MEHMOOD - The Original Bhaijaan

Today Salman Khan is known as the Bhaijaan of Hindi Film Industry but the original Bhaijaan was Mehmood. At his peak, he was paid more than the film’s hero. Mehmood had a big heart too. He helped many struggling actors find work in the industry. When Amitabh Bachchan was new to Mumbai and still struggling to find a foothold in the industry, it was Mehmood who helped him and offered him a room at his own house. He gave Amitabh the hero’s role in Bombay To Goa in 1972. It was due to this movie that writer duo Salim- Javed picked Amitabh for the iconic role of  Inspector Vijay Khanna in the action film Zanjeer.
There was a time It was difficult to imagine Hindi film comedy without Bollywood’s original Bhaijaan. His movie comes with an assurance of fun, frolic, drama, dance and great music. Well, dancing came naturally to him and so did acting and performance. There was no movie without a song of Mehmood.
In this Blog I have included some of the forgotten hit songs of Mehmood.this will refresh your memory.

Song of  Parvarish (1958)

Song of Howrah Bridge (1958) 

Song of Chhoti Bahen (1959)

Song of Pyase  Panchhi 1961

Song of Pyase  Panchhi 1961

Song of Sasural 1961

Song of Aarti 1962

Song of Grahasti (1963)

Song of Hamrahi (1963)

Song of  Shabnam 1964

Song of Bhoot Bangla 1965

Song of Pati Patni' (1966)

Song of  Around the World 1967

Song of Jawab 1970

Song of Main Sundar Hoon (1971)

The story of Badruddin Qazi to Johnny Walker.

He started life in Mumbai as a bus conductor. And he would have continued to be so if the late actor Balraj Sahni had not spotted him entertaining passengers in a bus.
Those days Balraj Sahni was penning the script for “Baazi, he thought that if he brings this character in the script it will give a boost to the film. He asked Badruddin Qazi about working in films.

It was on the sets of “Baazi” that Badruddin Qazi met director Guru Dutt, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Those days it was the practice of changing the names of the actors, this was also done to him. So the new name for him was planned. It is said that the director of the film Guru Dutt was drinking the most popular brand of scotch whisky at that time, the idea came to his mind why not the brand Johny Walker should be given to this new comedian. Everybody sitting with him liked this name. So Badruddin Qazi became Johnny Walker.

“Baazi” gave him a foothold into the industry and the other films, which followed, established him forever. Thereafter he was doing all the films of Guru Dutt. Films like Taxi Driver(1954) CID, Pyaasa, Madhumati, Naya Daur and Mere Mehboob made him a star.

.He was sought after by the best banners and the best directors and was equal to the task of acting with the best of the stars. 

He was offered many films(around 12) as a hero such as JOHNNY WALKER, Mr Cartoon, These, of course, had comic themes but were embellished with wonderful music and did well at the box office. 

His Golden Period was the 50s and 60s when he gave memorable and great performances.
He was a natural comedian, his comedy was never crude or vulgar. But, from 1970 onwards, comedy began to change. Some of the comedians indulged in lewd gestures and relied on double-entendre. Johnny Walker never tried that type of comedy, In an interview, he said that though he acted more than 300 films and the Censor Board never cut even one line of his character. His drawing power at the box office was such that Distributors insisted the Producers and Directors to have at least one song to be done with him.

Here are a few popular songs of Johny Walker

Song from Taxi Driver 1954

Song of Mr & Mrs 55 1955

Song from CID 1956

Song from Chori Chori 1956

Song from Pyaasa 1957

Song from Chaudavin Ka Chand 1960

The earlier Years of Mehmood

Mehmood, son of character actor Mumtaz Ali, who was having a dance troupe "Mumtaz Ali Nites" performed all over India. His career slumped due to his alcoholism, leading Mehmood to work as a child artist and daughter Meenu Mumtaz to work as a dancer in his stage shows and later movies. He had a tough time when starting out in the Hindi film industry.
He did every kind of odd job from becoming a driver for director PL Santoshi.He also assisted him on the sets. If Santoshi sent him out to buy cigarettes or other small things, he would invariably keep the change.  He also got the job of teaching Table Tennis to Meena Kumari.
He also worked as assistant cameraman with Arjun Desai, as an assistant set designer with Kamleshwar Sehgal, as an assistant editor with DN Desai.He also worked with Hemant kumar as office assistant for some time.Hemant Kumar who knew the hardship he was facing once even let him sing in the chorus so that he could make some money.
It was in 1954 when Hemant Kumar was giving music for Nagin,in a song  ‘O Zindagi Ke Denewale’ he took Mehmood as a chorus singer but he was singing so badly that Hemant Kumar’s assistant Ravi asked him to leave. Mehmood begged Ravi to let him stay, but Ravi was adamant. However, Hemant Kumar knew of Mehmood’s dire straits, so he asked to remain and merely lip-sync the song without any sound.
In his childhood Mehmood worked in few films of Bomay Talkies as a child artist(Kismet of Bombay Talkies was his first film as child artist) so he thought of to switch to acting and started going to one producer to another to beg for work.
He was first offered a small role as a murder victim in CID and then acted in films like “Do Bigha Zameen” and “Pyaasa”. He got his first major break in the film Parvarish in 1958. After Paravrish, Mehmood’s comic talent was recognized in the industry.

