The late legendary filmmaker successfully blended the extravagance of mainstream cinema with the nuances of arthouse cinema.
Martin Scorsese once said, "There's no such thing as simple. Simple is hard." Well, there was one filmmaker in the Hindi film industry who mastered the art of simplicity and carved a separate niche with his distinct craft. We are talking about the late Hrishikesh Mukherjee who explored the complex nuances of the common people's lives in a very light way. He portrayed the travails of the middle-class without making it preachy, and on the other hand, introduced a new style of storytelling that redefined the landscape of Hindi cinema.
As writer-director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwary said in an interview, "Hrishi-da was utterly simple in his style, telling everyday stories with so much passion and joy. He made a simple moment look big, with such nuance and innocence. We all have a little comedy in our lives — and he taught us how we can laugh at ourselves. What we now call slice-of-life cinema, Hrishi da did it years back with such aplomb, and in so many films.”
Born on September 30, 1922, Hrishikesh Mukherjee directed 42 films in his career spanning over four decades, many of which went on to gain cult status along the way. His films were rooted in realism, and yet had a commercial appeal like no other. He was, in every sense, the pioneer of middle cinema in India.
View this post on Instagram
(Credit: thenostalgiccinephile)
On the late legendary filmmaker's birth anniversary, let's revisit some of his best films in this article.
It stars Rajesh Khanna in the lead role, with a supporting cast like Amitabh Bachchan, Sumita Sanyal, Ramesh Deo, and Seema Deo.
And well, who can forget the iconic dialogue from the film, "Babumashai... Zindagi Badi Honi Chahiye, Lambi Nahi!"
The film is celebrated for its exceptional situational comedy, soundtrack, and performances from the lead cast. Even after so many years since its release, the film is still etched into everyone's minds.
The film is reportedly based on the 1970 Bengali Film 'Bilambita Loy' starring Uttam Kumar and Supriya Devi as the lead. It's still remembered for its relevant storyline, S. D. Burman's music, and performance by the lead cast.
Besides the above-mentioned films, Mukherjee's other notable works include 'Anari', 'Anupama', 'Gol Maal', 'Majhli Didi', 'Aashirwad', 'Kissi Se Na Kehna', and 'Khubsoorat'.
