Mumbai's Memorial Day once again...

Those dark days did change the city forever...It's the anniversary once again. Remember this cowardly, cruel, inhuman attack on humanity. It's impossible to forget for the ones who care, feel...
Some amount of closure happened on 21/11 2012, but there is still much more to do. Prayers for true peace of the souls of the victims, the martyrs-the heroes and true justice.

Golden Memories of the days gone by...

The song that yours truly remembered and bumped into on youtube.It brought a surge of golden memories of childhood & is heart warming...Ended up hearing again and again. The memories from our childhood really stays with most of us.They are so strong.Nostalgia of the days of innocence hits hard. But it makes one sad too. The golden days won't come back:( Great song, sung beautifully by playback singer who shone much more in the past- Kumar Sanu. The young pretty doll like lady in the song had so much beauty, skill, talent and rare mix of sweetness & sexiness. Babetude had liked her But such a sad story. Too tragic:( Sad then for Babetude as a little girl, and sad now:( The hurt is still raw.That's why the memories from childhood are said to be strong.Only prayers soothe. The leading man-tall and handsome,and very good looking did not get to reach his full potential and use his looks and talents and lineage to the maximum. So Have to end with a prayer. Lot of what is there that seems unfair is there in the world:( So many unexplained things. Reminds Babetude once again of the verse quoted by Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction( from the 90s too). It's said to be from the Holy Bible, though it is said to be a modified version... "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish, and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper, and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger, those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon thee..." Prayers once again for peace and Justice. Amen.

Favourite Indian Patriotic Songs on video...

On Indian Independence Day, here's this wonderful patriotic song( listed in the post below) picturized on the 

wonderful and my favorite Shashi Kapoor ji. Such an energetic performance by him... Great! And from the unforgettable 'Shaheed' with veteran Manoj Kumar ji. The lyrics that Shri Ram Prasad Bismil made immortal. Mera Rang De Basanti Chola and Sarfaroshi ki Tammana... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjQr-cdjzU0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8yRJgdK40w

On Indian Independence Day...

On India's 65th Independence Day, Babetude would like to share an article researched and written by me and published in a Trinidad & Tobago daily's special supplement for Indian Independence Day. Celebrating Indian Independence Day with Patriotic Indian Films and Songs Compiled by Snéha M. Hazarika On 15th August 2012,that is today, India celebrates her 65th Independence Day. Since it's a country where most number of films are made, it's appropriate to recommend and watch a few movies made by the Indian film industry with a patriotic fervour.The Indian film industry had made quite a few memorable films dedicated to the country, and that depict the freedom struggle of India,celebrate and commemorate the noble deeds of freedom fighters, patriots and martyrs. There have been a few films that talk about the general but important issues within the country. Films with patriotic fervour and soul stirring music are known to arouse patriotic spirit, love and pride for the nation. Here is a list of a few appropriate titles: 1.Anand Math The Hindi patriotic-historical film directed by Hemen Gupta, based on 'Anandamath', the famous Bengali novel written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882, relased in the year 1952. The film starred Bharat Bhushan, Ranjana, Prithviraj Kapoor Pradeep Kumar and Geeta Bali, in the lead. It marked the debut of Pradeep Kumar in Hindi Cinema, as well as the film's music director Hemant Kumar. The novel and film are set in the events of the Sannyasi Rebellion, which took place in the late 18th century in eastern India, especially Bengal.

2.Mother India 'Mother India' ranks among the all-time Indian box office hits. The 1957 Hindi film epic was written and directed by Mehboob Khan with Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar in leading roles. Nargis's acting in the film is still considered phenomenal. The film ,a remake of Mehboob Khan's earlier film, 'Aurat' (1940), is about a poor village woman portayed by Nargis Dutt who struggles to raise her sons and survive against an evil money-lender. Despite her hardships, she sets a Goddess-like moral example of what it means to be an Indian woman. In the process her character ends up representing India as a nation in the aftermath of independence. It is regarded as a strong film with a strong script. The legendary film has been described as an "all-time Indian blockbuster" and a 'one of a kind' Indian film. 'Mother India' was nominated for the Academy award for Best foreign language film.  