Song from Parvarish (1958)

His first breakthrough film as a comedian was Chhoti Behen in 1959. The movie also created one of the most successful comedy pairings of the sixties – Mehmood and Shubha Khote.Their next film was Sasural in 1961 which was hit and thus Jodi became super hit for years to come.
Here are some of the great songs of Mehmood and Shubha Khote

Song from Chhoti Bahen (1959).

Song from Sasural 1961

Song from Sasural 1961

Song from Grahasti (1963)

Song from Hamraahi 1963

Song from Ziddi (1964)

Song from Saanjh aur Sawera (1964),

Song from Beti Bete.1964

Song from Love In Tokyo (1966)

Song from Tumse Achha Kaun Hai (1969)

Uma Devi(TUNTUN) was a Singer before becoming the First Ever Woman Comedian of Bollywood

She arrived in Bombay (Mumbai) at the age of 23(Born on 11th July 1923), having run away from home, and knocked on composer Naushad Ali's door. She told him that she could sing and that she would throw herself in the ocean if he didn't give her a chance. He auditioned her, and hired her on the spot. She made her debut as a solo playback singer in Nazir's Wamiq Azra (1946).
With the song  "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon Dil-e-Beqarar Ka" she became popular and became household name.In fact, a gentleman from Delhi was so mesmerized  by her song "Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon", that he stayed with her in Bombay. They got married, and the couple had two daughters and two sons; her husband, whom she called Mohan, died in 1992.
The success of Dard meant that she next received Mehboob Khan's Anokhi Ada (1948), which again had two hit numbers, "Kahe Jiya Dole" and "Dil Ko Lagake Humne Kuch Bhi Na Paya". This brought her into the league of highly rated playback singers.She reached her peak as a vocalist in director S.S. Vasan's Chandralekha (1948) made by Gemini Studios, Chennai. Her seven songs, which include hits such as "Saanjh Ki Bela" remain her most accomplished work in her singing career, though signing for the film also meant a breach of contract with producer-director Kardar, which led to her dwindling fortunes in the industry 
.Uma's career as a singer was short-lived. New singers entered the industry. It was impossible to keep pace with Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. "Rakhi"-brother Naushad used to compose songs to suit her range. But that could not have continued for long.

It was Naushad who encouraged her to start acting because he felt that  she had a very bubbly personality and wonderful comic timing.He also knew that she was a great fan of Dilip Kumar he in fact asked Dilip Kumar to cast her in one of his films, and she appeared in Babul (1950) with him, which had Nargis as the lead actress; it is he who renamed her "Tun Tun" to suit her comic persona,the name stayed with her, and a comedic legend was born. 
She had a fan in Guru Dutt and acted in almost all his films. Her favourite role too was from Guru Dutt's Mr and Mrs 55 in which she played a Christian lady.She acted in nearly 200 films.She died on 23 November 2003 in Andheri, Mumbai, after a prolonged illness at the age of 80 and is survived by her four children and four grandchildren.
In her career spanning five decades, she acted in Hindi/Urdu and other languages like Punjabi etc., pairing with top comedy actors of her times such as Bhagwan Dada, Agha, Sunder, Mukri, Dhumal, Johnny Walker and Keshto Mukherjee. She was last seen in Hindi films in Kasam Dhande Ki (1990).
Owing to her popularity, the name Tun Tun has become synonymous with fat women in India.

