Blast from the past

UMRAO JAAN

Directed by: Muzaffar Ali

Released On: 1981

Did You Know: Actor Rekha’s portrayal of a classical courtesan in Umrao Jaan in 1981 won her the National Film Award for Best Actress. Rekha once confessed, “After reading the script, I had a strange feeling that I had Umrao in me.” In preparation for the role, Rekha, who, at the beginning of her career, did not speak Hindi, took the task of learning the finer nuances of the Urdu language. Rekha wore her own costumes and jewellery for the movie due to budget constraints.

SONAR KELLA

Directed by: Satyajit Ray

Released On: December 27, 1974

Did You Know: The title of the film—The Golden Fortress—refers to a fort in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India, which is built from a kind of sandstone that resembles gold. Most of the film’s drama unfolds in trains: first on two separate trains, both Jaipur bound, and later, on one travelling from Jodhpur to Pokhran, and another from

Pokhran to Jaisalmer.

PSYCHO

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Released On: June 16, 1960

Did You Know: In order to replicate the sound of a knife entering human flesh, the crew plunged a knife into a melon for the famous shower scene. Instead of using fake blood, Alfred Hitchcock opted for chocolate syrup to get a darker tone for the screen. Walt Disney refused to allow Sir Alfred Hitchcock to film at Disneyland in the early 1960s.