Filmmaker Kundan Shah, who died due to cardiac arrest on October 7, is best known for championing the cause for the common man with his on-screen outings, be it in film or television.
Gulf News tabloid! visits six of his most endearing creations that changed the way of story telling in Indian cinema:
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983)
The dark comedy was Shahs debut film and took aim at the corruption and politics that riddled Indian bureaucracy. The cult classic featured an ensemble cast including Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, Satish Shah, Satish Kaushik, Bhakti Barve and Neena Gupta. The film went on to win Shah the 1984 Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director. The laugh riot climax of the film continues to be one of the best moments in Indian cinema according to many fans.
Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984)
Considered one of the biggest shows on Indian television at the time, Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi saw a young Shah employ his impeccable knack for comedy while also discussing the problems of the common man. Directed by Shah, along with S. S. Oberoi and Raman Kumar, the show made actors Shafi Inamdar, Swaroop Sampat and Rakesh Bedi household names.
Nukkad (1986-1988)
After his accolades for Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Shah moved to television rather than continue in Bollywood. Then one fine summer morning, Nukkad aired on Indias state-run Doordashan TV and the rest was history. Directed by Shah and Saeed Akhtar Mirza, the show chronicled the everyday issues of the lower middle class in the country, narrating stories of a host of characters meeting at a street corner, discussing their hopes and dreams.
Wagle Ki Duniya (1988-1990)
This sitcom debuted in 1988 and went on to become a success story despite the added support of satellite channels in India. Shah, who was fresh off the success of Nukkad, decided to again champion the common man through this show, which was based on characters created by cartoonist R.K. Laxman. Wagle Ki Duniya starred Anjan Srivastav as sales clerk Srinivas Wagle, and saw Bharati Achrekar play the role of his wife Radhika.
Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)
One of Shah Rukh Khans first films, dating back to when the now superstar was known mainly for his television work, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa saw Shah weave an endearing coming-of-age story of a man who is down on his luck in life and love. Fans fell in love with Khan, who went on to win the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance for the role, while Shah won the Critics Award for Best Film. For longtime fans, this is considered one of Shahs finest works since Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron.
Kya Kehna (2000)
Marking the debut of a young Preity Zinta, Shah decided to pursue a storyline that had largely been unexplored in Bollywood cinema — that of a single teenage mother. Breaking social taboos with his sensitive direction, the film also gave a new lease of life to Saif Ali Khans career. The film went on to become one of the highest grossing Bollywood films of 2000, earning Zinta a Filmfare Awards nomination for Best Actress as well.
Gulf News tabloid! visits six of his most endearing creations that changed the way of story telling in Indian cinema:
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (1983)
The dark comedy was Shahs debut film and took aim at the corruption and politics that riddled Indian bureaucracy. The cult classic featured an ensemble cast including Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, Satish Shah, Satish Kaushik, Bhakti Barve and Neena Gupta. The film went on to win Shah the 1984 Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a Director. The laugh riot climax of the film continues to be one of the best moments in Indian cinema according to many fans.
Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi (1984)
Considered one of the biggest shows on Indian television at the time, Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi saw a young Shah employ his impeccable knack for comedy while also discussing the problems of the common man. Directed by Shah, along with S. S. Oberoi and Raman Kumar, the show made actors Shafi Inamdar, Swaroop Sampat and Rakesh Bedi household names.
Nukkad (1986-1988)
After his accolades for Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron, Shah moved to television rather than continue in Bollywood. Then one fine summer morning, Nukkad aired on Indias state-run Doordashan TV and the rest was history. Directed by Shah and Saeed Akhtar Mirza, the show chronicled the everyday issues of the lower middle class in the country, narrating stories of a host of characters meeting at a street corner, discussing their hopes and dreams.
Wagle Ki Duniya (1988-1990)
This sitcom debuted in 1988 and went on to become a success story despite the added support of satellite channels in India. Shah, who was fresh off the success of Nukkad, decided to again champion the common man through this show, which was based on characters created by cartoonist R.K. Laxman. Wagle Ki Duniya starred Anjan Srivastav as sales clerk Srinivas Wagle, and saw Bharati Achrekar play the role of his wife Radhika.
Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa (1994)
One of Shah Rukh Khans first films, dating back to when the now superstar was known mainly for his television work, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa saw Shah weave an endearing coming-of-age story of a man who is down on his luck in life and love. Fans fell in love with Khan, who went on to win the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance for the role, while Shah won the Critics Award for Best Film. For longtime fans, this is considered one of Shahs finest works since Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron.
Kya Kehna (2000)
Marking the debut of a young Preity Zinta, Shah decided to pursue a storyline that had largely been unexplored in Bollywood cinema — that of a single teenage mother. Breaking social taboos with his sensitive direction, the film also gave a new lease of life to Saif Ali Khans career. The film went on to become one of the highest grossing Bollywood films of 2000, earning Zinta a Filmfare Awards nomination for Best Actress as well.
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