Has the filmfare awards done justice to all the celebrities?
By: Souvik Chatterji
Although the film fare awards given to different celebrities for their contribution to Indian films for the last 50 years had provided smiles in the faces of some of the recipients, it never rewarded some of the actors, composers, etc., throughout the years. In respect of the actors Guru Dutt, Rajender Kumar, Dharmender, Pradeep Kumar, never won a single award in the category of best actors. May be there was strong competition from Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor, but it is quite strange that Guru Dutt with his performance in Pyaasa or Kagaz Ka Phool, could not qualify for a filmfare award under the best actor category. May be the jury had recognised him as a greater director or producer than an actor. Similarly Rajender Kumar with his performance in Dil Ek Mandir, Mere Mehboob, did not receive any filmfare award for best performance in a lead role. Pradeep Kumar’s performance in Taj Mahal, Bheegi Raat, Bahu Begum, and Dharmender’s performance in films like Satyakam, Guddi, all went unnoticed. Even Jeetender’s performance in Parichay, Khushbu, Kinara, did not impress the jury.
While some of the composers bagged a number of awards, others like Madanmohan with his extraordinary tunes having ghazal orientation did not receive any single award for best composition inspite of providing immortal tunes in Jahan-ara, Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saya, Mausam ,etc. Again those composers who had bagged film fare awards one after the other were not recognised for life time contribution to bollywood films. Shankar Jaikishan had bagged film fare awards nine times in their entire career, yet they did not receive Dada Sahab Falke award for life time contribution unlike Naushad, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, who had received these awards under different categories.
In respect of awards for the category of best actresses Sadhna’ s performance in Parakh, Asli Nakli, or Madhubala’s performance in Mughal –i-azam, Barsaat ki Raat, went unnoticed. Actresses in the 90s like Meenakshi Shesadri inspite of providing powerful performances in films like Damini, Ghayal, seldom could impress the jury to qualify for the award in the category of best actress.
In the early 50s, film fare awards were given for best singers and at that time separate awards for male singers and female singers were not given. That deprived Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from getting more awards at a period when they were dominating the world of playback singing. Rafi had received only 6 filmfare awards as best singer, which dies not reflect his dominance in the 50s and 60s. Manna Dey did not receive filmfare award on the major classical songs he did sing in the notable films including “sur na saje”, “laga chunari me daag”, “kaun aya mere man ke dware”, etc. Sometimes the singers were surprised to get awards on less known songs when the legendary failed to fetch them any award.
May be for the actors, composers, directors, etc., who did not receive any filmfare award, the success of the films had provided incentive for better performance in the future. The Indian audience can answer the question whether the filmfare awards had really done justice to the major celebrities who had contributed to Indian films.
By: Souvik Chatterji
Although the film fare awards given to different celebrities for their contribution to Indian films for the last 50 years had provided smiles in the faces of some of the recipients, it never rewarded some of the actors, composers, etc., throughout the years. In respect of the actors Guru Dutt, Rajender Kumar, Dharmender, Pradeep Kumar, never won a single award in the category of best actors. May be there was strong competition from Dilip Kumar or Raj Kapoor, but it is quite strange that Guru Dutt with his performance in Pyaasa or Kagaz Ka Phool, could not qualify for a filmfare award under the best actor category. May be the jury had recognised him as a greater director or producer than an actor. Similarly Rajender Kumar with his performance in Dil Ek Mandir, Mere Mehboob, did not receive any filmfare award for best performance in a lead role. Pradeep Kumar’s performance in Taj Mahal, Bheegi Raat, Bahu Begum, and Dharmender’s performance in films like Satyakam, Guddi, all went unnoticed. Even Jeetender’s performance in Parichay, Khushbu, Kinara, did not impress the jury.
While some of the composers bagged a number of awards, others like Madanmohan with his extraordinary tunes having ghazal orientation did not receive any single award for best composition inspite of providing immortal tunes in Jahan-ara, Woh Kaun Thi, Mera Saya, Mausam ,etc. Again those composers who had bagged film fare awards one after the other were not recognised for life time contribution to bollywood films. Shankar Jaikishan had bagged film fare awards nine times in their entire career, yet they did not receive Dada Sahab Falke award for life time contribution unlike Naushad, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, who had received these awards under different categories.
In respect of awards for the category of best actresses Sadhna’ s performance in Parakh, Asli Nakli, or Madhubala’s performance in Mughal –i-azam, Barsaat ki Raat, went unnoticed. Actresses in the 90s like Meenakshi Shesadri inspite of providing powerful performances in films like Damini, Ghayal, seldom could impress the jury to qualify for the award in the category of best actress.
In the early 50s, film fare awards were given for best singers and at that time separate awards for male singers and female singers were not given. That deprived Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar from getting more awards at a period when they were dominating the world of playback singing. Rafi had received only 6 filmfare awards as best singer, which dies not reflect his dominance in the 50s and 60s. Manna Dey did not receive filmfare award on the major classical songs he did sing in the notable films including “sur na saje”, “laga chunari me daag”, “kaun aya mere man ke dware”, etc. Sometimes the singers were surprised to get awards on less known songs when the legendary failed to fetch them any award.
May be for the actors, composers, directors, etc., who did not receive any filmfare award, the success of the films had provided incentive for better performance in the future. The Indian audience can answer the question whether the filmfare awards had really done justice to the major celebrities who had contributed to Indian films.
