Raj Khosla

Raj Khosla (1925–1991) was one of the top directors in Hindi films from the 1950's to the 1980's. He was known as a "women's director," because he showcased actresses at their best. He died in Bombay, India on 9 June 1991. He is often credited for success of actors such as Dev Anand, Amitabh Bachchan

Biography

He was trained to be a classical singer, but Dev Anand felt he had other talents and hired him to be Guru Dutt's assistant on films, and eventually he became director. His most famous films are C.I.D. (1956) (which introduced Waheeda Rehman to Hindi audiences and made her a star), Woh Kaun Thi? (1964) (which gave Sadhana her signature role of the "mystery girl"), Do Badan (1966) (which made Asha Parekh into a serious actress and won Simi Garewal the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award), Do Raaste(1969) (which made Mumtaz into a household name), Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) (which won Nutan the Filmfare Best Actress Award at a mature age).

Film work

He was known for his excellent song picturizations, probably stemming from his musical background. Raj Khosla initially entered the Film Industry with hopes of making it as a playback singer. He however went on to become one of the great directors of Hindi Cinema.

He assisted Guru Dutt and in 1954 got a break with Milap, starring Dev Anand and Geeta Bali. The film failed to create waves but Khosla's second film produced for him by mentor Guru Dutt, C.I.D. (1956) propelled him into the big league. C.I.D. was a slick crime thriller that highlighted Khosla's stylish shot taking and innovative song picturisations, something passed down from Guru Dutt.

From here onwards even as he continued to make films, Khosla ricocheted from style to style while adding his own touch to each genre. Never wanting to play safe Khosla made some films, which were startlingly different in those times. Solva Saal (1958) was a story of a single night wherein a girl elopes with her lover who dupes her and is helped back home by a journalist before her father wakes up and realizes what the girl has done. Bombay ka Babu (1960) had the hero, a killer, entering the family of the man he has killed as their long lost son and falling in love with his 'sister.'

Khosla explored a variety of styles be it crime thrillers (C.I.D., Kala Pani (1958)), musicals (Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962) - whose starting point was seven songs composed by O.P. Nayyar), suspense thrillers (Woh Kaun Thi? (1964), Mera Saaya (1966), Anita (1967) - his mystery trilogy with actress Sadhana), melodramas (Do Badan (1966), Do Raaste (1969)) dacoit dramas (Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971) - which inspired Sholay (1975)) etc.

Though he made films after Mera Gaon Mera Desh and had hits like Nehle Pe Dehla (1976), the mid 70s was not too good a period for Khosla. Films like Prem Kahani (1975) starring the then hottest pair of the day Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz sank and it was with Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) that put Khosla right back on track.

In Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, he evoked sympathy for the mistress even as he told the story from the wife's point of view. Khosla was a director who understood women and was known as a women's director much like George Cukor in Hollywood.

After enjoying big hits like Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) and Dostana (1982) with Amitabh Bachchan, Zeenat Aman and Shatrughan Sinha, Khosla ran into some rough weather as his other films started flopping.A dispirited Khosla took refuge in drink and passed away in 1991, totally disillusioned with the Film industry.

Awards & Nominations

*Filmfare Nomination as Best Director - Do Raaste (1970)
*Filmfare Nomination as Best Director - Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978)
*Filmfare Best Movie Award - Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) [http://deep750.googlepages.com/FilmfareAwards.pdf]

Quotes

On film industry: " It's a losing game. There are no winners here."

Trivia

* Raj Khosla initially entered the Film Industry with hopes of making it as a playback singer.
* Met his close friends Dev Anand and Guru Dutt during their tenure at Prabhat studios.
* He assisted Guru Dutt and in 1954 got a break with Milap
* Was given break by mentor Guru Dutt to direct C.I.D.
* C.I.D. and Raj Khosla combined the ‘noir’ style of Hollywood thrillers with pure Bollywood romance and masala.
* Remembered as Indian stylish directors.
* Guru Dutt had reportedly gifted Raj Khosla a swanky foreign car after the success of C.I.D.
* When asked by Dev Anand what he is supposed to do in song Leke Phela Phela Pyaar for film C.I.D., Raj Khosla simply said just walk and look handsome! That is exactly what he did!
* Raj Khosla was instrumental in importing Ghulam Ali for hindi films for Maati Maange Khoon.

elected filmography

* "C.I.D." (1956)
* "Kala Pani" (1958)
* "Bombay ka Babu" (1960)
* "Woh Kaun Thi?" (1964)
* "Mera Saaya" (1966)
* "Do Badan" (1966)
* "Do Raaste" (1969)
* "Mera Gaon Mera Desh" (1971)
* "Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki" (1978)
* "Dostana" (1982)