Chhoti See Baat
There is a little difference between a good person and a person with grey charateristics and exchange between two kind of natures of people can take place very easily with little management. Though they are seen and understood as good men but several times in their life majority of people enter in to this grey shed, though sometime to fulfil their temporary desires, which they can not suppress anymore for the sake of their inherent ideal nature.
CSB?s Amol Palekar could become a man with some villainous characteristics but director shows masterly ability to maintain a fine balance and Amol Palekar comes out clean as a hero else plot had that slippery ground that his character could fall down and then it was not possible for him to remain as Mr White.
CSB reveals difference between genuine person and hunters.
There are men in good number who always try to dominate other people in their surrounding not on the basis of their merits but they take resort of cheap gimmicks to exhibit themselves as better than their friends and fellow colleagues. They always ridicule their colleagues, friends and known people and try to drag them down so that they themselves could look bigger and tall in stature. They market them shamelessly and self praise remains their most used weapon.
If a woman is present in their surrounding then their male colleagues have to face a lot of troubles because now these people will try to allure that woman and this they will do by dragging other males down. Suddenly they will start ridiculing other males. They will start highlighting weaknesses of others. They will start showing pity on others problems and will reveal them to all so that sufferers feel more depressed. They try to portray them as all rounder extrovert people who can do anything and who are not less than any living creature in the world. They are the best and they repeat it again and again and they try to advertise their greatness by any excuse. Their extrovert nature becomes a pain for others and they become almost violent for other soft natured people.
Then there are introvert people. Some of them are genuine in whatever they do. They may not even express their genuine feelings but they can not harm others. Since childhood, they loose the chances because either their shy nature stops them to exhibit some of their talent at right time or when they try to participate then chances are fetched by the people of category 1. They also fall in love with some girl but they don?t have courage to approach her directly.
They feel increase in heart beats whenever they come across their love interests but they can not take initiatives. Once back to their home/room they plan a lot in their solitude and talk a lot with her in their mind but all their courage starts lacking momentum once they go near their love interest. They watch her a lot and slowly turn in to silent lover. They accept their nature.
They develop a personality of a shy and diffident people. When they join job then same habits hinder their progress. Those who are not genuine inside, they may become stalkers and tormentors and those who are genuine they simply keep alive their dreams about loving someone very special at some stage of their lives.
People belonging to both the categories can go on wrong ways and stalkers, rapists, violent kind of psychopaths may come out of both the categories.
Such characters are found among women also.
Amol Palekar in CSB falls in second category of people and Asrani belongs to category one people.
In the very beginning Late Kamleshwar?s narration tells the audiences that AP works in a company where love marriages have become a tradition and most of the male workers and officers have followed the trend of love marriages.
AP goes to office by city bus and daily he sees a beautiful woman Vidya Sinha(VS). AP starts liking her but being an introvert he can not approach her. Though he dreams a lot about her and he desires a lot that she should sit besides him and he somehow he should get a chance to touch her. This is his daily routine to take same bus which VS also takes to go to her office.
VS is fully aware of AP?s attraction towards her and she enjoys it secretly. She has observed it that AP is harmless kind of simple man.
Once a person sitting besides her, gets up as he has to get down at his station and AP watching her continuously, tries to reach there to sit besides her and she also hopes that he would come to sit there but before AP could reach there, another person occupies the seat and AP is left with cold sighs only. VS smiles on his situation. In office she shares such events with her colleague.
Back to his home, AP dreams while taking shower that how he would handle VS and in his dreams he is always a confident man and he does rehearsal also before the mirror but next morning when he finds VS coming to him at the bus stop he forgets all the dialogues he had memorized last evening. Enjoying AP?s nervousness VS asks him the time and he becomes more nervous by her sudden asking and by the time he gets senses back bus comes and she rides in it and AP also follows her and in the bus he tells her the time.
AP follows VS till her office as he wants to know where she works? He stands just behind her in the cue of people waiting for the lift and VS along with her colleague enters in to the lift but AP is stopped by the lift operator.
Next he follows VS till her home and just before the gates of her apartment she turns back and sees him and at the same time her neighbour comes out and asks VS about AP. VS says she does not know him. AP feels bad and worries also that VS has taken a bad impression of him.
