This outfit was a first in Tamil cinema and the sarong played a major role in contributing to the film’s success.
The movie was a rehash of a Hollywood ‘jungle’ movie featuring Dorothy Lamour which had Thavamani wear the same revealing Hawaiian-style sarong worn by Lamour. The film launched the heroine, the seductive K. It was the only instance where an animal (in this case, an elephant!) named Chandru, received top billing in the credits of the film. Vana Mohini was a ground breaking movie not only in the history of Indian Cinema but also perhaps world cinema. Three years of treatment later, Lalita was left with a defective eye. After the incident Lalita was left with facial paralysis and a burst left eye vein. This unfortunately did not pan out well and ended with Lalita accidently being slapped very hard by Bhagwan. This incident takes us back to 1942, in the midst of shooting a particular scene for a film where Bhagawan Dada was to enact a slap on Lalita Pawar. Radha and Thavamani Devi which became quite popular and shot him into greater prominenceĪ much remembered and talked about incident from Bhagwan Dada’s life is that of a “Slap”. Post Bahadur Kisan, he went on to direct a number of films in the next decade where he also directed a Tamil film, Vana Mohini, starring M. This was co-directed with Chandrarao in 1938. He was among the few male stars to break into an inner elite circle of actors/dancers which was dominated by female dancers.Īs his acclimatization with cinema grew strong, he steadily infused himself into the art of directing and made his directorial debut in a film called Bahadur Kisan.
In short, free styling to the tunes in his own unique way. Signature dance moves soon became a sensation of his time and was perhaps the first to combine different dance forms such as Ramba, Samba, Disco, Rock-N-Roll and other dance forms to Hindi cinema. The upcoming Marathi feature Ekk Albela is a biopic of Bhagwan Dada who rose to fame with the 1951 Hindi film Albela, which became the third-highest grossing film of its time.Įkk Albela traces the journey of Bhagwan Dada’s film career as an actor and director.Įkk Albela is a classic journey of a man who came up from nothing & went on to become a Legend, leaving behind a legacy that will entertain us forever.īegan his foray into the world of cinema through silent films which included small bit part rolesįirst film of notable significance was a movie called Criminal. He had swag before swag got swag!Īn ace comic actor who had a love for wrestlingīhagwan Abhaji Palav also known as Bhagwan Dada was born in Amravati, Maharashtra in 1913 and began his working career in a textile mill as a laborer In the stillness of his repressed movement he defined the minimalism of movement…and rhythm.
That tender sway of the hip…the naughty look of an infant.the quickness of a feline and the candor of a star, he possessed it all.
He owned it! He danced to tune which one couldn’t name. All might not have been original but he captured a move, a quip, a flick of a wrist, a twist, a quasi jhatka and a feline matka and made it his own.
He tried to assimilate new ideas by trying out the rhythms of those you encounter. He let their tempos move him emotionally and corporeally.
His body’s rhythms carried the sinuous wavelike motion of the gaja gamini. He underplayed his moves but still swayed like the night shade. His body had rhythm and music embedded deep within him. Saregama releases “Bholi Surat Dil Ke Khote” Ekk Albela – Bhagwan Dadaīhagwan Dada had the body of a wrestler and the jiggle of a Ginger Rogers.