THAT’ 70s SHOW
Tuesday, 25th December, 2007
Think of an era that had it all- romance, action, thrillers and plenty of masala. Think of an era that gave Bollywood its biggest grosser of all times - Sholay. Think of an era that gave the industry its biggest superstar – Amitabh Bachchan. A time when films underwent a change because of social upheavals, when budgets doubled, when movies became bigger and better and life became a little larger.
The Seventies are not just part of our movie-going experience; they’re part of our collective consciousness. The decade might have lacked the gravitas of the Fifties, the innocence of-the Sixties and the mature elegance of the 21st century, but without its (often) loud and thoroughly entertaining films, fabulous music and fashion, our lives would have been so much more drab.
It’s no surprise then, that choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan was so enamoured by this glamorous decade that she decided to make Om Shanti Om (OSO), a tribute to the Seventies, to a decade that seemed to have it all. "It was wonderful to be a part of a decade where you could work according to your passion. Where everyone would pitch in to make their films better," says Ramesh Sippy, director of Sholay. There was a - great feeling of camaraderie and path-breaking movies such as Zanjeer, Pakeezah and Amar Akbar Anthony were made.
For yesteryear actress Zeenat Aman, the Seventies was a period of innocence, when everyone was at ease interacting with each other. "There were no cell phones, no intrusive television channels and even no vanity vans, we all just had to work together." The decade launched the-careers of many stars. Though Rajesh Khanna was still around, the Seventies saw the rise of another star, who would go on to rule the box office for the next 30 years - Amitabh Bachchan.
People took notice of him as a sombre doctor in Anand. Though he played the supporting role, his performance was as impressive as the then reigning Rajesh Khanna’s. Zanjeer (1973) catapulted him into the successful league of actors, and he gave hit upon hit thereafter. He went on to signify the frustrations of the middle class, fighting corrupt forces and thus became the first action hero aka the Angry Young Man of the industry.
On the other hand, Rishi Kapoor ruled with his boyish charm and the suave Vinod Khanna could knock the wind out of you. Bobby made Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia stars overnight. Dancing star Jeetendra came into the limelight. Shatrughan Sinha emerged as a villain.
So, what made the era so special? India was going through a very difficult time politically, which in turn affected Bollywood as well. It was a sort of renaissance for the film industry and a lot of creativity emerged along with pure masala movies. All efforts were made to make movie-watching a wholesome experience. There was romance, melodrama, elaborate action scenes, villains, twists, comedy and loads of sexy heroines. It was an outstanding decade, where films were very commercial and the music was stupendous. It was a time when stories mattered as much as songs and actors. Though it got a little monotonous towards the end. There were serious films like Abhimaan and rib-tickling comedies like Amar Akbar Anthony and Golmaal. Filmmakers, each with a distinctive style of filmmaking, shone in this decade.
Hrishikesh Mukherjee delivered hits with Anand and Guddi, Prakash Mehra was responsible for a turning point in Indian cinema. He gave birth to the Angry Young Man in Zanjeer. Yash Chopra carried the trend forward in Deewar and Manmohan Desai gave hits like Sacha Jhoota, Chacha Bhatija and Rampur Ka Lakshman.
The sad part was that the content got a little monotonous, but looking back, one feels that we had phenomenal filmmakers who did tremendous work despite the lack of technology.
The projection of women and their characters also underwent a metamorphosis. An overt sexuality that had never been projected before became a big part of the cinema of this decade. Asha Parekh was still around. Hema Malini was a big star. But the decade introduced movie-going audiences to the sultry Zeenat Aman, modern Parveen Babi, fresh Dimple Kapadia and bubbly Neetu Singh. The younger actresses changed the way Bollywood looked at women. It actually broke the mould of stereotypical women. Earlier, there were only two kinds of roles for women - sati savitris or vamps.
The divas of this decade created a glamorous image because of their earthiness. Filmmakers had begun to realise that sex and sensuality had become big selling points. Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi and Neetu Singh oozed sexiness and that’s what made the films a little more women-centric. It was time to change with the times.
It was a golden period of Bollywood Fashion. The Seventies were the most fashionable years in Bollywood. The Eighties were garish and disco type. The Nineties, when Sridevi and Madhuri reigned, were nothing to talk about. But the clothes of the Seventies - chiffons, transparent sleeves, tight kurtis, straight hair, flowers, big collars - have stayed with us. What made fashion so great then was the fact that we had actors like Amitabh Bachchan who could carry off bell-bottoms with panache. Feroze Khan looked great in shorts and Mumtaz could carry off even tiger pants.
But it’s not easy to pinpoint what really characterized the fashion trends of that decade. Because there were many actresses and actors, all of whom had a distinct style of their own. Asha Parekh was still around, mostly traditional, like Hema Malini. Mumtaz followed modern and traditional trends with ease. Then there was Neetu Singh, who carried off western and Indian clothes, from mini skirts to patialas, with equal élan. Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi broke the mould of the typical traditional heroine with their Westernized, glamorous looks.
Actors too set trends. Amitabh Bachchan, with his high-waisted bell bottoms, tight shirts and big side burns, ruled. Rishi Kapoor had a boyish charm. Feroze Khan and Vinod Khanna were sexy. But what set all of them apart from their predecessors was the fact that they made everything they wore into fashion statements.
Though considered the golden period of Bollywood fashion, you can’t reproduce the entire look today.
