Meri Surat Teri Ankhen (1963)

Asha Parekh - Kavita
Ashok Kumar - Pyare
Pradeep Kumar - Sudhir Kumar
Director - R.K. Rakhan
Music Director - S.D. Burman
Lyrics - Shailendra
Writer (novel) - Nihar Ranjan Gupta
Screenplay - Qamar Jalalabadi

Synopsis: Raj Kumar is a wealthy businessman and dislikes everything ugly. When his wife, Kamla, becomes pregnant and gives birth to an ugly son, he asks the attending Dr. Mathur to inform his wife that their child was still-born. Dr. Mathur places the child in the hands of Rahmat and his wife, Naseeban, who welcome him with open arms. But misfortune follows them, as the child, who is named Pyare, accidentally burns their dwelling down, killing Naseeban. Rahmat then re-locates to his village when he teaches Pyare the skills required to play musical instruments and sing. Years later, Rahmat passes away, and informs Pyare that he is really a Hindu. Dr. Mathur fills the rest of the blanks for Pyare, and arranges a song and dance play and hopes that Raj will overcome his dislike for his now-grown son. But that does not happen, instead, Raj offers to pay some compensation so that Pyare can look after himself. When Pyare goes to Raj to return the money, Kamla sees him and asks him not to leave and adopts him as her son. Then misfortune visits the Raj family when their other son, Sudhir, is abducted and held for ransom for 4 Lakh rupees. Sudhir's fiancée believes that Pyare is behind this abduction. Will misfortune and tragedy also follow Pyare to his new-found family?

Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963)

Asha Parekh - Mona
Joy Mukherjee - Mohan
Rajendranath - Difu
Pran - Ramesh
Director - Nasir Hussain
Writer - Nasir Hussain
Music Director - O.P. Nayyar
Genre - Romance

Synopsis: Due to a growing marital rift between Jamuna and her husband, she decides to leave him. He does not permit her to take their son, so she arranges his abduction, and disappears from her husband's life. Years later, Jamuna's son, Mohan, has grown up, and together they live a middle-class existence. One day, Mohan meets with Mona and both are attracted to each other. But Mona's guardian would like her to marry Biharilal alias Difu, who is foreign returned and comes from a very wealthy family. Mona and her friends embark on a trip to Srinagar, and Mohan follows her there. Then Jamuna's overjoyed husband announces the return of his son, Mohan, back to his household. When Jamuna gets this news, she is shocked beyond words as the man claiming to be her son, is none other than an impostor named Ramesh. She will have to come out of hiding, admit to abducting Mohan, in order to bring the truth to light. But will Jamuna be willing to re-open the unpleasant past, or will she be content with the way things have turned out to be.

Chhaya (1961)

Asha Parekh - Sarita J. Choudhary
Sunil Dutt - Arun/Rahee
Nirupa Roy - Manorama/Aayah
Nasir Hussain - Jagatnarayan Choudhary
Lalita Pawar - Rukmani
Director - Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Music Director - Salil Chowdhury
Genre - Romance
Awards - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Nirupa Roy

Synopsis: Young and attractive Sarita Choudhary lives a wealthy lifestyle with her widowed dad, Jagatnarayan in a palatial house with her aunt, Rukmani; cousin, Lalli, and a maid-servant, Manorama Lal. Her dad recruits a tutor, Arun, to teach her essay-writing, and both Arun and Sarita end up falling in love with each other, especially when Sarita finds out that he is really a famous poet by the name of 'Rahee'. But her aunt would like to see her married to her nephew, Ramu alias Romeo, and she has Jagatnarayan recruit him to teach Sarita music. Jagatnarayan himself would like Sarita to get married to the son of a wealthy man, Moti Lal, and openly rejects any alliance with Arun, who comes from a poor family. Watch what happens when Moti Lal gets an anonymous letter informing him that Sarita is not the real daughter of Jagatnarayan, and that her parentage. religion, and caste are unknown.

