Mehmood (actor)

For the Pakistani footballer, see Mehmood Ali (footballer).

Mehmood Ali
File:Mehmood Ali - Actor.jpg
Born	(1932-09-29)29 September 1932 Mumbai, British India
Died	23 July 2004(2004-07-23) (aged 71) Dunmore, Pennsylvania, US
Occupation	Actor
Spouse(s)	Madhu (divorced) Nancy Kroll aka Tracy Ali (Tahira)
Children	Masood Ali Maqsood Mehmood Ali (Lucky Ali) Maqdoom Ali Masoom Ali Manzoor Ali Mansoor Ali Ginny Ali
Parent(s)	Mumtaz Ali Latifunnisa Ali

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. During his career of more than four decades, he worked in over 300 Hindi films.

Early life

Mehmood was one of eight children born to Latifunnisa and film and stage actor-cum-dancer Mumtaz Ali, who was a huge star of the 40's and 50's cinema, in Mumbai, India. 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 too is an actor and a producer of movies like Khud-daar and Kaash.

Career

Early career

As a child, he worked in Bombay films like Kismet. He later had a number of odd jobs, working as a table tennis teacher to Meena Kumari and as a driver for director P. L. Santoshi. Santoshi's son, Rajkumar Santoshi, would later cast him in the film Andaz Apna Apna.

After getting married and becoming a father, he decided to act to earn a better living starting with a small break as a killer in the film CID. 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, but he was appreciated for his comedy, some of which was in the Hyderabad region's Urdu accent.

Later career

Towards the end of the 70s, Mehmood's popularity began to decline as other comedy actors like Jagdeep, Asrani, Paintal and Kader Khan shot to prominence. Between 1989 to 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 – his last hit film as an actor.

Death

On 23 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. His fans were able to pay homage to him at Mehboob Studio in Bandra, Mumbai, India.

Legacy

One of his sons, Lucky Ali (Maqsood Ali) is a singer and composer who has acted in films.

Partial filmography

3

Awards

Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award – Won 1963 Dil Tera Diwana – Anokhe

Filmfare Best Comedian Award – Won 1967 Pyar Kiye Jaa – Atma 1970 Waris – Ram Kumar #3/Mother (double role) 1972 Paras – Munna Sarkar 1975 Vardaan

Filmfare Best Comedian Award – Nominated 1967 Love in Tokyo – Mahesh 1968 Mehrban 1969 Neel Kamal – Girdhar Gopal Agarwal 1969 Sadhu Aur Shaitaan – Bajrang/Ram 1970 Meri Bhabhi – Shambu 1971 Humjoli – Shivram 1972 Main Sunder Hoon – Sunder 1973 Bombay to Goa – Khanna, Bus Conductor 1974 Do Phool – Pavitra Kumar Rai 'Puttan'/Mani 1975 Duniya Ka Mela 1975 Kunwara Baap – Mahesh/Rickshaw Walla 1976 Qaid – Bajrangi 1977 Sabse Bada Rupaiya – Neki Ram 1980 Nauker – Dayal 1983 Khud-Daar – Jaggan

See also

• Mehmood Ali Family
• List of Hindi film clans

External links

• "Legendary Comedian Mehmood Dead, Burial at Bangalore", INDOlink, 24 July 2004
• "Indian comedy actor Mehmood dies", BBC, 23 July 2004
• "Man who made nation laugh is no more", Indian Express, 24 July 2004
• "Comedian Mehmood is no more", The Times of India, 23 July 2004

Further reading

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

External links

• Mehmood at IMDb