Next day in his office he becomes more worried when he finds VS entering the room. He thinks she has come to complain against him. He requests her not to complain against him as this may cost him his new job. She goes to meet his boss and after sometime AP is summoned by his boss. He goes there with a fear inside that now he will have to leave the job but there his boss introduces VS as a representative of a company and asks him to help her in finding a voucher.
VS comes back to her office and tells everything to her colleague. She also has started liking AP.
Now AP becomes little free with her and starts talking to her. But he always talks to her more when he is alone.
He goes to watch a film and on screen he visualises that he has replaced Dharmendra and Hema Malini is replaced by VS.
In his dream he enjoys the song Janeman janeman
When his love story starts getting some base, Asrani enters and he starts dominating AP and he tries to humiliate AP more in the presence of VS.
Asrani has a scooter and he gives ride to VS from the bus stop.
AP does not want to loose the battle and he goes to a garage to buy a second hand scooter but there cunning CS Dubey sells him a very old motorcycle.
AP pays Rs 3500 for that old bike.
Next day he waits for VS to come at the bus stop and when he finds her waiting for the bus he reaches there riding his bike. He offers her to drop at office. She is happy to see AP?s confidence and she enjoys pillion riding.
But how luck can favour AP? His old bike is stopped after few minutes only and he does not know anything about bikes.
To give him more pain, Asrani reaches there and takes VS to the office on his scooter but not without showing pity on AP?s conditions and proving him as an idiot as he has purchased a bogus bike having worth not more than Rs 500.
AP invites VS for lunch and when she reaches there, Asrani, sitting with his friends, sees them and comes to their table and sits there and he orders in a way as if restaurant belongs to him or his close friend. He tries to impress VS and at the same time he tries to demean AP.
Asrani orders things of his liking and after the lunch he takes VS with him and poor AP pays the bills.
Asrani plays table tennis and VS invites AP to join them in the practise in the evening and there also Asrani tries to dominate AP in every manner.
AP becomes depressed and he bunks his office and wanders here and there in Bombay. He goes to fortune tellers and even approaches road side astrologers but he does not get solace and then he finds the address of a retired Col. living in Khandala.
He reaches there and asks Col.( Ashok Kumar) to help him.
After knowing about VS, Ashok Kumar starts taking personal interest in AP?s case as he tells AP that when he was young then he also used to love a girl but he could not find the courage to propose to her.
He asks AP what he thinks why he is helping him so much?
AP replies that because he too was a Lallu when he was young. AK laughs on his conclusion and then tells him that VS is the namesake of the girl to whom he used to love many years ago.
AK trains AP to develop self confidence. And after his training he asks him to go back to Bombay and try to win the love and confidence of her love interest. AK also accompanies AP as he has some work in Bombay and he also wants to see his progress on his own.
In Bombay, VS is sad because AP is disappeared without telling her anything. Now she misses him all the time.
Na jane kyun hota hai ye jindagi ke saath
She becomes too happy when she gets a call from AP and he tells her that he had gone out to finish some work. Next morning AP meets VS at bus stop and she is happy and astonished to see a confident AP wearing nice suit and who is completely filled with hope and self confidence.
Asrani reaches there at his scooter but AP does not give him any chance to demean him and rather he leaves Asrani in awkward situation when he sends VS in bus and himself sits on back seat of his scooter and asks him to drop him at his office.
Asrani is shocked to see a changed AP. AP arranges a lunch party again and invites Asrani also along with VS in the same restaurant.
There AP and VS reach early and AP introduces VS to AK. AK likes and approves VS and praises her. He asks if she likes AP? She feels shy with such open question and does not reply but he sees clearly that she also loves AP.
Ye din kya aye
AP slowly breaks the over confidence of Asrani. Asrani is too frustrated to find AP in such a confident form and he suspects something is wrong.
Asrani sees AK also with AP and now he knows that AP is guided by AK.
AK goes to Baroda and when he comes back he finds that AP has invited VS to his home and he wants to stop AP doing any foolish thing which may hurt VS.
He goes there at the new flat of AP and Asrani also reaches there but there AK finds that there is true love between AP and VS and they understand each other.