Song from Dard (1947)

Song from Dard (1947)

Song from Chandralekha (1948)

Song from Chandralekha (1948)

Song from Chandni Raat (1949)

Song from Anokhi Ada (1948)

Song from Saudamini (1950)

Song from Dholak (1951)

Song from Taksaal (1956)

Song from Passing Show (1956)

Song from Jungle King (1959)

Gope- The Top Comedian of his Time

Born on 11th April 1913 went on to become the top comedian in 40s and 50s. Starting his career with a small role in Insaan Ya Shaitaan (1933),went on to act in over one hundred forty films in a career spanning twenty-four years from 1933 to 1957.He became famous for lip-syncing the popular number "Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon"  from Patanga(1949)
He formed a popular comic pairing with Yakub, in the "Laurel-and-Hardy" style, and the producers used them in several films.Their most famous films together were Patanga (1949), followed by Bazar (1949), Beqasoor and Sagai (1951)

Gope acted in other memorable roles in films such as Hindustan Hamara, Patanga and Chori Chori. Gope also tried playing negative roles. In the 1951 Dilip Kumar-Madhubala starrer film Taraana, he teamed up with Jeevan to play the villain's role in comic style. He started Gope Productions in the 1950s, which made films such as Hangama and Biradari. Some of these films were directed by Gope's brother, Ram Kamlani. Gope married actress Latika and continued to act in films till his death in 1957.

Song from Ghar Ki Izzat' (1948) 

Song from  Pagree 1948

Song from Patanga 1949

Song from  Sagai 1951

JAGDEEP-Soorma Bhopali of Sholay

Jagdeep 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.

Still from Do Beegha Zameen

He was launched as a leading man by AVM in the films Bhabhi, Barkha and Bindaya, and went on to do a few more films as a leading man.Later on he established himself as a comedian.His role of Soorma Bhopali of Sholay will always be in the mind of cinema lovers.
He was born on  29 March 1939 in M P.,At the age of 6 his mother brought him to Bombay where his cousin brother was already settled.He had a very poor childhood and couldn't complete his schooling.He started selling soap and combs for living. even sold kites,One day an unknown person offered him work as an extra for BR Chopra's Afsana for which he was offered Rs 6 per day.After that he played the role of young Kishore Kumar in Dhobi Doctor.This role was appreciated by Bimal Roy who took him for his next Classic film Do Beegha Zameen.After that he was offered a children's film, Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke, for which the then prime minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, honoured him and the other artistes.
That year proved to be a milestone in Jagdeep's young life. All the films nominated for the best children's film category -- Raj Kapoor's Ab Dilli Door Nahin, K A Abbas' Munna and AVM's Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke -- had a common factor, Jagdeep. 

Jagdeep in Bhabhi

He was launched as a leading man by AVM in the films Bhabhi, Barkha and Bindaya, and went on to do a few more films as a leading man.He played hero in five films, opposite heroines like Nanda (Bhabhi), Azra, Amita and Naaz.  He established himself as a comedian since the movie Brahmachari.
He appeared in more than 400 films. He is especially known for his comic roles. He played Soorma Bhopali in Sholay (1975), Machchar in Purana Mandir (1984), Salman Khan's dad in Andaz Apna Apna (1994) 
He is also known for his appearances in many horror movies, especially in projects of the Ramsay Brothers. He appeared in famous hits like Purana Mandir.
 Some hit songs are picturised on him like "Paas baitho tabiyat bahal jayegi" from Punarmilan, "In pyar ki rahon mein" from the same film, "Chal ud ja re Panchhi" and "Chali Chali re Patang", from the superhit movie Bhabhi, where he is paired opposite Nanda, and "Aa Gaye Yaaro Jeene Ke Din" from Phir Wohi Raat.

Song from Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke (1957) 

Song from Bhabhi 1957

Song from Bhabhi 1957

Song from  Barkha (1959

Song from Punarmilan 1964

Song from Punarmilan 1964

Song from Khilona 1970

Song from Phir Wohi Raat.1980

Mukri-The Nathulal Of Sharabi

Remember the  iconic dialogue of the superstar Amitabh Bachchan, 'Mooche Ho Toh Nathulal Jaise, 'Warna Na Ho’from 1984 film Sharabi. That was his last film with Amitabh. Before that he acted with him in ‘Coolie’(Rati’s father), ‘ Amar Akbar Anthony’( Neetu Singh’s father),’ Bombay To Goa’(a South Indian),Lawaris etc.

What made Mukri different from other comedians was that he used to laugh in every scene that had comedy dialogues. He stole scenes regularly and he was hilarious in every film whether he is playing servant or a gardener or even a show organiser in many films.
Mukri’s career went to new heights with Manmohan Desai’s Amar Akbar Anthony (1977). In this film, he played the role of Tyeb Ali, a strict father. The song “Tyeb Ali pyar ka dushman…” picturised on him and Rishi Kapoor became very popular, and Mukri a household name. 
There was hardly any side character Mukri did not play as the comic sidekick. He performed these roles with great élan. Nathulal is one such character imprinted in the minds of cine buffs. His character “Nathu Lal” in Sharaabi became so popular, that years later when Manmohan desai cast him in Jaadugar (1989), he named his character Nathu Lal to bank on its popularity. 

