INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Vimi 3 iBombay Talkies Smita Patil 3 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 07JUNE, 2013 Geeta Bali 4 GONE TOO SOON...

Madhubala 4

Meena Kumari 5

Kuldip Kaur 5

Divya Bharti 6

Caption describing picture or graphic.

GONE TOO SOON…! Meena Kumari ‘s rare smile for a camera on the sets of Pakeezah P A G E 3 Unforgettable Movie Stars There is something Madhubala (who other stars, Jiah was about dying young died at 36). Then a budding actress. that perpetuates there is Jiah Khan let’s remember fame. Witness the who committed some of silver icon industry that suicide on Monday screen’s beautiful has sprung around night, all but 25 female stars that Guru Dutt and K.L years old. The ac- managed to make Saigal. Or Meena tual reason behind their mark on soci- Kumari (who Jiah’s death is still ety before their passed at 39) , or unknown. Unlike tragic deaths.

MADHUBALA ENJOYING THE GOLDEN ERA OF HINDI FILMS

COVER STORY

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Vimi; Wooden Face On Auguest 22, 1977, a d body was wrapped in a soiled dhoti taken to Santa Cruz crematorium on a Chanawalla's thela. It was a last jour- ney of Vimi, a famous film star of late 1960s. There were only a few curious bystanders. Her fans had forgotten her. So had her produc- ers and heroes. "And to imagine that she once used to drive down the same roads in an Impala. Crowds would hope to catch glimpse of the Humraaz heroine. One look at Vimi and B.R Chopra found his heroine for Humraaz (1967). It was unusual for a bahu from a rich but conservative Calcutta fam- ily to join films . Humraaz was super hit and a star, as they say, was born. But she concen- trated more on her looks than on her acting. Clothes, make-up and those elaborate bouffants were her forte. films like Vachan, Patanga and Abroo were wash-out. Although critically acclaimed Nanak Naam Jahaaz celebrated a silver jubilee but by then it was too late. Apparently, watching her stardom go to pieces, Vimi had lost her zest for life. Her husband left her and went back to his family. She started drinking heavily, her liver was damaged. Her last few days were spent in the general ward of Nanavati hopsital.

Smita Patil: Earthy Appeal She represent the feisty Indian women, struggling working class and marginal- ized. She changed the image of poor women on the screen, the women were poor and at times vulnerable but they were steel-strong and can take their destiny in their own hands. WHEN SMITA Patil breathed her last on the midnight of December 13, 1986 at age of 31, Indian cinema lost an amazing actress and she deserves the legend that has been build around her. Her first tryst with the camera was as a television newscaster. Her dusky beauty and large eyes drew attention. One of the major beneficiaries of the mid-1970s efflorescence of the art movement in Hindi cinema, Smita's film career got off the ground cour- New Wave' of the 1970s and 80s. tesy mentor Shyam Benegal. Smita Smita played complex roles with such ease and her fiery looks, sensuous Patil, along with Shabana Azmi, body and blazing talent is unforgettable. She has left behind a rich Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri, was haul of films that showcase her enormous ability to offer us a one of the leading performers of In- glimpse into her soul each time she performed a role. dian parallel cinema or the 'Indian P A G E 5 Geeta Bali; A Smile That Doest Die Natural, spontaneous and gifted with a spot-on sense of comic timing, Geeta Bali easily one of best artist ever grace on Silver Screen. Her dancing eyes and her animated, expressive face which mirrored her soul were her most out- standing features. Yet life was snatched away from this vibrant personality at an achingly young age of 35. Geeta, who was born Harikirtan Kaur In Amritsar and had done a few small-time dancing roles in pre-Partition Punjab in films like Badnami. At last fortune smiled. Actor Mazhar Khan spotted her in a Lahore studio and asked her to came to Bombay. She was soon to meet star-maker Kidar Sharma. Sharma cast Geeta in his superhit Suhaag Raat (1948) and with films like Bawre Nain, Anand Math, Baaz, Albela and Baazi , She became a major star in 1950s. Famously down-to-earth despite her star status, Geeta was the antithesis of the coy 1950s' heroine. She often drove herself to her premieres in an open jeep. Those who knew her claim she was a Samaritan who touched the lives of whoever she met. Sadly, Geeta Bali passed away on January 21, 1965. tragedy struck when on an outdoor shooting in Punjab she contracted smallpox.

