Mehmood (actor)

Mehmood Ali (29 September 1932 – 23 July 2004), popularly known simply as Mehmood, was an Indian actor, singer, director and producer best known for playing comic roles in Hindi films.[1][2]

For other people named Mehmood Ali, see Mehmood Ali (disambiguation).

Mehmood Ali
Mehmood on a 2013 stamp of India.jpg
Born(1932-09-29)29 September 1932
Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
Died23 July 2004(2004-07-23) (aged 71)
Dunmore, Pennsylvania, US
Occupation
  • Actor
  • singer
  • film producer
  • director
ChildrenPucky Ali, Lucky Ali, Macky Ali, Kizzy Ali, among others
Parent(s)Mumtaz Ali (father)
RelativesMeena Kumari (sister-in-law). Also see Ali-Amrohi family

During his career of more than four decades, he worked in over 300 Hindi films. He is known as India's national comedian.[1][3] Mehmood received 25 Nominations for filmfare awards, 19 for 'Best Performance in a Comic Role', while the awards started in 1954, awards for the best comedian category started only in 1967. Prior to that Mehmood also received 6 nominations for 'Best Supporting Actor'.

Early life

Mehmood Ali was born on 29 September 1932. He was one of eight children born to Latifunnisa and film and stage actor/dancer Mumtaz Ali, who was a huge star of the 1940s and 1950s cinema in Bombay. Mehmood had an elder sister and six younger siblings. His sister, Minoo Mumtaz, was also a successful dancer and character actress in Bollywood movies. His youngest brother, Anwar Ali, is also an actor as well as a producer of such movies as Khud-daar and Kaash.[2][3]

Career

Early career

As a child, he worked in Bombay films like Kismet. He later had a number of odd jobs, selling poultry products and working as a driver for director P. L. Santoshi. Santoshi's son, Rajkumar Santoshi, would later cast him in the film Andaz Apna Apna (1994). Many of Mehmood's film songs were sung by Manna Dey.[2]

Mehmood reportedly taught table tennis to actress Meena Kumari. After marrying legendary actress Meena Kumari's younger sister Madhu in the early 1950s and becoming a father by having a son, Masood, he decided to act to earn a better living starting with a small break as a killer in the film C.I.D. (1956 film). He started off by doing small, unnoticed roles in films like the peanut seller in Do Bigha Zameen and Pyaasa. He later went on to act in lead roles as well, but he was more appreciated for his comedy, some of which was in the Hyderabad region's Urdu accent. Mehmood knew exactly how to tickle the film viewers' funny bone. He was really good at playing the film hero's friend, who would help him out of sticky situations with his street-smart ways.[2]

Besides actress Shubha Khote, he also teamed up with fellow comedian, I. S. Johar and actress Aruna Irani.[2]

Later career

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.

Death

On 23 July 2004, Mehmood died in his sleep in the American state of Pennsylvania, where he had gone for treatment of cardiovascular heart disease after suffering from poor health over several years. His fans were able to pay homage to him at Mehboob Studio in Bandra, Mumbai.[1][2][3]

Legacy

One of his sons, Lucky Ali (Maqsood Ali), is a singer and composer who has also appeared in films. Mehmood was one of the most respected and loved entertainers in the Indian film fraternity. A performer of such caliber that leading men back in the day used to reject films because their presence used to diminish in films if they starred with Mehmood.[2]

He was the one who introduced Amitabh Bachchan into the commercial cinema space. Amitabh stayed at his house in Bombay for two years. Mehmood saw potential in Amitabh and put in him in films like Bombay To Goa which was a success. However, when Mehmood and Amitabh's father Harivansh were admitted in the same hospital, Amitabh did not even go to visit him. Mehmood later on in an interview said that he has forgiven Amitabh. He also gave a break to the music director R. D. Burman whose first independent film as music director was Chhote Nawab (1961) and to Rajesh Roshan with his own production Kunwara Baap (1974 film).[2]