3. Hum Hindustani Hum Hindustani which released in 1960, was directed by Ram Mukherjee and produced by S Mukherjee of Filmalaya. Sunil Dutt, Asha Parekh, Helen, Joginder, Joy Mukherjee, Leela Chitnis, Mubarak and Agha, acted in the film. The film also marked the debut of the industry's much respected actor, Sanjeev Kumar .This film was a remake of a 1952 Bengali film "Basu Paribar". Usha Khanna was the music director. The title song 'Hum Hindustani' that heralded the new age and encouraged the youth had become extremely popular and is still regarded as a memorable song.   4.Haqueeqat 'Haqeeqat' was a 1964 Hindi war-film directed by Chetan Anand. It's said to be supported by the Government of India. The movie starred Balraj Sahni, Dharmendra, Priya Rajvansh, Sanjay Khan and Vijay Anand, with music by Madan Mohan and lyrics by Kaifi Azmi. The movie was based on the 1962 Sino-Indian War. The film's main plot concerns a small platoon of Indian soldiers in the hilly terrain of Ladakh who are considered dead but are rescued by Ladakhi tribesmen and by a Army Captain played by Dharmendra. It won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film in 1965.

5.Shaheed 'Shaheed', that released in the year 1965 was a movie produced by Kewal Kashyap and directed by S Ram Sharma. It starred Manoj Kumar, Kamini Kaushal, Madan Puri, Asit Sen, Indrani Mukherjee, Anwar Hussain, Sarita, Prem Chopra, Pran and Nirupa Roy. The song 'Sarfaroshi Ki Tamanna' sung by Mohammed Rafi and others became a huge hit. The music of the film was directed by Prem Dhawan. There were some more very memorable songs , the lyrics of which were originally written by the legendary patriot and martyr, Shaheed Ram Prasad Bismil. 'Shaheed' marked the start of a series of patriotic films with Manoj Kumar in the lead. The film led the actor to make more patriotic films and be nick named 'Bharat Kumar.' At the 13th National Film Awards, it won the award for Best Feature Film in Hindi, Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration and Best Story Award for B. K. Dutt and Din Dayal Sharma.   6. Upkar 'Upkar' was released in the year 1967. It was directed by Manoj Kumar . He officially started his Mr Bharat persona and his brand of patriotism & fearless courage with this film.Asha Parekh and Prem Chopra co-starred. The then Prime Minister , Shri. Lal Bahadur Shastri had praised his earlier film 'Shaheed' and enthused Manoj Kumar to make a film on the 'Jai Jawaan Jai Kissan' slogan. The slogan shaped into Manoj Kumar's official debut as a director for 'Upkar', where he believably played both a jawan( soldier) and a kisan( farmer). A huge hit, 'Upkar' made Manoj Kumar an authority on screen patriotism. The music of the film by Kalyanji Anandji was and is still much appreciated. 7.Purab aur Paschim 'Purab aur Paschim' released in 1970 was produced and directed by Manoj Kumar. The title of the film if translated to English would mean -East and West. Manoj Kumar and his wife Shashi Goswami were the writers of the film.It starred Manoj Kumar, Saira Banu, Ashok Kumar, Pran and Prem Chopra in the lead roles. Music director duo Kalyanji Anandji directed the music of the film. 'Purab Paschim' was Manoj Kumar's third film on patriotism. And this was also the second film by Manoj Kumar where he starred as Bharat (first being 'Upkar') and his third film on patriotism ('Shaheed' was his first, to be followed by 'Roti Kapda Aur Makaan' which had a patriotic message too and 'Kranti'.)  'Purab aur Paschim' sent out a subltle message about the differences between western and eastern cultures. It also strongly portrayed the good points of the rich Indian culture. In the film, the purity of India redeems the female lead played by Saira Banu and she gives up smoking, drinking and minis to adopt the traditional lifestyle. 8. Roti Kapda Aur Makaan Released in 1974, the film was written, produced, directed by and starred Manoj Kumar, alongside Shashi Kapoor, Zeenat Aman, Amitabh Bachchan, Moushumi Chatterjee, Prem Nath and Madan Puri in pivotal roles. The celebrated music director duo, Laxmikant Pyarelal were the music directors. The title of the movie is based on the Hindi phrase referring to the bare necessities of life, and when literally translated to English would be 'Food, clothing, and shelter'. The film was the highest grossing Indian film of the year 1974.