“Among her contemporaries, Meena

Kumari has the most unique voice.

No other heroine has it and Geeta

Bali is a sheer delight to watch.”

- Madhubala

Madhubala; Venus of Indian Screen Never a star so correctly named as is Madhubala, which literally means “Honey Vimi;Belle”. Thirty Wooden-three Face years after her death, Madhubala's inordinate al- lure continues to evoke legendsOn and Auguest inspire 22, super- 1977, a d body was wrapped in a soiled dhoti taken to latives. Indeed, hers was no ordinarySanta beauty. Cruz crematorium on a Chanawalla's thela. It was a last jour- When Madhubala fired up that oxygenatingney of Vimi,smile, a famous film star of late 1960s. There were only a few she had the hotline to every Indian heart.curious bystanders. Her fans had forgotten her. So had her produc- ers and heroes. "And to imagine that she once used to drive down In her short life, however, she notched up athe legion same of roads in an Impala. Crowds would hope to catch glimpse achievements. She started working at eight As of the Humraaz heroine. Baby Mumtaz, she was first seen as a child star in Bombay Talkies's Basant (1942).One But look the at film Vimi that and B.R Chopra found his heroine for Humraaz (1967). catapulted her to stardom was MahalIt (1949),was unusual for a bahu from a rich but conservative Calcutta fam- Madhubala played the enigmatic gardener'sily to join daugh- films . ter and gave lip sync to Lata's Humraazimmortal wasAyega super hit and a star, as they say, was born. But she concen- aanewala in this fascinatingly complextrated Kamal more Am- on her looks than on her acting. Clothes, make-up and rohi psychodrama. She made a crowdthose pleasing elaborate will bouffants were her forte. films like Vachan, Patanga o' the wisp. and Abroo were wash-out. Although critically acclaimed Nanak Naam Jahaaz celebrated a silver jubilee but by then it was too late. Apparently, watching her stardom go to pieces, Vimi had lost her zest for For a decade, Madhubala had invested her best efforts into Mughal-e-Azam, It all paid off when the film was released in life. Her husband left her and went back to his family. She started 1960 and declared an instant classic. Madhubala's life was marked by disappointments, including a heart ailment that drinking heavily, her liver was damaged. Her last few days were resulted in the star passing away at the young age of 36. spent in the general ward of Nanavati hopsital. After Mughal-e-Azam, the best of times ironically coincided with the worst of times for Madhubala. She could have had the

best of roles but was advised not to overwork and exert herself. Finally, on February 23, 1969, within days of her birthday, Madhubala succumbed to a heart attack.