Asrani, unable to accept his defeat, says threats to AK that he has taught tricks to AP to win the love of VS. AK makes him understand that he has taught AP to believe in self and to develop self confidence and he does not need to teach tricks to AP to win love of VS because they both love each other.
He invites Asrani to join his training.
AP keeps the tradition of his company and does a love marriage with VS.
Basu Chaterjee?s Chhoti See Baat is an entertaining light comedy film. Amol Palekar has got a tailor made role and he does complete justice to the role. He is Arun, the character, throughout the film.
Vidya Sinha is perfectly fit in her role. She looks a fresh face and beautiful person and comes before us as a perfectly suitable actress for the role. Her dresses, her demeanour and her body language and expressions make her character alive on screen.
Ashok Kumar in a small role proves why he is still remembered as a great actor. Same Ashok Kumar who was seen as feeble and vulnerable father of Jaya Bhaduri in Mili is seen here in CSB, as a straight and disciplined ex army officer. His body language is praise worthy. How with slight changes in his get up he becomes a changed man? As far as acting is concerned he is a scene stealer. He was the best actor present in the film and he proves it by his performance also.
Asrani also does his best to play the character suffering from superiority complex.
Amitabh Bachchan?s guest appearance is impressive.
Raj Kumar Santoshi’s Halla Bol borrows one Ashok Kumar scene from this film.
It?s a BR Chopra production so audiences see hoardings of Zameer, first film of Ravi Chopra, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saira Bano, Vinod Khanna, and Shammi Kapoor.
Salil Chaudhary?s music and Yogesh?s lyrics and good singing of Lata, Asha, Mukesh and Yesudas decorate very well the music department of the film.
A little mistake on director’s side and AP?s Arun could have become a sick stalker or a person who just won the heart of VS using cunning tricks but Basu Chaterjee handles this portion with a great skill and makes his character a genuine person.
Chhoti see baat is always a joyful watch.
Filed Under
Movies, Review , amitabh bachchan, amol palekar, Asha, Ashok Kumar, Asrani, BR Chopra, CS Dubey, Jaya Bhaduri, Lata, Mili, Mukesh, Ravi Chopra, Vidya Sinha, Yesudas, Zameer
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this will always be a joyful watch… songs were a big hit when the movie released .. it was my father who introduced me to this movie …. he still has the audio cassette of this movie even now in his collection…..
AP is tailored made for these kind of roles.
RK,as u said a little mistake would have made this a stalker movie but the director was spot on handling the situation ..i guess this is what a director’s job is ..to know when to put the brakes on….
Wow !
RK you are a factory! I don’t know anyone who writes such quality articles with such frequency and with such a great details…
I always loved this movie… but I cant help but admit it was a bittersweet love for me.. the guy only gets the girl when he outsmarts the other guy.. and becomes like him (well not literally but outwardly) and the girl likes it…in the end the “HERO” wins and Amol Palekar is so anti-hero type of actor…
But all and all good fun movie, with great soundtracks… … I still have my original cassette combo with another great one by Basu Chatterjee Rajnigandha…
1st i saw golmal nd then gharonda nd then searched amol palekar films as many ppl recomnded his films … i got 2 c choti si bat nd naram garam nd rajinigandha also…all very gud films…no tension in the plot…
but i did nt like asrani in the film…some other actor shd ve been there as v c him as comedian nd here he play different role…
i agree ashok kumar is heavier than other actors…
his performance tells wht acting is…
i like basu chatrji nd hrishikesh mukharji films set up..small but very entertaining nd films r focused on story …ven u dont want 2 watch larger than life roles then their films r the solution…
songs r gud …janeman janeman at top…
I dont agree with Krishn when he says that Asrani was not the right chice.
I think this was Asrani’s one of the best performances… just look at his expressions when AP & VS leave him in the chinese restuarant struggling with chop sticks and noodles… and while paying bills..he takes out money (in all possible forms - notes, coins)from all possible pockets of his dress.
The whole sequence is brilliant… he makes you feel happy that bad guy is loosing it, he makes you feel pity for him the way he struggles and through out he makes laugh with his antics, expressions and acting.. its insanely funny..