Filmography
YearFilmAsNotes
1943KismetYoung ShekharChildhood Version of Ashok Kumar
1945SanyasiBanke
1953Do Bigha ZaminPeanuts Seller
1954NastikVinod's Henchman
1954NaukriPickPocket, Rowdy @1hr.38 min of flim
1956C.I.D.Sher Singh
1957BaarishRamu's Neighbour
1957PyaasaVijay's Brother
1958ParvarishRamesh Singh
1959Qaidi No. 911Anand
1959Kaagaz Ke PhoolSpecial AppearanceIn the song "San San San Woh Chali Hawaa"
1959Chhoti BahenMaheshFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor [Nominated]
1960Mian Biwi Razi
1960ManzilShankar Paanwala
1960Shriman SatyawadiKishore
1961Chhote NawabMehmood provided famous music director R. D. Burman his first break in this film
1961Pyaase PanchhiMahesh
1961SasuralMaheshFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor [Nominated]
1962RakhiKasturiFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor [Nominated]
1962Dil Tera DeewanaAnokheFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
1963HamrahiMahesh
1963Ghar Basake DekhoSunderNominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.
1963Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye
1963BharosaPlatform M. P. P. S.
1963GrahastiJaggu
1964ZindagiJaggu
1964ZiddiMahesh
1964Beti BeteMahesh 'Munna'
1964ShabnamKhan Mustafa / Zingarro
1964ChitralekhaBrahmachari Shwetant
1964Sanjh Aur SaveraPrakash
1965Johar-Mehmood in GoaRahim Mohammed Salauddin
1965Do DilBahadur Singh
1965Namasteji
1965GumnaamButlerFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor [Nominated]
1965Bhoot BunglaMohan KumarProduced and directed by Mehmood
1965Neela AakashMadanlal
1965Bahu BetiMahesh
1965KaajalBhola
1966Pyar Kiye JaaAtmaFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
1966Mohabbat Zindagi HaiManglu
1966Biwi Aur MakanSitaram Pandey
1966Pati PatniPashupati
1966Love in TokyoMahesh
1966Daadi MaaMahesh
1967Chandan Ka PalnaMahesh Chandra Mukhopadhyay
1967MehrbanMadhu
1967Gunahon Ka Devta
1967Patthar ke SanamHariya Kumar
1968PadosanMaster Pillaiwith Sunil Dutt, Saira Banu and Kishore Kumar. Mehmood jointly produced this film with N. C. Sippy
1968AnkhenMehmood
1968Neel KamalGirdhar Gopal Agarwal
1968Do KaliyanMahesh
1968IzzatMahesh
1968Sadhu Aur ShaitaanBajrangFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1969Meri BhabhiShambhuFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1969Badi DidiMadan
1969WarisCID Inspector Rajan / Ram Kumar No. 3 & his mother (Double Role)Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role[2]
1970HumjoliShivram / Balram / Parshuram (Triple Role)Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1970JawabBajrangi
1970MastanaSatyaCredit as Mahmood
1971Main Sunder HoonSunderFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1971Lakhon Me EkBhola
1971ParasMunna SarkarFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
1971Johar Mehmood in Hong KongMahesh
1971Naya ZamanaMahesh
1971Mere Apne
1972Bombay To GoaKhanna (Bus Conductor)Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1972Garam MasalaRajkumar Suraj Kumar
1973Do PhoolPavitra Kumar Rai "Puttan" / Mani (Double Role)Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1973JugnuMahesh
1974PocketmaarSunder
1974Kunwara BaapMaheshFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]. Mehmood also introduced music director Rajesh Roshan in this film
1974BadlaHippie
1974Duniya Ka MelaFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1975SalaakhenAbdul Rehman
1975VardaanFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
1975QaidBajrangiFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1976Ginny Aur Johnny
1976Jai Bajrang BaliShakun
1976Sabse Bada RupaiyaFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role Nominated
1977AmaanatMahesh
1977AafatMahesh
1977Thief of Baghdad
1978Des PardesAnwar
1978Ek Baap Chhe BeteMahesh
1979NaukerDayalFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1980KhanjarJagat
1980Lootmaar
1980Man PasandPopat
1982SuraagFather of prospective bride
1982Khud-daarJaganFilmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role [Nominated]
1986Ladies HostelMahesh BhattaKannada film with B. Sarojadevi in lead role
1987MajaalShrichand Titarmare
1988FaislaJaggu
1993Khal-NaaikaaGangaram
1994Andaz Apna ApnaJohnny (Wah-Wah Productions)
1995Guddu
1996Dushman Duniya KaBakrewale Baba

Awards

See also

References
  1. Indian comedy actor Mehmood dies on BBC news website Published 23 July 2004, Retrieved 5 November 2019
  2. Karan Bali. "Profile of Mehmood". Upperstall.com website. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  3. Indian film comedian Mehmood dies at 72 Dawn (newspaper), Published 24 July 2004, Retrieved 7 November 2019
  4. Farhana Farook (29 September 2015). "Remembering Mehmood". FILMFARE.com website. Retrieved 5 November 2019.

Further reading
  • Zaveri, Hanif. Mehmood, a Man of Many Moods, Popular Prakashan, 2005. ISBN 81-7991-213-2
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