In the late 1950s, a young man from Agra’s bustling streets stood outside Mumbai’s Filmistan Studio. Pocket change and dreams of becoming a doctor fueled him, but fate had other plans. Failing the Pre-Medical Test (PMT) pushed him away from medicine and into the operating theater of cinema, where he mastered the pulse of stories and characters. This is the remarkable journey of Ravi Tandon, the gentleman director of Indian cinema.
Born on February 17, 1935, into a respected Punjabi family in Agra, Tandon arrived in Mumbai not as a star but as a junior artist. Earning a modest 100 rupees a month, he took on small roles like policemen and bandits. On the set of ‘Love in Simla’ (1960), he witnessed the magic behind the camera, sparking his true passion.
Assisting RK Nayyar taught him discipline, and his talent caught the eye of Manoj Kumar, who gave him his directorial debut with ‘Balidan’ (1971). Tandon refused to be typecast. While the 1970s boomed with action flicks, he crafted psychological mysteries and musical thrillers.
His 1973 film ‘Anhonee’ with Sanjeev Kumar remains a cult classic, weaving a mentally unstable man’s tale with chilling sensitivity. In ‘Majboor’ (1974), he transformed Amitabh Bachchan’s angry young man into a helpless yet resolute Vijay, delivering a thriller climax that still holds up.
Tandon pioneered the ‘musical mystery’ with ‘Khel Khel Mein’ (1975), blending college fun, RD Burman’s hits, and a gruesome murder puzzle, immortalizing Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh.
Decades before nepotism debates, Tandon set an example with daughter Raveena. He never pushed her; she earned her breakthrough in ‘Patthar Ke Phool’ through merit, echoing his genre versatility in films like ‘Shool’ and ‘Daman’. Named after Ravi and Veena, family was his strength.
Known for crisp pacing, Tandon synced perfectly with Laxmikant-Pyarelal and Pancham, creating timeless tracks like ‘Khullam Khulla Pyar Karenge’ and ‘Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain I Love You’.
Ravi Tandon passed away on February 11, 2022. Juhu honors him with ‘Ravi Tandon Chowk’, and he received the Braj Ratna Award in 2020. His legacy endures in cinema’s heartbeat.