9.Kranti The memorable multi starrer 'Kranti' was released in the year 1981. 'Kranti' means revolution and the film takes place in 19th Century British India. It is based on the fight for independence from the British in the years spanning from 1825 to 1875. Produced and directed by Manoj Kumar, the story was written by Javed Akhtar .Veteran Dilip Kumar was a part of the huge star cast and it marked his return to films after a five year hiatus.Manoj Kumar starred along with Shashi Kapoor, another very hugely respected actor and handsome star of the time. Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha, Parveen Babi, Sarika, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri and Paintlal co-starred. The music by Laxmikanth-Pyarelal, became hugely popular.   10. Prahaar 'Prahaar' was relased in 1991 and was written and directed by Nana Patekar. Madhuri Dixit and Dimple Kapadia co-starred with Patekar in the film. It turned out to be a strong film with a strong message. The story of the film brings many issues (corruption, extortion, apathy, greed) to light. It also highlights the plight of the common man whose circumstances give him very few options.  11. Tirangaa 'Tirangaa', produced and directed by Mehul Kumar was released in 1993. It starred Raaj Kumar and Nana Patekar,two actors who got great accolades for their strong performances. It also co-starred Harish, Varsha Usgaonkar and Mamta Kulkarni.   12.Krantiveer 'Krantiveer' was released in the year 1994. Mehul Kumar directed this film too as a follow-up to 'Tirangaa.' The film starred Nana Patekar, Dimple Kapadia, Atul Agnihotri, Mamta Kulkarni, Danny Denzongpa and Paresh Rawal in lead roles. The film was a major critical and commercial success. It became the third highest grossing film of the year, additionally winning three Star Screen Awards, four Filmfare Awards and one National Film Award.     13.Border 'Border' released in the year 1997.Directed and produced by J.P Dutta, it was yet another multi-starrer with Sunny Deol, Jackie Shroff, Sunil Shetty, Akshay Khanna, Tabu, Pooja Bhatt, Sharbani Mukherjee,Kubhushan Kharbanda and Rakhee Gulzar. The movie is an adaptation from real life events that happened at the Battle of Longewala fought in Rajasthan during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and Bangladesh Liberation War. It tells the true story of a band of 120 soldiers of the Punjab regiment of the Indian Army headed by Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri who successfully defended their post all night against a whole Tank regiment of the Pakistani Army, until assistance came from the Indian Air Force the next morning. The film was a critical and commercial hit in India.J.P Dutta got awards and acclaims for his direction whereas his father OP dutta for the dialogues. The film with its anti-war message, intended to make a serious appeal against war, and thus the end of the movie depicted most soldiers dead, and the trauma it caused their family members. 14.Sarfarosh 'Sarfarosh' released in 1999 was directed by John Matthew Matthan It starred Aamir Khan, Sonali Bendre and Naseeruddin Shah. John Mathhew Matthan started working on 'Sarfarosh' in 1992 and reportedly seven years were spent on the research, pre-production and production till it finally released in 1999. 'Sarfarosh' which translated into English means 'Martyr' deals with an Indian police officer's fight to stop cross-border terrorism. The film was released at the time of the Kargil conflict when tensions between India and Pakistan were high. It was critically successful and did well at the box office where it was declared "Above Average" 15.Lagaan 'Lagaan' was the biggest box office hits of the year 2001. The film was directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar and produced by Aamir Khan. Khan also starred in the film alongside Gracy Singh. British actors Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne played supporting roles. Music of the film was directed by A.R Rehman. The film is set in the Victorian period of India's colonial British Raj and revolves around the peasants from a barren village who are oppressed by high taxes imposed by their rulers. They attempt to persuade the British officers to reduce the taxes because of poor agricultural produce. Instead, a wager is offered. If their village team beats a British team in a game of cricket, their taxes for three years would be cancelled. After accepting this wager, the villagers face the arduous task of learning an alien game and playing for a result that will change their village's destiny. The film received critical acclaim and awards at various international film festivals, as well as many Indian film awards. It also became the third Hindi-language film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film after Mother India (1957) and Salaam Bombay! (1988). The movie also received many Indian film awards. In 2010, the film was ranked #55 in Empire magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema". In 2011, the film was listed in Time Magazine's special "The All-TIME 25 Best Sports Movies'.     16.Gadar: Ek Prem Katha 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' was released in the year 2001. The action movie starring Sunny Deol, Amisha Patel, Amrish Puri and directed by Anil Sharma was set in the time of the Indian partition.'Gadar Ek Prem Katha' was a box office phenomena and the music of the film by Uttam Singh was much loved. 17.Indian 'Indian' was realeased in 2001.The Hindi crime drama film directed by N. Maharajan, starring Sunny Deol, Shilpa Shetty, Raj Babbar and Mukesh Rishi was a remake of Tamil film 'Vallarasu'.The film had dialogues written by Sanjay Masoom. It opened to excellent collections. The music director of the film was Anand Raj Anand.   