The Era Ends: Premier Padmini, Mumbai’s Iconic Taxi, Fades Away

**Premier Padmini: A Nostalgic Farewell to Mumbai’s Iconic Taxi**

*By Ravi Menon | October 31, 2023, 12:15 PM IST*

In a scene straight out of a Bollywood romance, taxi driver Naveen Nischal hums the heavenly tunes of Mohammad Rafi’s “Tum jo mil gaye ho” while driving the stunning Priya Raj Vamsh through the pouring rain in Mumbai. It’s a moment that makes you feel like the world has been found.

The song, composed by Madan Mohan for the movie “Haste Sakhmi” released half a century ago, holds a special place in the hearts of many. It encapsulates the feeling of finding love when you least expect it.

As the rain continues to pour, Vidya Sinha sits lazily in the back seat of the Premier Padmini car, lost in her inner thoughts, accompanied by her boyfriend Dinesh Thakur. They soak in the sights of Mumbai with wide-eyed wonder, while Mukesh’s soothing voice, complemented by Salil Chowdhury’s enchanting melody, plays in the background.

The car itself, a Premier Padmini, becomes an important element in the story. Known for its timeless charm, the Premier Padmini has become synonymous with the city of Mumbai.

But this iconic taxi, which has been a part of Mumbai’s landscape for nearly six decades, is slowly disappearing from the streets. As the yellow and black “Calipeeli” taxis give way to a new generation of cars, a chapter of nostalgia comes to an end for the city’s residents.

The golden age of the Premier Padmini on the silver screen coincided with the rise of filmmakers like Basu Chatterjee, Basu Bhattacharya, Gulzar, Muzaffar Ali, and Rishikesh Mukherjee. These directors captured extraordinary stories from the lives of common people, including tales of taxi drivers seeking their fortune in Mumbai. Each film was complemented by beautiful songs that added depth to the narrative.

Notable actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, and Amol Palekar added their magic to the stories of taxi drivers, making the Premier Padmini an integral part of their on-screen journeys.

The Premier Padmini’s journey began on the silver screen long before it became a common sight on the streets of Mumbai. In the 1954 film “Taxi Driver,” Dev Anand played the lead role, driving a 1947 model Chevrolet Fleetmaster sedan. In the same year, Guru Dutt portrayed a taxi driver in “Arpaar,” further solidifying the connection between Mumbai and iconic cars like Chevrolet, Dodge, Plymouth, and later, the Hindustan Ambassador.

In 1964, Premier Automobiles Limited launched the Premier Padmini under license from the famous Italian car manufacturer, Fiat. With its 1200 cc engine, the Fiat 1100 Delight became the first Premier car to hit Mumbai’s streets. It was later rebranded as the Premier President and eventually became the Premier Padmini, becoming one of India’s favorite cars alongside the Hindustan Ambassador.

During its heyday, an estimated 60,000 Premier Padmini cars were in operation in Mumbai. However, as new foreign brands entered the market and spare parts became scarce, the iconic car faced challenges. With the ban on 20-year-old cars, the survival of the Premier Padmini became nearly impossible.

The yellow and black “uniform” for taxis, suggested by freedom fighter and Lok Sabha member Vitthal Balakrishna Gandhi, became synonymous with Mumbai. The yellow color ensured visibility from a distance, while the black helped hide any minor damages.

As the Premier Padmini fades away from the streets of Mumbai, there is solace in knowing that its memories will live on through movies and in the hearts of Mumbaikars. The legacy of the “Calipeeli” taxi, forever etched in the city’s history, will continue to evoke nostalgia in the years to come.

(Note: The article above has been edited for clarity, tone, and grammatical accuracy in a neutral, formal, and professional style)

# Ravi Menon 31 October 2023, 12:15 PM IST Scene from the song Tum jo mil gaye ho toh yeh lagta hai ke jaham mil gaya..

Ram pouring rain outside; The rain of love pours in. Taxi driver Naveen Nischal hums to the heavenly tunes of Mohammad Rafi while driving the gorgeous Priya Raj Vamsh:

‘Tum jo mil gaye ho
To You Lagta Hai,
Ke jaham mil gaya…’

The song composed by Madanmohan in “Haste Sakhmi” released half a century ago.

