Saturday, 23 April 2016

23 APR 1927 RANJIT FILM COMPANY ESTABLISHED

GOHAR MAMAJI-1910-28 SEP 1985 CHANDULAL SHAH-13 APR 1898-25 NOV 1975


Miss Gohar
Gohar Mamajiwala
It is a privilege meeting Gohar Mamajiwala known in the Indian film industry as Miss Gohar, one time leading star, producer and studio owner. Gohar began in the silent movie era and went on to the talkies.
Well-bred and soft-spoken with old-world manners, Gohar also has high intelligence. She is a lively conversationalist.
Born into a well-to-do Bohri family of Bombay, Gohar enjoy­ed solid material comforts. Fond of reading Gohar emerg­ed as a self-assured teenager.
But the halcyon days all too frequently don’t behave consist­ently. Mr. Mamajiwala’s business almost collapsed and the family funds were seriously depleted. A family friend, Mr. Homi Master working at the time as a director for Kohinoor Films, suggested that Gohar take up acting as a career. Her parents agreed.
At this time she was sixteen, an age at which all girls have a certain loveliness. Gohar was as pretty as a doll: a round face with a firm jaw and slightly pointed chin, high forehead with the hair-line well away from the finely arched eye-brows, large lustrous eyes, a daintily chiselled nose and a generous mouth.
Her first picture Kohinoor Films’ “Fortune and the Fools” was a hit. It told the story of a rich man’s son who squandered his easily inherited fortune and finally got back on his feet thanks to his wife—a gentle but firm young girl. In the role of the wife Gohar gave the port­rayal unobtrusive finish. “Fortune And The Fools” was directed by Kanjibhai Rathor and the role of the hero was portrayed by Khalil.
It was the “silent” era of movies when audience took de­light in “stunt” films, adventure stories and mythologicals. That a social drama with a new actress could hold them was a proof of Gohar’s talent.
Her success in the very first film, was followed by her second Picture for Kohinoor. “Fairy of Ceylon” which proved even more successful for both the young star and the studio. An entertainment packed fantasy, this fairy tale adventure was directed by Homi Master and produced by Dwarkadas Sampat and the hero again was Khalil.
Among many motion pictures for Kohinoor Films she rememb­ers the ageless favorite “Shi­rin Farhad” with Khalil, the historical “Jasma Oden” in which he again played the hero, and “Educated Wife” in which Gohar portrayed the title role of a young doctor married to a man who she discovers is suffer­ing from syphilis. She cures and rehabilitates him and during all of this they discover mutual affection, understanding and love. The hero was played by Vaidya who usually portrayed villainous parts.
It was the sensitive balanced performance she put over in this highly dramatic and emotional role that brought her to the notice of Chandulal Shah who was then about to start directing “Typist Girl” for Kohinoor Films. The heroine was the beautious Sulochana but Mr. Shah insisted that Gohar, an established star, play a cameo part as the drunkard’s wife. Gohar, sure of her ability, gave a performance which did much for the picture, herself and everyone connected with it. There were many Kohinoor movies after that for Gohar, directed by Chandulal Shah and most of the time co-starring Khalil and Raja Sandow.
For two years Gohar was a star under contract to Kohinoor Films. In 1927 came the break, a mutual friend of Gohar and Chandulal Shah, Jagdish Pasta decided to start a film produc­ing concern of his own with their co-operation and technical help.
Ambitious to do something on their own an enthusiastic young quintet comprised of Jagdish Pasta, Chandulal Shah, Gohar, Raja Sandow and cameraman Pandurang Naik started the Shree Sound Studios. It was built by Shah on Pasta’s land. There they made about ten pic­tures including “Vishwa Mohini” (produced in both the silent and talkie versions) and “Chandra­mookhi”.
In 1929 Chandulal Shah and Gohar opted out of Jagdish Movietone and started their own movie production company­ Ranjit Film Company, which grew and led to the eventual acquisition of a studio with four sound stages. Ranjit Film Com­pany’s first production was shot in Krishna Studios. It was a social titled “Pati Patni”—all about why husbands go astray. The film was the first motion picture in which that polished actor and charming gentleman Mubarak made his screen debut.
Soon after Chandulal Shah and Gohar built their own studio called Ranjit Studios. It was one of the major motion picture studios for close on 20 years under their joint guidance.
It was still predominantly the silent era. As Gohar recalled those were happy days, when stars and technicians like the steering crew of producers and directors, were all under contract to the studio. Films were shot within sixteen or twenty days and ran to a merciful six thousand feet.
The Ranjit Studio stars, like stars of other studios, worked in stunt pictures, mythologicals, romantic dramas and socials. And for “stunt” pictures there were neither stand-ins nor stunt artistes. “I suffered my full share of falls and bruises and still retain a few aches and pains —reminders of those hazardous leaps, jumps and falls for the motion picture camera”.
Gohar herself was partner, producer and starring actress and with her competence, in all three departments did a great deal not only to promote the welfare of Ranjit but also foster good-will within and outside. Apart from acting her own stunts, Gohar did her own sing­ing, dancing and make-up like all the other artistes,
Today Gohar leads the same cultured life away from the bustle of the film world from which she retired some years ago. She reads a great deal, from philosophy to fiction, enjoys historical novels and is an ardent moviegoer. She has a polished command of English, Urdu, Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi, and she enjoys seeing foreign and Indian films. Her favorite foreign stars are Audrey Hepburn, Norma She­arer, Rita Hayworth, Frederick March and Clark Gable. Among Indian artistes she likes Meena Kumari, Raakhee, Jaya Bhaduri, Sharmila Tagore, Sanjeev Kumar, Ami­tabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. Her list of favorite directors in­cludes de Mille, Wilder and Wyler and Chandulal Shah, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, V. Shanta­ram, Yash Chopra and Gulzar – Patricia Singh [This profile was originally published in 1977]

