From Madhubala to Madhuri – Celebrating a Saga of Acting Prowess and Beauty

Mumbai & New Delhi (India): In a uniquely curated film memorabilia auction, DeRivaz&Ives is coming up with a tribute to the ‘Feminine Icons’ of Indian cinema that will give an opportunity to cinephiles in acquiring vintage memorabilia of their favourite actresses.

The auction celebrates iconic actresses down the years – from Madhubala to Madhuri – and including Fearless Nadia, Jayashree, Devika Rani, Noor Jahan, Suraiya, Nargis, Geeta Bali, Bina Rai, Madhabi Mukherjee, Mala Sinha, Suchitra Sen, Shashikala, Sharmila Tagore, Meena Kumari, Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman, Rekha, Jaya Bhaduri and Sridevi to name a few. 

Titled Feminine Icons of Indian Cinema and scheduled from 23rd to 25th November, the lots to go under the hammer include iconic film posters, lobby cards, photographs and original artworks.

Key Highlights of the Auction:

The Light of Asia original publicity still: A very rare silver gelatin still of the classic 1925 Indian silent film featuring Himanshu Rai with several actresses asleep in a palace courtyard. It’s screening at Windsor Castle, London was attended by George V and his family on 27th April 1926. It is also one of the early films of filmmaker Himanshu Rai, who later went on to establish the iconic and powerful studio, Bombay Talkies, absorbing the director and his team of German technicians in the new studio, who had worked on this film. 

A signed portrait of Devika Rani: A black and white portrait photograph of the leading thirties actress Devika Rani with a handwritten message and autograph of the legendary actress, with whom Ashok Kumar made his famous debut in Jeevan Naiya (1936) produced by Bombay Talkies and directed by Franz Osten.

A Set of 10 Lobby Cards of Mughal-e-Azam: A set of ten exceptional large offset photographic lobby cards from the timeless classic featuring Madhubala and Dilip Kumar. The K. Asif classic has performed exceptionally well in the cinema auctions of the past, with even Shah Rukh Khan and Anil Kapoor among the bidders.

A Tarana   poster: A beautiful half-sheet poster from Tarana (1951) that celebrates the Madhubala-Dilip Kumar chemistry. The poster was designed by S.M. Pandit, one of the finest poster designers of Indian Cinema, whose work from the forties to the seventies remains unparalleled for its unique style reminiscent of Baburao Painter’s craft. Tarana triggered the romance between Madhubala and Dilip Kumar, lasting all the way to B.R. Chopra’s Naya Daur (1957), for which the actress was initially signed.

Original showcard artwork of Dus Numbri: A captivating original artwork by celebrated designer Diwakar Karkare for the show-card of Madan Mohla’s Dus Numbri (1976) - a prized possession for the Seventies cinephiles, particularly the Hema Malini fans.

Other Iconic Posters: The auction also has on offer some diverse and rare posters such as Dahej (1950, featuring Jayashree), Enam (1955, featuring Suraiya), Saqi (1952, featuring a beautiful Madhubala solo portrait artwork), Lajwanti (1958, featuring Nargis), Devi (Sharmila Tagore in her second film as the iconic Devi in Satyajit Ray's 1960 classic), Dil Tera Diwana (Mala Sinha and Shammi Kapoor in the 1962 romantic comedy), Charulata (the 1981 French release of Satyajit Ray's iconic 1964 classic), Ghar (a Diwakar designed 1978 Rekha gem produced by N.N. Sippy), Utsav (featuring Rekha and Shashi Kapoor in a brilliant 1984 Diwakar design) and Chandni  (the 1985 Yash Chopra classic with Sridevi in title role), and a very exclusive Russia release poster of K.A. Abbas’s Pardesi  (1957, featuring Nargis) to name a few.

Designs by the finest poster Artists: The selection includes original vintage artworks, posters, showcards and booklets by some of the best-known designers/design companies, viz. S.M. Pandit, D.R. Bhosle, C. Mohan, PamArt, Studio Diwakar, B. Vishwanath, S. Vilas and many more.

Hema Malini’s debut film showcards: A beautiful set of six first-release showcards with original hand-made collage of silver gelatin photographic prints, poster paint, hand-designed and screen-printed lettering, marking the arrival of ‘Dream Girl’ Hema Malini to the Hindi silver screen with Raj Kapoor in Mahesh Kaul’s Sapnon ka Saudagar (1968).

Hand Colored Lobby Cards of Howrah Bridge: A wonderful set of six hand-coloured tinted offset re-release Lobby Cards of Howrah Bridge (1958) with fascinating images of Madhubala, Ashok Kumar and Helen. The Shakti Samanta classic is famous for its alluring Madhubala number ‘Aaiye meherbaan’.

Talking about the auction, a senior spokesperson at deRivaz&Ives said, “This unique auction follows the success of our Satyajit Ray and Bachchanalia sales, and to be followed shortly by Raj Kapoor@100 in December. Galvanising the market for India’s vintage film arts is critical so as to engage the public in the task of respecting our magnificent cinematic heritage, which has embraced every facet of India’s one-hundred-year-plus journey, from embracing our legends and Gods to all social and political questions to fashioning our sense of style, beauty and family values. With the film music and songs, these artworks are pivotal in keeping alive our glorious cinematic legacy and roots.”

The auction, Feminine Icons of Indian Cinema, by deRivaz&Ives Auction House Pvt. Ltd. comes close on the heels of the Bachchanalia auction, which celebrated Amitabh’s 80th birthday year and received an overwhelming response from bidders from across the world, creating new records. 

About deRivaz&Ives Auction House Pvt Ltd:

deRivaz&Ives is an online auction house specializing in modern and contemporary Indian fine arts, film memorabilia, vintage & classic automobiles, and Indian & Asian antiques dedicated to preserving and showcasing the rich history of Indian art, cinema, and culture.