@Krishn - “but i did nt like asrani in the film…some other actor shd ve been there as v c him as comedian nd here he play different role…”
We always say, “that actor has type casted himself in such roles, he does not try anything new”… but who really is responsible for it?? aren’t we making him do that?? an actor is an actor.. not a comedian or villain or hero…
Abb asrani agar ‘angrezon ke zamaane ke jailor’ se bahar nahin nikal paaye hain to uska asli zimmedaar kaun hai??
HUM…
Actors ko ek jaise role karne pe kaun majboor karta hai
HUM… (haan director bhi hai par woh bhi to audience ke saath hii jaayega naa)
these are good times that people are experimenting warna
paresh rawal shayad sirf ek chotte mote Villain hee ban kar reh jaate.. aur hame unki comedy dekhne ke shayad kabhi mauka na milta…
Asrani was always under rated… uski variety dekhni hai to Koshish, Abhimaan, chal muraari hero ban ne, chupke chupke… dekho
Angrezon ke zamaane ka jailor bahut baad men aaya tha bhai….
i totally love the female actress Vidya Sinha .. she’s a perfect lady ..
i wished she had done more films but i guess she wasnt comfortable dancing around and buxom heaving in the usual roles .. she looks too dignified for that stuff ..
When we read RK’s publications, he leavs little to comment
Superb RK keep it up. Yes CSB is a simple and beautiful film. One just tends to forget tensions in life and just enjoy the movie.
Somehow the plot of Ashok Kumar ( to “phasaao” VS ), was not very strong enough to convince me…otherwise the film is PERFECT. Yes the songs are mindblowing..Salilda ofcourse !! I would rate it 9.5/10
off topic…one of the best books that I have ever read on category-1 college students is a Marathi book, by Suhas Shirawalkar, “Jaata-Yeta”. This book is unbeatable in the theme where one boy puts down the second, to gain attention of a particular girl. Simply marvellous. I hope on day a proper film is made on that subject. It is simply superb !
@Vineet,
True able directors know what twist they want to bring in the film and how to present it so that it looks a genuine twist to audience.
There are audiences who will be going with the psychology of Asrani and will question Ashok Kumar and Amol Palekar’s actions and there will be audiences who will follow the plots undertone since begining of the film and will not have any problem in understanding the turns and changes in the plot passing on the screen.
For first category of audience, Director has made Ashok Kumar saying the dialogues in the end to Asrani and those dialogues summarise the actions very well and present them in right manner.
@Badmash,
I too had (still have it) the same combination of Rajinigandha and CSB but I remember it had another film Golmal’s songs in it. So 1 cassette and three films. HMV used to release such combinations also but it was also possible with 3 in 1 pack, that some songs were missing.
We can see the plot this way also.
It was mid 70s film and thus characters were belonging to that period and it is shown in the film also that policy (”boy should make first and further moves”) was followed in the film. Its a film which is based less on story and more on character’s behaviour.
If we see Rajinigandha and CSB then we find that actress is a either living alone or if she has relatives then also they have left her. so an alone working class girl. She has to be little cautious also. She does not know details about AP but from his behaviour she knows him and she likes him also but it can not be love in first sight type of relationship in Basu Chaterjee and Hrishikesh Mukharjee films. Relationship has to be developed.
AP and VS both have liking for each other but they are forced to follow a slow path because of their inherent natures and limitations. and when they come on right track then Asrani enters.
If we consider that Asrani was an old colleague of VS and when he appears first time on screen then he has come after enjoying his holidays and he was there in office life of VS but she does not like him on that level where she could feel love for him.
But Asrani is unable to control his habit. He thinks he is the best man in Bombay. He does not love VS but he thinks its his birth right to allure women like her as he is the best. Though in reality he is suffering from complex because he secretely writes letters to Ashok Kumar to learn the tricks to win the women but outside he shows as if he is a real hero.
AP’s case is different. He loves VS and when Ashok Kumar repeats age old saying that everything is fair in love and war then he gets confidence to improve his ways to handle VS and his general life.
He is diffident in every activity and he knows his lackings and he wants to improve his personality. His problem is lack of self confidence as what he feels inside his heart he can not express same feelings to VS.
