By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On His Birth Anniversary
मुद्दत से मेरे दिल के
सपनों की तू रानी है
अब तक न मिले लेकिन
पहचान पुरानी है
रुक जा.
रुक जा ओ जाने वाली रुक जा
मैं तो राही तेरी मंज़िल का
Raj Kapoor, regarded as one of the finest exponent of cinematic excellence, began his career as an assistant to noted director Kidar Sharma (of Neel Kamal , Bawre Nain fame). Sharma often rebuked him for being unpunctual. His father Prithvi Raj, too, did not do much and left him to carve a niche for himself, of his own. Thus, the showman had a lacklustre beginning.
Raj produced “Barsaat” in 1949 when he was 22, followed by “Aah”, ” Boot Polish”, “Shri 420” and “Jagte Raho”.
His “Awaara” became so popular that it almost became a household name outside India.”Mera Joota hai Japani” (Shree 420) was on everyone’s lips in Russia. He was a two-time nominee for the Palme d’Or grand prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his films Awaara (1951) and Boot Polish (1954). His performance in” Awaara” was ranked as one of the top ten greatest performances of all time by Time magazine.
In his most earlier films Raj played a simpleton or a naive in the Charlie Chapline style. His biggest accomplishment was to feel or to read the pulse of the cine goers, coupled with his acumen. A protagonist of beauty and eroticism Raj exploited the raw, nubile beauty of all his heroines starting with Padmini, Vyjyanthimala, Simi, Dimple Kapadia, and Zeenat Aman with impunity.
After “Mera Naam Joker” when the veteran was left high and dry he hit upon the idea of introducing Mandakini in “Ram Teri Ganga Maili”, instead of his his earlier choice Divya Rana as the former was acquiescent enough to doing some of the explicit scenes. She was portrayed frolicking around in the backdrop of snow covered mountains under the murmuring of a cascading waterfall in a skimpy see-through saree.The film rained gold and compensated him for the losses he incurred during the “Joker” debacle.
Raj produced several hit films under his R. K. Banner such as Barsaat, Awaara, Shri 420, Sangam, Mera Naam Joker, Bobby, Ram Teri Ganaga Maili, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, and Prem Rog as producer-director, and Aah, Boot Polish, Jagte Raho and Jis Desh Main Ganga..as prodcuer. The last being directed by Radhu Kamarkar, his long time friend and cinematographer which won Filmfare Award for Best Film. His prominent films as an actor include Anhonee(1952), Chori Chori (1956), Anari (1959), Chhalia (1960) and Dil Hi To Hai (1963). Kidar Sharma’s “Neel Kamal” starring Begum Para & Madhubala was one of his earlier films. Andaz, Bawre Nain, Parvarish, Kanhaiya, Dil Hi To Hai & Dulha Dulhan were his other films I watched as a student.
Music always remained the most significant element of his films. Mukesh and Manna Day lent their voice to him singing memorable songs like ‘Aaja Sanam Madhur Chandni’, ‘Yeh Raat Bhigi Bhigi’, ‘Laga Chunari Me daag’, ‘Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua Hai’, ‘Jo Pyar Tune Mujhko Diya Tha, Woh Pyar Tera Main Lauta Raha Hoon’, ‘Masti Bhara Hai Sama’, ‘Jahan Main Jaati Hoon’,’Chalat Musafil Moh Liya Re’ and ‘Har Dil Jo pyaar Karega’ & last but not least ‘Chura Le Na Tumko Ye Mausam Suhana’ to mention a few.
I met Kapoor at R. K. Studios and showed him two of my write-ups relating to “Jis Desh Main Ganga Behti Hai” and “Ram Teri Ganga Maili” in 1985.On my return to Chandigarh, I received a letter from him.
