...JHAMU SUGHAND presents...

Once upon a time, when names like - 

Mani Ratnam                     Shriram Raghvan                      Shekhar Kapoor   

Deepa Mehta                    Sanjay Leela Bhansali    

 Ashutosh Gowarikar                     Anuraag Kashyap                Ram Gopal Verma

were in the process of achieving visibility. One man, with a vision of his own and mathematics of uncommon sense; decided to give those names, their due visibility.

And then ... the celluloid said - 

JHAMU SUGHAND

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PRESENTS

...i narrate in lower case!!!...

As if Archimedes had foreseen his eureka moment. Jhamu seemed to have wanted to change the psyche of film makers and audiences altogether, that too very fast.

First things first : His portfolio of films can be a cause of envy for any film producer, film financier or  film collaborator, at world wide stage - BLACK FRIDAY, 1947 EARTH,  JOHNNY GADDAR, LAGAAN, WATER, BOMBAY, RANGEELA, HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM, GULAAL, .... and many more...

As if some multi millionaire gave them blank cheques to Picasso, Michael Angelo, Vinci... and employed them all, one by one to create whatever they felt like.

Result -  firework all around.

Johnny Gaddaar ( 2007) initially financed and produced by Jhamu Sugandh was later produced under the banner Adlabs, since Jhamu ran into financial crunch. The film received critical acclaim. went on to be 'sleeper hit' of the year..

Black Friday (2004) was financed by Jhamu to help Kashyap, despite controversies involved. It was based on 1993 Bombay bombings by anti national cowards. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and was a nominee for the Best Film (Golden Leopard) award at the Locarno International Film Festival.

Jhamu Sugandh further helped Anurag Kashyap to release his another stuck film 'Gulal'

Lagaan (2001) co produced by Jhamu Sugandh, partnered with Amir Khan. Lagaan met high critical and commercial success worldwide.

Aks (2001) jointly produced by Jhamu Sugandh, introduced Rakesh Om Prakash Mehra as director. Amitabh Bachchan got Filmfare Best Actor (Critics) award for this film.

Astitva (2000) produced by Jhamu Sughand, went on to win 48th National Film Award for Best Film in Marathi.

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) jointly produced by Jhamu Sughand, was filmed throughout the Gujarat-Rajasthan, in addition to Budapest, Hungary. The film was a hit at the Indian box office. It received nine Filmfare Awards nominations and produced some winners as well.

Satya was still to happen, when Jhamu  financed his films and produced Rangeela and Daud. This was instrumental in the success of Ram Gopal Varma.

  

Rangeela (1995) produced by Jhamu, the film received critical acclaim and seven film fare that year. Urmila Matondkar became an overnight sensation. Designer Manish Malhotra also received instant fame. Rangeela also proved to be a turning point for Aamir's career.

Bombay (1995) presented by Jhamu; was a critically acclaimed and national award-winning  film. The film became one of the highest grossing films, well received both critically and commercially. Eventually it was also screened at many international film festivals.

Controversies!! Of course! very well attached.

I have well recorded the hyped screening amidst chaos in single screen Anand Cinema at majestic Qaiserbagh Square in Lucknow. The lathi charge followed the protest juloos. I saved myself by ‘Shuoon’ of one lathi in a nick of time. Although, the shirt got torn on that fateful day.

Bandit Queen (1994) jointly produced by Jhamu Sughand, took Shekhar Kapoor to international stage, besides winning several National as well as Filmfare awards.

Somehow, I hardly notice any mention of  Jhamu Sughand, of his contributions in official accounts of these works.

Jhamu had also invested in lot of Bengali films, he believed in.

There's no evidence which implies him, as a cinema expert. But the facts upon which this account is based, certainly establishes Jhamu Sugandh, to be a film connoisseur. A man with a mysterious sense of righteousness of the projects, he invested in.

The dark complexioned, humble printing press owner; who never changed his two BHK flat, or his car, even in the peak of his film production years; commanded his share of authority, mainly because of his honest intentions conveyed in more simpler ways.