While Asrani’s case is opposite since begining. He does not love VS but tries to show as if he is the most suitable man for her.
So we can say that unlike other films where Hero beats the villain to remove him from between him and his lady love, here Basu Chaterjee’s hero tries to make him far better than his rival. A civilized and proper and realistic way.
@Krishn(3)
Re: Asrani - yes and no.
Basu Chaterjee, Hrishikesh Mukharjee have been able to use any actor to their purpose as their stress has been on showing their chosen story in their ways and they dont necessarily promote a particular actor or actors of the film. If their actors have given average or just above the average performances then their purpose is solved. Their films dont rely on one single actor or one performance only as they rely on their editing skill and scenes selection and dialogues etc.
If actors are really good then they shine on their own and surpass this above average level and become shining performer as Ashok Kumar have done in many of their films, Om Prakash and Dharmendra had done that in Chupke Chupke.
Utpal Dutt and Amol Palekar do that in Golmal while Bindia Goswami remains average.
Amol Palekar and Vidya Sinha do in Rajinigandha while Dinesh Thakur remains satisfied with average level.
This was not first chance for Asrani to play a role which was not defined as a comedian’s role. In the films like Mere Apne, Chupke Chupke, Abhiman, Alaap etc he is not working as a pure comedian as he had done in Sholay, Satyakam etc.
But yes if Director wished then to bring more electrifying touch and friction between AP and Asrani’s characters, another actor could have been taken to raise the competitive tone in the content of the film.
Sai Paranjape had used effectively this angle in Katha because there Farookh Sheikh and Naseer’s characters have that competitive level and where a suspence is craeted in first watch that what will be the next scene.
But as I mentioned in previous comment, CSB does not seem to be story driven film and its morte behaviour based film.
@Naren(4),
most of the Asrani angle with respect to CSB is covered in comment(10),
But in general in response to your saiyng that we audience are responsible to make an actory typed in some particular roles.
This is again yes in some cases and in some cases its no.
I suppose you have seen Asrani’s directorial efforts like Chala Murari Hero Banne, Salam Memsaab etc where he has played the roles of hero,
and he has done hundrends of films and in many films he has not played comedian’s roles and in few films he has played even negative shaded roles also and considering all these factors it can be safely said that he excelled in comedy based roles more. Even if he is not playing strictly comedian’s roles, his treatment to his roles has touch of comedy.
He has done variety of roles and he has done atleast 200 films and still he is found at home when he does comedy then its not entirely decision of audiences it has something to do with his own take towards acting.
and its not bad either. Every actor has its own take towards his roles.
@filmibhai,
Vidya Sinha, perhaps, had started with Satyajit Ray. Then later in 70s She did films with Gulzar, Basu Chaterjee, BR Chopra, Raj Khosla, Raj Tilak etc and she was casted opposite Amol Palekar, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Vinod Mehra, Rajendra Kumar etc but somehow she could not come in the league of Hema Malini, Rekha, Jaya Bhaduri, Zeenat Aman etc in those years. And parrallel films had got Shabana and Smita and later Dipti Naval.
Not only Vidya Sinha, many actresses like Zareena Waheb, Rameshwari, Ranjita, Swaroop Sampat also could not make a strong place. They all showed great potential but did not show longevity and competitive skills.
and in 80s, shutters of shops making these small family films were closed.
To play mother of Vijyeta Pandit in Love Story could be her mistake and later she even played vamp in one of the film.
Perhaps she was not suitable for roles having dances etc and many things depend on personal thinking also. She might have done what she found good for her at that time.
Lip sync activity should not have been a problem for her as she had got some of the good songs. In a film Nai Imarat she had a song where she had to run and jump also.
Have heard she is back in to the films now.
@KCP,
Is it a marathi book? or available in hindi/english also?
You remember, Ashok Kumar first asks, Amol Palekar if he has an appointment. So people have to write to him and he selects the case. Only Amol Palekar reaches there directly, breaking this procedure.
Ashok Kumar give suggestions to lovers only, who are either failed in love or unable to win th heart of their love interests due to lack of confidence etc.
and he is trouble shooter.
Perhaps that angle where he teaches Amol Palekar 3 easy steps to take woman to bed was a sarcasm on men.
