Friday, November 15, 2013

MY HERMAN BENJAMIN

  *  MY  HERMAN  BENJAMIN  *

Foreword:
The intention of writing this article is to convey that Herman Benjamin was a Bene Israel from the Umer Khadi area from Mumbai, India where my parents grew up. I want very much to think he was one of my family as I feel that all Benjamin's are part of my virtual family, no matter the reason why we chose to use Benjamin for our true Jewish last name. 

Hence the title "MY HERMAN BENJAMIN". I feel I was related to him even if I may not have been directly. But  I am related to him because I am also from the same proud generation of Bene Israel community. Our ancestors are what we share in common.

THE SONG THE MADE HERMAN BENJAMIN
A TRIBUTE AND IN MEMORY OF A GREAT DANCER

Indian Film Dance Directors Association felicitates Choreographers

By Bollywood Hungama News Network, January 11, 2012 - 15:03 hrs IST
The families of Late Choreographers Shri Satyanarayan Master, Shri Badri Prasad, Shri Surya Kumar, Shri Herman Benjamin, Shri Sohanlal B, Shri Hiralal B, Shri Gopi Kishan, Shri P.L. Raj, Shri Sohanlal Khanna, Shri Manohar Naidu, Shri Suresh Bhatt, Shri Kamal, Shri Subal Sarkar and Shri Sachin Shankar collected the awards on their behalf for their contribution in the field of choreography.
(Source: http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/1400943/) 

From Wikepidea
Jaan Pehechan Ho is a popular Indian rock & roll song, composed by famous Indian music director duo Shankar Jaikishan, lyrics by Shailendra, and sung by Mohammed Rafi. It was produced for the 1965 Bollywood film Gumnaam, directed by Raja Nawathe, produced by N.N. Sippy, and starring Manoj Kumar and Nanda. The song has been widely "remediated" in North American circulation

The song's video introduces the movie to the audiences. It was shot in a disco and features Laxmi Chhaya. The choreography was by Herman Benjamin.
 


FROM BLOG @ MemsaabStory 
The 2001 Hollywood film Ghost World made this song and dance number from Gumnaam famous in the non-Hindi film fan world. Laxmi Chhaya’s verve and enthusiasm coupled with the lively tune and Boy-Wonder-masked backup dancers make for compelling watching. And of course, the singer’s ultra-cool style is the juicy cherry on top of this confection. Much speculation has issued forth as to his identity (is he the eponymous Ted Lyons?).
So today’s trivia question is: who is the manic front man in this wonderful song (the voice of course is Rafi’s)?

Since I saw this film 4 or 5 years ago I have been dying to know his identity. I’ve trawled the web, I even posted the question in my review of Gumnaam here in the hopes that one of my extremely knowledgeable readers could help me out. Well, the day finally dawned where my quest for his name was answered. As I was watching the song on an episode of “Movie Mahal” the words “Rafi sings for Herman” crawled across the screen above his gyrations. You cannot even imagine my excitement. I nearly fainted, seriously!  

 
My pal Asli Jat (who supplies me with these arcane treasures from Hindi film history) informed me that he was in fact the choreographer Herman Benjamin (also known as Harman). He worked on a huge number of films (including Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi)—imdb doesn’t even come close to listing them all. 

He choreographed a lot of Shammi films in the 60s, including Teesri Manzil (see, I knew I loved him!). AJ’s father met Herman (along with Shashi) during the filming of Jab Jab Phool Khile in Kashmir, too (and incidentally AJ went to school with one of Rafi’s sons).

website statistics 
I haven’t been able to find out much more about him; he died in 1969 apparently (he can’t have been that old, surely?). If any of you out there know more about him, please please do tell! He was married to Sheba and had a son, but that’s the extent of my knowledge. I am sure he never dreamed that he would become a world-wide cult phenomenon, but hopefully he knows it now.






