'CID', 'Mera Gaon Mera Desh' to be screened during centenary celebration of filmmaker Raj Khosla

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 30 : Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) is all set to pay tribute to legendary writer-director Raj Khosla to mark his 100th birth anniversary.

The organisation has come up with a curated mini-retrospective titled 'Raj Khosla 100 - Bambai Ka Babu'.

The day-long celebration at Regal Cinema on Saturday will feature a panel discussion with notable personalities, including veteran film actress Asha Parekh, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt and Amborish Roychoudhury, author of 'Raj Khosla: The Authorized Biography'.

Excited to attend the event, Asha Parekh in a press note said, "Do Badan, Chirag, Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki and Mera Gaon Mera Desh are still amongst my favourite films and I am very proud of my work in these films. Before my first film with Raj Khosla, I was known more for my dancing and glamorous roles. It was Do Badan that changed people's perception of me as an actress that could perform more serious roles."

She added, "I shared a great rapport with Rajji and I enjoyed working with him. He was a very fine filmmaker and his song picturization was remarkable. I am so happy that the Film Heritage Foundation is celebrating his birth centenary by screening his films for the public on the big screen. Their unceasing efforts to preserve, restore and showcase the work of artists like Rajji will ensure that our legacy will not be forgotten."

Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, Director, Film Heritage Foundation stated, "I would describe Raj Khosla as the Howard Hawks of Indian cinema for his remarkable ability to successfully make films in every genre from thrillers, whodunits, musicals, action adventure to love stories and dacoit films. He excelled in song picturization and was known for having strong female characters in his films. It inspired me as an upcoming filmmaker when I saw images of his hoardings that had a director's chair with his name emblazoned on it."

The event will also showcase screenings of Khosla's timeless classics: C.I.D. (1956), Bambai Ka Babu (1960) and Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971). In a commitment to preserving India's cinematic heritage, C.I.D. and Bambai Ka Babu have been meticulously restored in 4K resolution by the NFDC - National Film Archive of India, under the National Film Heritage Mission, an initiative supported by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

In a career spanning three decades and 27 films, Raj Khosla stands as an often-underappreciated architect of Hindi cinema, his influence extending far beyond the surface-level recognition of iconic characters, memorable song sequences, and evocative cityscapes. Alongside his mentor, Guru Dutt, and fellow visionary Vijay Anand, Khosla pioneered the art of song picturization in the 1950s and 60s, revolutionizing the way music was integrated into Indian film narratives.

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