Gharana (1961)

Asha Parekh - Usha Gupta
Rajendra Kumar - Kamal
Raaj Kumar - Kailash
Director - S. S. Vasan
Genre - Drama; Family
Music Director - Ravi
Awards:

Won:

* Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist - Shakeel Badayuni (for "Husnwale Tera Jawab Nahin").
* Filmfare Award for Best Music Director - Ravi

Nominations:

* Filmfare Award for Best Playback Singer (Male) - Mohammad Rafi (for "Husnwale Tera Jawab Nahin").
* Best Supporting Actress - Shubha Khote

Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961)

Asha Parekh - Nisha R. Singh
Dev Anand - Sunder / Popat Lal / Monto
Rajendra Nath - Popat Lal / Charlie
Pran - Sohan Mofat Lal
Director - Nasir Hussain
Writer - Nasir Hussain (Idea by: Anis Khan)
Genre - Romance
Music Directors - Shankar - Jaikishan

Synopsis: Nisha lives a very wealthy lifestyle in Neelgaon, India, with her businessman dad, Sardar Roop Singh. She is now of marriageable age, and her dad wants her to marry his friend's son, Sohan, but Nisha dislikes him. While traveling to Darjeeling with a dance troupe, she meets with her dad's business associates' son, Popat Lal, and after a few misadventures, both fall in love with each other. She takes him to meet her dad where he can also finalize his business transaction, but when Roop comes inside, he finds that Popat has disappeared, and in his place is another man claiming to be the real Popat. Nisha heart is broken and she starts to hate Popat. She does meet with Popat, who tells her that his real name is Sunder and both had been promised to each other by their respective parents, but Roop had subsequently changed his mind. Nisha believes him and agrees to marry him without her father's blessings. When the marriage is to take place, a man named Khanna comes over and tells Nisha that Sunder is already married to woman named Shanti, who he subsequently killed, and had been the primary accused in this case by the police. Watch what impact this news has on the marriage, and see what excuses Sunder now comes up with.

Ghunghat (1960)

Director - Ramanand Sagar
Awards - Filmfare Award for Best Actress - Bina Rai

Hum Hindustani (1960)

Asha Parekh - Sudha
Sunil Dutt - Surendra Nath
Joy Mukherjee - Satyendra Nath
Helen - Kalpana
Also starring: Prem Chopra and Sanjeev Kumar as the police inspector.
Director - Ram Mukherjee
Genre - Drama; Family
Music Director - Usha Khanna
Lyrics - Prem Dhawan

Synopsis: Surendra Nath and Satyendra Nath are two brothers who live in an old palatial home with their dad, mom, and sister. The Nath family is undergoing hard times as their property is under dispute, and a unfavorable decision by the courts, causes the family to lose face in the community. To make matters worse, Satyendra is arrested by the police for theft of Rs.10,000/- from his workplace. Satyendra thinks his brother stole the money, and is covering up for him, while the rest of the family is shocked and dismayed at this turn of events. All eyes and ears are now on the decision of the Court, which will decide who is guilty in the eyes of the law.

Dil Deke Dekho (1959)

Asha Parekh - Neeta Narayan
Shammi Kapoor - Roop / Pyarelal / Professor Sambri / Mirza Changhezi
Director - Nasir Hussain
Writer - Nasir Hussain
Music Director - Usha Khanna
Genre - Love Story

Synopsis: Neeta is a heiress, the only daughter of U.K. based Industrialist, Jagat Narayan. She is of marriageable age, and is presently wooed by Kailash, Chandra, and Raja. She prefers Chandra over Kailash and Raja, but subsequently changes her mind and falls in love with Raja. Things take a dramatic turn when Jagat and Neeta find out that Raja is not who is claims he is. When Raja defends himself, and calls himself Roop, his very own mother denies this claim, and instead states that Chandra is Roop, her only son. Raja alias Roop must now make attempts to prove himself, and realizes that this is indeed an uphill task.

