Jimmy6788 at 19:25, 20 April 2025

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{{Short description|Indian film writer and director}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Chaturbhuj Doshi
| image = Chaturbhuj_Doshi_ (1938).jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = From [[Filmindia]] September 1938
| birth_date = 1894
| birth_place = [[Kathiawar]], [[Gujarat]], [[British India]]
| death_date = 21 January 1969
| death_place = [[Bombay, Maharashtra]], India
| death_cause =
| birth_name = Chaturbhuj Anandji Doshi
| occupation = Writer, director
| years_active = 1938–1958 <small>(as director)</small>
| spouse =
}}
'''Chaturbhuj Doshi''' (1894–1969) was a [[Hindi]] and [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] writer-director of [[Indian cinema]]. He was one of the top Gujarati screenplay writers, who helped script stories for the Punatar productions. He is stated to be one of the leading figures who launched the [[Gujarati film industry]] with work on notable films like ''[[Gunsundari (1948 film)|Gunsundari]]'' (1948) and ''Nanand Bhojai'' (1948).<ref name="RajadhyakshaWillemen2014">{{cite book|author1=Ashish Rajadhyaksha|author2=Paul Willemen|title=Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rF8ABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1994-IA351|accessdate=25 August 2015|date=10 July 2014|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-135-94325-7|pages=1994–|chapter=Doshi, Chaturbhuj Anandji}}</ref> Doshi, was “well known” for his family socials and had become “a celebrity in his own right”.<ref name="CineBlitz">{{cite book|title=Cine Blitz|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JjIqAAAAYAAJ|accessdate=25 August 2015|volume=19|year=1993|publisher=Blitz Publications|page=19}}</ref> He made a name for himself as a journalist initially and was referred to as the "famous journalist" and publicist by [[Baburao Patel]], editor of ''[[Filmindia]]''.<ref name=Image>{{cite journal|last1=Patel|first1=Baburao|title=Image of Gorakh Aya|journal=Filmindia|date=August 1938|volume=4|issue=8|pages=58|url=https://archive.org/stream/filmindia193804unse#page/n133/mode/2up/search/chaturbhuj|accessdate=25 August 2015}}</ref>

His debut film as a director was ''[[Gorakh Aya]]'' (1938), produced by [[Ranjit Studios|Ranjit Movietone]],<ref name=ReviewGorakh>{{cite journal|last1=Patel|first1=Baburao|title=Round The Town|journal=Filmindia|date=September 1938|volume=4|issue=9|pages=37|url=https://archive.org/stream/filmindia193804unse#page/n175/mode/2up|accessdate=25 August 2015|ref=Review-Gorakh Aya}}</ref> though he joined Ranjit in 1929, as a scriptwriter. In 1938, he directed another film for Ranjit, a social comedy, ''[[The Secretary (1938 film)|The Secretary]]'', and both films were box-office successes for Doshi. His forte was socials, regularly adapting stories and novels for films. He worked initially on comedies like ''Secretary'' and ''Musafir'' (1940), but then "shifted to more significant films".<ref name="SanjitNarwekar">{{cite book|author=Sanjit Narwekar|title=Eena Meena Deeka: The Story of Hindi Film Comedy|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KbSbAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT64|accessdate=25 August 2015|date=12 December 2012|publisher=Rupa Publications|isbn=978-81-291-2625-2|page=50|chapter=5-The Puppet Masters}}</ref>

==Early life and career==
Chaturbhuj Anandji Doshi was born in [[Kathiawar]], Gujarat, [[British India]]. He was educated at the [[University of Bombay]], and after graduation he started work as a journalist for a daily, ''Hindustan'' (1926), working for editor Indulal Yagnik. His entry into films was working as a scenarist in the silent era for directors like [[Jayant Desai]], Nandlal Jaswantlal, and [[Nanubhai Vakil]]. He joined Ranjit Movietone in 1929, and wrote stories and screenplay for several of Ranjit films.<ref name="RajadhyakshaWillemen2014" /><ref name="Narwekar">{{cite book|author=Sanjit Narwekar|title=Directory of Indian film-makers and films|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UYUjAQAAIAAJ|accessdate=25 August 2015|year=1994|publisher=Flicks Books|page=94|chapter=Doshi, Chaturbhuj Anandji|isbn=9780948911408}}</ref>

