Down Melody Lane..::..Article on Films, Personalities, Music Reviews and More..

Bharat Bhushan, Indian cinema's poet, saint and romantic hero passed away on January 27, 1992, at the age of 72. Having been in the film industry for over five decades, he had seen it all - fame, failure and frustration.

Born into a well-to-do family in Meerut on May 1919, Bhushan completed his B.A. from Agra University. Inclined towards music and literature, he wanted to make a career as a musician, much to the chagrin of his father, Rai Bahadur Motilal, a famous advocate.

In those K. L. Saigal days, actors used to do their own singing for their films. This attracted Bhushan to the tinsel world. He accidentally met producer Kidar Sharma in Calcutta who was making Bhakt Kabir with singer Pandit Omkarnath Thakur in the lead. Incidentally, Bhushan also played the tanpura for Panditji. Bhushan was offered the role of the Prince of Benaras for a paltry fees of Rs.60. After a few reels were shot, differences cropped up between Panditji and Kidar Sharma and Panditji walked out of the film. Sharma restarted the film with Bhushan in lead. The film, dealing with the theme of secular harmony was a huge success.

He then joined the Pune-based Shalimar Films and was cast in key roles in Rangeela Rajasthan and Krishna Bhagwan. However, neither of these films were completed as the producer, W.Z.Ahmad, closed shop and went to Pakistan after the Partition. Bhushan moved to Bombay where Sharma again offered him the lead in Suhag Raat opposite Geeta Bali. In 1950he played the legendary 'Baiju' in Vijay Bhatt's Baiju Bawra co-starring Mina Kumari. As he himself said, "Despite my other successes Baiju Bawara probably remains my most memorable work. Even today, people yell 'Baiju' when they see me."

Then came a host of other films - Maa, Mirza Ghalib, Basant Bahar, and Barsaat Ki Raat. For his performance in Mirza Ghalib he received the best actor award from the Asian Film Society of London. Bhushan himself wrote the story of Barsat Ki Raat and did the screenplay.

Angulimaal was also one of Bhushan's favourites although it was not well received at the box-office. In the film produced by the government of Thailand, Bhushan tried to break away from his typecast goody-goody character. Here he played a young man who murdered people and wore a garland of chopped-off thumbs of his victims. The story was based on a Buddhist legend and drew large audiences in Thailand.

Bhushan starred with several heroines, including Geeta Bali, Nargis, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Nimmi, Nanda, Vyajayanthimala, Bina Rai and Mala Sinha. About his heroines he said, "Suraiyya, who acted with me in Mirza Ghalib, was an excellent actress and singer. She was extremely co-operative too." Yet he could not comprehend why she refused to work with him in Barsaat Ki Raat. "Meena Kumari was a terrific actress," he said, "and Madhubala had that rare combination of looks and talent."

Since Bhushan played numerous mythological roles he was once asked if it was his forte. He had replied, "When one does a role from mythology or history, one needs to concentrate a lot. While playing Mirza Ghalib if an actor overacts it looks like buffoonery. I have always accused of underplaying my roles. But it is far better that overacting." This was in keeping with his off-screen persona of a well-mannered soft-spoken gentleman.

The directors that Bhushan had high regard for were Devaki Bose, Bimal Roy, Vijay Bhatt and Kidar Sharma. When the era of saint and singer was over Bhushan was left in cold. He did prominent cameos in Umrao Jaan, Meera and Pyar Ka Mausam. But, he went on to say, "I failed as a character actor."

Bhushan also tried his hands in direction. But with the kind of realistic notion of direction that Bhushan had, it is no wonder that his films did not take off. After Dooj Ka Chand which he had produced, bombed at box-office, his finances were on the ebb. He had to move-out from his luxurious Pali Hill residence to the distant suburb of Malad.

After scoring an illustrious innings in the world of cinema, he spent a good part of the last years of his life with his actress-wife Ratnamala, doing what he liked second best - reading, listening to music and writing.