Often failed lovers can be found saying that if somehow they might have made physical relation with their lovers then they could have married them. and film shows 70s when such theoretical philosophies could have been more popular because chances to do so were less.
Theoretical classes are organised at Khandala and when a person goes to take classes then teacher does not know the whole reality of his relationship with the lady.
After meeting with Vidya Sinha, Ashok Kumar sees it clearly that its matter of pure love and Amol Palekar does not need to use any tricks to allure her because she already loves him.
Asrani in negative role - watch Koshish.
Talking about Asrani, the only one to effectively tap this guy’s potential IMO was Gulzar Saab. Watch him play the angry young man in Mere Apne, or the bad guy in Koshish or the bhola-bhala naukar in Parichay, nowhere will you get the feeling that Asrani the comedian is doing these roles or has been miscast.
@P,
even missiles are assesed on the basis of their range.
Actors have range and in some territories they do good and in some they dont do so good and sometimes they may fall in awkward presentations also.
Within a defined range(varies for actor to actor) also they have personal ease where they perform better and that comes under their highly skilled area.
Great actors have wider range and given the opportunity they use it to prove their brilliance.
People have to see Chala Murari Hero Bannne and Salam Memsaab before making a firmed opinion about Asrani’s range as a versatile actor. There he has played hero.
Though a question will still remain that as a director did he select right subjects which could exhibit his acting talent to maximum?
@RK
I’m not talking about skill or range of the actor. Asrani certainly has both but it is only part of the reason why he was able to convincingly portary characters contrary to his image in the movies I have mentioned above. More significantly it was Gulzarsaab’s ability as a writer/director that extracted such performances from him. As I mentioned earlier, nowhere in these movies do we see the image of Asrani-the comedian over-shadowing the characters he has portrayed. For this, credit should also go to Gulzarsaab.
asrani discussion…
i agree 2 point that asrani had more skill in comedy than other acting areas since very begining…
last week i saw bawarchi… evry actor faces funny situation in the film and v viewers laugh but asrani is only actor in film who remain acomedian in all the scenes while others come b4 us as actors giving us other emotions also…dont recall any scene of asrani in any film where he has shown anger in real sense…
nd bawarchi is hrisikesh mukharji film nd he was better director than gulzar sab…
wht is this film chala murari hero banne
i get only songs on utube…
“Khoye Ho Aakhir Kis Bekhudi” from Chala Murari Hero Ban Ne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAS2mghQqD4
“Teri Kathputli Hoon” from Chala Murari Hero Ban Ne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq5q3pXP7Ls
“Do Pal Ki Hai Yeh Zindagani” from Chala Murari Hero Ban Ne
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EseWkkkEqc
NA JAANE DIN KAISE - KISHORE KUMAR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q45jRITkGUY
kishor kumar song is gud
dont get any thing from salam memsab on utube
@P(20),
Sorry, more I think about Asrani’s films and more I become convinced that since begining he moulded himself in such a way only. I am just recalling scene in Mere Apne where he is in the area of Vinod Khanna and whistling to call his so called girl frined in the balcony of her house. His body language and his expressions etc all take him towards comical side.
and We are talking about his films which he did before Sholay was made and he was new and a rawness was there.
In same Mere Apne, Danny is also there and he has his puppet also and he tries to make people laugh but other shades are also associated with his character. When he is sad then its genuine sadness and when he is angry then whole his body reflects anger and when he is trying to do comedy then his body language changes.
And before we conclude we have to recall Asrani’s saying also. He had reportedely said to a film journalist that “Amitabh Bachchan’s efforts to do comedy himself in his films have affected us comedians badly. He has kicked on our stomachs.”
Before Satte Pe Satta it was not easy to see Shakti Kapoor as a comedian but this one film expanded his acting range.
It may be because of Asrani’s more success in comedy based roles also but somewhere roots are lying in actor’s own ease in an area.
With all due respect to Anupam Kher and sorry to his die hard lovers, I always found his comedy either average or below average. He is such a good actor in tragic roles, and in character roles but he is so loud and almost bad in comedy though he has done many films. He impressed in Saaransh, Sansar,Daddy,Maine Gandhi—,Kaash etc and in negative roles in films like Karma, Kala Dhandha Gore Log,Arjun etc but his this high calibre is not seen when he does comedy in Aakhiri Raasta, Lamhe, Darr, HAHK etc. He is good in simple scenes but he actually reduces the effect of comedy scenes by his loud efforts.