18.The Legend of Bhagat Singh The film, 'The Legend of Bagat Singh' was released in the year 2002.The film was directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and produced by Kumar Taurani and Ramesh Taurani. The film is about India's much loved and respected young patriot and maytr Bhagat Singh. The film portrayed the hero, Bhagat Singh's struggle for Indian Independence. 'The Legend of Bhagat Singh' shows in detail how Singh came to develop his views on the British Raj and his struggle for Indian independence. The film begins with scenes depicting how the British attempted to dispose of Singh's body, so that he could not be made into a martyr, and then flashbacks to the past to tell his story. A historical feel was created by using a sepia tint throughout the film. Ajay Devgan played the lead role. Sushant Singh played Sukhdev, D. Santosh was seen as Shivram Hari Rajguru, Akhilendra Mishra as Chandrashekhar Azad,Amitabh Bhattacharjee as Jatin Das,Ganesh Yadav as Ramprasad Bismil and Tony Mirchandani as Ashfaqulla Khan- all great and legendary Indian revolutionaries and martyrs. Ian Davies, Amrita Rao and Farida Jalal were also part of the star cast. The music of the film was by A.R Rehman. It went on to win two National Film Awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi, and three Filmfare Awards, including the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie. 19. 23rd March Shaheed-Bhagat Singh ' 23rd March Shaheed- Bhagat Singh' released in 2002 and was directed by Guddu Dhanoa This film too depicts the events leading up to the hanging of Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and his companions Rajguru and Sukhdev on 23rd March, 1931. The film starred Bobby Deol as Bhagat Singh and his elder brother Sunny Deol as another great revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad. It also had Amrita Singh in her comeback role as Bhagat Singh's mother. Aishwarya Rai had a special appearance in a song.Suresh Oberoi, Shakti Kapoor, Divya Dutta were also part of the cast. This film picked up a Zee Cine Technical Award for Best Art Direction by Nitish Roy.Simple Kapadia, the costumer designer of the movie also distinguished herself with a perfect replica of the 1930s costumes, making the movie even more realistic. The film's release however coincided with the other film based on Bhagat Singh directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and titled 'The Legend of Bhagat Singh: 23rd March 1931.' 20.Lakshya 'Lakshya' was released in 2004. The film directed by Farhan Akhtar, starred Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta, Sharad Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri and Boman Irani. In 'Lakshya' (which in English means 'Target'), Roshan plays the role of Lieutenant (later Acting Captain) Karan Shergill, who leads his team (initially 12, falling to 6 members) to victory over the Pakistani troops. It is actually a coming of age story of Roshan with fictionalized backdrop of the 1999 Kargil Conflict. Preity Zinta is seen in the female lead role of a reporter and a journalist. It commercially received a below average status, but garnered positive reviews and has achieved the status of a cult movie. 21. Mangal Pandey:The Rising 'Mangal Pandey: The Rising' (Indian title) or 'The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey' (International title) was released in India on 12 August 2005 . The film is based on the life of Mangal Pandey, an Indian soldier who is known for his role in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. In History, Mangal Pandey is regarded as the one, whose actions helped spark the Indian rebellion of 1857. The rebellion is also known as "The First War of Indian Independence", "The Sepoy Mutiny" or "The Sepoy Rebellion".   Aamir Khan played the lead role and Ketan Mehta directed the film. It was produced by Bobby Bedi, with screenplay by Farrukh Dhondy.The film was in the making for a few years and it marked the comeback of Aamir Khan who had gone into a hiatus after 'Dil Chahta Hai' in 2001. Rani Mukerji, Toby Stephens, Coral Beed, Ameesha Patel and Kirron Kher co-starred. Om Puri narrated the film and it had music by A. R. Rahman. 22. Swades The film 'Swades' was written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. It was produced by Ashutosh Gowarikar and Ronnie Screwvala and with music by A:R Rehman . It starred Shahrukh Khan, and debutante Gayatri Joshi in lead roles. 'Swades' was said to be inspired by the story of Aravinda Pillalamarri and Ravi Kuchimanchi, the NRI couple who returned to India and developed the pedal power generator to light remote, off-the-grid village schools.The movie received very good reviews from critics. Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson, Tushar Gandhi reportedly noted the theme of Gandhism in the film. The name of the main character portrayed by Shahrukh Khan is Mohan, which was also Mahatma Gandhi's birth name (Mohandas or 'Mohan'). The film also opens with the following quotation from Gandhi:“Hesitating to act because the whole vision might not be achieved, or because others do not yet share it, is an attitude that only hinders progress.” Although 'Swades' was not commercially viable at the Indian box office, it was successful overseas and received universal critical acclaim and a cult following from Indian and other South Asian audiences around the world. The film was featured on Rediff's list of 'the 10 Best Bollywood Movies of the Decade.'  

