Gone with the wind, again

DNA readers write in a sequel to 'Kahan Gaye Woh Film Log', on this page a fortnight ago.

In every cinephile’s heart there is that lingering regard for the movie stars, big or small, who have faded out. A fortnight ago, we dealt with the subject of Kahan gaye woh film log, and wondrously we were snowed under with responses from readers as well as showbiz personalities.

A reader reminded us that choreographer-director Farah Khan’s father Kamran was a Douglas Fairbanks-kind of swashbuckler in the black-and-white adventure movies of the 1950s. Then as filmmaker Anant Mahadevan  pointed out, does anyone spare even a passing thought for the character artistes of yore – be it the constantly tearful Nazir Hussain, the quintessential thakurdar Bipin Gupta, the shivery-voiced pauper Nana Palsikar? The list, needless to lament, is endless.

Oddly, an overwhelming number of readers wanted to know about Anamika - who made just a two-scene appearance opposite Dharmendra in Yaadon Ki Baarat, Rajni Sharma of Balika Badhu and Kaajal Kiran, Rishi Kapoor’s arm-candy in Hum Kisise Kum Nahin.

Suddenly Master Alankar (Pallavi Joshi’s brother who played a hero in Rajshri Pictures’ Paayal ki Jhankar) flashed on the mind screen. Kumud Chhugani, Komal Mahuvakar, Priyadarshini, Manisha (Dev Kumar’s daughter)..there are so many who are not even footnotes in movie history. But that’s the way the multiplex cookie crumbles. Over to the readers:

OJAS SHAH

Remember Deepak Malhotra?... the infamous Pallo boy from Lamhe and then a role in Tejaswini showcasing Vijayashanti. He moved to Italy, renamed himself Dino Martelli and is into the high-end restaurant business.

Mamik, the bada bhai to Aamir Khan in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, re-glimpsed in Kya Kehna, Aar Ya Paar and TV serials.

Deepa Sahi of Party, Hum, Maya Memsaab and Shah Rukh Khan’s heroine in Oh Darling Yeh Hai India, Aar Ya Paar, gave up acting for film production and spearheads husband Ketan Mehta’s Maya Entertainment company.

SHIREIN KUMAR

Kalpana, Shammi Kapoor’s heroine of Professor, married scriptwriter Sachin Bhowmick, divorced him, lived in a Khar flat and is untraceable today.

Munnawar Sultana, Dilip Kumar’s heroine, is facing ill-health. When I asked Dilip Kumar’s brother, Ahsaan, about her whereabouts, all he said, “Woh idhar kidhar rehti hai Bandra mein.”

Chanchal, Madhubala’s sister seen in Mother India and Mahelon ke Khwab, has separated from her husband, is ailing and lives with her brother in Bandra. Incidentally, a great meal of paaya and murgh musallam is always guaranteed at their house.

Azra Babar of Love in Simla and Junglee married a Mr Lokhandwala and vanished.

Nigar Sultana’s daughter, Heena Kauser, vanished into thin air.

Neena, heroine of Hum Kahan Jaa Rahe Hain, stuck to managing Filmalaya studio.

Bela Bose..no news.

Roshanara, who peformed a memorable mujra in Mahal, is never recalled among the roster or dancing wonders

Jayshree T resurfaces at functions, sister Meena T doesn’t. And in the folds of anonymity vanished veterans Ratnamala, Roshan Kumari, Vanaja, Smriti Biswas, Shabnam, Nilofer, Lata Sinha, Mallika (Mumtaz’s sister) and Praveen Chaudhary so memorable in Woh Kaun Thi.

Saira Banu look-alike Naqi Jehan appeared in Tejnath Zar’s detective movies, changed her name to Nandini Kamdar and quit.

Chitra Noorani, the Zimbo jungle heroine, passed away six months ago, no one noticed.

Jabeen Jalil, buddy of Waheeda Rehman-Nanda-Asha Parekh, is very keen to get her son in the movies.

Anjali Kadam, former air hostess, scored a major hit with Rajendra Kumar in a movie titled Talaq... but then?

Madhu, Shashi Kapoor’s heroine in Insaniyat, is in the US.

Anita Guha stays home, no information is accessible neither on her nor her niece, Mithu Mukherjee of Khan Dost.

Shyama, feisty as ever, often has a troublesome cough.

Sheila Ramani was last glimpsed in Delhi’s Connaught Circus with her kids. Related to Sadhana and Babita, who all avoid the media like the plague.

SUMIT KUMAR ROY

Whatever happened to Kalpana Iyer, Bina Rai, Kalpana Kartik (Mrs Dev Anand), funnymen Johnny Whisky and Coca Cola, comedienne Indira Bansal and her brother Polson?

DEVENDRA MOHAN

Kalpana travelled with me on a bus to Flora Fountain, never saw her again.

Ameeta, from Kolkata was promoted by producer Tolaram Jalan. She was at the Press Club in 1986, got extremely tipsy and was in very poor shape. I’m told she died of a terminal illness a few years later.

Vimi of Humraaz died in 1977 of alcoholism. A film finance broker had lured her away from her businessman husband. When she died she was penniless, her body had to be carted away on a thela gaadi.

Kum Kum who came to Mumbai from Banaras is in the Gulf with her husband. Last seen shopping in a Juhu store.

Nazima is in the Gulf too. Her brother Anwar Qamal is a widely respected Urdu short story writer.

Parmendra is not from Punjab but from Agra where he returned. He had graduated from the Pune Film Institute in acting in 1968.

I haven’t heard anything about Ramesh and Seema Deo.

Vijay Arora rediscovered

First person: I never tried making a comeback, I never tried to lobby for roles. I never believed in being a part of the industry politics. It was always my choice to accept or reject roles. Even today I’m offered roles in A-grade movies and TV serials. But I don’t want to do roles which don’t suit my age or portray me in an immoral and disgraceful manner – especially in those sleaze flicks which are disrespectful of women.

I don’t mind roles with negative shades, playing the sadistic villain or a betrayer. In fact, I love them.

Currently, I’m making ad films and educational documentaries for various TV channels, the government of India and for the United Nations – dealing with various topical issues.