So if comparison is among his own intrusion in different acting terrotories then he is not as good in comedy roles as he is in character roles.
and audience have not moulded him in any typed set up. He has been getting all kind of roles but its his own range that he shines in some and does not shine in few others.
@24 ..ha ha i can’t be bothered reading your drivel…did you really mean grey sheds or is this an attempt to cover your ass..yes or no please…if possible???
@Krishn
Thanks for songs of Chala Murari Hero Banne.
Hope you find songs of “Salaam Memsaab” also and for other film “Hum Nahin Sudhrenge”
You have to watch films like Khushboo and Alaap before commenting on Asrani’s acting skills.. Watch his body language in Hera Pheri (old one BigB-Vinod Khanna). Even in films like Parichay, Guddi, Chupke Chupke and Koshish he gets just a few frames but leaves his impression.. Ofc he was mainly used by the directors for giving some moments of relief in the film, and he could not come out of that “frame” even when he made films..
When you watch Salaam Membsaab and Chala Murari Hero banane, just the title makes you understand how and what Asrani want to be and what he could.. Both the films have central characters coming from Streets and becoming big in bollywood and then coming to terms with life…
Salaam Membsaab features a few beautiful songs.. specially Hum bhi rahoon me khade hain yaar in three distinct flavors, the fun filled street smart version by Kishore da, the melodious one by Lata ji and a emotional party number by Kishore da and chorus.. Pancham da drifted a bit from his orirignal path and gave us some good ones in both Salaam Memsaab and Chala Murari..
will write about the music of two films some day..
@14 IndyPandy
In terms of colorr, Specifcally RGB colors, the formula to grey is when in a color R=G=B means the quoteint of Red is equal to Green and Blue it is called a grey shade.. in bollywood when the actor has a equal quoteint of Dangerous Red in Intenetions along with usually happy go lucky green and romantic blue, it is called Grey Shade… (for eg Shahrukh in Baazigar)
@RK
You have highlighted only one scene in Mere Apne where you feel that Asrani looks comical. I would suggest you try replacing him with any other actor in that scene and visualise how they would have done it. I bet all of them would look comical whatever their body language may be. Do you also find him comical in the scenes where he is being beaten up by VK’s gang or where he is threatening them of dire consequences? I rest my case..
@Pavan
Thanks for reminding me about Khushboo. It’s one of my favourite Gulzar films which has yet another memorable performance by Asrani.
Asrani intervoew
What do you think about the treatment of the comedy genre on the telly?
It’s better than the state of comedy in Bollywood! Here you have better writers, but in Bollywood everybody is doing comedy, except the comedians! It’s a tragedy, I say! Real comedians have disappeared from the scene. I love The Great
Indian Comedy Show, it’s got great scripts.
So who according to you has a comic timing …
In Bollywood, it is Salman Khan. I have always maintained that a comedian should have a combination of comic timing and charm…and Salman oozes both! I think even Amitabh is great at comedy, but audiences prefer his serious look…but I know for a fact that he enjoys doing comedy.
What do you think is wrong as far as entertainment is concerned….
See, the audience doesn’t come to see techniques, they come to see performances. We concentrate on techniques so much that we lose out in the other department. It is the writers and directors who make a character popular; we can’t have crude jokes and expect the audiences to watch it!
http://www.bollywoodheaven.com/forums/showthread.php?t=803
i liked anupam kher doing comedy in ddlj…hahk…
but didnt like him in darr…dil hai ki manta nahin…aap ki khatir…
gud chat of asrani
“I did some lead roles but people did not accept me and I switched back to comedy.” Asrani Actor
Doop222> Did doing comedy ever became monotonous for you?
Asrani> Yes, when after a point I realized that there was no variations in the kind of roles I was doing. So I decided to venture in to something different and wrote a story of a small town boy from Delhi, who comes to Mumbai to become a film star. The movie was Chala Mururai Hero Banne . It was a huge success. Later I did some lead roles but people did not accept me and I switched back to comedy.