 He made his debut with film ‘Pratima’ along with Dilip Kumar and all his films with Dilip Kumar like "Aan" and "Amar" was extremely popular. He was born as Muhammad Umar Mukri in Maharashtra on January 5, 1922, and passed away on September 4, 2000, in Mumbai.
 Mukri was a classmate of legendary actor Dilip Kumar and both made their debut in the same year in Hindi cinema. It is said that Dilip Kumar helped Mukri a lot. Their friendship continued until Mukri expired.
Mukri also shared his screen with other great heroes of his times in almost 600-odd films, where he worked in during a career that extended for more than 50 years. Mukri worked with Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Amithabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Nargis, Meena Kumari and Mudhubala.

He was one of the more frequent faces appearing in hindi films in the late 50s and early 60s. Some of his notable roles were in films like Mother India (1957), Kalaapani (1958), Anari (1959), Kohinoor (1960) and Asli Naqli (1962)
 The other successful films Mukri include  Chori Chori, Aankhe, Mother India, Ram Aur Shyam, Aan and Ashique. 

Some of Famous Songs of Mukri

Song from Dak Ghar

Song from Asli Naqli.1962

Song from Anokhi Raat 1968

Song from Padosan 1968

Song from Upaasna 1971

Song from Amar Akbar Anthony 1977

How Badruddin Qazi Became JOHNY WALKER

On his 97th Birth Anniversary we look back how the legendary comedian got his new name JOHNY WALKER.He reigned the Hindi Film Industry in the 1950s and 60s. No film was complete without a cameo from the son of a mill worker in Indore.He made his audiences smile gently and laugh uproariously without resorting to a single vulgarity or double entendre.
He started life in Mumbai as a bus conductor. And he would have continued to be so if the late actor Balraj Sahni had not spotted him entertaining passengers in a bus.
Those days Balraj Sahini was penning the script for “Baazi,he thought that if he brings this character in the script it will give boost to the film.He asked Badruddin Qazi about working in films.

It was on the sets of “Baazi” that Badruddin Qazi met director Guru Dutt, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Those days it was the practice of changing the names of the actors,this was also done to him.So the new name for him was planned.It is said that the director of the film Guru Dutt was drinking the most popular brand of scotch whisky at that time,the idea came to his mind why not the brand Johny Walker should be given to this new comedian.Everybody sitting with him liked this name.So Badruddin Qazi became Johnny Walker.

There was no looking back after that. The talented actor-director and the fledgling comedian had an enduring partnership and went on to make great films like “Pyaasa”, “CID”, “Mr and Mrs 55” and “Sahib, Bibi aur Ghulam”.

The great comedian once said: “If it was not  Guru Dutt sahib, I would have remained a bus conductor. I had a great understanding with him that made my career.”

“Baazi” gave him a foothold into the industry and the other films, which followed, established him forever.

He was last seen in 1997 in Kamal Haasan’s “Chachi 420”, a remake of the Hollywood comedy “Mrs Doubtfire”, for which he returned to the screen after a gap of 14 years.

Song from Mr & Mrs 55 (1955)

Song from C I D 1956

Song from Chori Chori 1956

Song from Pyaasa 1957

Song from Gateway Of India 1957

Song from Choudhavin Ka Chaand 1960

MEHMOOD-The Man Who Taught the Nation How to Laugh!

There were many  comedians in Bollywood before him.But he made the comedian’s role an integral part of the story line.Often the comedian’s plight proved more interesting than even the hero’s romance.For a brief period in the 1960s, thanks to him, comedy was king. And Mehmood was the uncrowned King of Comedy. 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.
Mehmood was the son of character-actor/dancer Mumtaz Ali and used to tag along with his father to the film studios. 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 laugh riot,
SONGS of Mehmood and Shubha Khote

Song from Sasural 1961

Song from Dil Tera Diwana 1962

Song from Grihasti (1963)

Song from Beti Bete 1964

Song from Ziddi (1964)

Song from Love In Tokyo (1966)

SONGS of Mehmood and I S Johar

Both of them worked together in 8 films,first time they came together in 1954 film Nastik,this film was directed by I S Johar, Mehmood  at that time was not an established comedian.In 1965 both appeared as comedians in 2 films."Johar Mehmood in Goa" and "Namaste Ji".After that they came together in Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong.

Song from Johar Mehmood In Goa 1965

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Song from Johar Mehmood In Hong Kong 1971

SONGS of Mehmood and Kishore Kumar

Both of them came together in 8 films ,the most popular are Pyar Kiye Ja,Saadhu Aur Shaitan.Padosan and Hungama

Scene from Saadhu Aur Shaitan 1968

Song from Padosan 1969