Kidar Nath Sharma (12 April 1910 – 29 April 1999), also known as Kedar Sharma, was an

Indian film The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on pr ...

director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist of

Hindi films Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Hollywood". The industry, producing films in th ...

.Neel Kamal'' (1947), '' Bawre Nain'' (1950) and '' Jogan'' (1950), he is most remembered for starting the acting careers of popular

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

actors like

Madhubala Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. She is considered as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. One of the country ...

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and

Tanuja Tanuja Mukherjee (née Samarth), known mononymously as Tanuja, (born 23 September 1943) is an Indian actress who predominantly works in the Hindi film industry. Part of the Mukherjee-Samarth family, she is the daughter of actress Shobhna Sam ...

Early life and education

Kidar Sharma was born in a Punjabi brahmin family in

Narowal Narowal ( Punjabi / ; ) is a historic a city located on the western bank of river Ravi in Punjab Pakistan. It was found by a Jat named Baba Naro Bajwa many centuries ago. The city is the capital of district Narowal, and a part of the Guj ...

in what was then the

Punjab region Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

and grew up in a life of poverty. Two brothers, Ragunath and Vishwa had died as infants and his sister, Taro, died of

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

at an early age. A younger sister Guro survived as did a younger brother, Himmat Rai Sharma, who would later work with Kidar on films before establishing himself as a successful

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

poet. Kidar attended the Baij Nath High School in

Amritsar Amritsar, also known as Ambarsar, is the second-List of cities in Punjab, India by population, largest city in the India, Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportatio ...

where he became interested in philosophy, poetry, painting and photography. Upon completion of high school, he ran away from home to pursue a career in cinema in

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

but was unsuccessful in gaining employment. He returned to

and attended the Hindu Sabha College where he founded a College Dramatic Society which would later give him his first break in film.

Career

The head of a local

Temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting Temperance (virtue), temperance or total abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and ...

would attend one of Kidar's plays and hired him to produce a

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

depicting the evils of alcohol. Using the money he earned from this project he would receive his master's degree in English at

Khalsa College, Amritsar Khalsa College ( ''khālsā kālaj'') is a historic educational institution in the northern Indian city of Amritsar in the state of Punjab (India), Punjab, India. Founded in 1892, the sprawling campus is located about eight kilometers from the ...

before joining a local theatre group that earned him limited acting success in 1931. He was married in 1932 and painted to earn income. Upon seeing an early

talkies A sound film is a Film, motion picture with synchronization, synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, bu ...

film ''Puran Bhagat'' (1933) by film director

Debaki Bose Debaki Bose (1898–1971), also known as Debaki Kumar Bose, was an Indian director, writer, and actor who is recognized for his contribution in Hindi as well as Bengali cinema. He was born on 25 November 1898 in Akalposh, (now East Burdwan), Bu ...

, he left for

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

hoping to get his big break at New Theatres Studios, where Debaki Bose worked. After many months of unemployment he managed to meet a then-unknown actor of

New Theatres New Theatres is an Indian film studio. It was formed in Calcutta by producer B. N. Sircar (Birendranath Sircar, the recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award of 1970 And Padma Bhushan in 1972). It was formed on February 10, 1931. The company motto was ...

Prithviraj Kapoor Prithviraj Kapoor (born Prithvinath Kapoor; 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was an Indian actor who is also considered to be one of the founding figures of Hindi cinema. He was associated with IPTA as one of its founding members and establish ...

(where he would meet Prithviraj's eight-year-old son for the first time,

). Prithviraj Kapoor introduced Kidar to his neighbour, then-unknown Kundan Lal Saigal, who through an acquaintance allowed Kidar to meet Debaki Bose. Debaki Bose hired Kidar initially to become the

Movie stills photographer A unit still photographer (or simply still photographer) creates still photos specifically for use in publicity and marketing of feature films and television productions. In addition to creating photographs for the promotion of a film, the still ...

for the film ''Seeta'' (1934) but would give Kidar his first part in the creation of film with that of a backdrop screen painter and a poster painter for the film ''Inquilab'' (1935) where Kidar also had a

bit part In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British televisio ...

.IMDB Inquilab Movie Details
/ref> Kidar would continue to work with New Theatres on films such as ''Dhoop Chhaon'' (1935) and ''Pujarin'' (1936) but a big break would come when Kidar was asked to write the dialogue and lyrics for the 1936 adaptation of ''

Devdas ''Devdas'' (, transliterated as ''Dēbôdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidden childhood love ...

'' starring his friend Kundan Lal Saigal. ''Devdas'' was not only a hit, but songs from the film such as ''Balam Aaye Baso Moray Man Mein'' and ''Dukh Ke Ab Din Beetat Naahi'' became feverishly popular throughout the country, giving Kidar Sharma acclaim by the press and public. Kidar would later say, "Both

Bimal Roy Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 7 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as , '' Parineeta'', ''Biraj Bahu'', '' Devdas'', '' Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' Parakh'' and '' Ba ...

and I got our first big break in ''Devdas''. He as the cameraman and I as the writer." Kidar's big directing break came in 1940 when asked to complete the film ''Tumhair Jeet''. Upon its completion he was given the opportunity to direct his own screenplay for ''Aulad / Dil Hi to Hai'', which met with some success. He was then asked to direct '' Chitralekha'' (1941) which became a smash hit and gave Kidar credibility as a director. He would go on to begin producing his own movies, casting

and

in their first film '' Neel Kamal''. He would also cast

in her first movie, '' Sohag Raat'' (1948) and later he would team her with

for the film ''Bawre Nain'' (1950). That same year he directed ''Jogan'' starring

Nargis Nargis Dutt (born Fatima Rashid, also known as Nirmala Dutt; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) known mononyomusly as Nargis was an Indian actress and politician who worked in Hindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the ...

and

Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...

