Nutan: A brief sketch of her career - 2
Anand Tiwari
Here is the second part of the post. It also includes some information on
her personal life gathered from different sources. Please feel free to add
information or correct it.
Anand
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During the disturbed decade of the '70s and the miserable '80s
her output declined. She was offered the mother's role in "Deewaar" but her
husband did not like the idea of her playing mother to Shashi Kapoor and
Amitabh Bachchan, both of whom were roughly in the same age group as she
was. However she did turn in some memorable performances in Shakti Samanta's
"Anuraag" and Raj Khosla "Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki". Rajshri's "Saudagar"
had her opposite Amitabh (who was a struggler then) and Saawan Kumar Tak
utilized her effectively in his emotional tear jerker "Saajan bina
Suhaagan". In one of the few interviews she gave during that period of time
she expressed her satisfaction at having worked with the best talent the
industry had to offer. She spoke highly of Padmini Kolhapure who reportedly was
one of her favourite actresses. With the release of 'Karma' in 1986, she finally
had a film in which she shared the credits with Dilip Kumar. Years ago, they had
starred in a film called "Shikwa" which never got released. Subhash Ghai made
better use of Nutan's talent in his courtroom drama 'Meri Jung' where she played
a lady who is shocked and numbed by the death of her husband who is framed and
hanged for a murder he never committed.
Awards and Rewards came in ample measure to Nutan. She still holds the record
for 6 best actress filmfare trophies, all of which were earned during the
phase when those awards were decided on a 100% popularity basis. She acted
with all the top stars of her day. One of the most successful director's of
the seventies, Manmohan Desai started his career with the Raj Kapoor - Nutan
starrer, Chhalia (released in 1960).
Nutan did potray a negative vampish role in "Saajan Ki Saheli"
(released in '82 i believe) but that role did not cut ice with the audience
who were accustomed to seeing her in a more positive light on screen. Nutan
was involved in a couple of scandals in the later part of her life and
career. She dragged her mother into court over a dispute and she even
slapped Sanjeev Kumar on the set of Madhusudan Rao's "Devi" to quell the
seeds of suspicion in her husband's mind.
Nutan's personal life after marriage was generally happy. In regular and
periodic surveys by film magazines she and her husband were recognized as
one of the 10 richest couples in the industry (her son Mohnish was named in
the list, the last time it was compiled). Together they had collected an
exhaustive & rare set of artefacts from all around the world. During her
lifetime Nutan lived at her penthouse atop Usha Kiron one of the oldest
skyrises in Mumbai. Apart from being an actress and a housewife, Nutan was
also a good singer. She recorded a number of Bhajan's and has even sung
songs in Hindi films (The one film which immediately comes to mind is
"Chhabili" which was her mother's home production and starred all the
siblings. The music director was Snehal Bhatkar).
Nutan finally succumbed to cancer. Her death came as a shock as she
was still in her '50s and in stable condition, a few days before her
death. She is survived by her husband (Rajnish), son (Mohnish), daughter-in-law
(Aarti, better known to us as Ektaa) and a grand daughter.
In a business where fortunes are made and broken every Friday, where
memory is short and success means everything, Nutan is still remembered by
her fans and the people, who had the chance to come in touch with this
exceptional lady in personal or professional life. Her name is still a synonym
for the highest standards of acting and is looked up to by the present
generation of artistes. If film artistes are indeed stars in a dark sky then
Nutan is certainly one of the brightest of the entire lot.
[ end ]
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shya...@usa.net
Great article. Please post more such articles on other actresses like Rekha .
One Nutan film of the late 80's which I really liked was Naam . It was Sunjay
Dutt's comeback movie. Nutan played Sunjay and Kumar Gaurav's mother . It was
a sensitive film by Mahesh Bhatt ( his first commercial movie ? ).
- Shyamali
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Chetan Vinchhi
Great article. Thanks.
> Subhash Ghai made better use of Nutan's talent in his courtroom
> drama 'Meri Jung'...
Didn't she win a Filmfare (Best Actress in a Supporting Role)
for this?
> Apart from being an actress and a housewife, Nutan was
> also a good singer. She recorded a number of Bhajan's and has even sung
> songs in Hindi films (The one film which immediately comes to mind is
> "Chhabili" which was her mother's home production and starred all the
> siblings. The music director was Snehal Bhatkar).
Do you have details about her bhajans? Who was/were the MD/s?
What is the name of the album?
There was an art film some time in the early 80s - KASTURI -
in which she acted and also sang a handful of songs. Quite
nice, relying on memory. I don't remember the MD.
At this time it is appropriate to mention how wonderfully she
mouthed her songs on the screen. Remember "man mohana" from
Seema? She did such an incredible job that you could easily
believe she was actually singing the difficult classical song!
Indeed, any article about Nutan would be incomplete without
special mention of her roles as Sujata, Kalyani and Gauri!
C
neha...@hotmail.com
>
>Do you have details about her bhajans? Who was/were the MD/s?
>What is the name of the album?
>
>There was an art film some time in the early 80s - KASTURI -
>in which she acted and also sang a handful of songs. Quite
>nice, relying on memory. I don't remember the MD.
