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Hrishikesh Mukherjee co-wrote and directed the 1971 drama film Anand, which also features dialogue penned by Gulzar. Rajesh Khanna plays the major part, and Amitabh Bachchan, Sumita Sanyal, Ramesh Deo, and Seema Deo play supporting roles.
The movie received a number of honours, including the 1972 Filmfare Award for Best Film. It was included in Anupama Chopra's book 100 Films to See Before You Die, published in 2013. Rajesh Khanna enjoyed 17 straight box office victories between 1969 and 1971.
No one recognised Bachchan when he went to a gas station to fill up his car's tank on the movie's release. But people began to recognise him when he returned to the same gas station for a refill after the film's evening premiere. This is a true coincidence, Bachchan wrote on Twitter. It was the gas station near Irla, on SV Road.
The movie had a mediocre box office performance. But over time, it developed a cult following and is now regarded as one of the best Hindi movies ever made. It was included in Indiatimes' list of the 25 Bollywood movies you must watch. Khanna and Bachchan have only appeared together in two films, Anand being one of them. The other was Namak Haraam, also directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and released in 1973.
Movie name |
Anand |
Genre |
Drama, Musiscal |
Directed by |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee |
Written by |
Bimal Dutta, Gulzar, D.N. Mukherjee, Hrishikesh Mukherjee |
Produced by |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee, N. C. Sippy |
Starring |
Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Sumita Sanyal, Ramesh Deo |
Cinematography by |
Jaywant Pathare |
Music by |
Salil Chowdhury |
Edited by |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee |
Production company |
Panorama Studios |
Distributed by |
Digital Entertainment, Shemaroo Video Pvt. Ltd. |
OTT Platform |
Disney+Hotstar |
Release date |
12 March 1971 |
Country of Origin |
India |
Language of Origin |
Hindi |
Box Office Collection |
₹0.98 crores |
Running Time |
122 minutes |
The film revolves around the story of a terminally ill man, Anand, who is a happy-go-lucky person and has an infectious zest for life. He is a writer and a philosopher who inspires those around him to live life to the fullest. Despite his illness, Anand remains optimistic and joyful, and his positive outlook on life has a profound impact on those around him, including his doctor, Bhaskar.
Bhaskar becomes close friends with Anand and is inspired by his unwavering spirit. Anand's condition deteriorates, and despite Bhaskar's best efforts, he eventually passes away. The film ends with Bhaskar remembering Anand and how he changed his life forever.
The film explores themes of life, death, and the meaning of existence. Anand's character, it highlights the importance of living life to the fullest, even in the face of adversity. Anand is widely regarded as a classic of Indian cinema and is remembered for its heartwarming story and the performances of its lead actors.
Anand was released on 6 March 1971 in India. It was a commercial success and received critical acclaim, cementing its status as a classic of Indian cinema.
In recent years, the film has become available on various over-the-top (OTT) platforms for streaming. These include popular streaming services such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+ Hotstar. This allows fans of the film to easily watch it from the comfort of their homes, and also allows new audiences to discover and enjoy the film.
Anand received widespread critical acclaim upon its release in 1971. The film was praised for its heartwarming story, engaging characters, and powerful performances by the lead actors. Rajesh Khanna's portrayal of Anand was especially well-received, with many critics praising his ability to convey the character's infectious zest for life and unwavering optimism despite his illness.
The film's director, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, was also praised for his sensitive handling of the film's themes of life, death, and the meaning of existence. The film's musical score was also highly regarded, with several songs from the film becoming popular hits.
In the years since its release, Anand has continued to receive positive reviews and is widely regarded as a classic of Indian cinema. Its impact can still be felt today, with its themes and performances continuing to inspire and move audiences. The film remains a testament to the power of cinema to touch hearts and change lives.
Rajesh Khanna as Anand Sehgal / Jaichand
Amitabh Bachchan as Dr. Bhaskar Banerjee a.k.a. Babu Moshai / Munna
Sumita Sanyal as Renu Bhaskar Banerjee
Ramesh Deo as Dr. Prakash Kulkarni
Seema Deo as Suman Kulkarni
Lalita Pawar as Matron D'Sa
Durga Khote as Renu's mother
Johnny Walker as Isa Bhai Suratwala / Morarilal
Asit Sen as Chandra Nath
Dev Kishan as Raghu Kaka
Dara Singh as Wrestling Coach aka Papaji
Brahm Bhardwaj as Mauni Baba
Hrishikesh Mukherjee co-wrote and directed the 1971 drama film Anand, which also features dialogue penned by Gulzar. Rajesh Khanna plays the major part, and Amitabh Bachchan, Sumita Sanyal, Ramesh Deo, and Seema Deo play supporting roles.
Salil Chowdhary wrote the songs and the musical score. Gulzar and Yogesh were responsible for the lyrics. The poem Maut Tu Ek Kavita Hai, written by Gulzar, is read by Amitabh Bachchan. Lata Mangeshkar had already served as the music director for Marathi films under the alias Anandghan, so Mukherjee sought her to write the songs before confirming Chowdhary. However, she graciously declined the offer and chose to perform the songs in the movie rather than write them.
Companies like Digital Entertainment Inc., Shemaroo Entertainment, and Eagle Home Video introduced numerous DVD editions to the market. These were made available as unaltered, unremastered editions stripped of all extras. A restored Blu-ray edition by Eagle Home Video was released, maintaining the film's original 4:3 pillar box aspect ratio and DTS Master Audio (HD) in 2.0. Shemaroo Studio was the location of the restoration.
The titular character, Anand, is played by Rajesh Khanna. Anand is a terminally ill man who lives life to the fullest despite his illness. He is a happy-go-lucky person with a positive outlook on life and an infectious zest for living. His unwavering spirit and philosophical outlook inspire those around him and make him one of the most memorable characters in Indian cinema.