Chandulal Shah

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chandulal Shah
BornChandulal Jesangbhai Shah
13 April 1898
Jamnagar, Gujarat, India
Died25 November 1975 (aged 77)
Bombay, Maharashtra, India
Other namesChandulal J. Shah / Chandulal Shah
OccupationFilm director, producer
founded Ranjit Studios (1929)
Years active1925–1963
Spouse(s)Kesarben Chandulal Shah
Chandulal Jesangbhai Shah (13 April 1898 – 25 November 1975) was a famous director, producer and screenwriter of Indian films,[1] who founded Ranjit Studios in 1929.[2][3]

Early life[edit]

Shah was born in 1898 in Jamnagar, Gujarat, British India. He studied at Sydenham College in Bombay (now Mumbai) and got a job at the Bombay Stock Exchange in 1924. While waiting to get a job he helped his brother, J. D. Shah, who was a writer for mythological films.[4] He was called by the "Laxmi Film Company" to direct a film Vimla in 1925 as its director Manilal Joshi was bedridden. Chandulal Shah not only directed the film but also went on to do two more films for the company, Panch Danda (1925) and Madhav Kam Kundala(1926) before returning to the Stock Exchange.

Film career[edit]

Amarchand Shroff, a friend of Shah, who was with the Laxmi Film Company, brought him to Kohinoor Film Company where he first came into contact with Gohar, a contact that eventually developed into both a personal and professional relationship.
The first film independently directed by him at Kohinoor was Typist Girl (1926) starring Sulochana and Gohar which was made in 17 days. The film did extremely well at the box-office leading Shah to direct another five films for the studio all featuring Gohar. Of these, the most famous was Gunsundari (1927).
In 1929 Chandulal Shah founded Ranjit Studios at Bombay, Maharashtra. It produced films between 1929 and mid-1970s. The company began production of silent films in 1929 under the banner Ranjit Film Company and by 1932 had made 39 pictures, most of them social dramas. The company changed its name to Ranjit Movietone in 1932 and during the 1930s produced numerous successful talkies at the rate of about six a year. At this time, the studio employed around 300 actors, technicians and other employees. With the advent of sound, Ranjit Film Company became Ranjit Movietone.
Besides Filmmaking, Chandulal Shah also devoted a lot of time to the organizational work of the Indian Film Industry. Both the Silver Jubilee (1939) and the Golden Jubilee of the Indian film Industry (1963) were celebrated under his guidance. He was the first president of The Film Federation of India formed in 1951 and even led an Indian delegation to Hollywood the following year.[5]