Doop222> We have seen you in so many movies and enjoyed your performance but which performance of yours did you enjoy the most
Asrani> I enjoyed my performance in Abhimaan, Sholay and in the latest Malamal Weekly .
Monomono> Whom do you consider the ‘King of comedy’
Asrani> Kishore Kumar followed by Mehmood and Jhonny Walker.
Deep> Which is your favourite holiday destination, favourite colour and favourite movie?
Asrani> It’s New York because it gives you a feeling of global atmosphere. My favourite colour is yellow and movie; Godfather.
Sssss213> What is your life’s mantra.
Asrani> I follow the saying ‘Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached’ by Swami Vivekananda.
53216385> Did you ever try your hand at something else other than comedy if yes, what and if no then why not?
Asrani> I tried lead roles, character roles and negative roles. I also tried my hand at direction
53216385> Can you tell us any off screen funny incident, which happened while shooting?
Asrani> On the sets on Chupke Chupke I was wearing a full suit and was sitting in an office set. Dharmendra was given dress of a driver and Amitabh Bacchan was given dress kurta pajama. All three of us were not aware of the movie’s story line. We were all making our own guesses till the director of the movie Rishikesh Mukherjee explained that all three of us were friends stuck in a funny situation. And later, when we told him that we were all confused about who was playing who, he started laughing.
Poppp_22> How did you started your career in this line?
Asrani> After my graduation from Rajasthan, I got admission in Pune in the film institute of India in acting course. Many producers and directors used to visit our institute as guest lecturers. One of them was Rishikesh Mukherjee and I contacted him and got a role in the film Guddi . Incidentally it was Jaya Bacchan’s first film and it was a huge success. That’s how I started my film career.
Java> Do you plan to go for movie direction in near future?
Asrani> Yes definitely
Java> How do you stay so fit?
Asrani> I walk and do yoga.
Java> when are you planning to retire?
Asrani> Never
Java> What kind of movie would you like to direct; Comedy or horror?
Asrani> I would like to direct comedy and emotional movie because I believe in depth of the script. Anything on the surface will never touch the audience.
Sign off Message> Try to practice what Swami Vivekananda said in daily life and thank you very much. Best regards Asrani.
http://chat.indiatimes.com/Asrani/articleshow/1624131.cms
Asrani In A Female Role
ve 2 search this film… asarni in female role… shd b fun
A real actor is one who can show their talented in the given situation. On occasions one should be prepared to don even female roles. Playing female roles these days is taken up as a challenge and especially comedians are very eager to do them. But about thirty years ago there were no takers among men for women’s roles. However, the comedian Asrani faced such a predicament while ‘Uljhan’ (1975) was being shot. He was asked to play a full length female role. He bluntly refused to do it and got ready to walk out. But as it held the key to the success of the film, the producer and the director somehow prevailed upon him to play the role. Asrani finally yielded to their wishes and agreed to play the role. The film turned out to be a great success. Asrani stunned the audience with his appearance in a new and different role.
http://www.cinegoer.com/titbitsarchives/sepdec2005.htm
@Pavan(29),
Do you remember scene in Chala Murari Hero Banne where Asrani is requested by Bindiya Goswami’s friends to show them some of his acting skills and he shows them mimicry of the scene of Deewar where AB is wounded but reaches to temple and meets Nirupa Roy?
Small Town boy or girl going to Bombay to become film star and get success, has been repeated over the years.Bhagwan Dada’s Albela to Mithun Zareena Waheb’s Sitara, and Asrani’s CMHB, RGV’s Rangeela, Naach, Mein Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti hun, then there was one film where Gurdas Mann and Tabu had acted.
There should be some other films, which I am not able to recall at this moment.
Post on music of Salaam Memsaab and CMHB will be a good matter to read.
@P(31),
You have missed the focul point of the discussion and you have taken it as an attempt to drag down the level of Asrani’s acting skills.
@Krishn,
Thanks for links of Asrani’s interviews. But I dont get this saying of Asrani that he started his career from Hrishikesh Mukharjee’s Guddi because he already had done Satyakaam (atleast 2 years before) with him.