HERMAN CHOREOGRAPHED MOVIES

 1971 Jawan Muhabat (choreographer - as Late Harman Benjamin)
 1970 Pagla Kahin Ka (choreographer - as Late Herman)
 1970 Suhana Safar (choreographer - as Late Herman)
 1970 Tum Haseen Main Jawan (choreographer - as Late Herman)
 1969 Prince (choreographer - as Harman)
 1969 Pyar Hi Pyar (choreographer)
 1969 Pyar Ka Sapna (dances)
 1969 Vishwas (choreographer - as Late Herman)
 1969 Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati (dances - as Late Herman Benjamin)
 1968 Abhilasha (choreographer - as Herman)
 1968/I Brahmachari (dance director)
 1968 Izzat (choreographer)
 1968 Jhuk Gaya Aasman (choreographer - as Harman)
 1968 Duniya (choreographer - as Herman)
 1967 Aag (dances - as Harman)
 1967 Latt Saheb (choreographer - as Herman)
 1967 Raat Aur Din (choreographer - as Herman)
 1967 Raaz (choreographer - as Harman Benjamin)
 1967 Upkar (dances - as Herman)
 1966 Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (dances - as Herman)
 1966 Do Badan (dances)
 1966 Rustom Kaun (choreography - as Herman)
 1966 Teesri Manzil (choreographer - as Harman)
 1966 Husn Aur Ishq alias Alif Laila (dances - as Harman)
 1965 Jab Jab Phool Khile (choreographer)
 1965 Janwar (dances - as Herman)
 1965 Mere Sanam (choreographer)
 1965 Shreeman Funtoosh (choreographer - as Herman)
 1965 Gumnaam (choreographer - as Herman)
 1965 Tu Hi Meri Zindagi (dance director - as Herman)
 1964 Daal Me Kala (choreographer: Vancouver - as Harman Benzamin)
 1963 Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke (choreographer - as Herman)
 1961 Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (choreographer: additional choreography - as Herman)
 1961 Jhumroo (choreographer)
 1960 Ek Phool Char Kaante (choreographer)
 1959 Dil Deke Dekho (choreographer - as Herman)
 1969 Vishwas (dedicatee - as Herman)


Wikipedia Page @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Benjamin




SONG :  Is Duniya Mein Jeena Ho To

SONG: HUM KAALE HAI TO KYA HUA

MOVIE: TEESRI MANZIL

SONG: O Hassina zulfo walli jaane jaha

SONG:  Aaja Aaja Mein Hoon Pyar Tera

SONG:  Tumne mujhe dekha
 



MOVIE "PAGLA KAHI KA" 


SONG:  AASHIQ HOON EK


SONG:  Suno zindgi gaati hai, pyar ki dhun


MOVIE : SUHANA SAFAR



MOVIE: Tum Haseen Main Jawan
 


SONG: Tum Haseen Main Jawaan 
(Dharmendra was born with 2 left feet)


MOVIE: PRINCE
 


SONG: Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Hue


MOVIE: PYAR HI PYAR
 


SONG: Tu Mera Main Teri Duniya


MOVIE: VISHWAS
 


SONG: Chandi Ki Deewar
 

SONG FROM Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati
"Pyaar To Ek Din Hona Tha"

 
SONG From Abhilasha
"PYAR HUA HAIN JABSE"

SONG from Brahmachari
" Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche"


 MOVIE: IZZAT
 

SONG:  Jagi Badan Mein Jwala


MOVIE: Jhuk Gaya Aasman



MOVIE: DUNIYA


MOVIE: UPKAR



MOVIE: Ratt Aur Din


SONG:Dilkii Girah Kholdo Chup Na BaiTho Koii Giit Gaao


SONG: AWARA AE MERE DIL


MOVIE: Raaz


 
MOVIE: Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi




MORE OF HIS VIDEOS WILL BE ADDED SOON .... 