. In the late 1950s

Jawaharlal Nehru Jawaharlal Nehru (14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat, and statesman who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was a pr ...

who had heard Sharma's lyrics, summoned him and asked him to become director-in-chief of the

Children's Film Society Children's Film Society India (CFSI) was a nodal organisation of Government of India that produced children's films and various TV programs in various Indian languages. Established in 1955, CFSI functioned under the Ministry of Information and ...

. Kidar Sharma would work on many movies for the Children's Film Society, including the film ''Jaldeep'' which would go on to receive international acclaim.Children's Film Society of India, Film: Jaldeep

Children's Film Society of India Children's Film Society India (CFSI) was a nodal organisation of Government of India that produced children's films and various TV programs in various Indian languages. Established in 1955, CFSI functioned under the Ministry of Information an ...

In 1958, he would work for one year directing movies in Singapore for

Shaw Brothers Studio Shaw Brothers (HK) Limited () was the largest film production company in Hong Kong, operating from 1925 to 2011. In 1925, three Shaw brothers— Runje, Runme, and Runde—founded Tianyi Film Company (also called "Unique") in Shang ...

. An outstanding poet, Sharma wrote some of the most memorable songs including ''Balam aayo baso more man mein'', ''Dukh kay ab din beetat nahi'', ''Khayalon Mein Kisike'' (Bawre Nain), ''Kabhi Tanhaiyon Mein Bhi'' (''

Hamari Yaad Aayegi ''Hamari Yaad Aayegi'' (You Will Remember Me) is a 1961 Hindi romantic drama film, written and directed by Kidar Sharma. Produced under the banner of Show People, the director of photography was D. C. Mehta. The music was composed by Snehal Bhat ...

'') and ''Teri duniya mein dil lagta nahi''.Kidar Sharma Biograpjhy
Radio City. Kidar would continue to contribute as a lyricist and to write and direct films through the 1990s. Ironically, many Indian film critics and historians argued that he deserved the highest cinema award from the government of India but he died a day before he was to receive the Raj Kapoor Award, named in honour of the actor he helped make a success. His autobiography, ''The One and Lonely Kidar Sharma'' was published posthumously in 2002, edited by his son Vikram Sharma.

Awards and nominations

International honours and recognitions

* Part of the Indian Delegation in 1945 which travelled to England and Hollywood and met with

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered o ...

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...

and

Cecil B. DeMille Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American filmmaker and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of American cinema and the most co ...

* Best Children's Film, International Film Festival at Venice 1957 for ''Jaldeep''

National honours and recognitions

1956 Events January * January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years. * January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...

National Film Award for Best Children's Film The National Film Award for Best Children's Film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the National Film Development Corporation of India. It is one of several awards presented for feature films and awarded with Golden Lotus ...

: ''Jaldeep'' * Indian Film Directors' Association Lifetime Achievement Award * Gold Award from Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1982 for contribution to Indian Cinema *

Government of Maharashtra The Government of Maharashtra is the executive branch of the Indian states of india, state of Maharashtra. The government is led by the List of chief ministers of Maharashtra, chief minister (currently Devendra Fadnavis since 5 December 2024) ...

's Raj Kapoor Award (awarded in 1999 after his deat

Filmography

He's Filmography list is incomplete need to done more work.

Children's Film Society of India Contributions

* ''Jaldeep (Light House)'' (1956), writer, director * ''Ganga Ki Lahren'' (1957), writer, director * ''Bachchon Se Bate (Talking To Children)'' (1957), writer, director * ''Haria'' (1958), writer * ''Gulab Ka Phool (The Rose Among Flowers)'' (1958), writer, director * ''26 January (India's Republic Day)'' (1959), writer, director * ''Ekta (In Unison)'' (1959), writer, director * ''Guru Bhakti (Devotion)'' (1959), writer * ''Panchtantra Ki Ek Kahani (A Story From The Panchantra)'' (1959), writer * ''Yatra (Journey)'' (1959), writer * ''Dilli Ki Kahani (The Story of Delhi City)'' (1960), writer * ''Chetak'' (1960), writer, director * ''Meera Ka Chitra (Portrait of Meera)'' (1960), writer, director * ''Nyaya ( Justice)'' (1960), Camera * ''Mahateerth (Great Pilgrimage)'' (1961), writer, director * Aise Log Bhi Hote Hain Telefilm * ''Khuda Hafiz (Goodbye)'' (1983), writer, director, lyricist

Bibliography

* ''The One and Lonely Kidar Sharma (an anecdotal autobiography)'', ed. Vikram Sharma. Bluejay Books, 2002. .

References

External links

*
The genius of film-making named: Kidar Sharma
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharma, Kidar Bengali film directors 1910 births 1999 deaths Hindi-language film directors Indian male screenwriters Indian lyricists Bengali film producers People from Narowal District Guru Nanak Dev University alumni Indian movie stills photographers Film directors from Mumbai Film producers from Mumbai Hindi film producers Directors who won the Best Children's Film National Film Award 20th-century Indian screenwriters 20th-century Indian male writers