23. Rang De Basanti 'Rang De Basanti' which released in 2006 was a movie written and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and produced by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Ronnie Screwvala. The film has great perfomances from a strong star cast comprising of Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Waheeda Rehman, Madhavan, Siddharth Narayan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni , Kunal Kapoor and British actress Alice Patten. The whole movie was shot in and around Delhi. The story is about a British documentary filmmaker who is determined to make a film on Indian freedom fighters based on diary entries by her grandfather, a former officer of the British Indian Army. Upon arriving in India, she asks a group of five young men to act in her film and this has strong and radical effects on their minds and lives. The film was released globally on 26 January 2006, the Republic Day of India, and subsequently was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2006 BAFTA Awards. 'Rang De Basanti' was chosen as India's official entry for the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category, though it did not ultimately yield a nomination for either award. A. R. Rahman's soundtrack, which earned positive reviews, had two of its tracks considered for the Academy Award nomination. The film was well received by critics and audiences for its production values and had a noticeable influence on Indian society.It gave out a strong message, particularly to the youth of India. In India, 'Rang De Basanti' did well at many of the awards ceremonies, including a win for Best Movie at the Filmfare Awards.The lyrics penned by Prasoon Joshi and Blaaze, an India-based rapper were and are still much appreciated.

  24. Chak De India 'Chak De! India' which released 2007 is about Indian woman's sports film about field hockey in India. Directed by Shimit Amin and produced by Yash Raj Films, the film starred Shahrukh Khan as the former captain of the Indian hockey team who redeems himself by becoming the coach for the India women's national field hockey team with the goal of turning its sixteen contentious players into a champion team. 'Chak De! India' explores religious bigotry, the legacy of the partition of India, ethnic and regional prejudice, and sexism in contemporary India through field hockey. The music by Salim-Sulaiman and more so, the title song became very popular.       Special mention: Gandhi The legendary film 'Gandhi' was released in the year 1982. The biographical film based on the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who led the nonviolent resistance movement against British colonial rule in India during the first half of the 20th century is regarded as phenomenal and legendary. It was an international co-production between production companies in India and the UK. The film premiered in New Delhi on 30 November 1982. It usually gets aired by notable Television channels internationally and usually on every 'Gandhi Jayanti'( October 2) and 'Gandhi Remembrance day'( 30th January). The film directed and produced by Sir Richard Attenborough starred Ben Kingsley as Gandhi. They both won Academy Awards for their work on the film. The film was also given the Academy Award for Best Picture and won a total of eight Academy Awards. Patriotic songs:   National Anthem of India Jana Gana Mana Jana Gana Mana" (Bengali: জন গণ মন, Hindi: जन गण मन) is the national anthem of India. Written in highly Sanskritised (Tatsama) Bengali, it is the first of five stanzas of a Brahmo hymn composed and scored by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. It was first sung in the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress on 27 December 1911. "Jana Gana Mana" was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on 24 January 1950. 27 December 2011 marked the completion of 100 years of 'Jana Gana Mana' since it was sung for the first time.    National Song of India Vande Mataram Vande Mātaram( "I bow to thee, Mother") is a poem from the famed novel 'Anandamath' which was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1882. It was written in Bengali and Sanskrit. It is a hymn to Goddess Durga, identified as the national personification of India. It played a vital role in the Indian independence movement, first sung in a political context by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.In 1950 (after India's independence), the song's first two verses were given the official status of the "National song" of the Republic of India, distinct from the national anthem of India, 'Jana Gana Mana.'   The national song 'Vande Mataram' based on the poem written by Bankim Chandra was also used in the film 'Anand Math(1952)' based on the novel.   Sare Jahan Se Aacha, Hindustan Humara... Saare Jahan Se Achchha is one of the enduring patriotic poems of the Urdu language. It was written originally for children in the ghazal style of Urdu poetry by poet Muhammad Iqbal. The poem was published in the weekly journal Ittehad on 16 August 1904.   Aao Bachcho Tumhe Dikhaye Jhankee Hindustan Kee Singers:Kavi Pradeep,Hemant Kumar Lyricist: Kavi Pradeep Music director: Hemant Kumar Album/ Movie: Jagriti (1954) Note:It's been known as an all time great, patriotic song for kids De Di Hume Aazadi Bina Khadag Bina Dhaal, Sabarmati ke Sant tune kar diya Kamaal Singer: Asha Bhosle Music Director: Hemant Kumar Lyricist:Kavi Pradeep Album/ Movie: Jagriti (1954)   Ye Desh hai Vir Javaano kaa Albelo ka Mastaano ka... Singer(s): Mohammad Rafi Music Director(s): Onkar Prasad Nayyar Lyricist(s): Sahir Ludhianvi Movie/ Album: Naya Daur(1957)   Hum Hindustani Music Director: Usha Khanna Singer: Mukesh Lyricist: Prem Dhawan Album/ Movie: Hum Hindustani (1960)   Insaaf Ki Dagar pe, Bacchon dikhaon chalke Singer(s) :Hemant Kumar Music Director : Naushad Lyricist :Shakeel Badayuni Album/ Movie:Ganga Jamuna(1961)   Ai Mere Pyare Watan Singer(s): Manna Dey Music Director: Salil Choudhury Lyricist: Prem Dhawan Album/ Movie: Kabuliwala(1961)

