Janbaaz "Feroz Khan"

Janbaaz "Feroz Khan"

That inimitable swagger with the cigarette gingerly flirting with the lips epitomised Feroz Khan. If Hollywood had Clint Eastwood’s languid
charm, Khan had his own desi version to it without making it look tacky. It’s not as if the look was just that of the cowboy. Khan’s films had fast cars, pretty women, good music and loads of style. That was hard to believe given that the early part of his career had roles, which were not entirely out of the ordinary.

He played the stockbroker in Safar, essayed the good friend in Aadmi Aur Insaan and played a journalist in Reporter Raju. To most people, the turning point was Apradh, which was his first film, as producer and director. He was barely 33, when Apradh was released in 1972 and the film with its smashing cars and a Western look was one that the audience just fell in love with. Remember, this was the phase when his contemporaries were making films, which would have sensitive themes and typically be for the family as this genre would later be described – Mere Apne, Koshish, Anand, Namak Haraam were some of them. It becomes important to look at Apradh from that context which is why there is seldom a debate on Khan or his films for that matter being ahead of his/their times.

If Apradh was impressive, three years later came Dharmatma, which was really the first time an Indian filmmaker was attempting a theme on the lines of The Godfather. Shot extensively in Afghanistan, this 1975 release was a visual treat. It presented the ancient game, Buzkashi with élan and with Kalyanji-Anandji’s music, Dharmatma was a money spinner. It was released in the year which had other films like Deewar, Sholay and Aandhi. “Showing the Buzkashi was quite an achievement,” says Ramesh Sippy, the man behind Sholay. A fact not commonly known is that Khan was close to GP Sippy, Ramesh’s father and, in fact, Khan’s debut, interestingly enough, was supposed to be in a film called Criminal, in the late 1950s. “The mahurat shot was also done though the film never went into production for various reasons,” recalls Ramesh.

The 1970s saw Khan donning the cowboy look in other films like Khote Sikkey and Kala Sona. These were not produced or directed by the man, but were well in line with the image that he seemed to have cultivated for himself without much ado. “He carried his stardom with him,” says Ramesh. It’s hard to disagree with that since Khan was known for his ostentatious parties and large farmhouses. Clearly, he lived life on his own terms and if people thought it was kingsize, he was quite alright with that.

In one sense, that cowboy image was shed in its own way in Qurbani. With a heist forming the theme, this 1980 release was the biggest hit of Khan’s career. The film, dedicated in the memory of Sanjay Gandhi, was a trendsetter. The real surprise was Nazia Hassan and her voice for the film’s soundtrack remains unforgettable. Like the release of Dharmatma, Qurbani was up against Ramesh Sippy’s Shaan, which was his first release after Sholay. This time Khan came up trumps, while Shaan was second best. “Feroz was quite happy about beating me. Of course, that was merely in a cheerful sort of manner, rather than a rivalry” says Ramesh quite sportingly.

Khan stood out in ways more than one. He was articulate, suave and doubtlessly the ladies’ man. Having a chat with him was a pleasure since it made for great listening. When Amrish Puri passed away in early-2005, Khan was emotional and spoke effusively about the man who worked with him in Qurbani, Janbaaz and later Dayavan. Films remained Khan’s passion and he enjoyed his work tremendously. His films are a big draw in the home video market. “Dharmatma, Apradh and Qurbani are the best-sellers,” says Moser Baer’s entertainment business CEO Harish Dayani who is now planning a pack of Khan’s best films.

For film lovers, Khan’s death marks the end of a phase in Bollywood. While there were others who arguably made more meaningful films, the fact remains that the style icon had his own place under the sun — be it with the cowboy hat or the guitar
or just with the tobacco making its way out of his mouth. That was Feroz Khan for you.


via:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Media--Entertainment-/Janbaaz-Feroz-Khan/articleshow/4473884.cms