Revisiting 'Naya Daur’s' 'purana' memories

On the occasion of film-maker BR Chopra’s 96th birth anniversary in April 2010, his son Ravi Chopra will release a book containing a few unpublished photographs of Dilip Kumar and Madhubala. However, the clincher is that the photographs are from the film Naya Daur. Now, you must be wondering what Madhubala has got to do with Naya Daur (the film starred Vyaijayantimala opposite Dilip Kumar).

But fact is that Madhubala was the original choice to play the lead role opposite Dilip Kumar in the iconic film. The reported lovers had even filmed portions of the song 'Maang Ke Saath Tumhara' together. However, post that Madhubala pulled out of the project and Vyaijayantimala came on board. BR Chopra then sued Madhubala for the cash advance she had taken from him. This soured relations between Dilip Kumar and Madhubala and ended their much talked about relationship.

Ravi Chopra said, “This limited-edition book will release next year. It will have unpublished notes that my father wrote in his diary while making films.”

He added, “The surprise element is definitely his anecdotes from Naya Daur. The movie caught the imagination of the people when it brought Dilip Kumar and Madhubala together. They were supposedly seeing each other at that time. It created more attention when Madhubala had a fall-out with my dad and he took her to court. Dilip Kumar and Madhubala had filmed a few scenes for the song 'Maang Ke Saath Tumhara'. We have those visuals and I will insert these never-released pictures in the book for the world to see how Dilip and Madhubala looked together. My father’s accounts, while making this movie, will be put beside these photos.”