I could get hold of 4 recordings from an EP called 'MAYURI' which had
songs sung by Nutan and music director was Kanu Roy. I think this was non-filmi.
I will post details on songs later. Let me also save my comments on her singing
till I give her a second hearing.
--
Neha
Ashok
>
>
>Apart from being an actress and a housewife, Nutan was
>also a good singer. She recorded a number of Bhajan's and has even sung
>songs in Hindi films (The one film which immediately comes to mind is
>"Chhabili" which was her mother's home production and starred all the
>siblings. The music director was Snehal Bhatkar).
She has also written lyrics. Film Mayuri (early 80s) has lyrics by
her and music by Kanu Roy. The film has a nice solo sung by her:
meraa jeevan ek barfeelee dhaaraa
Interestingly, she has done playback singing in Telugu, under the
baton of S. Rajeshwara Rao, though I haven't been able to track down
the film name.
Ashok
Amarjit Singh Marjara
shya...@usa.net wrote:
> Great article. Please post more such articles on other actresses like Rekha .
>
> One Nutan film of the late 80's which I really liked was Naam . It was Sunjay
> Dutt's comeback movie. Nutan played Sunjay and Kumar Gaurav's mother . It was
> a sensitive film by Mahesh Bhatt ( his first commercial movie ? ).
This movie is Naam. A very nice movie. One of Mahesh Bhatt's best. Nutan also
played Sanjay Dutt's mother in Kanoon Apna Apna. Nutan was paired with Dilip
Kumar in this movie.
Amarjit
Anand Tiwari
>
>Great article. Thanks.
>
>> Subhash Ghai made better use of Nutan's talent in his courtroom
>> drama 'Meri Jung'...
>
>Didn't she win a Filmfare (Best Actress in a Supporting Role)
>for this?
>
No. It was an "Outstanding Performance" award which FilmFare counts in her
tally. It is similar to the award given to Shashi Kapoor for Deewaar,
"Outstanding performance in a parallel role". I cannot comment on her singing
abilities as well as RMIMers can do. But it seems that a few days before her
death, she sang at a public function in Ahmedabad and it was well received.
regards
Anand
Anand Tiwari
>
>
>
>Great article. Please post more such articles on other actresses like Rekha .
>
>One Nutan film of the late 80's which I really liked was Naam . It was Sunjay
>Dutt's comeback movie. Nutan played Sunjay and Kumar Gaurav's mother . It was
>a sensitive film by Mahesh Bhatt ( his first commercial movie ? ).
>
Oh No! Mr Bhatt has been at commercial cinema for a long time. Two of his early
commercial ventures which come to my mind are "Vishwaasghaat" and "Lahoo
Ke Do Rang" (not the recent one). The latter got Helen a filmfare award.
neha...@hotmail.com
>
>I could get hold of 4 recordings from an EP called 'MAYURI' which had
>songs sung by Nutan and music director was Kanu Roy. I think this was
>>non-filmi.
>I will post details on songs later. Let me also save my comments on her singing
>till I give her a second hearing.
Listed below are the songs :
1. ye kaisi hai khaamoshi, ajab ye soonapan
Okayish song with just about average singing.
2. tum tum na rahe, ham ham na rahe, milke o sanam...(duet with Amit Kumar)
Both singers compete in doing a bad job. Seems like the MD must have had to work
very hard to make up for their singing:)
3. mera jeevan...ek barfeeli dhara...ruki ruki..na bahe
Yet another pedestrian song.
4. mera dil jawaan hai, mera man jawaan hain..
This one is the most catchy of all the songs with its faster pace and happier.
Probably the best one of these, but definitely not a gem.
These songs were also written by Nutan. Nothing to write home about. Music by
Kanu Roy. On second & third listen, I could still not find myself thinking that
she is a great artiste when it comes to singing. She hardly sounds like the
Nutan we hear in the movies. Like Manna, she cannot maintain a flow in her
voice. She can sing. But not well. She is barely bearable. By choice I would
not listen to her songs for pleasure.
--
Neha Desai
ham...@my-dejanews.com
KANPUR : 12.7.1998 Dear Mr.Ashok,
Having read your above message, I immediately struck to mind that late
Nutan had also rendered songs in Chhabili, censored/released in 1960; of
which at least one song haunts me right now:
Ae mere humsafar, rok apni nazar...
Probably, there was one more solo as well as 3-4 duets also. You may
please refer my revised edition of Volume-III(1951-60) to get the complete
information of CHHABILI songs
In fact, if I am not mistaken, it again strikes to me that she sang for the
first time in her Home Production's HAMARI BETI way back in 1950 ! For
complete and authentic information, you may perhaps like to refer my
Volume-II(1941-50) of HINDI FILM GEET KOSH, released on 25th February 1984 by
the living legend Maestro Naushad Ali in Bombay.
HAMRAAZ
HIG-545, RATAN LAL NAGAR, KANPUR 208 022 INDIA
PHONE : 91-512-281211, 217175
FAX : 91-512-368143 Attn.Har Mandir Singh