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Geeta Bali’s smile and expressive face light up the silver screen every time she appears. P A G E 7 Kuldip Kaur; Bad Girl With Golden Heart Actress Kuldip Kaur or KK’s life story cannot be separated from erst- while united Punjab's premier twin cities of Lahore and Amrit- sar. It goes like that she was fond of good life offered by Pun- jab's both premier cities and hardly spent a day without visit- ing either Lahore or Amritsar. Way before Shashikala and Nadira, Kuldip Kaur made a name for herself playing the bad girl to perfection. She was she-devil of Indian Cinema. Her rare and large expressive eyes, dimpled smile and acid-scare cheek brought mystery every time she appeared on silver screen, it drove her heroes wild and hero- ines as well. She was trying for a breakthrough in films in Lahore when the parti- tion of India took place. While looking for work in Bombay, Kuldip landed up at Bombay Talkies and she never looked back. She became a one command army after played strong characters like modern and utterly untorant Vimi; Wooden Face women in Gharishti, adultery On Auguest 22, 1977, a d body was wrapped in a soiled dhoti taken to wife in Afsana, British spy in Santa Cruz crematorium on a Chanawalla's thela. It was a last jour- Samadhi, bandit Queen in Birju ney of Vimi, a famous film star of late 1960s. There were only a few Bawra and urban society darling curious Kuldip bystanders. died due Herto lockjaw fans had (Tetanus) forgotten resulting her. So fromhad her a trip produc- to Shirdi in in Kaneez. ers and heroes.1960. She"And had to walkedimagine amidst that she some once fields used to to eat drive 'ber' down and found her leg infested with thorns of the plant. Though she laughingly pulled the same roads in an Impala. Crowds would hope to catch glimpse of the Humraazthem out,heroine. a couple of thorns stayed in. Her last Punjabi film Yamla Jatt (1960) released after her death and ran successfully in both One look at Vimi and B.R Chopra found his heroine for Humraaz (1967). ancient cities Lahore and Amritsar, which she once owned. It was unusual for a bahu from a rich but conservative Calcutta fam- ily to join films . Humraaz was super hit and a star, as they say, was born. But she concen- trated more on her looks than on her acting. Clothes, make-up and those elaborate bouffants were her forte. films like Vachan, Patanga and Abroo were wash-out. Although critically acclaimed Nanak Meena Kumari; Tradegy QueenNaam Jahaaz of celebrated Indain a silverCinema jubilee but by then it was too late. Apparently, watching her stardom go to pieces, Vimi had lost her zest for Meena Kumari was undoubtedly one of thelife. greatest Her husband actresses left in her Hindi and cinema. went back Few to could his family. match Sheher startedin her dramatic roles as she gave the Indian film heroinedrinking much heavily, grace her and liver dignity was even damaged. in suffering Her last and few moist days-eyed were actress will al- ways be remembered as Hindi cinema'sspent Tragedy in the general Queen. ward of Nanavati hopsital. Born into a film family, Little Meena got her name in her debut film, Vijay Bhatt's Jairaj-starrer Leather Face in 1939. Later, when Meena started doing mature roles in the late 1940s and early 1950s, she starred opposite the same Jairaj.

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she held the audience captive with her portrayal of the self-sacrificing Gauri in Baiju Bawra (1952), directed by Vijay Bhatt. With Baiju Bawra, the suffering Indian Woman found a new face in Meena Kumari. Meena went from strength to strength playing the suffering woman, the martyr to perfection. Meena spent the last years of her life playing the 'doomed diva'. With heavy drinking she had lost her looks and she began playing character roles albeit strong ones in potboilers . But in the spirit of the maxim that the fame burns brightest before it is snuffed, the best was round the corner. Amrohi’s Pakeezah, for which Meena was paid the princely sum of a gold asharfi, was earmarked by destiny to prove a gold mine. Even as the nation marvelled at her ability to infuse life into her role in Pakeezah, Meena Kumari breathed her last. Within a couple of months of Pakeezah's release, Meena Kumari died on March 31, 1972. And left behind a film befitting her legend.

Divya Bharti; Forever Young On April 7, 1993 Bombay bade farewell to a young girl dressed in bridal attire. It was the final journey of the country’s darling diva Divya Bharati, all but 19 years old. She had fallen from off the window of fifth floor apartment on Yari Road, Verosva. To date, Divya’s death still remains a mystery. She left behind many controversies and dozen hits and as many panicking producers with unfin- ished films. Divya Bharti’s life was like a fairy tale story. At 15 she had given up school books to listen to story narrations. At 16, the super hit Bobbili Raja made her a super- star of Telugu Cinema. At 18, as Saat Samunder Paar girl From Vishwatma and hits like Deewana and Shola Aur Shabnam made her highest paid actress…then on April 5 1993, within days of her 19th birthday, Divya fell to her death. She was next big thing in early 90s, Almost every producer was keen on working with her. She was signing films left, right and center. She epitomised what was truly bold and beautiful in the movies, her childlike enthusiasm won her many fans. It was an absolute tragedy that Indian cinema was robbed of a super- star.