==Career==
''[[Gorakh Aya]]'' (Gorakh has come) in 1938, was the first film directed by Doshi. It was produced by [[Ranjit Studios|Ranjit Movietone]] with screenplay by [[Gunvantrai Acharya]] and dialogues by P. L. Santoshi. The music, termed "good" was composed by [[Gyan Dutt]]. Baburao Patel's review in the September 1938 issue was favourable to the director "Directed by a man who enjoys a good reputation as a journalist… Mr. Chaturbhuj Doshi has given an excellent account of himself as a director considering that this is his very first effort", claiming it to be the "best picture coming out during the year from the Ranjit Studio".<ref name=ReviewGorakh />

''[[The Secretary (1938 film)|The Secretary]]'' in 1938, was a "riotous comedy", starring Madhuri as a rich heiress in love with her secretary played by [[Trilok Kapoor]]. [[Noor Mohammed Charlie|Charlie]] played the third angle causing friction, and was described as the "mainstay" of the film.<ref name="SanjitNarwekar" /> The music was composed by Gyan Dutt, who became a regular in most of the films directed by Doshi.

''[[Musafir (1940 film)|Musafir]]'' in 1940 was a comedy costume drama, which had Charlie playing a prince who on his return finds his kingdom in disarray. Baburao Patel commended his acting in Filmindia, calling him "versatile" and "inimitable".<ref name="Narwekar2012">{{cite book|author=Sanjit Narwekar|title=Eena Meena Deeka: The Story of Hindi Film Comedy|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KbSbAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT64|accessdate=25 August 2015|date=12 December 2012|publisher=Rupa Publications|isbn=978-81-291-2625-2|page=23|chapter=3-The Indian Charlie}}</ref>

''[[Bhakta Surdas]]'', a devotional film directed by Doshi in 1942, is stated to be the "most famous" of the several versions made. It starred [[K. L. Saigal]] and [[Khursheed Bano|Khursheed]] "the singing idol(s) of millions", winning "unprecedented popularity" everywhere.<ref name="DwyerDwyer2006">{{cite book|author1=Rachel Dwyer|author2=Senior Lecturer in Indian Studies Rachel Dwyer|title=Filming the Gods: Religion and Indian Cinema|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZsKR1RKoJKUC&pg=PA87|accessdate=25 August 2015|date=27 September 2006|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-134-38070-1|pages=87–|chapter=The Devotional Film-note 55, 56}}</ref>

''[[Maheman]]'' (1942) starred Madhuri, Ishwarlal, Shamim and Mubarak. Music director [[Bulo C. Rani]] had come to Bombay in 1942, and joined Ranjit Studios assisting [[Khemchand Prakash]] in music direction. Prakash gave him a song to sing in ''Mehman'', "Rootha Pyar Mein", which was "appreciated" and became a "popular number".<ref name="RajadhyakshaWillemen2014" /><ref name="Ranade2006">{{cite book|author=Ashok Damodar Ranade|title=Hindi Film Song: Music Beyond Boundaries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZI1wqkWsIjYC&pg=PA226|accessdate=25 August 2015|date=1 January 2006|publisher=Bibliophile South Asia|isbn=978-81-85002-64-4|pages=226–}}</ref>

Doshi helped enormously in the development of the [[Gujarati cinema]]. During 1948-49 he directed three successful Gujarati films which "brought immense success to the industry". The success of the Gujarati film ''[[Kariyavar]]'' in 1948, directed by Chaturbhuj Doshi from a story by [[Shayda]], called ''Vanzari Vaav'', helped establish the Gujarati film industry along with other films like ''[[Vadilona Vanke]]'' (1948) by Ramchandra Thakur and ''[[Gadano Bel]]'' (1950) by Ratibhai Punatar.<ref name="P.Ram2014">{{cite book|author=P.Ram|title=Life in India: Culture|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OjT4BQAAQBAJ&pg=PA161|accessdate=25 August 2015|date=1 December 2014|publisher=Ponram P|pages=161–|chapter=Gujarati cinema|id=GGKEY:43NZKK4BRBF}}</ref> His next Gujarati film was ''[[Jesal Toral (1948 film)|Jesal Toral]]'' (1948) based on folklore, which proved a big box-office success.<ref name="Kendra2007">{{cite book|author=Smt. Hiralaxmi Navanitbhai Shah Dhanya Gurjari Kendra|title=Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4oMAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=25 August 2015|year=2007|publisher=Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust}}</ref> In 1949, Doshi directed another Gujarati film, ''[[Vevishal]]'', an adaptation of Meghani's novel of the same name.<ref name="GokulsingDissanayake2013">{{cite book|author1=K. Moti Gokulsing|author2=Wimal Dissanayake|title=Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=djUFmlFbzFkC&pg=PA468|accessdate=25 August 2015|date=17 April 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-77284-9|pages=468–}}</ref>