Rehman was roped in for Jane tu ya jane na, by Jhamu, on request of Abbas Tyrewala. Rehman did it on one single phone call, only because of a man he held in highest regards, Jhamu Sughand.

Amir Khan took over as producer of the film later.

Amir khan himself was roped in for 1947 Earth, on Deepa Mehta's requirement by Jhamu. Amir had earlier rejected Deepa's offer, citing date trouble.

How is it, that nobody credits Jhamu, for getting done with films like WATER and 1947 EARTH?? Even after investing in those controversy ridden films, except for verbal notes of thanks??? Why is it like that??

May be because Deepa Mehta did not want to!!

This is further substantiated by  accounts of dissatisfaction published by A R Rehman, who gave music to her film and Anurag kashyap, who wrote for her.

May be, Mr. Jhamu Sughand, a shy gentlemen, was USED...EXPLOITED...like a common newcomer. 
So what!!   
But  not on a single occasion. 
And adding to it, another of his mega ventures went disaster upon box office.

Right when Jhamu planned his comeback, with his calculated positive investments in Bengali ventures, he was duped again, bigtime, by one of his partners who disappeared with his left over assets, credits and most importantly faith.

Probably, Jhamu's vision for his EUREKA moment had started fading. Happens!!

Jhamu handheld many more names than Sree Ram Raghvan, Abbas Tyrewala, Anurag Kashyap ... even Deepa Mehta's name can be added to the list. 

Anurag kashyap, himself admits,"...none of us (in film industry) could give him back, what we got from him..."

Jhamu said " I invest in people."...!!!  That was a matter of choice. No comments on the choice of investment.

May be his calculations are still being scanned by some Einstein somewhere. But at least he took the luxury of investing and living, in the way he wanted to.

And certainly it was Grandest Humbleness to invest and live that way.

To, 
Mr. Jhamu Sugandh, 

This account is written to convey to the environment (of which you are a part); that your works have been well noted.

That all your instincts were not wrong. That your vision and investments gave us marvelous several  products like Rangeela, in the year bull dozed by another good product DDLJ.

That your input made difference and is highly visible now... by the possibility of works like DEV D, RDB, BLACK, Shekhar Kapoor's hollywood ventures... irrespective that  you were not a direct party to them.

That your contribution stands as tall & remarkable as YRF's  (say in 1995) or any other Filmmaker and showmen of industry, at any given time.

To repeat '..as tall & remarkable as the biggest filmmakers and showmen of industry...'

Well !!!.. you presented Quality.. Mr. Jhamu Sughand.!!
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PS 1: Jhamu Sugandh, was an advisor to Amitabh Bachchan, in his film company ABCL corps.

PS 2: Among others Jhamu Sugandh patronized Meghna Gulzar for Filhaal, Budhdhadeb Dasgupta for KaalPurush, and worked with Kamal Hasan for Chachi 420.

Feroz Khan is the reason...flamboyance starts with F..

"The lion who roared, is no more." actor Sanjay Khan informed on April 27, 2009. Feroz Khan was laid  to rest in his home town Bangalore, near to his mother's grave.

SAUVE                                                      FLAMBOYANT                                     STYLE ICON
                                                        
                                                                      FEROZ KHAN

Feroz Khan was the man with many hats - actor, director, producer and a swagger visionary. He was the first in India to localize Cuppola's The Godfather. And made it into DHARMATMA.

actor Premnath in & as Dharmatma

‘Main apne liye khud kanoon hoon..” said Premnath as Brandos counterpart in Dharmatma; decades before RGV brought Subhash Nagre in mumbai. FK did it.

Shot in the exotic afghan locales, Dharmatma, has credits to be first in more ways -

· It was also the first Bollywood film to be shot in beautiful landscape of Afghanistan.

· It was first Indian film featuring buzkashi an Afghani sport, used as a glamour factor by FK and later by many others in film industry.