 Jai Janani Jai Bharat Maa (Bagawat Ka Khula Paigam Deta Hu Jawano Ko) Singers: Mahendra Kapoor& chorus Music: N Dutta Lyrics: Sahir Ludhianvi Movie/ Album: Dharmputra (1961)   Ai Mere Watan ke logo, zara aankh mein bhar lo paani Artist(s): Lata Mangeshkar Composer: C. Ramchandra(reportedly) Lyricist: Kavi Pradeep Note: Lata mangeshkar sang in the presence of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru at the Ram Leela grounds in New Delhi on Republic Day on 26 January) 1963 and reportedly moved him to tears with her soulful and touching rendition.   Kar Chale Ham Fida, Jaan-o-tan Saathiyon...abb tumhare hawale, watan saathiyon... Singer(s) :Mohd. Rafi Music Director : Madan Mohan Lyricist :Kaifi Azmi Movie/ Album : Haqeeqat(1964)   Apanii Aazaadii ko hum Hargiz mitaa sakte nahii. Singer(s): Mohammad Rafi Music Director(s): Naushad Lyricist(s): Shakeel Badayuni Movie/ Album: Leader (1964)   Ae Watan Ae Watan Humko Singer(s): Mohammad Rafi Lyricist: Prem Dhawan Music Director: Prem Dhawan Album/ Movie: Shaheed (1965)   Sarfaroshi ki tamanna abb hamare dil mein hai Singers – Mohammed Rafi, Manna Dey, Rajendra Mehta/ Bhatia Music : Prem Dhawan Lyrics:Shaheed Ram Prasad Bismil Movie/Album – Shaheed(1965) Mera Rang De Basanti Chola Singers : Mukesh, Mahendra Kapoor and Rajendra Mehta/ Bhatia Music: Prem Dhawan Lyrics: Shaheed Ram Prasad Bismil Movie/ Album : Shaheed(1965)   Jahan Daal Daal par Singer(s) :Mohd Rafi Music Director : Hans Raj Bahal Lyricists :Rajendra Krishan Movie/ Album : Sikander-e-Azam(1965)  