Bhaskar is Anand's doctor, played by Amitabh Bachchan. Bhaskar is initially reserved and detached from his patients, but he is deeply moved by Anand's positive outlook on life and the two become close friends. Through his relationship with Anand, Bhaskar learns to embrace life and find joy in the face of adversity.
Renu is Anand's nurse, played by Seema Deo. She is kind and nurturing and forms a close bond with Anand as she tends to him in his illness.
No. |
Song Name |
Singers |
Lyricist |
Duration |
1 |
Kahin Door Jab (Male) |
Mukesh |
Yogesh |
5:40 |
2 |
Maine Tere Liye |
Mukesh |
Gulzar |
3:09 |
3 |
Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli |
Manna Dey |
Yogesh |
3:30 |
4 |
Kahin Door Jab (Female) |
Lata Mangeshkar |
Yogesh |
3:48 |
5 |
Na Jiya Lage Na |
Lata Mangeshkar |
Gulzar |
3:22 |
6 |
Maut Tu Ek Kavita Hai |
Amitabh Bachchan |
Gulzar |
0:47 |
Later, Mukherjee considered producing the movie in Bengali with Uttam Kumar as Babu Moshai. He pondered casting Kishore Kumar and Mehmood (as Babu Moshai) in the starring parts but this plan too fell through. N. C. Sippy, one of the producers, has previously managed Mehmood's production. To discuss the proposal, Mukherjee was asked to meet with Kishore Kumar. But when he arrived at Kishore Kumar's house, the gatekeeper drove him away because of a miscommunication.
During a stage performance, Bengali-born Kishore Kumar and a Bengali event manager got into a money argument. In the event that this Bengali ever visited the residence, he had told his gatekeeper to drive him away. Hrishikesh Mukherjee was turned away by the gatekeeper because he believed him to be this Bengali. Mukherjee was hurt by the situation and decided not to work with Kumar. Mehmood was forced to leave the movie as a result. By this time, Kishore Kumar had established himself as Khanna's go-to playback vocalist, although Anand had no songs by him.
In just 28 days, Hrishikesh Mukherjee completed filming. Gulzar, who also wrote the language and the lyrics for a few songs, Bimal Dutt, D.N. Mukherjee, and Hrishikesh Mukherjee created the script for Anand.
Anand was a commercial success upon its release in 1971. Although box office collections were not tracked as closely at the time as they are today, the film was reported to have done well at the box office and to have been a hit with audiences.
It is worth noting that Anand was released during a period of great change in Indian cinema, as the industry was shifting from the golden era of Indian cinema in the 1950s and 60s to a more commercial, star-driven era. Despite these changes, Anand was able to stand out and connect with audiences, thanks in part to its heartwarming story, memorable characters, and powerful performances by its lead actors.
The film's lasting popularity and its status as a classic of Indian cinema further demonstrate its commercial success and its enduring appeal to audiences. While its specific box office collections may not be available, there is estimation that the movie Anand earned roughly around ₹0.98 crores at that time.
Award |
Year of Ceremony |
Category of Nomination |
Nominee |
Result |
National Film Awards |
1971 |
Best Feature Film in Hindi |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee and N. C. Sippy |
Won |
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards |
1972 |
Best Actor (Hindi) |
Rajesh Khanna |
Won |
19th Filmfare Awards |
1972 |
Best Film |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee and N. C. Sippy |
Won |
19th Filmfare Awards |
1972 |
Best Director |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee |
Nominated |
19th Filmfare Awards |
1972 |
Best Story |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee |
Won |
19th Filmfare Awards |
1972 |
Best Editing |
Hrishikesh Mukherjee |
Won |
19th Filmfare Awards |
1972 |
Best Actor |
Rajesh Khanna |
Won |
19th Filmfare Awards |
1972 |
Best Supporting Actor |
Amitabh Bachchan |
Won |
19th Filmfare Awards |
1972 |
Best Dialogue |
Gulzar |
Won |
Dharmendra claims that before Rajesh Khanna received the lead role.
Anand was one of the first films to tackle the subject of terminal illness in India, and its portrayal of a man facing death with grace and humour has been widely praised.
Rajesh Khanna was already a popular and successful actor at the time of Anand's release, but Amitabh Bachchan was relatively unknown. The film was one of the early roles that helped to launch his career.
The film's music, composed by Salil Chowdhury, was also popular and several of its songs became hits.
The film's cinematography, directed by Subrata Mitra, was praised for its use of light and shadow to create a poignant and emotional atmosphere.
Anand was shot in Mumbai, India, and its production was notable for its modest budget and efficient shooting schedule.
The film features a number of memorable and touching scenes, including Anand's famous Zindagi ka safar hai ye kaisa safar speech.
The film was a major box office success and was one of the highest-grossing films of 1971 in India.
Anand has been widely praised for its positive and optimistic outlook on life and death, and for its portrayal of friendship and compassion in the face of adversity.
The film's lead actors, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, have been widely credited with bringing the story and characters to life with their powerful and moving performances.
Anand remains one of the most beloved and widely watched films in Indian cinema, and its impact and influence can still be felt in Indian popular culture today.
In the years since its release, Anand has continued to receive positive reviews and is widely regarded as a classic of Indian cinema. Its impact can still be felt today, with its themes and performances continuing to inspire and move audiences. The film remains a testament to the power of cinema to touch hearts and change lives. Each of these characters plays a key role in the film and contributes to its touching and memorable story. The film's success can be attributed, in large part, to the strong performances of its lead actors, who bring these characters to life in a powerful and moving way.
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