Earlier, In my childhood days, we did not get to see many films. Hand painted or sketched film posters were our only connect with the fantastical world of glitter. To imagine a story out of the posters elements, must have been favorite pass time. I use MUST, because whenever I refer to my early days, it seems that I was only passing my time, which is approx 15 years. (!!! my God ! )

So the elements shown in the posters formed the basis to fantasize a story. Now you can imagine how delightful, it would have been to manufacture a story out of FK’s film posters - glimpse of revolvers, sniper rifles fitted with digi magnifiers on top, helicopters, imported cars, bikini clad belle somewhere in the corner of clouds of explosion and a jeep front coming out of it, jaw lines of favourite goons of the likes of Ranjeet, Sudhir, Shakti Kapoor, Kabir Bedi, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor and... shirt half-unbuttoned, a big locket hanging on thick gold chain upon broad chest of gun totting Feroz Khan.



( FK introduced Formula One in 1972 in his directorial debut APRADH. Much later to this, I got to know about formula one cars and formula one races.)

His knee-weakeningly gorgeous lady lass’ – Mumtaz, Zeenat Aman,Rekha, Hema Malini, Sree Devi, Madhuri Dixit, Dimple Kapadia, Nagma, Celina… all in hyper glamourized versions of themselves. Blame FK or praise the Heroines for having the opportunity. Your choice.. irrespective.



"He was the first and last man who called me 'baby'. No one else dared. I wish they would..." Hema Malini on Feroz khan.
On the sets of one of his many grand gala ventures, FK surprised Hema's mother and said 'Come on, mom. Join us.'. Hema's mother, (then famous as strict shadow of HM), was taken aback for once.

Have a look into 5 – 7 images of FK and you won’t doubt that story.

His Storylines –

DHARMATMA. The title character was based on then glorified matka king. It is said that Khan  actually  sat down with matka pioneer Ratan Khatri to learn details and understand the nuances of matka. This film took Feroz Khan to new heights in his career and was a blockbuster movie.

Ranjeet and Sudhir - 'bhookhey bhediye suna hai'.. Their first anonymous sight anywhere declared that ladies dignity was in danger, in their surroundings. Guess!! How you would feel when they look back at you, with these crooked eyes, and the back ground music is also parallelly hinting you, to look for rescue –

Or.. how the jeopardy bells go chiming to full throttle if you find likes of Imtiaz, Ranjeet, Sudhir and Jeevan on one discussion table..

God save the world.

QURBANI became biggest hit of the year. Feroz Khan can be credited for bringing Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor and Amrish Puri into mainstream Hindi movies by giving them exposure and critical roles in the movie. FK introduced Biddu as music director and Nazia Hasan as singer delivering super duper hit chart-busters.  "Aap jaisa koi meri zindagi mein aaye.."  & "Laila O laila.." with all other songs were all time rage.

Khan used UK crew for stunts, arrangement, photography stunt production and stunt scene writing.

Mercedes benz made it’s screen debut under FK's umbrella. Those were the days when not many in India had seen a Mercedes, let alone sat in one.

Khan brought Amjad Khan out of memories of Gabbar Singh, and very effectively remodeled him into a chewing gum chewing, witty stylish cop roaming around with authority in London, to track down his fugitives. Amjad’s pursuit of justice does not deprives him of his humour. He is one of the most intersting cops in my memory records. FK did it.

JAANBAAZ. Manhar Udhas got famous for 'Har kisi ko nahin milta, yehan pyar zindagi mein..'
Sreedevi's character played Feroz's love interest. She dies for drug overdose, by FK's tormentors. If FK would have turned into Devdas, things would have settled down. But FK as Inspector Rajesh refuses to do so, dons his cowboy hat and pushes ahead to find the bad guys responsible and settle his score. And yes there is Anil Kapoor too, in new avatar of spoilt Casanova, donned upon him by FK.

DAYAVAN – a grand attempt to remake, world famous Nayagan by Mani Ratnam & Kamal Haasan. Only FK could attempt to ape both of the stalwarts, in his own style, all by himself.
"Aaj phir tum pe pyaar aaya hai .." by Pankaj Udhas is fresh in numerous memories..but FK also chose to add  "..chahe meri jaan tu lele, chahe imaan tu lele.. pyaar ik baar toh dede.." by Jolly Mukherjee. Watch this mischievous number.