Mere Desh ki dharti Music : Kalayanji-Anandji Singer : Mahendra Kapoor Lyrics : Prem Dhawan, Qamar, Indeevar & Gulshan Bawra Album/ Movie: Upkar(1967)   Jab Zero Diya Mere Bharat Ne Music : Kalyanji-Anandji Singer : Mahendra Kapoor Lyrics : Indivar, Prem Dhawan & Santosh Anand Album/ Movie: Purab aur Paschim(1970)   Har Karam Apna Karenge Aye Watan Tere Liye Singers : Dilip Kumar, Mohammad Aziz, Kavita Krishnamurthy Lyricist : Anand Bakshi Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal Movie/ Album: Karma(1986)   Bharat Humko Jaan se pyara hai... Singer(s): Hariharan Music Director :A.R.Rehman Lyricists :P.K. Mishra Movie/Album Name: Roja(1992)   I Love My India Singers : Hariharan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shankar Mahadevan & Aditya Narayan Music directors : Nadeem-Shravan Lyrics : Anand Bakshi Album/ Movie:Pardes(1997)   Suno Gaur Se Duniyawalo ...Hindustani Music Directors : Shankar ,Ehsaan, Loy Singers :Udit Narayan, Mahalakshmi Iyer, Shankar Mahadevan, Dominique Cerejo Lyricist:Sameer Album: Dus( 1997)   Zindagi Maut Na Ban Jaye sambhalo yaaro... Music Directors: Jatin -Lalit Singers :Sonu Nigam ,Roop Kumar Ratood Lyricists :Javed Akhtar Movie /Album: Sarfarosh(199)   Chak De India Music Directors : Salim Merchant, Sulaiman Merchant Singers :Sukhwinder Singh, Salim Merchant, Marianne D'Cruz Lyricists :Jaideep Sahni Movie/Album: Chak De !India(2007) (They are numbered according to their release dates and not according to their success rates.) While signing off, though I does not live in the country, I am sad to see that, even after 65 long years, there is still a lot of disturbance, disunity, injustice, corruption in the country. Babetude would like to share the famous poem by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore which is remembered by many since school days. May it finally come true for the country,so many years after it was written... "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high Where knowledge is free Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake" Amen.              

Remembering India's first super star!!

Remembered for originality,charisma,charm and craze during the late 60s, 70s up to the 80s. Truly one of a kind. Respect. इश्वर राजेश खन्ना जी की आत्मा को शांति प्रदान करे Prayers for peace. Amen

Remembering the immortal diarist once again on June 12

Courtesy-Youtube. Thank you for this wonderful video. "Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.”~ Anne Frank Yes, the immortal Diarist Lives on She keeps making many around the world misty eyed with her thoughts & words...So much hope, inspiration,and positivity amidst trying times... May she be in peace up there...Rest in peace, Anne, Margot,Otto Frank, Miep Gies, the epitome of compassion and all those who suffered. God bless.

