Seventies week!

I am hoping to contribute as much as I can to Beth’s Seventies’ Week initiative. I will be starting with the loony Surakksha, which I think sums up the beauty of the decade perfectly (well, minus the generally great music): a period when there may not have always been a lot of money floating around, but where plenty of “inspiration” and creativity took advantage of what little budget there was to produce some of the most entertainingly crazy and fun films on the planet.

Stay tuned! and check out Beth’s blog for all the participants and fun!

Posted on February 21, 2010 at 9:33 pm in Hindi movies | RSS feed You can skip to the end and leave a reply.

Tags: Blogging festivals, Mithunda, Seventies Week, Surakksha

21 Comments to “Seventies week!”

veracious
February 22, 2010 at 5:24 am

a period when there may not have always been a lot of money floating around, but where plenty of “inspiration” and creativity took advantage of what little budget there was to produce some of the most entertainingly crazy and fun films on the planet.

Well said. This about sums it up. :D

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- memsaab
  February 22, 2010 at 9:12 am
  
  Surakksha is truly a stellar example of same. But there are many!
  
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sophy
February 22, 2010 at 8:10 am

Wow! Great idea. I’m totally a 70s Bolly person and just a couple of days ago compiled a 70s Beautiful Bolly playlist on youtube. As for your description of 70s Bolly I was just checking out the Nollywood — the Nigerian industry– documentary on youtube and at least the part about “not a lot of money floating around” would apply there. Go Nolly. Hooray Bolly.

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- memsaab
  February 22, 2010 at 9:13 am
  
  Well, check out the list of participants over at Beth’s or at Die Danger Die Die Kill :) Should be fun, hope that I have more time than I have had recently to add to it :)
  
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Anarchivist
February 22, 2010 at 9:26 am

I’m glad to see that Mithun is so humble! But — is he wearing some kind of sheer gloves? Do I want to know? Can’t wait to get this!

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- memsaab
  February 22, 2010 at 10:08 am
  
  No it’s just the crappy picture. But he wears plenty of awesome things, and you will LOVE this. I will most def. watch it again with you :)
  
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harvey
February 22, 2010 at 9:46 am

For me Suraksha is the beginning of the 80s madness.

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- memsaab
  February 22, 2010 at 10:08 am
  
  Ah, but it was released in 1979!
  
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Anirban
February 22, 2010 at 9:58 am

My favorite music director R.D. Burman composed some of his best songs for 70s movies. And Suraksha, as you mention, marks one of the high-points of Bappi Lahiri’s career.

Ranjeeta and Mithun were quite a pair (though now mostly forgotten). I saw Sun Sajna over the weekend – forgettable movie but hummable title song. I absolutely love Dhuaan (1981), irreverent, with an under-appreciated R.D. track, and a hint of mystery Bollywood ishtyle.

Incidentally Bappi’s the one that composed the “you are my chicken fry” song. I’ve never known any other music director to span the entire spectrum between awesomeness and crappiness like Bappi-da.

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- memsaab
  February 22, 2010 at 10:10 am
  
  Surakksha’s music is in my opinion pure garbage (well, with two exceptions). But there is plenty of other stuff to love so I am forgiving. Bappi did write some nice music before the disco craze began, but post that it is mostly miserable.
  
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  - Anirban
    February 22, 2010 at 12:48 pm
    
    You’re right! I took another look at the track-list. I mixed it up for Chalte Chalte because I have one song on the same playlist. Apologies!
    
    Only good song is “Dil tha akela” in Bappi’s voice. It is pretty good though it is a blatant spin on an ABBA song.
    
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Beth
February 22, 2010 at 10:49 am

The real question is, why ISN’T Mithun wearing sheer gloves?!? Cannot WAIT to learn more about this one!

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- memsaab
  February 22, 2010 at 11:35 am
  
  Sheer gloves are insignificant in the face of all else in this film.
  
  Review is up, enjoy :) And get it, you will not regret it.
  