Dil Deke Dekho (1959)

Personal Quotes

• When asked if there was a special man in her life: "Of course there was. I'm a normal woman. I may be a nice maiden. But I'm certainly no ice maiden."
• When asked if she missed having a family of her own: "There was a time when I did. Now, when I see so many marriages on the rocks, I feel I'm better off unmarried. So many couples are together because they have no choice."
• Explaining her decision to stop acting in films: "No more bhabhi or mother roles for me. I can't bear to see myself sobbing for some undeserving male who's out busy fighting the goons while I make his favourite dishes in the kitchen. I'd rather be out there doing all the 'dishum dishum'."
• Her respect for non-Indian films: "At least they are focused, compact and have emotions. No dhishum dhishum or five songs just to move the negligible storyline. . .I wish [Indian] films today were not copies of foreign film. There are good Hindusthani topics to pick from."
• "I share my birthday with that other far, far greater Gujarati, Mahatma Gandhi. But unlike him, I was anything but a peace ambassador. Whenever I entered the studio everyone would run for cover."
• "Today's songs are not very melodious. When you have a romantic song how can you have 100, 200 boys and girls dancing behind, where do they come and go, it looks very funny to me? Also the way of picturising a romantic song has lost its meaning. I may be totally wrong, but when we had these romantic songs, there was a story to tell in that song, whereas right now there are all exercises and aerobics going on."
• "Television needs a censor board.
• "Amitabh Bachchan will be on the screen for as long as he wants, not because he is Amitabh, but because he is a dedicated actor."
• "I would never like to show my actresses half-clad. Even if 'the script demands', let's leave something to the imagination, please."
• "People love vamps!"

* Album cover for Kati Patang (1970).

* Asha in director's shoes.

* Scene from Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1960), alongside Dev Anand.

* Receives the Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contribution to the Hindi film industry.

* At an awards function.

* "Legendary Bollywood actress Asha Parekh makes her acceptance speech after receiving the Lifetime Award at the 9th annual Bollywood Movie Awards in Uniondale, N.Y., Saturday, May 26, 2007." - daylife.com

* On the far left, at a gathering in Mumbai regarding stars' views on Hindi film piracy. (Also shown are: Ramesh Sippy, Subhash Ghai, Yash Chopra, and Sooraj R. Barjatya.)

* At a meeting with officials in Hyderabad as the Chairperson of the International Jury for the 2003, 13th International Children's Film Festival.

* Part 2

* With Dev Anand at the 2002 Filmfare Awards, were both were the recipients for the night's Lifetime Achievement award (Part 1).

* Part 3

* Part 2

*In a classical dance position, looking as exquisite as ever (part 1).

*Receiving an award, with Dharmendra on her right.

*Vintage, August 21, 1964 Filmfare magazine cover.

* Taken during the same family gathering in Ahmedabad.

*Taken at a family gathering in Ahmedabad.

*Awarding Dilip Prabhawalkar.












All rights go to dilipprabhawalkar.com

*From Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1960), starring Asha and Dev Anand.

*Asha Parekh and Dharmendra wallpaper.

Rare Pictures

*With Gujarati singer Shaivangi.

ALWAYS a leader, NEVER a follower!

She's beautiful, she's smart, she's bold, and highly sophisticated! She has just the right amount of all of those characteristics that play a role in the creation of a dignified lady who is not only in-tune with her surroundings but also knows her true worth. Asha Parekh: the quintessence of a multi-talented film heroine, who not only had juggled traditional roles, but brought new light to modern roles forgotten by others. She had courage, dedication, and passion towards her career and always put extra effort into expanding and bettering her productions, most of which are considered classics even 'til this day. A revolutionary! A revolutionary in the sense that she shed new light on the way female figures were seen in the industry, proving to the world that there is more to a woman's role in a film than the old-fashioned ways of a housewife. In addition to her various challenging roles, she introduced western-influenced attires - a first, never to have been accomplished by another. The sweet-sixteen from Dil Deke Dekho blossomed into a multi-faceted lady, fighting through obstacles brought forward by the industry, while tackling roles considered unconventional by most actresses. She did it all and did it with grace, elegance, and with a respected fashion! A professional of a first degree who once had the filmy world at the tip of her finger, having others dance to her own tune with such ease and calmness. She didn't have to try to be great, since, contrary to others, she had it in her. An actress, dancer, director, producer, daughter and most importantly, a woman...a brave woman, that is!

