RIP – VINOD KHANNA – A STAR AND GENTLEMAN

Vinod Khanna, the most smart and handsome Hindi movie star has breathed his last today the 27^th April, 2017.  He will always be remembered as the only potential candidate in 1980s who could have marched ahead Amitabh Bhachan, may be for a brief period, but overall remained an under achiever, as a film star, for causes mainly attributable to him only.    

Vinod Khanna is one of those actors who made everything on his own, no linage, no favourite camp (though worked in many movies of Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra in 70s).   He had very modest beginning doing small side roles (in movies like Poorab aur Pashim, few south Indian remakes featuring Mehmood) and negatives roles.   He and his dashing personality got a great and enduring recognition in movies like Mera Gao Mera Desh (in memorable role of Daaku Jabbar Singh), Kache Dhage and Phool aur Phattar.   He exhibited great courage in accepting off-beat themes very early in his career with movies like `Mere Apne' and Intihaan, both brought him recognition and critical acclaim. 

  

Come 70s he blossomed into much sought after actor predominantly for his terrific personality, he was as tall as Amitabh Bachan, but surely better looking than him or any other contemporaries.   The advent of multi-starrers and his having no qualms in being part of multi starer movies have given a short in arm for his career in soaring peaks.   He worked close to 50 multi starrers in his entire career.   Though he paired with Rajesh Khanna, Jitender, Randhir Kapoor and Sashi Kapoor, his pairing with Amitabh has produced a string of super hits movies like Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar ka Sikender and Parvarish.   He was so popular in Multi Star set up that whatever may be the length of his role, he was reported to have been paid more than the leading pair in many movies, more than even Amitabh and Jitender.   

For some strange reasons despite his huge popularity and ability to carry movie on his shoulders, very few of his solo starers were super hits and racked big box office collection. Achanak,  Inkaar and Quid were pretty decent movies but such movies were few and far in between

The biggest block buster of his career was with his good friend

Feroz Khan Quarbani, which broke all box office records at that time.   That was the time when he could have gone on a signing spree of new and plump assignments, but he shocked the Bollywood by announcing turning into Sanyasi and follower of Rajnish.   From his film career point of view that was the biggest loss.   Though he came back and gave back to back hits with Insaaf and Satyameva Jayate, he could never reproduce the same magic.   Once in a while he excelled in his forte of multi starrers like Chandni,  Kudrat and towards the end of the career some interesting roles in Dabang series.

Another very good quality of Vinod Khanna was though, being as handsome as he was, and he joining Osho Ashram which was in new for many wrong reasons too, there was lot written about him by those who excel in yellow journalism.  Lot was written about cold war between him and Amitabh and his owing not to work with him after minor freak accident on the sets Muqudar Ka Sikander, he always maintained a dignified silence and never went public with any thing

Though not very flamboyant like Shatru, in politics he has been extremely successful getting elected to Lok Sabha from Gurdaspur four times, and at the time of his passing away he is sitting MP.  Unlike many celebrities he used to make himself available for the people of Gurdaspur and commanded healthy attendance in Parliament.   For short duration he discharged duties as Minister of State in Ministries of Tourism and also External Affairs. 

The other facet I know of him is as a Director of Companies.    I had the privilege of convening and attending many Board meetings in a hospitality chain having him as a Board member.   Again he was fairly regular in attending Board Meetings, turning up in time, be attentive and ask very intelligent and relevant questions about business development, occupancy, measures to improve occupancy and revenues.    

He continued to be active and healthy till late 60s before he was hit by the terminal cancer.  In the death of Vinod Khanna, we lost a simple, non-flamboyant, friendly, and handsome film star and Gentleman to the core

RIP

S. Prabhakar

27.4.2017

THE WINNER   OF  INDIAN IDOL 9^th EDITION

REVANT has emerged as  the winner of the Indian Idol 9 (including two editions of Jr.) which has not surprised anyone.    Right through the entire competition he had an edge over other competitors with his powerful voice and a voice conducive for playback singing.    Unlike Naga, who kept on fumbling and forgetting lyrics, Revant has mastered Hindi during the course of competition and presented himself very confidently which surely helped his cause.  

But overall this edition has been very disappointing.    Compared to earlier editions or reality shows in other channels the quality of the contestants is far from satisfactory.   As has always been, Sony Indian Idol seems to be focusing more on packaging and producing a glossy content for TV in a set pattern rather than spending any time in analysing the singing and giving tips to the contestants in improving their singing.     Naga fumbled and missed lyrics few times and KhudaBaksh has been very pedestal right through.    But a great sob story has been built around his modest back ground, which surely has been proved to be bit of a disadvantage and non level playing field for other contestants in getting required votes.    But i came to know through an article in Telugu news paper Enadu that Revant too had an equally modest back ground, losing his father before birth itself, mother bringing him up very hard way, he doing petty cateing jobs, which as revealed in the final show he did not like to share being personal things.   The judges tried to push Mrs. Narang into top ten by even bringing her back after being eliminated as she was suiting the channel requirement of being a newly married smart young girl to push their content in a sitcom manner.   

Indian Idol has always been everything other than about performances.  It is more of stage presence, glamorous makeovers, side stories with celebrities and everything that makes an interesting content for the channel,  rather than the real singing talent search.  

The audience voting pattern always surprises me, which seems not to be in favour of female contestants.    In this edition, going by the talent, variety, confidence, singing and delivery Mallavika Sundar seemed to be an Indian Idol material and her getting eliminated from the top 3 and KudhaBaksh and Nag making into top three at her cost was shocking.  

 

The terms and condition of eligibility itself seem to be giving advantage to some over other.     Like winner of 5^th edition  Sreeram, Revant too is already a play back singer sang few songs in Telugu including the very popular number `Manohari’ from Bahubali.    When it is termed as a Talent Search show, the presumption is that it is for amateurs and not professionals.   Someone who has already done playback singing can not be categorised as amateur.   

A thing one wishes from Indian Idol and other such reality shows is not encourage emotional outbursts at drop of hat by the contestants, their parents, judges and other relatives and channel making it more overdramatic by somber music at the stage of editing.    Emotions should be very personal and any person who has reached such stage like being top ten of an All India contests should not give an impression that they are there not because of their talent but because of their poor/modest back ground, their trials in life.   You win some and lose some, there is no need to sob uncontrollably when a contestant is eliminated.   It shows one’s weakness and lack of composure.   There are so many cricketers like Pathan brothers and even Sehwag, firstly they were not selected because they were poor and they do not sob on the pitch after being dismissed.    It is for the good of all the contestants, their relatives and judges to get over this irritating habit.   

In the top 4 contestants of this edition there were three south Indians (two Telugu speaking and one tamil speaking), 5^th edition winner Sreeram was from Hyderabad, the runner up of 2^nd edition Karunya was from Hyderabad but still Sony TV never thinks it necessary to hold auditions at any of the south Indian cities.   It may not be convenient to many talented south Indians to travel all the way to Mumbai or Delhi to take part in the auditions and many Kudha Bakhs from these states must be deprived of an opportunity of being part of this talent search show.   Next edition onwards hope Sony holds auditions in few South India cities too. 

Last but not the least SUNIL GROVER has rocked in the Finale programme with his fantastic energy

S. PRABHAKAR

2.4.2017