He also wrote stories, and one of his stories ''Pati Bhakti'' was used in the Tamil film ''En Kanawar'' (1948) produced by Ajit Pictures, which starred the [[Veena]] maestro, [[S. Balachander]], who was also the debut director and music composer for the film.<ref name="Sampath">{{cite book|author=Vikram Sampath|title=Voice of the Veena S Balachander|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ocCeAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT52|accessdate=25 August 2015|publisher=Rupa Publications|isbn=978-81-291-3379-3|pages=52–|chapter=3 Celluloid Magic}}</ref>

==Death==
Chaturbhuj Doshi died on 21 January 1969 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.<ref name="Narwekar" />

==Filmography==
List:<ref name=citwf>{{cite web|title=Chaturbhuj Doshi|url=http://www.citwf.com/detailPerson.asp?personID=490708&sortOn=YEAR&sortBy=UP|website=citwf.com|publisher=Alan Goble|accessdate=25 August 2015}}</ref><ref name=Muvyz>{{cite web|title=Chaturbhuj Doshi|url=http://muvyz.com/people/nm775775|website=muvyz.com|publisher=Muvyz, Ltd.|accessdate=25 August 2015}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Cast
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Composer
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Studio/Producer
|-
|1938 ||[[Gorakh Aya]] (Gorakh Has Come) ||Mazhar Khan, [[Trilok Kapoor]], Kalyani, Rajkumari ||[[Gyan Dutt]] ||[[Ranjit Studios|Ranjit Movietone]]
|-
|1938 ||''[[The Secretary (1938 film)|The Secretary]]'' ||Madhuri, Trilok Kapoor, [[Noor Mohammed Charlie|Charlie]], Kalyani, Wahidan, Rajkumari ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit Movietone
|-
|1939 ||''Adhuri Kahani'' (Incomplete Story) ||[[Durga Khote]], [[Prithviraj Kapoor]], Rose, [[Keshavrao Date]], Ishwarlal ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit
|-
|1940 ||''[[Musafir (1940 film)|Musafir]]'' (Traveller) ||Charlie, [[Khursheed Bano|Khursheed]], Ishwarlal, Vasanti, [[Yakub (actor)|Yakub]] ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit
|-
|1941 ||''[[Sasural (1941 film)|Sasural]]'' (In-Laws) ||[[Motilal (actor)|Motilal]], Madhuri, Nurjehan, Tarabai ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit
|-
|1941 ||''Pardesi'' (Foreigner) ||Motilal, Khursheed, Snehprabha, E. Bilimoria ||[[Khemchand Prakash]] ||Ranjit Movietone
|-
|1942 ||''[[Maheman]]'' (The Guest) ||Madhuri, Ishwarlal, Shamim, Rama Shukal, Mubarak ||Khemchand Prakash ||Ranjit Movietone
|-
|1942 ||''[[Dhiraj]]'' (Patience) ||[[Sitara Devi]], Ishwarlal, Kesari, Nurjehan ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit
|-
|1942 ||''[[Bhakta Surdas]]'' (Worshipper Surdas) ||[[K. L. Saigal]], Khursheed, Monica Desai, Nagendra ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit
|-
|1943 ||''[[Shankar Parvati]]'' ||[[Sadhana Bose]], Aroon, Kamala Chatterjee, Brijmala.Bhagwandas ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit
|-
|1943 ||''[[Chhoti Maa]]'' (The Nurse) ||Khurshid, [[Arun Kumar Ahuja|Aroon]], Prabha, Anil Kumar ||Gyan Dutt ||Ranjit
