Farewell: Remembering Feroz Khan, the Indian Cowboy.
By Abhi on January 22nd, 2010April Last year surely was the cruelest month for the Indian film industry, as the pale hands of death also snatched away doyen Feroz Khan on April 27.
अभी हम ज़िदा हैं
Feroz Khan was born on September 25, 1939 in Bangalore. His father was Sadiq Au Khan Tanoli, a Pathan originally from Afghanistan and his mother, Fatima, was Iranian.
He was eldest of five brothers — Sanjay Khan, Sameer Khan, Akbar Khan and Shahrukh Ali Khan and one sister, Dilshad Begum. In 1965, he married Sundari, who was a designer by profession. They had two children, Laila and Fardeen Khan. In 1985 after 20 years of marriage, they separated.
As a young man he moved to Mumbai, hoping to break into the film business, and finally getting his first role in Didi (1960). lie struggled with similar B list roles for several years before slowly making a niche for himself.
If he had been born in America instead of India, he would have taken over the mantle of the macho cowboy from John Wayne and would have given serious competition to the likes of Clint Eastwood. But despite this handicap, Feroz never gave up being the Indian Cowboy. Films like Kala Sona, Kacche Heere, Khottey Sikkey and Jaanbaaz are proof of that. And the best thing was that he was able to carry it off. We never once questioned what Texas saloons and Can Can girls were doing in the Indian countryside and why the men folk looked like extras who had wandered from the sets of High Noon. We gave in to the disbelief and happily slurped his curry westerns.
Sridevi & Feroz Khan in Janbaaz
He reveled in playing grey characters. His roles in Aag, Apradh, Qurbani or the evergreen Dharmatma made him the nation’s favourite anti-hero. It’s seldom that a second lead gets claps and whistles upon hisentrybut this sort of fan behaviour became the norm with Feroz Khan. He regularly used to steal the thunderfrom the billed stars.Arzoo, RaatAurDin, Qonche Log and Aadmi Aur lnsaan are ample proof.
His films mirrored his personal life. Fast babes, fast cars, fast music and fast horses — he enjoyed them all in reel and real life. His affairs too were the stuff of legend and what set him apart from other Don Juans is that he always remained on the best of terms with his lady loves. He was the gentleman stud, whom men make no secret that they want to emulate. A style icon, he singlehandedly popularised jeans in India. His habit of wearing figure-hugging jeans paired with cowboy shirts with buttons open till the navel became a craze.
Feroz Khan was ever a frontrunner. He shot in the German Grand Prix race for a sequence in Apradh and took his entire unit to shoot on location in Afghanistan for a large portion of Dharmatma, a feat he repeated for Yalgaar at the time when Afghanistan was in the throes of war. He introduced an unheard of singer Nazia Hassan in Qurbani, at a time when the Mangeshkar sisters ruled the roost.
A fiercely independent man, he almost stopped working in outside productions after becoming an independentfilmmaker. The last film we saw him in was Welcome (2007), where he played a genial gangster. His role was vastly admired and one expected him to restart his acting innings but sadly it wasn’t to be.
He introduced his son, Fardeen Khan, through Prem Aggan. The stylishly made film, however, failed to take off and Fardeen never reached the iconic status scaled by his father. Feroz Khan was intensely protective of his family. To help his janasheen’s flagging career, he was to remake his superhit Qurbani but succumbed to cancer before realising the project.
Tags: Cowboy Feroz Khan, Feroz Khan
Feroz Khan’s Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (2000)
By Abhi on January 22nd, 2010Honestly, this award means the world to me. It has made me conscious that my work over the decades has been appreciated. I was almost in tears when Zeenat Aman handed the trophy to me. The night I was informed that I would be the recipient of the award, I couldn’t sleep a wink.
When I first came to Mumbai I had no money in my pocket, so I had to work at a billiards table to make ends meet.
I entered this profession a couple of years before my brother Sanjay but he became a bigger star. I managed to make an impact even with the other heroes in all the two hero films I did.., so many of them became jubilee hits.
I never indulged in underhand tactics to grab roles. But I must say that I’ve often been at the receiving end. On the first day of the shoot of Oonche Log, Raaj Kumar advised me on how to say my dialogue. I very politely told him, Raajji, aap apna kaam kijeeye, main apne kaam karoonga.” There was no problem between us after that. But he’d still do strange things during scenes in which he had his back to the camera. He’s look sideways while saying his dialogue. Imagine, he’d be giving cues to the wall instead of me.
I’d love to act even today. But I’ve turned down two-three films recently. I’m too independent. When I work in an outside film, I feel like a paid labourer. And that bugs me.
Somehow, the thrill of making movies gives me a greater rush. But if I’m offered a role which appeals to my sensibilities, I’d certainly jump at it.
I got lead roles only after I directed Apradh. I turned down two-three films with Amitabh Bachchan, including Hera Pheri, which became a huge hit.
While growing up, I watched a lot of cowboy movies.. .the only Hindi film I’d seen before entering this profession was Kismet. I was fond of horse riding and the high life and I tried to infuse my style into the movies. If people want to lable me Cowboy Khan, that’s okay by me.
I’ve always been a loner. I enjoy my own company. I’ve been away from the industry because I just don’t feel comfortable with a lot of people here. I feel l should interact with the media more after winning this award.
I’d say I’m still pleasant looking. I’m hot tempered but now I’m like a bottle of soda. My anger is only momentary. You mellow with the passing years.
I’ve had my wicked, wicked days. The best way to describe myself would be with the phrase, “I’m a man among men but better amongst women.” You can be either married or happy. It happened once but it didn’t work out. And I’ve never felt the need to marry again.”
I’ve been a good father. The kids and I share a fabulous relationship. With their parents having divorced when they were barely 10 or 11 years old, it must have been tough on Fardeen and Laila. They love their mother as much as they love me. I’ve no grouse if they love their mother, they must.
Fardeen and I are very close. At the same time, we give each other space. I don’t invade his privacy and he doesn’t encroach into mine. We’ve discussed every aspect of life – be it his profession, women or sex.
There have been moments of love-hate between my brothers but this happens in every family. In life, you can choose your friends but you cannot choose your brothers. Even today, among us five brothers few are talking and few are sulking with one other.
That doesn’t mean we don’t love one another. I was in charge of my family for a long time and the others look upon me as a father figure. We’ve had our differences but we have always got back together. All five of us are hot-headed. We’ve inherited that trait from our father. It’s a Khan legacy…..
Tags: Firoz Khan Review, Firoz Khan's Life Time Achievement Award
Movie Review : Paa
By Abhi on January 21st, 2010
paa
The Amitabh Bachchan we know and love is covered up literally, in prosthetics and bad teeth and the many close-ups are a difficult watch (it’s not easy to eat popcorn when you see Auro up close), but if you look hard, you will find in Auro’s eyes reasons why Amitabh Bachchan has legions of fans. Auro’s connection with the school kids and dialogue like ‘Google se bachkar kahan jaayega’ make you smile. The end is touching but it does drag. But you’re hooked because it’s the Big B. Oh yes, and 10/10 to Jaya Bachchan who reads the credits at the beginning. More manipulation but we’re willing because we like seeing her on screen.