Know more about the car: Premier Padmini.

Talking about her inner love, Vidya Sinha is sitting lazily on the back seat of the car with her boyfriend Dinesh Thakur and enjoying the sights of Mumbai city with wide eyes. Mukesh’s loving voice with Salil Chaudhary’s melody in the background:

‘Kai bar yohi dekha hai
Ye jo man ki lookarekha hai..’

(Photo: Rajneegandha)

The car is the same: Premier Padmini.

Not finished. Farooq Shaikh’s Ghulam Hassan drives through the city traffic anxiously, worried about the future. In the background, Jayadev’s melody is like Hassan’s soul song; Voice of Suresh Wadkar:

‘See mein jalan ankhom mein
Tufan sa kyohe…’

The car is also Padmini’s main this time.

The song came to mind with the news that Padmini’s flagship taxi, which has been the heartbeat of Mumbai for almost six decades, is disappearing from the city’s streets. So how much? The curtain falls on a period of friendship as the yellow and black “Calipeeli” gives way to a new generation of cars. An affair that middle-aged Mumbaikars will never forget.

Premier Padmini’s golden age on the silver screen was when Basu Chatterjee, Basu Bhattacharya, Gulzar, Muzaffar Ali and Rishikesh Mukherjee showed their presence in Bollywood with extraordinary stories captured from the lives of common people. There were even movies that told the story of taxi drivers who sought fortune in Mumbai. Beautiful songs in all those stories. An example is Taxi Taxi (1977) directed by Irshad and starring Amol Palekar, which was inspired by the classic Hollywood film “Taxi Driver” (1976) with Robert De Niro.

Amitabh Bachchan (“Hut Jaa Bajoo Nahi Toh Uda Doonga” in Khud-Daar), Devanand (Title song in Jaaneman) Rajesh Khanna (Kal Raat Sadak Pe in Chaila Babu), Amol Palekar (Jeevan Mein Humsafar in Taxi Taxi)… ■ Padmini premieres on the silver screen The list of music-oriented “drivers” goes on and on. Love, longing, kiss and death will be the memories of Padmini movie.

The first super hit of Hindi cinema Taxi Driver was born in 1954. Devanand was the hero in the film of the same name directed by Chetan Anand. But Premier Padmini was not born that day. In that film, Devanand’s character “Mangal” drove a 1947 model Chevrolet Fleetmaster sedan. In the same year, “Arpari” also had the same taxi driver-Gurudut as the hero. Chevrolet, Dodge and Plymouth were Mumbai’s post-independence taxis. Known as the car born for India, the Hindustan Ambassador was launched in 1957.

Premier Automobiles Limited came into being in 1964 under the license of the famous Fiat company in Italy. Fiat 1100 Delight was the first car to hit the streets of Mumbai with a 1200 cc engine. Rebranded Prime President in 1970, the car soon became Prime Minister. Along with the Ambassador it becomes one of India’s favorite cars.

The car was named Premier Padmini until it was discontinued by Premier Automobile Limited in 2001. It is estimated that around 60,000 cars were plying in Mumbai during the Padmini’s heyday. Padmini’s woes began when new foreign brands came in and spare parts became scarce. With the ban on 20 year old cars, survival became almost impossible.

According to history, freedom fighter and Lok Sabha member Vitthal Balakrishna Gandhi suggested the yellow and black “uniform” for taxis. Yellow comes as a color that can be seen from a distance. Black is the color used to hide minor “damage” the car may have.

As Premier Padmini fades away from the curtain, there is only one consolation for the reminiscing Mumbaikars: “Kalipeeli” on the silver screen is not dead.

#Kalipeeli #disappears #Love #songs #Padmini #premiere