Comedians in Hindi Cinema

Om Prakash's comic performances were never rushed, or slapstick and his unique style saw him discover nuances that were naturally funny and impeccably timed.

By the 1960s, Om Prakash was a familiar face and left an indelible impression on the audiences' minds. His memorable films from this era include Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Cha Cha Cha (1964), Sadhu Aur Shaitaan (1968), Gauri (1968) and Padosan (1968).

As a comedian, Om Prakash attained screen immortality in Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966). The scene where Atma (Mehmood) narrates a scene from a horror film that he wants his father Ramlal (Om Prakash) to finance is counted amongst the funniest of all-times.

Om Prakash found the funny notes even while not playing the traditional 'comedian' in films like Apna Desh (1972), Buddha Mil Gaya (1971), Joroo Ka Ghulam (1972) and Sagina (1974)

Om Prakash’s other great comic performances include the Hrishikesh Mukherjee classic Chupke Chupke (1975) where his English loathing barrister Raghavendra Sharma is driven up the wall by his botany professor brother-in-law (Dharmendra) masquerading as the Hindi speaking chauffeur Pyare Mohan Allahabadi.

Om Prakash endeared himself to an entirely new generation of fans with Namak Halaal (1982) where he played Amitabh Bachchan's grandfather Dasrath Singh ‘Daddu.’

Walker’s towering achievement was bringing the comedian’s role to become almost parallel to that of the protagonist. He worked as a bus conductor where he regaled the passengers with his theatrics.

Balraj Sahni spotted Kazi enacting his ‘drunk’ routine and asked him to reenact it for Guru Dutt for whom he was writing Baazi (1951). An impressed Dutt gave him the part as well as his screen name.

Walker was the first ‘comedian’ for whom parts were specifically developed and singers like Rafi gave vocals. He also brought colloquialism in Hindi films that later became Mehmood's signature.

The life-long teetotaller Johnny Walker made a comeback in Kamal Haasan’s Chachi 420 (1997) where he played the make-up artist Joseph who loves his drink and rekindled memories of a lifetime.

Poster of Kishore Kumar from the film  Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi (1974)

In the mid-1950s, Kumar acted in films such as Bimal Roy’s Naukri (1954) and enjoyed success as an actor with Baap Re Baap (1955), New Delhi (1956), Aasha (1957), Dilli Ka Thug (1958), Jhumroo (1961).

Kumar’s great comedy films like Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and Half Ticket (1962) also paired him opposite Madhubala, whom he later married.

The hilarious Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) that featured real brothers Ashok, Anoop and Kishore Kumar was essentially made by Ashok and Kishore to boost Anoop's career.

Poster from the film Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi (1974)

Kumar's funny antics were also 'visible' in the comic songs that featured him. In Half Ticket (1962), Kumar also sang both the male and female parts of a duet, ‘Aake Seedhi Lagi Dil Pe’ as Lata Mangeshkar was not in town.

Born Mehmood Ali, the comedian started as a nondescript supporting actor in classics such as Do Bigha Zamin (1953) and Pyaasa (1957) before his breakthrough as a comedian in Sasural (1961).

The 1960s witnessed Mehmood’s golden run where he bagged the Filmfare for Best Supporting Actor in Dil Tera Deewana (1963) and became the undisputed King of Comedy with films such as Johar Mehmood in Goa (1965), Love in Tokyo, Pyar Kiye Ja, Gumnaam and Padosan to name a few.

Mehmood from the film Ghar Basake Dekho (1963)

In Waaris (1969), Mehmood played three roles and won the second of his 4 Filmfare Best Comedian Awards, and in Humjoli (1970) too, he played three characters famously modelled on Prithviraj, Raj, and Randhir Kapoor.

He also played characters apart from the typical comic roles, such as Anokhelal in Mere Apne (1971), a politician who didn’t bat an eyelid before corrupting students for selfish reasons, or the leading man whom the world laughs at in Main Sunder Hoon (1971) with same elan.

Mehmood produced some of the iconic comedies in Hindi films including Padosan (1968), directed films such as Bhoot Bungla (1965), Kunwara Baap (1974) as well as Ginny Aur Johny (1976).

It was Mehmood who gave the first breaks to R. D. Burman in Chhote Nawab (1961) and Rajesh Roshan in Kunwara Baap (1974) besides introducing Amitabh Bachchan to mainstream films with Bombay to Goa (1972).

Mehmood enjoyed a brief revival with the younger generation when he featured in Rajkumar Santoshi’s Andaz Apna Apna (1994) as the photographer Johnny, who swindles Prem (Salman Khan) by showing him dreams of stardom.

A remix of Mehmood’s title song from Sabse Bada Rupaiya (1976) in Bluffmaster (2005) rekindled interest in the first King of Comedy.

In just a few films, ’Tun Tun’, the accidental actor went on to attain the moniker of Hindi cinema’s first-ever comedienne.

Naushad suggested acting to Uma and she wanted the heartthrob, Dilip Kumar, to feature opposite her. They worked in Babul (1950) and it was Dilip Kumar, who also gave her the screen name ‘Tun Tun'.

In a glorious run through the mid-1950s till the early 1980s, Tun Tun featured opposite the biggest stars such as Guru Dutt and Madhubala, Dev Anand, Shakila, Raj Kapoor, and Rajesh Khanna.

Having started as a supporting actor, Verma shared writing credits with Javed Akhtar on Yakeen (1969), a film that he also produced, before becoming the comic mainstay through the 1970s.

Rarely rushed, Verma was supportive of his co-stars and the combination of two resulted in brilliance. Verma infused the comedian and the supporting actor without playing the mindless comic relief.

Verma also directed Nadaan (1971), Bada Kabutar (1973) and Besharam (1978) and was an integral part of the Middle Cinema of the 1970s. He played himself in the definitive comedy of the decade, Gol Maal (1979).

Verma’s finest hour was Gulzar’s Angoor (1982). Based on Shakespeare’s ‘Comedy of Errors,’ Angoor is considered by many as one of the best comedies in Indian cinema.

Like most comic actors, Khote, too, started off in supporting, even negative roles such as Paying Guest (1957) opposite Dev Anand and Nutan, but thanks to her great onscreen chemistry with Mehmood, transformed into one of the major comediennes in Hindi films.

With Chhoti Bahen (1959), Khote got noticed for her comic skills. She also formed a great team with Mehmood and Dhumal and featured in many films including Grahasti (1963), Ziddi (1964), Love in Tokyo (1966).

In the 1980s, Shubha Khote featured in films such as Ek Duje Ke Liye (1981) where she was not limited to playing the funny woman.

In 1993, Khote featured in Zabaan Sambhalke, the Hindi remake of British sitcom Mind Your Language. The cast included her brother, Viju Khote, and also her daughter Bhavana Balsavar.