‘Ten Classics’ by Anitaa Padhye’s new book launched
Ms. Anitaa Padhye, Cine Journalist, Critic, Book Writer And Historian, working in the Indian Film World from the last 34 years. Senior film journalist and writer Anitaa Padhye’s new book “Ten Classics” is going to hit the stands soon. Originally she had written “Daha Classics” in Marathi and this was very well received and now following the success and responce of the book and the suggestions from film fraternity and friends she is coming out with translated versions of the book in English as well as in Hindi. The name of the Hindi version is “Dus Classics”.
Earlier Anitaa had written an autobiography of Dada Kondke titled ” Ekta Jeev” and the publication of eleventh edition shows the tremendous response the book has received. Her other books are “Ishq Ka Zahar Bhara Pyalaa” on the life of Kamaal Amrohi and Meena Kumari, a biographical book “Ek Hota Goldie” on Vijay Anand, “Yahi Hai Rangroop” on the lifes of Salim Khan, Rajendra Nath, Basu Chatterjee and few others.
In all, this prolific writer has written seven books on film personalities or on the backdrop of film industry and the books “Ten Classics” and “Dus Classics” And “Daha Classics” will add more features in her already well decorated hat.
An excerpt from her latest book. ‘Guru Dutt had liked very much the tune of a song from the (1958) British film Harry Black and The Tiger. (This film had been released in India under the title Harry Black) The record had been released before the film so during his visit to England he had bought the record. He wanted SD Burman to use that tune without any change, for ‘Sar jo tera chakraye…’. He conveyed his wish to Sachinda and also played the song for him.
‘Dada, use the same tune for “Sar jo tera chakraye…” ’Guru Dutt said to Burmanda. ‘What are you saying Guru? I’ll not at all use this English tune.’ Burmanda did not want to use the tune of the English song. He was completely against copying any English song or modelling a tune on it. He was keen to have only his stamp on his music. ‘Guru, when people who have heard the English song listen to “Sar jo tera…”, they will feel that SD Burman steals the tunes of English songs.’ Burmanda feared that this would spoil his name.
Guru Dutt, however, refused to budge. Finally, the two of them reached a compromise. Burmanda would use the tune of the English song only for the first stanza and from the next stanza onwards Burmanda had the freedom to set the music of his choice. Even then, during the recording of this song, Burmanda made last-minute changes in the tune of the first stanza to ensure that it had his mark. So though the tune of a foreign song has been copied, the song itself sounds totally Indian.
Readers will get very rare n authentic information and rare photographs of Ten such benchmark films, Bimal Roy’s “Do Bigha Zameen”, V. Shantaram’s “ Do Ankhein Bara Haath”, Mehboob Khan’s “ Mother India”, K. Asif’s “Mughal-E-Azam”, Guru Dutt’s “Pyasaa”, Basu Bhattacharya’s “Teesri kasam”, Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s “Anand”, Vijay Anand’s “Guide” , Kamal Amrohi’s ”Pakeejhah” and Muzzafar Ali’s “Umraol Jaan”. Ten brilliant film makers , ten varied subjects , their different thought process , and their different styles of making these films.
The above incident of film ‘Pyaasa’ is from Ms.Anitaa Padhye’ book ‘Ten Classic’.