Mehboob Khan Born as - Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan in 1907 Bilimora, Baroda, Gujarat Died - 28 May 1964 Bombay, Maharashtra, India Occupation Film director, Producer Years active 1931–1962 Wifes - Fatima Sardar Akhtar Mehboob Khan (1907 – 28 May 1964) was a pioneer, producer-director of Hindi cinema, best known for directing the social epic ‘Mother India (1957)’, which won the “Filmfare Awards” for Best Film and Best Director and was a nominee for the “Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film”. He set up his production company, Mehboob Productions, and later a film studio, the ‘Mehboob Studios’ in Bandra, Mumbai in 1954. Early life Khan was born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan in Bilimora in Gandevi Taluka of Baroda State (Now Gujarat). Career He ran away from home to work small jobs in the studios of Bombay. He started as an assistant in the silent era and an extra in the studios of the Imperial Film Company of ‘Ardeshir Irani’, before directing his first film, ‘Judgement of Allah (1935)’, when he started directing films for the Sagar Film Company. Directorial features like ‘Aurat’ followed, with the studios Sagar Movietone and National Studios. In 1945, Khan set up his own production house, Mehboob Productions. Throughout his career, Khan produced and directed many blockbuster films, the most notable being the romantic drama ‘Andaz (1949)’, the swashbuckling ‘Aan (1951)’, the dramatic ‘Amar (1954)’ and the social epic ‘Mother India (1957)’, the latter of which was nominated for an “Academy Award” in 1957 and was a remake of his own 1940 film ‘Aurat’. He has directed 21 other films dating from the late 1930s. His earlier works were in Urdu, but his later material, including ‘Mother India’, were in Hindi although many say he utilized Hindustani, a friendlier and softer spoken version of Hindi and Urdu. Several of his films, especially his earlier films ‘Humayun’, the story of a Mughal emperor who ruled India, ‘Anmol Ghadi’ and ‘Taqdeer’, in which he introduced ‘Nargis’, who would later marry ‘Sunil Dutt’, were written by ‘Aghajani Kashmeri’ also Kashmiri and Agha Jani. Kashmeri was responsible for picking and training Nargis in Hindustani and Urdu dialogue delivery. His last film as a director was the 1962 film ‘Son of India’. He died in 1964 at the age of 57, and was buried at Badakabarastan in Marine Lines, Mumbai. His death occurred the next day after the death of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India. Khan introduced and helped establish the careers of many actors and actresses who went onto become big stars in the 1950s and 1960s such as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Raaj Kumar, Nargis, Nimmi and Nadira. In 1961, he was a member of the jury at the “2nd Moscow International Film Festival”. Khan was known for having been influenced by Hollywood films and his films often featured lavish sets in the style of the Hollywood era at that time. The oppression of the poor, class warfare and rural life are recurring themes in his work. Mehboob Khan was awarded the title of ‘Hidayat Kar-e-Azam’ by the Indian government. Legacy As a part his birth centenary celebrations, the Indian postal department released a commemorative stamp of Mehmood Khan at a function held at the Mehboob Studios in September 2007. Filmography As a director • Son of India (1962) • A Handful of Grain (1959) • Mother India (1957) • Amar (1954) • Aan (1952) • Andaz (1949) • Anokhi Ada (1948) • Elan (1947) • Anmol Ghadi (1946) • Humayun (1945) • Najma (1943) • Taqdeer (1943) • Huma Gun Anmogaldi (1942) • Roti (1942) • Bahen (1941) • Alibaba (1940) • Aurat (1940) • Ek Hi Raasta (1939) • Hum Tum Aur Woh (1938) • Watan (1938) • Jagirdar (1937) • Deccan Queen (1936) • Manmohan (1936) • Judgement of Allah (1935) As a producer • Mother India (1957) • Amar (1954) • Aan (1952) • Anokhi Ada (1948) • Anmol Ghadi (1946) • Zarina (1932) As an actor • Zarina (1932) • Dilawar (1931) • Meri Jaan (1931) As a writer • Watan (1938) (story) • Judgement of Allah (1935) (story, screenplay) Awards National Film Awards • 1957 - All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film - Mother India • 1957 - Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film in Hindi - Mother India
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 10:47:01 +0000