Mehmood- His Name was Sufficient to Sell a Film

 

He was a star of the Golden Era Of Bollywood. He was one of the few comedians who managed to deliver box-office hits with some films riding solely on his shoulders. His specialty was that he cracked a lot of impromptu jokes and that brought the audiences closer to him.

He was the only actor for whom the audience came to the theatre before the movie started. His huge fan following spoke of his dedication and talent. He was a superstar, his name helped producers sell their film in advance and his picture on the poster ensured that the crowd turned up at the theatres. Many heroes of his time were insecure about sharing screen space with him. 

A time came when he was so much “in demand” that producers approached him, offering him full-length comedy films. He teamed up with  Shubha Khote, I S Johar, and Kishore Kumar gave us some great comedy films.

He began acting as a (reluctant) child actor. After he grew up, he pursued several odd jobs -- including that of a car driver.  For a short while, he was a chauffeur for director P.L. Santoshi. As an adult actor, he first appeared in Guru Dutt’s suspense thriller – CID. After that, Guru Dutt gave him a small part in Pyaasa. After that, he got his first noticeable “break” in Parvarish (1958), in which he landed a role as the brother of the hero, Raj Kapoor. His first breakthrough film as a comedian was Sasural, a melodramatic mega-success. The movie also created one of the most successful comedy pairings of the sixties – Mehmood and Shubha Khote. Both did more than 15 films together and gave many hit songs. The most famous films are Saural 1961,Dil Tera Diwana (1962),Hamrahi (1963) ,Grihasti (1963) ,Ziddi (1964),Love In Tokyo (1966), and Pockit Maar (1974). Mehmood and Shubha Khote gave fans endless hours of a laugh riot,

He also produced and directed films. He gave RD Burman his first break with Chhote Nawab (1961)and worked with him regularly down the years until a misunderstanding with Burman in the 70s saw him introduce Rajesh Roshan with Kunwara Baap (1974). He is also responsible in a way for Amitabh Bachchan’s rise to fame as it is after seeing him in Mehmood’s Bombay to Goa (1972), Salim-Javed found in him the perfect angry young man for their stories!

In the late 1970s, Mehmood's popularity began to decline as other comedy actors like Jagdeep, Asrani, Paintal, Deven Verma and Kader Khan shot to prominence. Between 1989 and 1999, he made a handful of movies, but most of them were either shelved or made no impression. He acted as Johnny in Rajkumar Santoshi's Andaz Apna Apna (1994)– his last known film as an actor.

In the 90s his health did not allow him to work. He died in his sleep on 23 July 2004 in the American state of Pennsylvania, where he had gone for treatment of cardiovascular heart disease after suffering from poor health over several years.  

Great songs of Mehmood and Shubha Khote

Song of Hamrahi 1963

Song of Grahsthi 1963

Song of Chhoti Bahen 1959

Song of Beti Beta 1964

Song of Sasural 1961

Song of Sasural 1961

Song of Ziddi 1964

The Hit Songs Picturized on Johny Walker

In an era when star billing in song picturizations was reserved only for the hero and heroine, Johnny Walker had a special status. He had one or more songs in every film. The most popular Sar Jo Tera Chakraye from Pyaasa, Yeh hai Bombay Meri Jaan from C I D .and many songs were the attraction of the films produced in the 50s and 60s.I am posting those songs which were hit but now forgotten.
He made his debut from the 1951 film Baazi and worked in almost 300 films in a career span of 40 years. The first time he appeared in a song in 1954 film Taxi Driver with Dev Anand."Mastram Ban Ke Zindagi Ke din Guzar De' and the next year in  Mr and Mrs 55,  'Jane Kahan Mera Jigar Gaya Ji' After that in almost every film one song was picturized on him. Most of the songs picturized on him became very popular. The credit has to go to Mohammed Rafi who gave playback to Johnny Walker in most of his movies. When Rafi sings for Walker, you only listen to Walker and not to Rafi. Johnny Walker’s memories will continue to be alive through his movies and songs.

Song of Taxi Driver 1954

Song of Mr and Mrs 55, 1955

Song of C I D  1956

Song of Chori Chori 1956

Song of Pyasa 1957

Song from  Madhumati 1958

Song from  Paigham (1959)

Song from Chaudavin ka Chand 1960

Song from   Door ki awaaz.1964

Song from Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966)

Jagdeep - Mera Naam Soorma Bhopali Aise Hi Nahin Hai

Jagdeep(29 March 1939-8 July 2020) the comedian of Golden Era started his film career as a child artist extra in B. R. Chopra's Afsana, then went on to do films as a child artist in films like Ab Dilli Door Nahin, K. A. Abbas's Munna, Guru Dutt's Aar Paar, Bimal Roy's Do Bigha Zamin and AVM's Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke. After Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, he received various accolades and high praise for his roles. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru has gifted his personal staff to Jagdeep for his stellar performance in Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke.
His most memorable character is Soorma Bhopali in Ramesh Sippy’s Sholay. His catchphrase in the film “Mera Naam Soorma Bhopali Aise Hi Nahin Hai” is still remembered by fans. 
 Recall the famous scene of Sholay in which our heroes, Jai and Veeru, come upon Soorma Bhopali telling a bunch of spellbound listeners of how he beat the two with a stick, and how he’s found out: his paan-stained teeth, that Bhopali lilt and comfort in a role meant strictly for laughs, made his Soorma unforgettable. It was a small guest appearance but became immortal.
In a span of 6 decades, he performed nearly 400 roles, this role became so popular that even after 45 years, people still remember that role. His son Naved was so inspired by his father that he produced a film with the same title 'Soorma Bhopali' in 1988. It was not a box office success but did relatively better in the state of Madhya Pradesh. This film was a hit in the city of Bhopal and the surrounding regions.
 Jagdeep’s last on-screen appearance was in the 2017 movie Masti Nahi Sasti co-starring Kader Khan, Johnny Lever, Shakti Kapoor, Ravi Kishan, and others in the lead roles.

A scene from Sholay 1975