Hrishikesh Mukherjee: The king of comedy

Simplicity and warmth have always defined Hrishikesh Mukherjee's cinematic offerings over the years. Known to be one of the most popular filmmakers of his time, Mukherjee managed to send out strong social messages that underlined his films. Starting his career in 1951 as an editor and assistant director to Bimal Roy, he later went on to try his hand at directing a film titled 'Musafir' in 1957. However, the film was a disaster at the box office.

Failure didn't stop the talented filmmaker from pursuing his cinematic ambitions, and it wasn't long before director Raj Kapoor took note. Kapoor, who by then was an established name in the industry, was impressed with his skills and recommended him strongly as director for 'Anari' (1959). Starring Kapoor himself and Nutan, the film was well received, both critically and commercially.

Mukherjee's next film 'Anuradha' (1960), that told the story of a doctor who neglects his wife to focus on his work, fetched him the President's Medal Award.

In 1970, Mukherjee made what is considered his masterpiece - 'Anand'. The film gave a complex but compassionate look at the balance between hope, fear, life and death. The film which had Rajesh Khanna in the lead is also regarded as one of his greatest performance of all time. In the film, he played a terminally ill man who wishes to live life to the full before he dies.

Mukherjee kept the winning streak going by putting up excellent films like 'Guddi', a semi-satiric take on the film industry, 'Abhimaan' and 'Chupke Chupke', a comedy about a newlywed professor's joke on his pompous brother-in-law. His films gave the audience a detailed look into the middle-class mentality.

The 1980s, which saw the advent of superstar Amitabh Bachchan as an angry young man out to change the world in Bollywood, coupled with larger-than-life films, saw Hrishikesh Mukherjee's brand of filmmaking fizzling out over time.

He recently attempted a comeback with 'Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate' (1998), but sadly it was a futile effort as the film was considered as a commercial and critical failure. Although his films failed to draw in the crowds and set cash registers ringing, Mukherjee's films still linger on in the hearts and cherished memories of his fans, even after three long decades.