Remnants of a golden era. Review on FilmFare

Filmfare in it’s heydays was not just a film magazine , it was an institution by itself.

BK Karanjia as editor was a doyen of the era commanding huge respect and regard , a suave and soft man, unlike his controversial sibling Russi Karanjia of Blitz.

Dhiraj Chawda’s photography, Raju Bharatan’s articles on film music, IS Johar’s Question Box, Reviews by Iqbal Masud, Amita Malik and other great connoisseurs, were main attractions.

Filmfare awards were the most coveted and respected awards unlike the present day scenario wherein there are dozens of awards , none too above suspicion. FF awards still retain certain element of charm but gone is the aura which was associated with the FF awards earlier. I remember the intense lobbying for Filmfare awards which started with LP’s music award for Dosti, I received a printed circular letter from LP soliciting my vote .Subsequent years saw erosion in standard of awards which got heavily tilted towards Shanker Jaikishen and RK lobby. And of late FF awards too have lost the class, credibility and respectability.

Present day avatar of Filmare hasn’t got anything left of its hey days and I miss the good old days of Filmfare which apart from Film India/ Mother India ( Of legendary Baburao Patel ) was the only film magazine .There were , Screen and Picturepost , these had limited reach.

Entry of other journals like Star&Style, Movie, Stardust, Cineblitz etc. changed the scenario and Filmfare too had to change itself , but somehow I have never reconciled myself to its modern avataar. Nevertheless it is to the credit of Filmfare as an institution that it has survived so long when many of its contemporary publications including “ Weekly” have folded up long ago.