50 years of filmfare awards Options

[Pradeep]

Found this lovely articles on filmfare. The articles contain rich images from the past awards. Since I cannot create the virtual feel here, I've got these articles scanned into PDF format.

The text part I am pasting it on the forum, so that we can look it up later during search.

Starting from the 50s... going for Gold.

Next year, the Filmfare Awards will celebrate 50 years of history and drama, winners and legends. We kick off the countdown to 2005 with a decade-by-decade look at the ballad of the black lady.

Year 1954

'The whole purpose of the Filmfare Awards project is to make the public nationally conscious of, and interested in, the indigenous film industry. It is imperative that the picture-going public be helped to realise the Indian Film Industry's tremendous national significance. At the same time, the Film Industry itself must be made aware of its public, which stands as ultimate judge over its products.' Thus was announced the entry of the beauteous black lady on March 21, 1954. Amazing how true the words ring even today, in a vastly different context of globalisation and the film industry having obtained industry status. The acknowledgement of the power of the public vote, of course, remains the cornerstone of the Filmfare Awards.

The first ladies

The first event began with just five awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Song. The winners? Bimal Roy bagged the first two trophies for Do Bigha Zameen, then came Dilip Kumar for Daag, Meena Kumari for Baiju Bawra and Naushad for Tu ganga ki mauj in Baiju Bawra.

Compering notes

Star performances have always been the highlight of the Filmfare Awards. There were seven that year—Vyjayanthimala, Mohammed Rafi, Talat Mehmood, Kamini Kaushal, Nalini Jaywant, Satyavati and Geeta Roy (who later became Geeta Dutt when she married Guru Dutt).

And the compere for the evening was the incomparable David who continued to do so for many years. From 1954's David to 2004's Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan, humour rules!

Reader reaction

Fittingly, the first ceremony was held in a movie hall—Mumbai's Metro cinema (oh, for those smallis- beautiful days).

The awards were chosen on the basis of a popular poll conducted by the magazine. Four Filmfare readers, picked by a lucky draw from among those who participated in the poll, came up on stage to present the trophies to the winners.

[Pradeep]

Year 1987

Saagar Kinare

The winners for the year 1985 were announced in 1986 and the event was scheduled to be held at the Brabourne Stadium in December '86. Unfortunately the Bombay film industry went on strike in '86 because of its many contentious issues with the Maharashtra Government. So the ceremony was pushed to the next year.
So D-day arrived for the winners of 1985 on 28 January, 1987.

There was definitely one worried soul that year. Kishore Kumar called up before the function to ask, "Are you going to make me sing? Each time you announce an award for me, you make me sing at least six songs before you give me my trophy!" Helpfully, Kishoreda also asked, "What time is the function— I want to be there on time, on the dot." 8.30 pm, he was told. "Fine, I'll be there by 10!" he promised. Don't smile, he was there on the dot of 10 pm.

The one who got away was Amitabh Bachchan, who had promised to come, but could not because he had to air-dash to Delhi (those were his political days). But he requested wife Java to make it. She did, and handed over the Best Film (Ram Ten Gunga Maili) trophy to Randhir Kapoor.

Chief guest Dilip Kumar quipped in his opening speech that he had a hard time deciding what to wear. After all, he was to present a trophy to none less than Raj Kapoor.

Rajji’s protégée Dimple Kapadia, in her comeback year, won the Best Actress Award for Saagar. Dimple was quite a nervous wreck before going on stage—would she be able to carry the heavy trophy, she worried. Her fears were unfounded—she even raised it triumphantly.

Best Actor Kamal Haasan (Saagar) couldn't make it for the big day because it was his daughter Shruti's first birthday. He sent a telegram with great regret though.
Due to unavoidable reasons, the Awards event was not held in 1988 and 1989, so there were no awards given out for 1986 and 1987.