The year was 1970 and Rajesh Khanna had taken over the crown of reigning superstas and his fan following was increasing by the day. Safar, The Train, Aan Milo Sajna, Kati Patang and Sachcha Jhootha , all Kaka films left options for other films only if you didn't get tickets to these films.
Dev Anand with Johny Mera Naam and Manoj Kumar with Purab aur pashchim were drawing big crowds.Dharmendra had his loyal following on display with Jeevan Mrityu, Sharafat, Tum Haseen main Jawan and Kab kyn aur kahan....
In the midst of all this, no one gave a chance to a small budget film Sawan Bhadon with two newcomers Navin Nishchol and Rekha. The music was composed by Sonik Omi, an uncle-nephew team who had debuted 4 years back and were already doing B-grade films.
Sawan Bhadon became a surprise hit and the hero of the film Navin Nishchol ( the first Gold Medallist from FTII, Pune to have made it big) gained maximum out of the success. The songs were also played frequently on radio and a star was born !
Nishchol followed Sawan Bhadon with another film with a superhit musical score: Buddha Mil Gaya! The film had one of the most enduring songs by Kishore Kumar (Raat kali ek khwab mein aayi ) and from then on, Navin started to get great songs in films such as Nadaan ( jeevan bhar dhoondha jisko), Sansar( ki bas tasana chhodo) , Paise ki gudiya ( Meri baat ke maane do) and Ganga Tera paani Amrit ( title song).
Around hat time another newcomer was finding his niche in the film industry. When the two newcomers were cast in a film , Navin had the hero's role and the newcomer called Amitabh Bachchan had the anti-hero role, having negative shades. The song picturised on both of them showed clearly who the had the higher billing: the one who got the heroine !
Simple!!
Navin Nishchol's luck ran out in a matter of 4 years , during which he had a couple of hits like Dharma and Dhundh and an acclaimed film Hanste Zakhm. A few good songs and then he found himself struggling for roles as the action roller-coaster started to dominate the proceedings.Rakesh Roshan and Rishi Kapoor were vying for the romantic leads and on the top of it, with Zanjeer, the " Angry Young Man" had arrived !
When Nischol had made his debut as a hero, he was labelled the poor man's Rajesh Khanna, who was at the peak of his career and had given the superhit Kati Patang.
And Rajesh Khanna himself was struggling in the post Sholay and Deewar period.
By the time 80s arrived, due to stiff competition and limited USP ( can't visualise him as a daku, kisan or mazdoor ) Nishchol got two-bit roles as one of the many less important characters in multistarrer. Take the case of Desh Premi 1982, where he was playing a police officer and Amitabh was in a author-backed double role.
The tables had turned and though he got a song with Amitabh, it was clear who was the hero: the one who got more footage...and claps !
Navin Nishchol was out of his breath , but the 90s saw him in a new role, as the Idiot Box became an inseparable part of Indian homes. In the sitcom Dekh Bhai Dekh , produced by Jaya Bachchan , he was cast as the elder brother and with a talented line-up of Farida Jalal, Sushma Seth, Shekhar Suman, Bhavna Balsavar, Deven Bhojwani and Lilliput and the serial was a laugh-riot.
Save for a sombre role in Ek Baar Kaho, a semi-autobiographical role in Bollywood Calling and a measured performance in Khosla Ka Ghosla , not much is left to remember in his later years. What we remember him mostly for are the melodies which were picturised on him.
Leaving you with the title song of Dekh Bhai Dekh, which is now on air on DD, during the Lockdown.
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