Golden Era of Bollywood: Remembering Mehmood on his 84th Birth Anniversary

Mehmood ( 29 September 1932- July 23 2004 ) was an Indian actor, director as well as a producer in the Indian film industry i.e. Bollywood and has worked in more than 300 films in a career spanning over three decades. However, his fans remember him as one of the most hilarious comedian of all time.
He started his career as a child artist. He worked in Bombay films like Kismet. He also did small roles in many films which went unnoticed.Few of such films were Do Bigha Zameen and Pyaasa.

The film CID released in 1956,in that film he had slightly noticable role that brought him to limelight.
Sasural (1961), a three-hankie melodramatic mega-success, was Mehmood's big breakthrough film as a comedian. What's more, Sasural created one of the most successful comedy teams of the sixties -- Mehmood and Shubha Khote. The plump and genial Shubha went on to partner Mehmood in most of his mad capers till the mid-sixties -- including Grihasti, Bharosa, Ziddi and Love In Tokyo

Scene from Ziddi

At the turn of the 1960s, Mehmood even played the hero in small films opposite starlets like Chitra, Naaz and Ameeta. Mehmood cast Ameeta as the heroine in his first production Chhote Nawab (1961), where he gave a break to his friend-cum-composer, R D Burman.After that he produced and Directed Bhoot Bangla(1965)

Scene from Bhoot Bangla

By the late sixties, he was heralded as the monarch of madness, with successes like Patthar Ke Sanam, Do Kaliyan, Neel Kamal, Aankhen and Aulaad releasing one after the other. Mehmood was a master at playing the hero's friend, who would help him out of sticky situations with his street-smart ways.

Mehmood dominated commercial Hindi cinema during his peak years, to the extent that it was said that some lead actors were unwilling to act with him as he tended to overshadow them.His name in the star cast and face on the film poster ensured that scores turned up at the theatres. One song for him in the film was mandatory in that era.At the insistence of distributors, a song picturised on Mehmood became a must in most films of the sixties. Manna Dey, a recognised classical singer, was singled out for singing many of Mehmood's naughty numbers.He was among the rare few who even went to have films named after him - Johar Mehmood in Goa and Johar Mehmood in Hongkong.

Mehmood with fellow Comedians

Some famous Bollywood songs for which people still remember Mehmood are 'Ek chatur naar' from film Padosan, 'Aao Twist Karen' from Bhoot Bangla, 'Yeh do deewane dil ke' from Johar Mehmood in Goa, 'Hum kaale hai to kyaa huaa dilwaale hain' from Gumnaam and so on. He received the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Dil Tera Diwana(1963) and Filmfare Best Comedian Award 4 times for films Pyar Kiye Jaa(1967),Waris(1970),Paras(1972) and for Vardaan(1975).

Mehmood in Pyaar Kiye Ja

By the time the 90s set in, Mehmood had played his entire hand -- as actor, director, storywriter and producer. But, he was now keeping indifferent health. He made one last attempt at a comeback, with a film called Dushman Duniya Ka (1996). By now, there was a new generation of filmgoers in the theatres -- and new stars in Bollywood’s firmaments. Mehmood managed to get the brightest new star into his movie. Shah Rukh Khan – a self-confessed Mehmood admirer – played the role of the “young” Mehmood in the film,

actor mehmood's funeral

On 23rd July 2004, Mehmood died in his sleep in Pennsylvania, US, where he had gone for treatment of heart disease after suffering poor health for several years

Mehmood will forever be remembered as he appeared in his heydays – as the King of Comedy. He taught a nation how to laugh! Thank you for the laughter!

Best of Mehmood's Songs