YALGAAR – We saw Desert scooters first time in this film, that too being ridden by Sanjay dutt, in all his puma machismo. Who else, but FK pulled the threads.



Internatinal hired assassin. Contract Killing. Cops and gangsters at war …
and "…Aakhir tumhe aana hai .. zara der lagegi.." perfect spice.

JANASHEEN – super bike races in Philip’s island, Australia. Most other things were stylized non sense.
“bakhuda humein khoon ka rang qatai pasand nahin. Par kya karein, hamari ragon mein daudta hai” At the age of  66, Feroz Khan won some awards including Film Fare for best actor in negative role.

APRADH  a 1972 action thriller the film is famous for Grand Prix – Formula 1 races in Germany. It’s song "Ae Naujawan Hai Sab" by Asha Bhosle; became inspiration for the The Black Eyed Peas' hit song "Don't Phunk with My Heart" in 2005.

FK’s camera characteriscally shot urban setting, nouveau music foreign locales, and upscale imagery

Acting...watch for social dramaas Safar, Aarzoo, Oonche Log, Aadmi aur insaan (he won his first Filmfare award for this)…etc.

The list is not for his never perfect films, but of his iconic flamboyance. Observe the pattern. All unconventional, trend setters much like FK himself.

People refer to Clint Eastwood as Feroz Khan of the West..


Errrrr.. Actually Feroz Khan is known as the Clint Eastwood of the East..


FK erupted revolution of looks. He changed how films, their heroes, and heroines should have looked.

When a billiards tournament that had lost its sponsors, Feroz Khan, saved it. Quite consistent in his legendary cool quotient.

Khan was an A category entertainer, at par to any existing showmanship of past, present or even future. thrilling Car chases, English country sides, , galore of violence, explosions, camera angles were common characters of his gala presentations.

FK intended…machismo, masculinity, explosion, glamour …


Mannerism, internationalism, entertainment…


Appeal, sensuality, modernism, experimentation…

.... FK meant everything Grand.







"zindagi lamba chakkar hai ...maut seedha raasta hai wahan pahunchne ka.." said Feroz Khan in
film Safar (1970)

Adieu FK
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PS
Joke 1 : Jinaah got India divided on grounds of religion and created Pakistan. In June 2005, L k Advani (out of all) described Mohd. A. Jinnah a "secular" leader.

Joke 2 : In May 2006, Feroz Khan was blacklisted by then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan's high commission in India and the foreign and interior ministries were subsequently directed to deny Khan a visa to Pakistan (a popular terrorist – not tourist - destination) in the future.
WHY?? The joke ends here.

Feroz Khan went Pakistan to promote his brother's film, Taj Mahal. As per intelligence report submitted to Musharraf, he was said to have gotten drunk and insulted Pakistani singer and anchor and criticizing the country saying:
"I am a proud Indian. India is a secular country. The Muslims there are making lot of progress unlike in Pakistan. Our President is a Muslim and our Prime Minister a Sikh. Pakistan was made in the name of Islam, but look how the Muslims are killing Muslims here."


i narrate in lower case ..And they call me…

bhaag milkha bhaag ! - .. i narrate in lower case

 'Oye!' is the most emphasized term throughout the movie

It’s all right Mr. Mehra, we understand. The movie is based on great athlete Milkha Singh  and his punjabi background. Why to overplay that?

well... i narrate in lower case*..

(Have you ever noticed? no one actually can. One can only write in lower or upper case. God! Why did you take away humour with you when you left the very average creation - humans, to live on it's own.)

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a 2013 Indian biographical sports film based on the life of "The Flying Sikh" Milkha Singh, an Indian athlete.

-          assessment - good, not great.

-          per expectation - farhan akhtar. he put as much effort as possible with ease for his calibre.