Later life and death[edit]

Shah's downfall started when Raj Kapoor and Nargis starrer Paapi failed at the box office followed by 'Zameen ke Taare'. He took to gambling and horse racing. On 25 November 1975, the industry's most powerful man, who once owned a fleet of cars, was reduced to travelling in buses and died penniless.[6]

Filmography[edit]

Director[edit]

  • Zameen Ke Tare (1960)
  • Oot Patang (1955)
  • Papi (1953)
  • Achhut (1940)
  • Pardesi Pankhi (1937)
  • Prabhu Ka Pyara (1936)
  • Sipahi Ki Sajni (1936)
  • Sipahini Sajni (1936)
  • Barrister's Wife (1935)
  • Desh Dasi (1935)
  • Keemti Aansoo (1935)
  • Toofani Taruni (1934)
  • Gunsundari (1934)
  • Miss 1933 (1933)
  • Radha Rani (1932)
  • Sati Savitri (1932)
  • Sheil Bala (1932)
  • Devi Devayani (1931)
  • Diwani Dilbar (1930)
  • My Darling (1930)
  • Raj Lakshmi (1930)
  • Bhikharan (1929)
  • Chandramukhi (1929)
  • Pati Patni (1929)
  • Rajputani (1929)
  • Grihalakshmi (1928)
  • Vishwamohini (1928)
  • Gunsundari (1927)
  • Sindh Ni Sumari (1927)
  • Madhav Kam Kundala (1926)
  • Five Divine Wands (1925)
  • Vimla (1925)
  • Panchdanda (1925)
  • Typist Girl (1925)

Writer[edit]

  • Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963) [story & screenplay as Chandulal J. Shah]
  • Papi (1953) [story, scenario & dialogue]
  • Achhut (1940)
  • Prabhu Ka Pyara (1936)
  • Sipahi Ki Sajni (1936)
  • Sipahini Sajni (1936)
  • Gunsundari (1934)
  • Sati Savitri (1932) [story]

Producer[edit]

  • Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963)
  • Aurat Teri Yahi Kahani (1954)
  • Dhobi Doctor (1954)
  • Bahadur (1953)
  • Footpath (1953)
  • Papi (1953)
  • Humlog (1951)
  • Jogan (1950) (uncredited)
  • Madhubala (1950)
  • Nili (1950)
  • Bhool Bhulaiya (1949)
  • Garibi (1949)
  • Nazare (1949)
  • Bichhade Balam (1948)
  • Jai Hanuman (1948)
  • Mitti Ke Khiloune (1948)
  • Pardesi Mehman (1948)
  • Bela (1947)
  • Chhin Le Azadi (1947)
  • Duniya Ek Sarai (1947)
  • Kaum Hamara (1947)
  • Lakhon Mein Ek (1947)
  • Piya Ghar Aja (1947)
  • Woh Zamana (1947)
  • Dharti (1946)
  • Phoolwari (1946)
  • Rajputani (1946)
  • Chand Chakori (1945)
  • Moorti (1945)
  • Prabhuka Ghar (1945)
  • Bhanvara (1944)
  • Caravan (1944)
  • Mumtaz Mahal (1944)
  • Pagli Duniya (1944)
  • Shahenshah Babar (1944)
  • Andhera (1943)
  • Bansari (1943)
  • Gauri (1943)
  • Nurse (1943)
  • Shankar Parvati (1943)
  • Tansen (1943)
  • Vishkanya (1943)
  • Armaan (1942)
  • Bhakta Surdas (1942)
  • Chandni (1942)
  • Dhiraj (1942)
  • Dukh Sukh (1942)
  • Fariyad (1942)
  • Iqrar (1942)
  • Maheman (1942)
  • Return of Toofan Mail (1942)
  • Dhandora (1941)
  • Pardesi (1941)
  • Sasural (1941)
  • Shaadi (1941)
  • Ummeed (1941)
  • Aaj Ka Hindustan (1940)
  • Achhut (1940)
  • Diwali (1940)
  • Holi (1940)
  • Musafir (1940)
  • Pagal (1940)
  • Adhuri Kahani (1939)
  • Nadi Kinare (1939)
  • Sant Tulsidas (1939)
  • Thokar (1939)
  • Baazigar (1938)
  • Ban Ki Chidiya (1938)
  • Billi (1938)
  • Gorakh Aya (1938)
  • Prithvi Putra (1938)
  • Professor Waman MSc (1938)
  • Rikshawala (1938)
  • Secretary (1938)
  • Dil Faroshi (1937)
  • Mitti Ka Putla (1937)
  • Pardesi Pankhi (1937)
  • Shama Parwana (1937)
  • Sharafi Loot (1937)
  • Toofani Toli (1937)
  • Zamin Ka Chand (1937)
  • Chalak Chor (1936)
  • Dil Ka Daku (1936)
  • Jwalamukhi (1936)
  • Laheri Lala (1936)
  • Matlabi Duniya (1936)
  • Prabhu Ka Pyara (1936)
  • Raj Ramani (1936)
  • Rangila Raja (1936)
  • Sipahi Ki Sajni (1936)
  • Barrister's Wife (1935)
  • College Girl (1935)
  • Desh Dasi (1935)
  • Kimti Ansoo (1935)
  • Noore Watan (1935)
  • Raat Ki Rani (1935)
  • Gunsundari (1934)
  • Kashmeera (1934)
  • Nadira (1934)
  • Sitamgar (1934)
  • Toofan Mail (1934)
  • Toofani Taruni (1934)
  • Veer Babruvahan (1934)
  • Bhola Shikar (1933)
  • Bhool Bhulaiya (1933)
  • Krishna Sudama (1933)
  • Miss 1933 (1933)
  • Pardesi Preetam (1933)
  • Lal Sawar (1932)
  • Sipahsalar (1932)
  • The Captain (1932)
  • Bombay The Mysterious (1931)
  • Bugles of War (1931)
  • Desert Damsel (1931)
  • Drums of Love (1931)
  • Hoor-E-Roshan (1931)
  • Love Birds (1931)
  • Milkmaid (1931)
  • Painted Angel (1931)
  • Prince Charming (1931)
  • Sinning Souls (1931)
  • Siren of Baghdad (1931)
  • The Knife (1931)
  • Beloved Rogue (1930)
  • Castles in the Air (1930)
  • Divine Dowry (1930)
  • Glory of India (1930)
  • Jawan Mard (1930)
  • Love Angle (1930)
  • Magic Flame (1930)
  • My Darling (1930)
  • Outlaw of Sorath (1930)
  • Patriot (1930)
  • Ranak Devi (1930)
  • Romances of Radha (1930)
  • The Tigress (1930)
  • Wild Flower (1930)

Gohar – The Glorious Gohar (Biography)