Trivia

Name: Asha Parekh

Date of Birth: October 2, 1942

Birth Location: Bangalore, India

Nicknames: Jubilee Girl; Tomboy

• Gujarati
• An only child.
• Was enrolled in classical dance classes at a young age.
  
• Trained in Kathak
• Performed at stage shows
  
• Mother: Muslim
• Father: Hindu
• Famed film director Bimal Roy saw her at one of her concerts and cast her as a child artiste (age: ten) in Baap Beti (1954). The film was a failure.
  
• After a few roles as a child star, she quit to continue her education.
  
• Director Vijay Bhatt fired her from his film Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959), claiming she wasn't star material. Asha was sixteen years-old at the time.
  
• Almost immediately, film producer S. Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain cast her in Dil Dekhe Dekho (1959) as a heroine alongside one of the reigning stars of the time: Shammi Kapoor.
• The film was a hit and resulted in the beginning of Asha's ever-expanding successful career.
• Shammi Kapoor became her favorite hero in films and one of her dearest friends.
  
• She became Nasir Hussains muse, who would later cast her in six more films.
  
• Teesri Manzil (1966) became the biggest hit of the legendary Shammi/Asha duo.
• Contrary to what other actresses demanded at the time, Asha Parekh easily compensated for non-actors, such as Biswajeet and Joy Mukherjee, while holding her own alongside much bigger names, such as Ashok Kumar.
  
• Directors and audiences knew from early on that she had a genuine acting talent.
• Along with her fame came a few jealous cases by other actresses such as Simi Garewal (who claimed that Asha attempted to cut her part out in Do Badan (1966). Tensions soon calmed down when Simi went on to win the award for Best Supporting Actress) and Aruna Irani (who allegedly made the same claim concerning the hit film Caravan (1971), later to come out as the one who "was played in her own game" when Asha claimed that Aruna had more songs/videos in the film that she, the protagonist of the film, did. The same was true with regards to Laxmi Chhaya in Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971).
  
• She was credited the title of "Jubilee Girl" for her continous string of box-office hits.
• She starred in the very first western film in the history of Hindi Cinema: Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971), alongside the handsome hunk Dharmendra, dashing Vinod Khanna, and the lovely and feisty Laxmi Chhaya.
  
• Won the Best Actress Filmfare Award for Kati Patang (1970).
• Mumtaz, one of the top actresses of the '70s who single-handedly progressed from a supporting actress to a top-notch heroine, claimed that she should have received the award for her performance in Dev Anand's Tere Mere Sapne (1970).
• Although she was hitting the heights of her career, she left to do various dance shows abroad, turning down later-known acclaimed hits, such as G.P. Sippy/Ramesh Sippy's Seeta aur Geeta (1972), who would later make a star out of Hema Malini: my personal favorite actress and the superstar of the '70s. It was said that after Asha turned down the role, Ramesh approached Mumtaz for the role, who later turned it down due to financial reasons (rumor has it that she didn't agree with the amount she were to be paid with).
• During later interviews, Asha said that from the roles that she had turned down due to her absence from the film industry, Seeta aur Geeta was one of the films she would have had the utmost pleasure of completing.
• When she returned, she noticed that new names, such as Hema Malini, Sharmila Tagore, Jaya Bhaduri, Zeenat Aman, etc., were now ruling the world of Hindi film heroines.
• She indulged herself in various charity works, later having a Santa Cruz hospital named after herself (which she "gifted" to her parents for supporting her in all of her endeavors).
  
