Phalke award caps Hrishida's illustrious career

Phalke award caps Hrishida's illustrious career
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, SEPTEMBER 5: Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the director who won critical and commercial acclaim for his simple, yet sensitive films such as Anuradha, Anand, Satyakam and Anari, has been chosen for India's highest film award, the Dadasaheb Phalke award for 1999.

Popularly called Hrishida, the 78-year-old director continued making successful light comedies and directed a deglamourised Amitabh Bachchan through the heat and dust of the action craze of the 70s. (In fact, Bachchan still swears by him. Some of his best work emerged under Mukherjee's baton, he says.)

The director will be presented with the annual award for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema by President KR Narayan on September 18.

The award, first given to Devika Rani in 1969, comprises a Swarna Kamal, Rs two lakh and a shawl. Producer-director BR Chopra was given the Phalke award last year. Other notable awardees include Raj Kapoor, Satyajit Ray, Majrooh Sultanpuri and Dilip Kumar.

Born in Calcutta in 1922, Mukherjee started out as a teacher and a freelance artist at All India Radio. He follwed renowned film maker Bimal Roy to Bombay to join New Theatres Studio in 1945 where he worked initially as a laboratory assistant and then as a film editor. His first full editing assignment was the Bengali film Tathapi.

Hrishida did the production work of Bimal Roy Productions' maiden film, Do Bigha Zameen and went on to edit most of Bimal Roy's films. He debuted as director in 1959 with L B Films' Anari starring Raj Kapoor and Nutan. This was followed up by Anuradha, starring Balraj Sahni and Leela Naidu with music by Ravi Shankar. Later, he made the experimental Mem Didi with character artistes Lalita Pawar, David and Jayant.

In 1961 he directed Aashiq starring Raj Kapoor and Padmini and then helmed Asli Naqli starring Dev Anand and Sadhana. In 1964 he directed Sanjh Aur Savera starring Meena Kumari and Guru Dutt. Do Dil (1965) starred Rajshree and Biswajeet. Anupama (1966) which starred Dharmendra and Sharmila Tagore was a big hit. He also directed Biwi Aur Makan and Majli Didi starring Dharmendra and Meena Kumari.

But Mukherjee hit Bollywood big time with a string of touching tales and simple comedies through the 70s. His films included Satyakam, Anand (1970), Buddha Mil Gaya (1971), Bawarchi (1972), Abhimaan (1973), Namak Haram (1973), Phir Kab Milogi (1974), Chaitali (1975), Chhupke Chhupke (1975), Mili, Arjun Pandit (1976), Alaap (1977), Kotwal Saab (1977), Gol Maal (1979), Jurmana (1979), Khubsoorat (1980), Naram Garam (1981) and Naukar (1981).

Hrishida's later films like Bemisaal, Rang Birangi, Jhoothi and last year's Jhoot Bole Kaua Kate could not replicate the success of his bull run through the 70s.

Hrishida has won several National awards during his 50-year film career and has served as Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification and National Film Development Corporation.