-          below expectation - rakesh O P mehra - he just attempted and produced an easy product packaged to be a hit or super hit, subject to contribution of luck.

-          editing - bad

-          nice to see Pawan malhotra and Divya Dutta back.  doing something.

-          a powerhouse actor like Prakash raj is just wasted. Mani sir must have been banging his head.

-          Screen presentation - not good. 

ref this - National champions are competing. First (milkha - indian) is tense- he wants to remain first, second (paki) is tense to cover the gap ... and third...

Third is some sportsman who is laughing at camera and at ongoing shooting by ROMP of the same race. May be the third athlete forgot, that he is a part of the acting unit. However ROMP* should not have forgotten this.

Ainsssssand, athletes do not require 8 pack abs.

The movie is an ok choice for the weekend timepass and movie going routine. The movie is based on 

• efforts from farhan akhtar, although he is better talented differentle.

• average or no research, 

• low input from the director who definitely is more capable, 

• extracts from gadar, RDB, all grinded in a maharaja mixie

Put this movie before PAN SINGH TOMAR and watch it coming third, despite the competition b/w only those two, in the race of art, apart of many other things.

Technicalities are not so bad in this movie. but technicalities matter second.

Why should the maker of film like RDB and Aks, shy away from effort? 

Chill !! sometime he will do it again.   (!! what happened to my language??)

PS 1 : to show that Milkha Singh is flying in plane for the first time, ROMP shows him struggling with his seat belt. Then very traditionally a muse comes to his help and clips that.

come on Mr. Mehra. I, for one, saw this technique in film NAAM released in 1986. And then approx 1000 times in some other movies. Innovate man.
You should not do serious film making when you actually want to be on a vacation.

PS 2 : why does the clock always show 1 am?

in the memory of Pran...

Michael is a rogue. Amitabh B as Vijay is a protagonist caught into a situation where he has only one choice. that to rely on Michael.
Amitabh hints that he needs an assurance.. 'choron ke bhi Kuchch usool hote hain..'

PRAN as Michael reverts with a sarcastic smile - ' Choron ke hi toh usool hote hain..'

Film - Majboor (1974).
...................................................................................................................................................................

remembering Pran..

When I was a child .. i used to watch anything telecasted .. movies were delight ..whenever televised.. and whenever the auspicious occasion of my watching them happened.
Any movie, whatever content, no issues! All were welcome..always.

Films made me see whole lifetimes of no. of people in a very short span of time .. may be it quickly answered my frequent child hood query of 'Phir Kya Hua ??' I used that phrase quite often..  another small reason may have been, that it kept me away from studies.

When i was a child (..and i was a child for a long time..), unlike Amir khan,.. the last name in film casting ... 'and Pran' never 'struck fear' in me... never sent shivers down my spine..

Even as a child, the name ... ' and Pran' in credits .. was the assurance, that the movie has at least one man who will create or will catalyze some ' Interesting moments..'

Legend has it that, in those days, people stopped naming their children Pran. Quite an achievement! A recognition for centuries.. admirable..!!

After K N Singh (ref films like CID, Aawaara etc), one can consider Pran as few of the senior most popular actor who played numerous notable negative roles.
Pran acted against - Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Raj kapoor, Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor .....to infinity.
And to the fright of all leading ladies - Hema Malini, Vajyanti Mala, Sharmila Tagore....

down to narrow memory lane -

- liquor guzzling and rioting Michael in Majboor - Michael daaru pi ke danga karta hai...

- trapeze artist jasjeet, on a revenge spree in DON -

- sarcastic malang in Upkaar - do you remember .. veteran actor prem chopra was also there with another veteran madan puri .. but sure when you say Upkaar movie - you see the image of Pran as malang..

- sher khan. No.. mowgli happened later.. Pran as Sher Khan in Zanjeer was a near parallel force to then introduced Angry Young Man. '..ilaake mein naye ho saheb..'

- Kabira in Karz...  - Pyar mohabbat mein toh maine tan mann jaan lutaya ... dhokha diya jo  dost ko, ab dekh Kabira aaya.. an outspoken crook with a secret which has no content, but he still manages to mint money out of that ..

