11 December 1942 in Almora, United Provinces, British India. Ananda was a composer, known for Black Mask (1996), Byomkesh Bakshi (1993) and Nidhiram Sardar (1976). Ananda was married to Tanushree Shankar. Ananda died on 26 March 1999.- Azra Sherwani was born in 1940 in Meerut, United Provinces, British India. She was an actress, known for Dhoop Kinare (1987), Stolen (1990) and Tanhaiyaan (1985). She was married to Nafees Sherwani. She died on 19 December 2005 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA.
- Lehri was born on 2 January 1929 in Kanpur, United Provinces, British India [now Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India]. He was an actor, known for Soorat Aur Seerat (1975), Mohabbat Zindagi Hai (1975) and Kiran aur Kali (1981). He died on 13 September 2012 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
- Actress
- Music Department
Menaka Devi was born in Varanasi in 1918. Her mother was a resident of the holy city although her father was from Bengal. Her interest in music and dance took her to Bombay where she starred in a couple of films like Prince Thaksen (1929), Uttara abhimanyu, Iswar Ki Maut and others as a child artiste. Reportedly, she met the legendary film director Debaki Bose of Bengal during a train journey and he was so impressed by her that he decided to cast her in the lead role of his next venture in the Hindi version of the bilingual Sonar Sansar (1936) and thus began the illustrous career of Menaka. Her devotion to work was such that she learnt Bengali, her mother tongue although she was anything but fluent in it having spent all her life till then outside Bengal, so that she could play the same role (that of Alaka) in the Bengali version also. Dhiraj Bhattacharya was her first hero on the screen. P.C.Barua, who was on the lookout for a young and fresh face to play Jharna in his forthcoming production Mukti (1937) selected her for both the versions and a flow started whereby she starred in films like Adhikar (1939), Abhigyan (1938), Bardidi (1939), Rajat Jayanti (1940) and others. She decided to try her luck in Bombay around 1944 and starred in more than twenty films there and definitely made her presence felt although playing the second lead most of the time. Kishore Sahu procured her services for Hamari Duniya (1952). She turned producer also and this proved her undoing. Both her films as producer, Apna na Huye Apne and Jeene Do, both starring herself with prominent Bombay stars flopped. She returned to Calcutta a broken woman and found to her dismay that roles were not coming to her. She joined the MG Enterprise, a drama group of Molina Devi and performed on the stage to continue to live as an actress. She even arranged magic shows along with husband Pannalal Srivastava while small roles came pouring in films like Ekti Raat (1956) and others. The feature that strikes even today while seeing her performance is the spontaneous nature of her acting. Why good roles eluded her is a mystery. She was last seen on the screen in Bhombal Sardar (1983). Her end came in 2004 after a prolonged fight not only against poor health but also poverty. Her death was reported only in one Bengali daily although her death news received good coverage on television.- Director
- Editor
- Producer
Shaukat Hussain Rizvi was born in 1914 in Azamgarh, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. He was a director and editor, known for Jugnu (1947), Jaan-E-Bahaar (1958) and Zeenat (1945). He was married to Noor Jehan. He died in 1999 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.- Rajendra Yadav was born on 28 August 1929 in Agra, United Provinces, British India. He was a writer, known for Sara Akash (1969). He was married to Mannu Bhandari. He died on 28 October 2013 in New Delhi, India.
- Music Department
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Yogesh was born on 19 March 1943 in Lucknow, United Provinces, British India. He was a writer, known for Anand (1971), Aakhri Badla (1989) and Bhediyon Ka Samooh: A Pack of Wolves (1991). He died on 29 May 2020 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Aslam Latar was born in 1944 in Allahabad, United Provinces, British India. He was an actor, known for Son of Andaata (1987), Traffik (1989) and Special Drink Aka Mystery Theatre (2002). He died on 3 April 2005 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
- Ranu Mukherjee was born in 1906 in Benares, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India. Ranu died in 2000.