Dev Anand is in a jubilant mood today. Not only is his production banner Navketan Films completing 50 years, the date for the golden jubilee celebrations has been advanced by the success of his latest film ‘Censor’. Indeed, it has been a long time since Mumbai’s most prolific actor-filmmaker has scored a hit.

"Like any proud father, I am thrilled that my baby is being adored by everyone," says Anand. "‘Censor’ is the baby I have conceived with a lot of love. The last few months have been dedicated to bringing this baby into the world. Now that it is already on its own, I can concentrate on making ten other babies!"

A film that questions the need for regulatory mechanisms in a free and democratic society, ‘Censor’ marks a departure from Anand’s run-of-the-mill musicals and love stories. Besides, he has veterans like Raj Babbar, Rekha and Hema Malini on his cast, rather than the teenyboppers that he is known for introducing.

"But then, if a newcomer said things about censorship, he wouldn’t sound convincing," argues India’s evergreen star. "I explained this to the actors when I approached them for my film and they were ready to work in it. They said they were willing to do any role without even expecting to be paid."

It is not just seniority that makes the Mumbai film industry hold Anand in such high esteem. He is seen as a human dynamo, tirelessly churning out one film after another in the most trying conditions and with absolutely no regard for the box-office. How he manages to do so remains a mystery.

The question touches a raw nerve: "Why don’t people mind their own business? I don’t have problems raising money because whatever I earn, I put back into my films. I don’t charge for my films, I have my own studio, all post-production work is done there... I don’t spend on luxuries — I am a simple man, I do not have any major needs."

It was in 1943, that Anand arrived in Mumbai as a 22-year-old with dreams of making it as an actor. His elder brother, Chetan Anand (who was then a teacher in English literature) introduced him to the famous novelist, Raja Rao and through him, to filmmaker Khwaja Ahmad Abbas.

Abbas got him a role in an IPTA (Indian People’s Theatre Association) play, ‘Zubeida’ and by rattling off lines from it, he landed a role in ‘Hum Ek Hain’ — Anand’s first film as an actor. He followed it with two more flops, ‘Nadaan’ and ‘Nirmala,’ but the Rs 10,000 he got from them helped him launch Navketan.

Navketan’s first film was ‘Afsar,’ based on Chetan Anand’s script, "Nav meant new and Ketan was the name of Chetan’s first born," narrates the actor-filmmaker. "It was my way of repaying my brother for bringing me to Mumbai. I played the hero and Suraiyya (the singing star) was my heroine."

‘Afsar’ also marked Anand’s first brush with the censors. "They objected to a scene in which I kiss Suraiyya’s eyes. Chetan and I took up the issue vehemently, and after a lot of deliberation, the censors gave in and ‘Afsar’ was passed without a cut. But the kiss could not save it from sinking in the box-office."

The turning point for Navketan came with ‘Baazi,’ for which Guru Dutt was invited as director. By then, Anand had become a big star with superhits like ‘Ziddi’ and ‘Taxi Driver’ under his belt. Together with Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, he became part of Bollywood’s ruling trinity.

‘Guide’ followed and then ‘CID’, ‘Jewel Thief,’ ‘Tere Mere Sapne’, ‘Johnny Mera Naam,’ ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’... one scoring over the other in breaking box-office records. Somewhere along the line, Anand turned director and has not looked back since.

His next release is ‘Jana Na Dil Se Door.’ — MF

City girl to dazzle tinsel town
Parbina Rashid

Molika Sharu who bagged a lead role in Abdul Shattar's movie ‘Mitha Mitha Ishq Piya Ka’ is preparing to enter tinsel town. After a month of rigorous training in acting and dance in various institutes of Mumbai, Molika is back in the city for a few days before she heads off to Rajasthan to begin shooting for the first phase of the movie.

Molika, alias Rhea, who was crowned Miss North for the year 2000, was selected as a romantic lead opposite Miyank by the director, Iqbal Shattar. Recalling her experience during the audition, an ecstatic Molika says, "I was shocked when they informed me that I had been selected for the part. The audition took place in Bikaner and over a thousand girls auditioned for this role."

Now that she bagged this role, how confident she is about working with some one as experienced as Tabu? Answering this Molika says this is not the first time she will be facing the camera. "After I was crowned Miss North, I worked for a few video albums with some local singers," she says. "Besides after all this training in acting, dance and voice modulation I am feeling quite confident about the project," she adds.

"Though exposing is a short cut to success in Hindi movies, I am not willing to do it," says Molika. "Though I cannot afford to be choosy about the roles offered to me at this stage, once I prove myself I would like to do meaningful roles," she says. Molika who admires Smita Patil and Kamal Hassan also has a soft corner for the latest heartthrob Hrithik Roshan.

The movie ‘Mitha Mitha...’ is a love story with Tabu and Chandrachur in the lead and Molika - Miyank and Shama - Vinay as the other romantic pairs.

Molika who just passed out from Sacred Heart Convent says she has always been keen on joining movies and was motivated by her mother to work towards this goal. However this youngster says she will not give up studies. "I am planning to continue my studies privately and would like to do a course in fashion designing course or hotel management after graduation," she says. "I would like to be armed with a professional degree so that in case a career in movies doesn’t work out for me, I have something to fall back upon," she adds.

Close on the heels of setting up India’s first IMAX theatre in Bombay, Aishwarya Rai has been signed to play the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s consort, Mumtaz Mahal in a costume drama, titled ‘Taj Mahal’. It will be India’s first film in the IMAX format.

To be produced by US-based Scott Swofford with short filmmaker Bharat Bala as director, the film has been budgeted at $ 7 million and will be shot entirely on location in northern India. The search for an actor who could play Shah Jahan is, however, on.

"The world sees India through Attenborough’s film, ‘Gandhi," said Bala. "But I want to show that there is more to us than that. The Taj Mahal is also an excellent example of human commitment. It is time we made the love story behind it as popular as Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet.’"

"Epic dramas can have a bigger impact on the IMAX format than any other kind of film," explained the man who has produced 13 IMAX films, including the Oscar-nominated ‘Amazon’. "Besides ‘Taj Mahal’ can serve as a perfect crossover to the international market."

The project began with Bala showing Swofford a computerised image of the Mughal queen in her regal splendour. Little did the producer realise that the person in the picture was alive and none other than reigning Bollywood queen Aishwarya Rai.

"I could not think of any living actress other that Aishwarya who is capable of playing Mumtaz Mahal to perfection," said Bala. "The empress of India needs to be projected majestically. Aishwarya has all the makings of a reel empress."

Added Swofford: "The IMAX format is new to India and might appear prohibitively expensive at the moment. But then, manpower is so much cheaper here than elsewhere. I am sure IMAX will have a much greater impact on audience tastes than what cynics believe." — MF