- moti in Johhny Mera Naam - against Dev Anand..

- a cunning relative in Khaandaan - he stole away a child for his circus show involving elephant .. bataaiye (read hindi)..bahot badmaash aadmi hai ...

- daku raka in Jis desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai.

- a smuggler of victorian manners in Half Ticket - Kishore Kumar's white humour got brightness from Pran's grey background. a reference to this movie can update you, that Pran was very much present even in the prime of your grand parents

- Parichay
- Sharabi
- Ram aur Shayam............

the list is endless and it's 1 am again .. and i have to get up early. Did I tell you - i earn through concrete and fitout work.. read my previous blog...

well..

Pran (with full respect .. i do not like adding saab. SAAB  sounds very corporate, seemingly diminishes his witty villainy. )  
one heavy word .. but succeeded by too long a justification in bracket. Ok! Let me start again.

Pran is to Film Industry.. what Sri Nagar, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Madras are to India...very deep rooted integral part...

PS : in his prime, which spanned for about one and half decade .. PRAN was charging and getting more fees than all the leading heroes of his times. Why so serious? that's a trivia..

- i narrate in lower case &
they call me..............

..i narrate in lower case..

EP-1
my kid sister pinged me at 1am in the night... on one of the popular social media sites. (to admit sheepishly - i was also online..at that late hour.. bad for health..anyway).  We had not spoken for last six months, for no specific reason..Just that we did not speak.
so she sent a message which popped up on the screen - and i read this - 'arey !!! kya kar rahe hain.. ' then wrote again  without waiting - ' hum kal movie ja rahe hain..' ...'..uspe based hai..last leaf..'  ..' yaad hai apko.. '   (these kids are very fast on keywords..)

i recited the story to them. some 13 years back. I was a good narrator then. ( i may still be but  is not of much value..i earn my living through concrete and fit out work ).

Stories engage. They are all around us. One glance at them and they stick to the psyche ..for infinity..

extracts from - ..the last leaf.. by O'Henry   

'........Behrman was a failure in art. Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress's robe. He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it. For several years he had painted nothing except now and then a daub in the line of commerce or advertising. He earned a little by serving as a model to those young artists in the colony who could not pay the price of a professional. He drank gin to excess, and still talked of his coming masterpiece. For the rest he was a fierce little old man, who scoffed terribly at softness in any one, and who regarded himself as especial mastiff-in-waiting .......

......................................But, lo! after the beating rain and fierce gusts of wind that had endured through the livelong night, there yet stood out against the brick wall one ivy leaf. It was the last one on the vine. Still dark green near its stem, with its serrated edges tinted with the yellow of dissolution and decay, it hung bravely from the branch some twenty feet above the ground............

...................The next day the doctor said to Sue: "She's out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now - that's all."...................................

"It is the last one," said Johnsy. "I thought it would surely fall during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall to-day, and I shall die at the same time."..........................................

"I have something to tell you, white mouse," she said. "Mr. Behrman died of pneumonia to-day in the hospital. He was ill only two days. The janitor found him the morning of the first day in his room downstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were wet through and icy cold. They couldn't imagine where he had been on such a dreadful night. And then they found a lantern, still lighted, and a ladder that had been dragged from its place, and some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixed on it, and - look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn't you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it's Behrman's masterpiece - he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell." 

[courtsey - the literature network.]                                                                     

.you read it earlier. right!! or at least saw it in some book..which you never lifted to read.. but still you  know  this story... and it's in you ...throughout ..your routine..years passed off.. your silence on it ..
..stories are like that...

PS-1 : To respect the great author, to have actual enjoyment of this great literary work..  kindly read the full story..
PS-2 : the kid sister i mentioned, is a 19 year young CA aspirant. that day she wrote further " ..i rem it perfectly!! "...  And I.. the one who, in some fancy, thought he is still a lad,..  recorded that as a complement.

they call me Billa..