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Jas
March 8, 2010 at 11:39 am

Namskar Memsaab, I love this site, 70’s my favorite. I hope to establish contact with you serious genuine inquiry here…I belong to the 70’s generation with passion for 70’s music (I was raised on Laxicant Pyara Lal Ji’s incredible sounds with Bombay Symphony Orchestra. I love Led Zeppelin, Rock musicians who visited the Bombay Film Industry in the early 71/72. Here is who they met and how they recorded…Times of India:
http://nandu_bhende.tripod.com/articles/particle5.htm

I have been in touch with Nandu Bhende concerning various archvial artifacts…here is one I found a photo of Led Zeppelin arriving at the Disco called Slip Disc:

Writer Keith Shadwick writes extensively about the Bombay Early visit by Led Zeppelin in his book including the Slip Disc performacne along with EMI studios recordings.

I really need to find some movies or pictures in magazinges of the famed Disco called Slip Disc. I am desperate to find it…not even Nandu has been able to help me. if you think we can find a way to get some picutres of the early 70’s bollywood scene at the famed disco…please please let me know…I want to post the picutres on the Offical Site with credit given due respect.
As you can see event he western musicians were fascinated with the music. I cannot ever find any pictures of the EMI studios either.

Please help me. I have one last question if any one can answer. The Film Hanste Zakhm Disco Scene, is that Slip Disc?

THe Original Slip Disc was on Arthur Bunder Road….

HELP HELP…I love hour blogs…

Jas
Canada
FOrever 70’s Classic Indian Cinema Fan

I hope to hear from you and seriously remain in touch with you…
thanks..

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- memsaab
  March 8, 2010 at 12:57 pm
  
  I love Zeppelin too :) How fabulous that they visited and sang at a club in Bombay, must have been incredible to see that. I have never heard of Slip Disc, but possibly someone visiting here will see this and be able to help out. Am glad you like my blog too thank you :)
  
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Jas
March 9, 2010 at 11:48 am

Namskar Memsaab, thaks for your response..there were at least couple of disco’s in early 70’s in Bombay. The Later Zep Biographer Keith Shadwick writes that Zep visited initially a disco called Blow Up near waterfront/Taj Mahal (stayed here!!) in 1971. The Blow up according to Zep was too flashy and too formal…so Zep went to Slip Disc in ’71 and returned in ’72 with EMI recordings…

If anyone find any movies (I am sure some movies in 70’s were shot at these disco’s The Blow Up and Slip Disc…there have to be)…Please post them here!

Here is a classic Bhappi Lehri Tune that the Legendary Music Director use from Zeppelin in one of his songs…and Zep too used a line from All India Radio, the Drone in the beginning: (same song squared off!!) Bapp and Zep!!

Here is immigrant song Zep:

Here is Bhappi Lehri with immigrant song in Hindi Movie:
Pyar hai Gunaah!!
http://www.pardonmyhindi.com/blog/?cat=40

so folks!!! let see some picutres of the Disco’s…I would love to see stars partying at these discos!!!

keep it coming…If I find something interesting I will post it likewise…

cheerios!!!!

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- memsaab
  March 9, 2010 at 12:38 pm
  
  There were a lot of nightclubs in Bombay in the 50s/60s too…really would have been so fun to twist the night away in them :) Slip Disc maybe features in some of my Stardust magazines, but without a sign indicating it I wouldn’t know it unfortunately!
  
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Jas
March 9, 2010 at 3:10 pm

tks. again memsaab…really appreciated…I read Stardust late 70’s on…I bet there is a reference to Slip Disc in write up to witness the stars coming and going….

I posed an earlier question Hanste Zakhm the disco scene…don’t know where it was shot…the round tables looks the same though as in Zep picture…so please keep looking…I could almost visualize a Parveen Babi, a Zeenat, etc. etc…with likes of Feroz Khan, Navin…that would be treasure…

please keep in mind….anyone..tks..

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dr mahesh tilwani
March 12, 2010 at 9:18 am

whatabout ‘Rampur Ka Laxman’ and ‘Dharti Kahe Pukarke.

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Jas
March 12, 2010 at 4:39 pm

I love both films, but Dharti K.P. the music by Laxmicant Pyralal Ji…is now a classic…no one can make “that” anymore….ofcourse, the Immortal Poet Majrooh Sultanpuri….his lyrics…wish I can go back in time…

I love Ke hum tum chori se..so haunting….I just listened to it…I am in search of original DVD for this movie…

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Jas
March 12, 2010 at 4:42 pm

Dharti K. Pukar ke …relase date is 1969…I thought so…but close..

Rampur..yeah…’72

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