Page 3 - Seniors Today - December 2024
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Publisher’s Note
A Showman Forever!
The legacy of Raj Kapoor continues to remain an Man Ki Jamuna’ was a song on every lover’s lips,
inspiration to many young actors and film-makers. and Vyjayanthimala in her swimsuit provided the
His portrayal of a country bumpkin endeared titillation to all the men in the audience. ‘Har Dil
him to a large audience. His copying of Charlie Jo Pyar Karega’ was again a song on every lover’s
Chaplin the cane, short trousers and the style of lips. The melodrama of ‘Dost Dost Na Raha’ made
dancing became his trademark. Whether it was Sangam a successful masala movie, two men and
‘Aawar Hu’ or ‘Mera Joota Hai Japaani” became one woman, the audience in India simply lapped it
blockbusters with the youth. ‘Chalat Musafir Le up. Unfortunately for him, Mera Naam Joker was
Gai Dil Pinjarewaali Muniya’ again became a a huge flop and that broke his finances very badly.
blockbuster with audiences in Central India. The But the song ‘Jeeina Yahaan Marna Yahaan’ was a
typical gaonwala character that Raj Kapoor did so huge hit. A reporter asked him about Mera Naam
well was his forte. Joker and he said in Punjabi: “Maa puttar jamdi
One of the most iconic scenes in Indian cinema saath par karam na dendi wand (A mother gives
is the umbrella scene of Raj Kapoor and Nargis birth to seven children but does not distribute their
and the song ‘Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua’. The rain and fortune).”
the music created magic on the screen. Almost The women in his life —whether it was Nargis,
all his movies had that one song that carried the Padmini or Vyjayanthimala— had a devastating
movie and vice versa. The simpleton in Anari was effect on his family. Raj Kapoor’s contemporaries
amazing with the song ‘Sab Kuch Seekha Humne, were Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar, both were
Na Seekhi Hoshiyaari’. The movie Jis Desh Mein very successfully actors, but Raj Kapoor was the
Ganga Behti hai and its title song resonated with Showman.
all of rural India, similarly ‘Dum Dum Diga Diga’
and ‘Chhaliya Mera Naam’ were iconic songs.
‘Ramayya Vashtavayya’ and “Aaja Sanam Madhur
Chandni Mein Hum’ are popular even today.
Raj Kapoor’s Sangam was a blockbuster in the Vickram Sethi
true sense, his ‘Mere Man Ki Ganga Aur Tere Publisher and Editor-in-Chief
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #66 | DECEMBER 2024 3
