Some time after entering Punjab University, when I started visiting the restaurants and tea houses of Pak Tea House and Pomegranate Village, Temple Road, Achhra, Nisib Road and Lakshmi, I met many people who were told about or had He himself said that he has worked with Eva Gardner in the English film. Then the stories of Eva Gardner’s beauty and beauty would be unleashed.

“Baoji Sohni Te O’Raj KC”

Someone used to brag, “Me vi jawan saan, mere vil vekh ke hsi si.” Someone says “I dared to shake hands one day.” (It is not known what was meant by regular). At the time, I thought it was gossip, but later found out that most of it was true. He actually worked in “Bhavani Junction”.

Hollywood

In fact, the famous Hollywood film maker MGM made this famous film in Lahore in 1955. For this, platform No. 1 of Lahore Railway Station was built at Bhawani Junction. And the shooting started on March 15 and continued for two months. (The film was released in 1956 and can be seen on the Internet.)

About a thousand Lahoreis worked in it.

Was this work? A traveller, a potter, a khawanchawala, a tea-wala, a water-wala, a sadhu, a pauper, or simply a part of the crowd. But he continued to tell his stories throughout his life.

Stories

Perhaps some people are still alive and telling stories of their “acting” while sipping Kashmiri tea, surrounded by young people in some warm inner-city seat on winter nights and on some terrace in summer.

Eva Gardner

The room in which Eva Gardner stayed at the Flats Hotel during the filming of Hawani Junction had a plaque about it for some time. People kept coming to see him too

Actors

Actress Neelu played a small role in this film for the first time. Actor Saqi also acted in it. It is said that the sound system at the Lahore Railway Station is a donation from the people of Bhawani Junction. After the end of the shooting, he gave this system to the railways. Not only this, Bhawani Junction also gave Pakistan some good directors. How can they hear this from the mouth of Mr. Ali Sufian Afaqi.

Pakistan (Lahore)

In the 1950s, a sensational film incident took place in Lahore, which shook Pakistan’s tiny mini-film world – it was learned that a famous Hollywood film company had released its film ‘Bhavani Junction’. It has been decided to film in Lahore. The people of Lahore are like Eid.

Scandals

A Hollywood film unit was about to come to Lahore, in which the superstars of that era, Ava Gardner and Stuart Granger, were playing the lead roles. Eva Gardner was famous worldwide for her beauty and scandals. Many of Stewart Granger’s movies were hits. He was also the husband of Jane Simmons, a famous heroine of that time.

Director

The director of this film was George Quacker, who was considered among the top directors of Hollywood. Pakistani dailies did not publish news about movies in those days, but Hollywood movies were different.

Newspapers

Newspapers like “Pakistan Times” and “Amrooz” to Afaq also started publishing news about “Bhavani Junction”. The movie “Bhavani Junction” is based on the story of an English novel of the same name, when the Congress started a strong movement against the British government. At Bhawani Junction, the Congress had laid down thousands of volunteers in front of the train cars, it had become difficult for the government that if the wheel of the train stopped, the government would be suspended and if the train was passed over the volunteers. Then hundreds of people will be killed and there will be riots all over the country.

Film Scheduled

The film was first scheduled to be shot in India and the filmmaker wanted all the scenes to be shot at the actual location of Bhavani, but the Indian government did not want to hurt the sentiments of the Congressmen. Bandi not allowed. The entire project of the film was completed and millions of dollars had been spent on it. The project could not be postponed or cancelled. The solution was found to shoot the film in Pakistan instead of India. Both the countries are similar in terms of scenery and background.

Shooting

The complexion and faces of the people are not too different. However, the shortfall will be filled with make-up and clothes, so the project was shifted from India to Pakistan. The government of Pakistan not only allowed the shooting but also promised to provide all kinds of facilities. You and all of us are aware of the bureaucratic mentality of Pakistan.

British Slavery

The poison of British slavery has not left their minds till date. Every white person is an idol to them. They also consider it a great blessing to lay eyes on him. First some people came to Lahore for the preliminary preparations of the movie “Bhavani Junction”. They chose suitable places to shoot. He liked the fort of Lahore and the surrounding places.

Major Scenes

Major scenes of the film were to be shot at a railway station. For this purpose, the railway administration handed over two platforms of Lahore railway station to him. It was the administration that hardly allowed Pakistani filmmakers to film a couple of scenes on the platform.

Station Platform

The station’s platform number one and platform number two were handed over to the film unit, where they made the necessary changes. Instead of Lahore, the name of Bhawani Junction was written on the platform. Within a few days, he changed the cover of a part of the railway station of Lahore. In such a situation, when it was decided to make a big Hollywood movie “Bhavani Junction” in Lahore, a stir was created. The artists and directors of “Bhavani Junction” had a lot of fame and popularity in Pakistan.

Government & Public

From the highest government circles to the public and journalists, everyone sat waiting for this event. Elaborate arrangements were made for ‘Bhavani Junction’, for example around forty young and brilliant people were recruited as assistant directors, some of whom went on to become eminent directors. Directors like Farid Ahmed, Qadeer Ghori got their first experience of film making in this film. These forty assistants were entrusted with various tasks. Hundreds if not thousands of actors were needed for this shooting.

Responsibilities

The responsibility of providing them was also given to the assistant directors. All the work that could be done locally was handed over to the Pakistanis. Those who worked in this film, after being encouraged, worked in different fields of the film industry and created a big name. Neelu worked as an actor for the first time in this film.

Pakistan Role

Later she bravely did small roles in Pakistani films then she became a very big and popular heroine, many more examples can be given. The arrival of ‘Bhavani Junction’ unit in Pakistan was like a breath of fresh air, the freshness of which attracted many educated and intelligent young minds towards the film industry and made them realize that film is also a creative work. is” (Film Al-Leela).

Mustansar Hussain Tarar

For some time, Bhawani Junction and Eva Gardner were enthralled in the atmosphere of Lahore, what was the state of the city at Mela Ajra, Mustansar Hussain Tarar’s memories.

Novel Rakh

The most tumultuous memory of ancient Lahore is the days when “Bhavani Junction” was shot in its streets and I have mentioned it in detail in my novel “Rakh”. When Eva Gardner used to walk on the footpath of Mall Road and her body odor wafted in the air of Lahore and Stewart Granger used to roam our streets.

Hawani Junction vs Bhavani Junction

The arrival of Hawani Junction changed the face of Lahore Railway Station. Instead of “Lahore” on the forehead of the building, “Bhawani Junction” was painted. Where there were signboards, the name of this unknown city was also there. was written On the platforms, the extras wore rattling wooden dhotis and Nehru caps and chanted the slogans of Kulab Zindabad.

Lakshmi Mansion

One day a building was set on fire right in front of Lakshmi Mansion. A scene from Bhawani Junction. Coughing up fumes in distress, Eva Garden runs to the bed and calls for help. Meanwhile, the entire mansion has gathered in the rooms to watch this open-air play. The team of Hawani Junction returned to Hollywood after completing the shoot a few weeks later.

Final

The city of Lahore could not recover from this shock for a period of time. The light in his sky dimmed. Horses running on Mall Road are now slightly slower (Ash).