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Mehmood (actor)
Indian film actor (1932–2004) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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]
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During his career of more than four decades, he worked in over 300 Hindi films and was known as Bollywood's Original Bhaijaan.[2][3] Mehmood received 25 nominations for film 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'.
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Early life
Mehmood Ali was born on 29 September 1932. He was the second of the eight children, and eldest son to Latifunnisa and film and stage actor/dancer Mumtaz Ali, who was a huge star of the 1940s and 1950s cinema in Mumbai. 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.[3]
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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 Mohammad Rafi.
Mehmood would go on to perform small roles in films such as Do Bigha Zameen, C.I.D., and Pyaasa. He later began taking on larger roles.
Later career
In the 1980s, Mehmood's popularity began to decline as other comedy actors like Jagdeep, Asrani, Paintal, Deven Verma and Kader Khan shot to prominence. Between 1990 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). It was his last well-known film.
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Personal life
Mehmood married Madhu Kumari in 1953; the two divorced in September 1967.[citation needed] The two had four children together, Masood "Pucky" Ali, Maqsood "Lucky" Ali, Maqdoom "Macky" Ali, and Masoon Ali. Mehmood would go on to marry his second wife, Tracy, and have three more children with her, Mansoor Ali, Manzoor Ali, and Latifunnissa "Ginny" Ali.[4] Several of his children would go on to star in Mehmood related productions such as the 1976 film Ginny Aur Johnny, which starred his daughter Ginny and was based on the 1973 film Paper Moon.[5]
Death
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On 23 July 2004, Mehmood died in his sleep in 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.[2][3]
After the initial homage in Mumbai, his body was flown to Ali Estates, the family's 186-acre farmhouse in Yelahanka, on the outskirts of Bangalore[6] A funeral procession was held there on 29 July 2004, attended by close relatives, friends, and several film personalities along with local mourners.[7] Though relatively low-key in accordance with his wishes, the ceremony drew tributes from many senior actors and filmmakers who acknowledged Mehmood as a giant of Indian comedy whose influence extended well beyond his screen presence. The estate, which had been used as a set for many of Mehmood's films, also houses a private family graveyard. He was buried in a modest, unmarked grave at the foot of the white tomb of his father, Mumtaz Ali. His son Macky, who died in 2002, is also buried next to him.[8]
Tomb of Mumtaz Ali with unmarked graves of his son Mehmood Ali and grandson Macky in the background.
Unmarked graves of Mehmood and Macky Ali at Ali Estates, Yelahanka, Bangalore.
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Legacy
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One of Mehmood's most enduring legacies is his early support for Amitabh Bachchan, who would go on to become one of the most iconic figures in Indian cinema. At a time when leading producers hesitated to cast Bachchan in prominent roles, Mehmood offered him the lead in Bombay to Goa, marking Bachchan's first major solo project.[9] The film featured a high-impact bus crash sequence, and Mehmood was reportedly taken aback by the raw intensity Amitabh displayed in the action scene – a performance that foreshadowed his future rise as the "Angry Young Man." Bachchan would later refer to Mehmood as his "godfather," crediting him with giving him a crucial break at a turning point in his career.[10]
Mehmood's personal life also reflected his wide social reach. Through marriage, he was connected to the Nawab of Arcot's family, one of the oldest Muslim noble lineages in India, known for their longstanding ties to Hyderabad and Madras aristocracy.[11]
Satish Kaushik has credited Mehmood as inspiring him to become an actor.[12] In 2013 Mehmood was featured on a stamp of India.[citation needed] In 2022, Mehmood was placed in Outlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actors" list.[13]
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Filmography
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Awards
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See also
Further reading
- Zaveri, Hanif. Mehmood, a Man of Many Moods, Popular Prakashan, 2005. ISBN 81-7991-213-2
References
External links
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