His film reached the grassroots people...

 

What is the definition or identity of a successful director? whose 'picture' is understood (and hence loved) by fans from all walks of life and stays in houseful crowds for Silver Jubilee, Golden Jubilee weeks (in today's corporate era breaking news of doing a few hundred crore business in the first week), continues across generations of fans to know the next generation of fans, Want to see, the song, music and dance are popular all time, the director Yashasvi (Manmohan Desai).

Our Girgaonkar director Manmohan Desai is just like that. In the seventies, from the 'public of the stall' in front of the single screen theaters (I was the lead actor) to the fans in the last row of the balcony, everyone was enjoying their 'picture' with gusto. So what is in their pictures? Entertainment, entertainment, entertainment (entertainment entertainment entertainment) His pictures created the society, presented something from a symbolic view, fed the brain even if it did not happen (there were other directors for that). His focus was clear, once the picture started on the screen in the dark of the theater, the general audience had to get involved. We should forget our sorrows, stress, confusion. Even if he is happy, he should look at his picture, even if he is bitterly sick, he should look at his picture. One solution to many things, Manji's picture.

From 'Chhaliya' to 'Ganga Jamuna Saraswati' he maintained his focus. If you look at the progress book of his success, his success rate is almost ninety five percent. Not many people know that he had a picture called 'Shararat' (Vishwajeet, Mumtaz and Shatrughan Sinha). It was not very successful. 'Aa Gale Lag Ja' was a Jubilee hit success only in Mumbai at the Opera House Theatre. It did not get much response across the country. And the last film he directed 'Ganga Jamuna Saraswati' (1988) was a complete flop. Manji's spark was not seen in it at all.

In 1972, Manji released three films namely Bhai Ho Toh Aisa, Shararat and Rampur Ka Laxman. In the year 1977, four films such as Dharamveer, Amar Akbar Anthony, Chacha Bhatija and Parwarish were released on the screens and became super hits. Amar Akbar…. Absolutely must-see entertainment from any angle, anytime. A director's greatest success is to build and grow his own commanding audience. In fact, this is the 'era known for the commanding crowd puller of star, super star, he man', in which a director creates his space, identity and assurance of success, then what more do you want? Film is the director's medium, but he should also rule it. (Manmohan Desai)

As Manji stayed in Girgaon till the end, his bond with the common people remained strong. Growing up in Khotachi wadi in Girgaon, I learned that Manmohan Desai lived in Pratap Niwas in Khetwadi, just five or seven minutes from his house. Then sometimes when they leave the house, they are seen standing in front of the temple near Union High School and saluting. Sometimes Dr. Apsara on Bhadkamkar Marg is seen playing cricket with a tennis ball on the Gildan ground in front of the theatre. The plaque of the cricket team he was an official of still remains today and whenever I go to that section, I see that plaque. (Manmohan Desai)

When I came to the media, I met and interviewed director Manmohan Desai. Manji was talking heartily. There was no hindrance in his speech. His pairing with Amitabh Bachchan was the subject of an entire interview. She was released in a Diwali issue of 1991. He used to invite us cinejournalists to report on the shooting of his films and on the sets. I still remember the moment of the film 'Ganga Jamuna Saraswati' at Nataraj Studios in Andheri. It was a great experience. Rishi Kapoor, who was in the Muhurta scene, left the film soon. R. of Chembur. K. He was engrossed in watching a test cricket match on television outside the set when we were invited to the studio on the sets of 'Allarakha' directed by his son Ketan Desai.

Shammi Kapoor was also there. The same 'Man'Mauji' or 'Fun' Mohan Desai appeared worried twice. I remember, he announced much earlier that 'Ganga Jamuna Saraswati' would be his last film as a director. That is why he felt emotional at the film's completion party in a five-star hotel in Andheri. A sensitive person appeared among them. He also said that he is happy that his favorite actor Raj Kapoor is acting in his directorial debut (film 'Chhaliya'), but could not do a passionate love story with his favorite musician Naushad. So when we Mumbai critics of 'Ganga Jamuna Saraswati' were given tickets to watch the movie with the public for the first day first show at Metro Theatre, they and Ketan Desai came to meet us in the interval and felt that they had guessed about the commercial future of the film.

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Manmohan Desai is one of my favorite directors. In the seventies, he announced the grandly ambitious film Bajirao Mastani starring Rajesh Khanna and Hema Malini as a romantic duo. An advertisement was also given in the trade paper of the film industry. But this film was not made. Here are some special memories on his birthday today. The names of his superhit films range from Sacha Jhoota, Roti to Coolie, Mard. Needless to say.

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