• She lived with her parents in her beautiful seaside bungalow, whose innovative design was said to be famous to the travellers as it drew tons of attention.
• Her famous performance of dance ballets, such as "Chauladevi", won her acclaim.
• She did many supporting roles, garnering Filmfare nominations for Udhar Ka SindoorMain Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). (1976) and Raj Khosla's massive hit:
• She permanently gave up acting in 1995.
• She found a new passion directing television serials, such as the highly-acclaimed Kora Kagaz.
• Her acting accomplishments were never forgotten, as she won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 (other recepients included '50's and '60's legendary icon Dev Anand).
• After her mother's death, she sold her bungalow and moved to a smaller place, taking care of her ailing father who later passed away, too.
• She never married nor had any relations with her male co-stars.
• She once claimed that the reason could have been due her reputation of being unapproachable, which probably intimidated men.
• In her later years, she said that she did have a longtime boyfriend and was quoted saying "it was nice while it lasted."
• These days, Asha devotes most of her time to humanitarian issues and directing television shows.
• She has a production company named "Akruti."
• Owns a dance company called "Kara Bhavan," which has produced many skilled and talented dancers.
• Today, Asha is ecstatic over the fact that she has fans from all over the globe.
• Was the top heroine from 1959-1973.
• Claimed to love playing pranks on her co-stars.
• Called Shammi Kapoor "chacha," (uncle) while he called her "bhatiji" (niece).
• Her personal favorite films are Do Badan (1966), Chirag (1969), Kati Patang (1970), Pagla Kahin Ka (1970) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978).
• Her favorite song is 'Jayiye Aap Kahaan Jaayenge' from the film Mere Sanam (1965).
• In addition to Nasir Hussain, seven major directors cast Asha more than once due to her immense talent, beauty, and professionalism: Pramod Chakravorthy, Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, Raghunath Jhalani, Mohan Segal, Shakti Samanta, and J.P. Dutta.
• From 1998 to 2001, Asha was the first woman in history to be appointed as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification ("film censor board") for which she received no salary but plenty of controversy, because she requested that many films be censored.
• She was the president of the Cine Artistes' Association from 1994-2000, and later said that it was time consuming, difficult, and ultimately a "thankless job."
• She is the treasurer of the Cine Artists' Welfare Association Trust(CINTA), which is a home for many film and television artistes fallen on bad days.
• Was recognized as the first Gujarati to become a superstar in Hindi films, and at the height of her fame, she paid tribute to her Gujarati heritage by starring in her first Gujarati film, Akhand Saubhagyarati (1963), which became a big hit. Coincidentally, the title "Akhand Saubhagyarati" would be used for a Gujarati television serial that Asha produced in 2005.
• Asha claims that she starred in a "very sweet film" with Shashi Kapoor titled Sweetheart,(1970) directed by Suraj Prakash and written by Brij Katyal, but it was never released. (She also appeared in another unreleased film Jaane Janna in the 1980s, where she had a supporting role.)
• She claims to be a bad cook and doesn't like salads because they remind her of diets.
• She said that although it is difficult to be a woman director in the television industry, she has no problem commanding respect from everyone on the set when she is shooting television serials.
• When Asha was shooting for films, she would always carry her food from home. Her heroes Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, and Rajesh Khanna looked forward to eating her fried fish and Goan fish curry.
• In 2006, Asha said that she and the other 1960's stars were living lives of self-imposed seclusion and solitude. To remedy the situation, she, Sadhana, Nanda, Waheeda Rehman, Shammi, and Vyjayanthimala meet regularly at each other's homes to chat, catch up with old times, have lunch, or watch a movie. Asha has urged other retired performers to do the same before it's too late as nothing is more therapeutic in life than companionship.
• She received the 7th International Indian Film Academy Award for outstanding achievement in Indian cinema on June 16, 2006 in Dubai. She was chosen unanimously by the advisory board for her status as an industry icon, and for her career as actress, producer, director, and also having been the first female chairperson of the Indian film censor board.
• She received two Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2007: One from the Fifth Annual Pune International Film Festival in India, and the other from the Ninth Annual Bollywood Awards in New York, USA.