|-
|1944 ||''[[Bhartrahari]]'' ||[[Surendra (actor)|Surendra]], [[Mumtaz Shanti]], Kajjan, Aroon, Sulochana Chatterji, Yashwant Dave ||Khemchand Prakash ||Navin Pics
|-
|1945 ||''Moorti'' (The Idol) ||Motilal, Padma Banerjee, Khurshid, Yashwant Dave ||[[Bulo C. Rani]] ||Ranjit
|-
|1946 ||''[[Phoolwari]]'' (The Bower) ||Khursheed, Motilal, Dixit, [[Madhubala]] ||[[Hansraj Behl]] ||Ranjit
|-
|1947 ||''Hothal Padmini'' || || ||
|-
|1947 ||''Kaun Hamara'' (Who's Ours?)||Roopa, Nihal, Dixit, [[Bipin Gupta]] || Bulo C. Rani ||Ranjit
|-
|1947 ||''Bela'' ||[[Nigar Sultana (actress)|Nigar Sultana]], [[P. Jairaj]], [[S. N. Tripathi]], Krishna Kumari ||Bulo C. Rani ||Ranjit
|-
|1948 ||''Sati Sone'' || || ||
|-
|1948 ||''[[Kariyavar]]'' (Dowry) ||[[Dina Pathak|Dina Sanghvi]], Dhulia, Shobha ||Ajit Merchant ||Sagar Movietone, based on the novel ''Vanzari Vaav'' by [[Harji Lavji Damani|Shayda]]
|-
|1948 ||''[[Jesal Toral (1948 film)|Jesal Toral]]'' || Rani Pramlata, Chhanalal, Chimanlal|| [[Avinash Vyas]]||
|-
|1949 ||''[[Vevishal]]'' (Engagement) || [[Usha Kiran|Ushakumari]], Motibai, Mumtaz, Chandrarekha, Ghanshyam, Chandravadan Bhatt, Bhagwandas, Babaldas, Bhogilal, Vitthaldas|| Mohan Jr., Ramesh Desai||Kirti Pictures, based on [[Jhaverchand Meghani|Jhaverchand Meghani's]] novel of same name
|-
|1949 ||''Bhakta Puran'' (The Story Of Worshippers) || || ||
|-
|1950 ||''Ramtaram'' || || ||
|-
|1950 ||''Kis Ki Yaad'' (Remembrance) ||Sulochana Chatterji, [[Bharat Bhushan]], [[Jeevan (Hindi actor)|Jeevan]], Paro, [[Veena (actress)|Veena]] ||Hansraj Behl ||Paro Art
|-
|1950 ||''Akhand Saubhagya'' (Immortal Husband) || || ||
|-
|1954 ||''Aurat Teri Yehi Kahani'' (O Womankind, This is Your Story) ||[[Nirupa Roy]], Bharat Bhushan, Sulochana, [[Chandrashekhar]] ||Bulo C. Rani ||Bulo C. Rani, Ranjit Studios
|-
|1956 ||''Dassehra'' ||Nirupa Roy, [[Shahu Modak]], [[Gajanan Jagirdar]], [[Daisy Irani (actress)|Daisy Irani]] ||N. Dutta ||Navkala Niketan
|-
|1956 ||''Aabroo'' ||[[Kishore Kumar]], [[Kamini Kaushal]], Smriti Biswas, [[Madan Puri]] ||Bulo C. Rani ||Uma Chitra
|-
|1957 ||''Shesh Naag'' ||Shahu Modak, Nirupa Roy, Sulochana || ||Ajit Pictures
|-
|1957 ||''Khuda Ka Banda'' (God's Beloved) ||Chandrashekhar, Krishna Kumari, Tiwari, Gope, [[Kanhaiyalal (actor)|Kanhaiyalal]] ||[[S. N. Tripathi]] ||Chitra Bharti
|-
|1958 ||''Sanskar'' (Culture) ||[[Ameeta]], [[Jayshree Gadkar]], Anant Kumar, Yakub, Ranjana ||[[Anil Biswas (composer)|Anil Biswas]] ||Filmistan
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0234389}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaturbhuj Doshi}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1969 deaths]]
[[Category:Film directors from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Film directors from Gujarat]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Gujarati writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian screenwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

Chaturbhuj Doshi - Revision history

Jimmy6788 at 19:25, 20 April 2025