hathi mere saathi - a blockbuster

[alok]

great movie

[Mustafa]

Haathi Mere Sathi was released in 1971 when the Rajesh Khanna personality cult was at its giddiest height.A few incidents which I need to share about the movie with forum member out here.
During the making of Haathi Mere Sathi Rajesh Khanna charged an astronmical sum of Rs.40 lacs just to get out of the movie,but the makers were willing to even pay him that.After the movie Haathi Mere Sathi was declared a blockbuster in 1971 critics joked that the movie was hit,because of the elephants and not the superstar.Later added that the with the movie Rajesh Khanna was the most successful actor of hindi cinema as with the success of the movie Rajesh Khanna,s tally of hits was now 14 within just two year i.e.1969-71.

[Mustafa]

Although made for children,a movie which has been enjoyed by people of every age.

[alokc]

mu comments:-

This movie is one the biggest hits of Super Star Rajesh Khanna and is a movie which made him popular with kids who grew up seeing his future movies. This movie is about the relationship/bondage between man and animal. Elephants play an equally important role with Rajesh Khanna in the movie and the movie revolves around them. Tanuja playing the heroine also contributes. The movie has excellent music by Laxmikant Pyarelal who have composed some great hits for this movie sung by Kishore Kumar. One song of Mohammad Rafi is a class. The movie is a must see for movie watchers of all ages and especially the kids will enjoy this classic.

[Suhan]

An article of March 18, 2009 entitled "Of Sobs and Tears" by Jerry Pinto starts with Kaka's Haathi Mere Saathi and says.

"The first time I cried at the movies was during Haathi Mere Saathi. Rajesh Khanna's elephant had died. I could not believe an elephant could die, either in real life, or in the movies. I felt it was unfair that someone had written in the elephant's death so easily. Baw.

In my defence I was ten. I am now four times that age and I am still crying at the movies."

The rest of the piece can be found here:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Story...

[radzi]

He cried was not because of Rajesh Khanna acting, but rather just because Ramu the elephant had died.

...just the event!

while...

in Sholay ...he cried because of the "speech" of AB:

cut/paste:

Heartfelt connection
Sometimes, I know I am going to cry. When Jai (Amitabh Bachchan) is launching into his dying speech in Sholay, I know I will be wet-eyed yet again. I know that the writing is not very good, at least in the speech. It is completely out of character for Jai who suddenly abandons his cool, but it is still the end of friendship and it is the beginning of the coming of age of Veeru (Dharmendra).

[radzi]

He cried not because Rajesh Khanna acting was great, but because he was an immature 10 yrs old?

[alok]

It is a milestone movie - one of the greatest hits of Indian movies forever, forever....whether few people like it or not. Rajesh Khanna can never be forgotten - a class actor and the greatest SuperStar of all times.

[radzi]

radzi wrote:

He cried not because Rajesh Khanna acting was great, but because he was an immature 10 yrs old?

Don't you guys see what I saw?:

The author (article linked by Suhan), wrote as if he was crediting RK (only seen by RK love fest glasses), but actually he was crediting and buttering AB....and comparing to other world's greats.

...another media stunt!

[alok]

AB has his grip on media. BTW - I have always posted in my own name. I went off around mid Feb and returned only in mid March.

Talking of media - daily there is an article or release by AB. He is seen on TV/internet/press - which keeps him in news. Rajeshji is undecided it seems, and thus keeps appearing briefly and then he disappears.

[alok]

A milestone movie - one of the greatest hits of Indian movies forever, forever....whether few people like it or not. Rajesh Khanna can never be forgotten - a class actor and the greatest SuperStar of all times.

[Abhijit]

alok wrote:

A milestone movie - one of the greatest hits of Indian movies forever, forever....whether few people like it or not. Rajesh Khanna can never be forgotten - a class actor and the greatest SuperStar of all times.

Not only in India but till date it is believed in Russia also that still best film made on animal

[Abhijit]

alok wrote:

AB has his grip on media. BTW - I have always posted in my own name. I went off around mid Feb and returned only in mid March.
Talking of media - daily there is an article or release by AB. He is seen on TV/internet/press - which keeps him in news. Rajeshji is undecided it seems, and thus keeps appearing briefly and then he disappears.

It simply shows Amit's lack of confidence towards his stability on the one hand and Kaka's self confident firm personality on the other. In spite of receiving offer to appear before common people via small screen (Big Boss 3) he refused it. This shows that he still never believed for frequent appearance for cheap publicity. Whereas Amit seems always ready to perform advertisements for Oil to Pen and Cement to medicines besides banti babli and kajra re type cheap entertaining nonsense films. Pure cheap mentality people.

[Suhan]

Here's a review on "Haathi Mere Saathi" by TheBollywoodFan, one of my favorite bollywood bloggers.On Kaka's performance in it, he says:

"Rajesh Khanna was brilliant. Conveying messages through the plot required a convincing performance, and he was more than up to the task."

http://thebollywoodfan.blogspot.com/2008/10/h...

[Heyman]

Rajesh Khanna's midas touch at work........

Kamalahasan's interview in Screen.....

“I was working with Sandow Chinnappa in the production department when he bought the rights of a flop film and remade it with the then reigning superstar Rajesh Khanna as Haathi Mere Saathi. Later he reworked the storyline and made it as Maa with Dharamendra. Then, when I became an actor, he offered the film to me. I thought that by now the film’s luck would have run-out and rejected it. Well, he made the film with Rajni and it was a super-duper hit.”

source...
http://www dot screenindia dot com/old/print.php?content_id=1 0179

[Heyman]

Another insight on Haathi Mere Saathi from a different source.....
"
Remember it was Devar's own movie 'DEIVACHEYAL'( Major Sundrarajan movie) that was made in hindi
under the name HAATHI MERE SAATHI which celebrated silver jubilee runs in malaysia and later repeated again in Tamil as NALLA NERAM with MGR."
http://launch dot dir dot groups dot yahoo dot com/group/mytamilsongs/message /12909

[Shatru]

first time in hindi cinema a haathi's performance saved the movie from typical below avg performance of rajesh.

[Atul Maini]

Shatru wrote:

first time in hindi cinema a haathi's performance saved the movie from typical below avg performance of rajesh.

This shows your knowledge level about Indian cinema and history.
Sheer frustration!!
I fail to understand why are you so worried about him when he no body and far below average.Why you are wasting your precious time here?
Don't forget that 19th Dec is fast approaching Mr Shatru/Rambo or whatever may be.

[Abhijit]

Shatru wrote:

first time in hindi cinema a haathi's performance saved the movie from typical below avg performance of rajesh.

Mr. Suar Ka Aulad, if the things are such then why Maa of the same director with elephant and Dharmendra was a big flop??????

[Abhijit]

Shatru wrote:

first time in hindi cinema a haathi's performance saved the movie from typical below avg performance of rajesh.

Try to learn the merit of a film and performance then post. Do not post like a fool/stupid in future.