Raza Murad remembers how 'Noorie' turned Poonam Dhillon into an overnight star
Mumbai, July 29
Veteran actor Raza Murad took a trip down memory lane as he recalled how the 1979 film "Noorie" became a turning point in Poonam Dhillon's career and transformed her into an overnight star.
He praised the actress for her innocence, charm, and memorable performance, which won the hearts of audiences across the country. Sharing his photo with Dhillon, Raza described her as one of the most beautiful leading ladies of Hindi cinema and remembered how her portrayal of an innocent Kashmiri village girl won widespread appreciation.
The veteran actor wrote, "With poonam dhillon ji,one of the most prettiest leading lady of our hindi cinema. She became the heart throb of our country after the release of "noorie" wherein she had played an innocent village girl of kashmir, who commits suicide after being molested by a village goon. her innocence and raw beauty became instrumental for the huge success of this 1979 released movie. Was just an overnight star after the release of noorie. the music of khayyam sahab added a new dimension for the success of this movie. Farooq shaikh and bharat kapoor were very much appreciated for their convincing performances."
"Noorie," produced by Yash Chopra and directed by Manmohan Krishna, featured Poonam Dhillon alongside Farooq Shaikh, Madan Puri, and Iftekhar. Released in 1979, the film emerged as one of the biggest hits of the year, becoming the seventh highest-grossing film at the Indian box office. The movie also gained international popularity, particularly in China, where it was released in 1981 and went on to become one of the most successful Indian films there at the time.
Raza Murad and Poonam Dhillon shared the screen in the 1986 period action drama film "Palay Khan," directed by Ashim Samanta. The film featured Poonam as Zulekha Khan and Raza as Khan Ali Hassan Khan. Jackie Shroff playes the titular role. The duo also appeared together in films such as "Yaadgaar" and "Mahaanta," among others.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Nostalgia overload! Noorie was such a heart-wrenching film that highlighted the plight of women in rural India. Poonam Dhillon's raw beauty and Farooq Shaikh's charm made it memorable. But let's be honest - the real star was Khayyam sahab's music. 'Aaja Re' and 'Hum Tumse Mohabbat Karte Hain' are timeless classics that even my kids hum today!
I respect Raza Murad ji's perspective, but let's not romanticize the tragedy. The film's climax where Noorie commits suicide after being molested was deeply disturbing, even for 1979 standards. It's disappointing that we rarely discuss how the story glorified victim-blaming - the innocent girl suffers while the villain likely roams free. Still, Poonam Dhillon's performance was remarkable.
My grandmother still talks about how Noorie made her cry for days! Poonam Dhillon became an overnight sensation indeed. But I find it interesting how the article mentions its popularity in China - that shows how universal the story of innocence and tragedy is. Good to see veterans remembering the golden days of cinema.
Poonam Dhillon was indeed one of the most beautiful actresses of her time. But let's give credit where it's due - Yash Chopra's production, Manmohan Krishna's direction, and that stellar soundtrack made Noorie a complete package. Farooq Shaikh was phenomenal too. These days, no one makes films with such soulful music and emotional depth!
R Rohit P I've always We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.