       January 14, 2014 Gohar – The Glorious Gohar (Biography)2014-01-16T09:52:47+00:00    ACTRESSES     No Comment
Gohar
Glorious Gohar, as she was named, did succeed in achieving what she desired. Older generations cannot help going into raptures about her elevating performances in films like ‘Achhut’, in which she portrayed the trauma of a lonely, untouchable girl with great sensitivity and poignancy. Her roles were always strong, focal points in the films she did. She said, “I do not wish to stop at mere entertainment. I would like to portray characters who, by virtue of their nobility, will linger long in public memory.”
Gohar was from a well-to-do Bohri family of Bombay (she was born in Lahore in 1910). When her father Mr. Mamajiwala’s business collapsed, a family friend Mr. Homi Master working at the time as a director for Kohinoor Films, suggested that Gohar should take up acting as a career and her parents agreed. At that time she was only sixteen with all her loveliness, looking like a doll. She started her career as lead with Kohinoor Films’ “Fortune and the Fools” (1925) directed by Kanjibhai Rathor opposite Khalil, it was a hit. It was the “silent” era of movies when audience took delight in “stunt” films, adventure stories and mythologicals. That a social drama with a new actress could hold them was a proof of Gohar’s talent. Her success in the very first film, was followed by her next films like “Fairy of Ceylon”. She then worked in many motion pictures of Kohinoor Films, mostly directed by Homi Master or Chandulal Shah, like “Mumtaz Mahal” (1926), “Shi¬rin Farhad” (1926), “Thief of Delhi” (1926), “Typist Girl” (1926), “Educated Wife” (1927), “Gunsundari” (1927), etc.
For two years Gohar was a star under contract to Kohinoor Films. In 1927, a mutual friend of Gohar and Chandulal Shah, Jagdish Pasta decided to start a film producing concern of his own with their co-operation and technical help.
Ambitious to do something on their own an enthusiastic young quintet comprised of Jagdish Pasta, Chandulal Shah, Gohar, Raja Sandow and cameraman Pandurang Naik started the Shree Sound Studios. It was built by Shah on Pasta’s land. There they made about ten pictures including “Vishwa Mohini” (produced in both the silent and talkie versions) and “Chandramookhi”.
As it was a period of motion pictures mostly stunt films, Gohar like other stars, worked in stunt pictures, mythologicals, romantic dramas and socials. Apart from acting her own stunts, Gohar did her own singing, dancing and make-up like all the other artistes.
She became the married Chandulal Shah’s consort. In 1929, Shah and Gohar opted out of Jagdish Movietone and started their own movie production company Ranjit Film Company, which grew and led to the eventual acquisition of a studio with four sound stages. They made an ideal pair, she adding zest to his work and he driving her on to work harder. The workers always loved her. Ranjit Film Com-pany’s first production was shot in Krishna Studios. It was a social titled “Pati Patni”.
Soon after Chandulal Shah and Gohar built their own studio called Ranjit Studios. It was one of the major motion picture studios for close on 20 years under their joint guidance.
Later, the company fell on bad days. The famous Ranjit Trademark lost its position as the method of film making changed. Also, Shah lived and spent extravagantly.
The last movies Gohar acted in were “Achut” and “Usha Haran” in 1940. She acted in more than 50 movies. She passed away on September 28, 1985.
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      1 comment:

      1. Nityam Vakil2 November 2020 at 21:21

        Respected Ma'am,

        I am Nityam Vakil, a software engineer by profession and an enthusiast of rare and old classical Hindi movies.

        I came across your article: https://tinyurl.com/y32ocjpj

        I have been looking for some rare films for quite some time now, one of which was produced by Ranjit Movietone. My Grandfather, who is 90 years of age now, grew up in the time when this studio produced some of the greatest classics like Bhakta Surdas - 1942, Tansen - 1943 employing legendary artists like Mr K L Saigal.

        I have searched the internet, many CDs/DVD outlets, contacted some directors and old studios, tried NFAI Pune, contacted movie distributors like Shemaroo, Eagle, Ultra etc, but couldn't find the movies.

        Since I feel short of contacts and resources now, I request your assistance, knowledge and resourcefulness in finding one of the films - Bhakta Surdas - 1942.

        If you have any contact with Chandulal Shah's family or anyone related to Ranjit Movietone, please connect me with them.

        Some other films I am looking for (produced by New Theatres):
        1. Puran Bhagat - 1933 (Cast: K L Saigal)
        2. Dharti Mata 1938 (Cast: K L Saigal, K C Dey)

        Without saying, if found, the movies WILL NOT be made available to the public but used for PERSONAL SCREENING only. And all cost of finding and obtaining it will be paid in full.

        Your help will be highly appreciated.
        Thanking you.

        ReplyDelete

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