Howrah Bridge, Bollywood’s Favourite Kolkata Metaphor, Turns 75

Might a Hindi film have a Kolkata connection and not show the iconic Howrah Bridge?

Howrah Bridge, Kolkata’s iconic landmark, has become nearly synonymous with the city. Finding its way into stories, films and songs about the City of Joy, the heritage structure is turning 75 this month - it was opened on 3 February, 1943.

If you consider Bollywood movies alone, Howrah Bridge, much like Victoria Memorial and trams, would be found in at least one scene in any film that has a Kolkata connection. And it seems to have witnessed many screen romances through the years.

Remember these memorable depictions?

Howrah Bridge (1958)

Well, the Shakti Samanta film was named after the iconic structure, so obviously served as a major motif in many of the scenes. Though numbers like “Aayiye Meherban” and “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” have survived the test of time, Howrah Bridge also had a number “Yeh Calcutta Hai” - much along the lines of “Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan” - which dedicated a whole stanza to the bridge.

Khamoshi (1970)

Considered to be one of Waheeda Rehman’s finest acting feats, Khamoshi was shot in Kolkata - then Calcutta. The haunting number “Woh Shaam Kuch Ajeed Thi”, sung by Kishore Kumar, was filmed against the Howrah Bridge.

Amar Prem (1972)

Another Shakti Samanta classic, the Rajesh Khanna-Sharmila Tagore-starrer has the surreal RD Burman number “Chingari Koi Bhadke” filmed against a dimly lit Howrah Bridge at night.

Yuva (2004)

Mani Ratnam shows both the first and second Hooghly (another name for Howrah) bridges in Yuva. A portion of the lovely “Kabhi Neem Neem” unfolds against the first.

Gunday (2014)

Extensively shot in Kolkata, the Ranveer Singh-Arjun Kapoor-Priyanka Chopra-starrer Gunday had several scenes with the bridge as the backdrop.

Arjun Kapoor also shared how the Bengal government cooperated with the film’s unit so they could film a particular shot against a lit up Howrah Bridge at night.

Barfi! (2012)

After Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) and Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra) flee Darjeeling to arrive in Kolkata, they rent a house on the banks of the Ganges with a clear view of the bridge. Especially memorable is the scene where Jhilmil looks at an inverted Howrah Bridge through a glass ball.

Kahaani (2012)

Another movie set in Kolkata, Vidya Balan’s Kahaani has generous doses of the Howrah Bridge.

Piku (2015)

Howrah Bridge made its way into Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone’s Piku as they journeyed from Delhi to Kolkata towing along an unwilling Irrfan Khan.