ENJOY 
 
CREATED & PRESENTED BY:

Resources: 
http://memsaabstory.com/2008/12/14/trivia-time- 33/#more-5821
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaan_Pehechan_Ho
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1080727/
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/1400943/

11 comments:

  1. Dear Sammy,

    Thanks for your efforts on the legendary Heraman Benjamins blog..Such artistes are immortal & wud like to see them known to more on this planet for their immense contribution.Wud like to know more about his family.My regards & best wishes to them & to you..Vijay Kumar Rao Goa

    ReplyDelete
  2. Herman Benjamin has two sons. Elias and Percy. Percy is settled in USA. Elias' son (Shannon is the name, I think) is also a talented dancer - or so I am told. Herman Benjamin lived very close to my building in his final days. I was very young at that time. I remember people always talking about kind he was, he was always helpful to others, had a big heart, etc. He lives in Girish Building Mahim, Mumbai when he expired. It was the night of his son Percy's birthday - September 12th or 13th. I remember... Herman Benjamin was a great guy - May his soul rest in peace.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Sammy,
    Thank you for all your efforts. I am Abraham Benjamin, nephew of late Herman Benjamin. My dad Emanuel Benjamin known as Baba Herman in the Film Industry worked with his brother Hermanji. He worked in most of Hermanji's films as a lead dancer and later he too became a choreographer. Hermanji lived at Jacob Circle and later moved to Mahim in Girish building where he hardly lived. He passed away on 13th September 1968 early morning at 4 am and was just 37 years old. He was buried at the Jewish Cemetery at Worli Mumbai.

    ReplyDelete
  4. אכן חשוב להנציח את זכרו ! כל הכבוד על המידע.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. כל המידע על דוד הרמן שמעתי תחילה בשנות ה70 בקרית גת מצדקיאל שפורקר גם היה כיאוגרף ריקודים הודים בסרטים וגם עבד יחד עים הדוד שלי הרמן
      היום אחרי 45 שנים עליתי על כל המידע על הרמן במשך השנים המידע על רמן היה קלוש מאוד במדיה.
      בפייסבוק כולם מחוברים
      בשביל להכנס לאתר מתאים בכוגל צריך ידע במחשבים
      וזה חבל
      מעט מאוד אנשים ניכנסים לגוגל בעלי ידע
      לנו זה קשה
      זו תגובה ראשונה שלי שאי פעם עשיתי בגוגל

      Delete
    2. כל המידע על דוד הרמן שמעתי תחילה בשנות ה70 בקרית גת מצדקיאל שפורקר גם היה כיאוגרף ריקודים הודים בסרטים וגם עבד יחד עים הדוד שלי הרמן
      היום אחרי 45 שנים עליתי על כל המידע על הרמן במשך השנים המידע על רמן היה קלוש מאוד במדיה.
      בפייסבוק כולם מחוברים
      בשביל להכנס לאתר מתאים בכוגל צריך ידע במחשבים
      וזה חבל
      מעט מאוד אנשים ניכנסים לגוגל בעלי ידע
      לנו זה קשה
      זו תגובה ראשונה שלי שאי פעם עשיתי בגוגל

      Delete
  5. Wow... So amazing... I am seating with his father's cousin's son Ben Yahuda David in Israel, and he just recall him and we talk about him... And then I searched and come here this blog... it's so amazing for me that all my favorite songs choreographed by him...!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Who is the administrator on this account ? Please try to contact me privately. Very important as I am his bloodline

    ReplyDelete
  7. Uncle for us , my mum and sheba aunty were sisters.we grew up in Mahim though we very small we enjoyed his open car rides in chowpatty.Sad he passed away so young.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very nice blog...if only a relative or true distant relative of Laxmi Chhaya could do the same as you have .....

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  9. In 1964 when the super suspense movie GUMNAAM was released and I saw it for the first time, I was 12 years old then. And from then onwards till today when I see Herman's Choreographed song "Jaan Pehchaan Ho, Jeena Aasaan Ho" some thing strange happens inside of me, the way a child feels when he sees a bunch of colorful inflated balloons, I feel the same way. The enthusiasm and the energy he has put in his own singing and acting and in the whole group dancing and swaying to the rhythm non stop, just takes my breath away. This is undoubtably the best song and dance ever picturised in Hindi Films. Very sad to learn that Mr.Benjamin died so young. He will be remembered for a long long time as long as movie goers have a taste for great choreographed picturization of songs in the movies. God Bless Herman Benjamin and his family.

    ReplyDelete