May Musings

Memorial Day in the US makes one feel better as it stands for a cause. The memorial speeches by the president and others that matter and the commemoration touches. Soldiers of any country do noble scarifices, normal humans can only imagine. May they be blessed. The country of birth, needed such a commemoration too. Sad they don't commemorate, July( Vijay divas, Kargil, 1999)and 26/11( the black days of November 2008) properly, let alone such occasions from the 60,s 70s, 80s. It's sad. Babetude tries to do her little bit. Hope, pray and try in a small way.

The special season...

Babetude is May Day born. This year it was made special by lots of wishes on social media and meeting a beautiful aunt born on the same day. Then she met two other gentleman, one from the US and the other from Delhi. The day was spent thanks to a dear loved one in the peaceful island of Tobago with prayers, peace and good food. The flowers came from NYC from a lady well wisher. She loves her bird like a child and has got another one too now. The pics are adorable Hoped and prayed for better days. Will keep trying too. May will remain a special month. It would be good to have a May born, preferably child by God's grace.An incredibly success story was born in the Taurean zone too. Good to know that. Actually Babetude has blogged less because she's been busy with her first book followed by short stories. She's doing well, but there' still a long way to go. By God's grace.

April Blues...

Babetude remembered this young, bubbly actress who went away soon in April of 1993 when she was a little girl. And wanted to do a post in honor of the old acquaintance on April 5... Easter gave some hope of new life. But then in April 2012, another very bad news from B'wood hit her and hurt her. The person concerned wasn't related, not even known, but when one is humane it hurts. This shocked many, it was so bad. Babetude couldn't bring herself to even talk about it. People tend to remember these sad events or tragedies in other's lives only for a while. Such seems to be life. Sad... But hopes for justice are always there.Justice should happen more in the world. Amen.

The Hero Unforgettable's Birthday...Janamdin Divas!

Some heroes can't be forgotten. Alive in all pure hearts. Remembering once again on March 15th.

Happy Birthday to the Venus of Indian cinema...

जन्मदिन मुबारक मधु बाला
सालगिरह की हार्दिक शुभकामनायें


14th February was the day, the one who was christened the Venus of Indian cinema was born. Yes, Madhu Bala was born on the day that celebrates love though it was not celebrated India during those days.

Her beauty and acting skills were immense but her life was tragic. She still lives in the hearts of many fans, well-wishers and rule their hearts.

As a recap, here's Babetude's tribute to this ethereal beauty who got her looks as a gift from nature,unlike most showbiz woman of today...Some are right when they say- God doesn't make her kind any more!

http://thebabetudeblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/possibly-quite-easily-most-beautiful.html

Happy Indian Republic Day

"No society can possibly be built on a denial of individual freedom."

Gandhiji

Happy Indian Republic Day to all Indians and those who live outside of the country like myself.

May the country uphold more values such peace, prosperity, justice, equality et al.


Do check Babetude's very tribute to the true heroes from last year...



http://thebabetudeblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/saluting-indias-real-heroes_26.html

An appropriate poem for a day like this---
Where The Mind Is Without Fear
by Rabindranath Tagore
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Home BIRTHDAY cake for peace, sweetness & love:)

Happy 2012 - Auld Lang Syne & remembering all things sweet 'n' nice from the year gone by...

Happy 2012...

A favorite public figure from the year gone by for Babteude is. Natalie Portman( like always:. An Oscar in February, and then beautiful blessed Aleph in June, 2011. A fantastic actress, a blessed woman. An ideal/ a dream girl/girl crush/older sis figure to look up to, for many:):) Keep smiling in 2012 and for many more years after...







Wishing for great health, happiness,joy, peace, love, prosperity, beautiful baby and productive/ constructive/ productive work for me too! As well as for my loved ones and the good people of the world!