Times passes but art remains .There was a time in the history of Bollywood when films were made as pieces of art, sculpted & created from deep within the soul. Its a different story now.
I have not included Mughal-e-azam, Mother India and Sholay. Dare not insult such movies by ranking them meanwhile I list out some of my fav Bollywood flicks not in any particular order.
1. Do Aankhen Baara Haath(1957) # Directed by The Great V Shantaram *ing V Shantaram, Sandhya
A true classic - Only V Shantaram could have thought of such a movie and questioned the integrity of society which believes in hanging people for criminal offences without offering them a chance.
A Jailor(played by none other then Shantaram) who believes that murderers/ criminals can become a part of our society if properly guided, approaches the government with his plan. The government allows him to conduct his experiment and so taking a batch of such hardened criminals, the Jailor begins his mission of reintegrating these criminals back into normal world. Trust me the movie is very believable with incredible performances from the cast.
=> Songs: The everclassic bhajan - Eh malik tere bandhe hum
2. Bandini(1963) # Directed by Bimal Roy *ing Nutan, Ashok Kumar, Dharmendra
Nutan’s supreme performance(reminiscent of what Nargis did for Mother India), beautiful storyline & Bimal Roy’s simple, sensitive straight-from-heart direction is the core of this film not to undermine the other cast, mesmerising music and cinematography.
The film unfolds in jail where Nutan imprisoned for life reveals her story .
Nutan, a village girl staying with her father in the pre-independence era comes in contact with Ashok Kumar, a revolutionary involved in freedom struggle. Promising to marry her, he disappears leaving Nutan and her father in an awkard situation.
Forced to leave the town, Nutan starts working in a hospital and is looking after a mentally unstable woman who turns out to be Ashok Kumar’s wife. Circumstances lead Kalyani to kill her and is imprisoned for life. Dharmendra, a doctor is attracted to Nutan and decides to marry her after getting her sentence reduced. On the way to Dharmendra’s house, Kalyani runs into a terminally ill Ashok Kumar.
Ahh I leave you all here with the song ’Ore maanjhi, o mere saajan hai us paar .main BANDINI piya ki’ as to whom should Kalyani choose?
Other Songs: *# Mora gora ang lai le, mohe shyam rang dai de(GULZAR’S DEBUT)
# Oh. jaane wale ho sake to laut ke aanaa.
3. Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi(1958) # Directed by Satyen Bose *ing Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Anoop Kumar, Madhubala
A fultoo timepass comedy of 3 brothers and their stay-away-from-women attitude. The fun starts when 2 brothers fall in love and hide the fact from the elder brother. Outstanding performances from Ashok, Kishor, Madhubala, Anup
Songs:* # Ek Ladki Bheegi bhagi si
# Haal Kaisa Hai Janab Ka
# Hum the woh thi aur sama rangeen # Babu samjho ishaare
# Main Sitaaron Ka - 5 rupaiya 12 anna
4. Do Bheega Zameen(1953) # Directed by Bimal Roy *ing Balraj Sahni, Nirupa Roy
This unforgettable classic by Bimal Roy is known for its dark, depressing, very realistic portrayal of a Calcutta rickshaw puller, Balraj Sahni. One of the greatest films of Indian Cinema - A LANDMARK FILM.
Do Bigha Zameen is a story of a poor farmer, living in a small village with his small family owning a few acres of land - happy and content. His land becomes the target of Zamindar’s ire when it comes in the way of a profitable venture.
Zamindar gives a short time to the farmer to settle his debts. And our farmer
decides to come to the city to earn some quick bucks - himself as a rickshaw puller cum odd job man and his son as a shoeshiner.
Balraj Sahni’s performance hits you where it hurts the most and you end up with tears in your eyes especially in the last scene where he stands with his wife, Nirupa Roy & children at the very gates of the factory being constructed on his land.
5. Jagte raho(1956) # Directed by RK *ing RK
A poor villager’s(Raj Kapoor) single-night-journey for search of water in a city - thats the theme of this movie. He enters a society where he sees a tap and before he can drink .Chor Chor and the movie kicks off.
By the time the movie ends the viewer realises that there are far bigger chors stealing bigger things then a few drops of water. The film is very relevant in our current times as well - A slap on our modern society.
6. Satya # Directed by Ram Gopal Verma *ing Urmila, Manoj Bajpai, Chakravarty
Out of the blue came’Satya’ with a practically unknown starcast and shocked us. Gory portrayal of the stark Mumbai underworld executed meticulously by RGV and supported by excellent cinematography and the actors. One will never forget Bhikhu Mhatre . and the high shock value of this film. I am not sure but this year some idiot decided to send’Jeans’ for the Oscars(?).
7. Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam(1962) - Directed by Abrar Alvi(? Not Guru Dutt); *ing Meena Kumari(Biwi), Waheeda Rehman, Guru Dutt(Ghulam), Rehman(Saheb)
The film is a brutal depiction of the 19th century Zamindars lifestyle with high melodrama, rich dialogues, haunting cinematography, extraordinary song picturizations, outstanding performances and above all an amazing plot.
Chhoti Bahu & Bhoot Nath - one can never forget these characters. This film has several layers of plot depending on whose angle one wants to see it from. Everytime you see this film you will discover something new(Bandini has a similar feeling too).
=> Songs: # Bhawra Bada Naadan, # Na Jaon Saiyan
8. Awaara(1951) # Directed by RK *ing RK, Nargis, Prithviraj Kapoor
A delicate movie questioning the social stance of the society where in a wife is thrown out of the house for infidelity as she gets pregnant after she has been kidnapped. Her son(RK) is never accepted in the main strata of society and ends up being a criminal. Who is to blame?
Songs:* #Awaara Hoon, # Ghar Aaya Mera Pardesi
# Ab Raat Guzarnewaali Hai
# Hum Tumse Mohabbat Karke Sanam
# Dum Bhar Jo Udhar Moon Phere
9. Pyaasa(1957) - Directed by Guru Dutt*ing Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha
A master piece of a movie - a duel between love and the materialistic world is the highlight of this movie.
Guru Dutt a struggling poet is always undermined by others and during one such time comes across a prosti*ute(Waheeda Rehman) who loves his poems and falls for him. When the poems are a hit, his brothers disown him and do not recognise him - Guru Dutt lands in a lunatic asylum .
The depiction of the hipocratic society and the love of pros*itute are sensitively portrayed in the movie which has fabulous songs & https://lyrics.
Songs:*# Aaj Sajan Mohe Ang Lagalo janam safal ho jaye
# Hum Aapki Aankhon Mein
# Yeh Mehlon Yeh Thakhton
# Jaane Woh Kaise Log The Jinke
# Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahaan Ha
Continued in comments .