Song: I Am A Disco DancerShemaroo
Mithun Chakraborty is lovingly remembered for his iconic movie Disco Dancer (1982). He started his film career with the movie Mrigayaa (1976) and bagged his first national award with this debut.
Song: I Am A Disco DancerShemaroo
Mithun’s popularity catapulted in the 80s with films such as Hum Paanch (1980), Disco Dancer (1982), Ghulami (1985), Dance Dance (1987), Swarag Se Sunder (1986), Waqt Ki Awaz (1988), Daata (1989), Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki (1984), Prem Pratigyaa (1989), and Agneepath (1990).
Disco Dancer (Film Poster)Shemaroo
In the era of superstars like Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor, Mithun was a class apart. In fact, he was known as “the poor man’s Amitabh”.
Perhaps it was his rustic charm that appealed to the common man or how he brought in the Western culture of Kung Fu and disco to Bollywood. He could dance with an actress, break a leg of the goons, fight against injustice or transform into a spy avatar.
Song: I Want To Hit Some BodyShemaroo
Mithun was known as the actor who could effortlessly do both – dance and fight. This exhibit will cover the wide range of characters played by Mithun in these movies and the stardom of the talented actor.
Song: I Want To Hit Some BodyShemaroo
Mithun will always be known as the star of the masses. His life journey can be traced back to Kolkata, his birthplace, where he earned his B.Sc degree. He then went on to join the Naxalite movement, but only for a brief period.
Song: I Want To Hit Some BodyShemaroo
After this, Mithun joined the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. And it was during the convocation ceremony at FTII, the arthouse filmmaker, Mrinal Sen, immediately spotted Mithun’s effervescent personality.
Mithun got his debut role in the filmmaker's Mrigayaa, where he played Ghinua, the tribal, who is known for his ace archery skills among the villagers and the British rulers. Ghinua's revenge leads to his murder trial, which later causes the uprising of the tribal village against the moneylenders and Britishers.
Watercolour illustration of Liberty Cinema (2018-04/2018-04)Art Deco Mumbai
Theater image from the 3rd party collection
The film won him his first national award. From here on, the superstar has acted in an eclectic repertoire of over 350 films in Hindi Bengali, Odia, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bhojpuri, and Punjabi languages.
Song: Tarsa Hoon Tarsa HoonShemaroo
He holds an unbeaten Limca Book of Records for acting in 19 film releases in lead roles in 1989. From Bollywood masala films to off-beat movies, Mithun has played it all with equal panache.
Song: Jimmy Jimmy Aaja AajaShemaroo
After Mrigaaya, Mithun’s popularity continued to increase with films like Suraksha (1979) and Tarana (1979). But it was Disco Dancer that skyrocketed his career, attracting fans nationwide and in Russia.
Song: Jimmy Jimmy Aaja AajaShemaroo
Disco Dancer released in 1982, and the story revolves around a street performer called Anil, played by Mithun. A manager of a renowned musician spots Anil who transforms the latter from rags to riches.
Song: Jimmy Jimmy Aaja AajaShemaroo
Apart from the roaring hit ‘I am a Disco Dancer’, songs like’ Yaad aa Raha Hai’ and ‘Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy’ had fans swooning over Mithun. Bappi Lahiri came to be known as “The Disco King” after the stupendous success of Disco Dancer.
After Disco Dancer, Mithun entertained audiences with a Bollywood masala film, Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki. The movie is about Avinash, played by Mithun, who marries the love of his life only later to find out the truth behind his father’s death. Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki had a string of chart-buster songs composed by Bappi Lahiri. Out of these, ‘Jeena Bhi Kya Hai Jeena Teri Ankhon Ke Bina’ remains distinctive.
LIFE Photo Collection
Michael Jackson image from the 3rd party collection
While Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean inspired this Bollywood song, the dance sequence replicated the horror theme of the iconic ‘Thriller’ video by the pop idol.
Mithun also dabbled in family dramas like Swarag Se Sunder. The movie depicts the strong family ties of the Choudhary family comprising Vijay Choudhary (Jeetendra), Laxmi Choudhury (Jaya Prada) and Vijay's brother, Ravi Choudhary (Mithun). Ravi admires his elder brother Vijay who's also a respected sarpanch (village head).
Song: Ab Ke Baras...Pyar Karne Ka MausamShemaroo
Ravi's love for his family is put to the test due to the malicious intent of a grocery store owner, Milavat Ram, and his brother-in-law, Pannalal. In this movie, Bollywood's 'disco dancer' held his own even when cast along with the successful star of the 80s, Jeetendra.
Song: Ab Ke Baras...Pyar Karne Ka MausamShemaroo
He again paired with his lucky mascot Padmini Kolhapure after their blockbuster hit Pyar Jhukta Nahin in 1985.
Dance Dance was another musical hit with Smita Patil and Mandakini starring along with the lead star Mithun. The story is about the siblings, Ramu (Mithun) and Radha (Smita Patil) who face numerous adversities to become successful singers.
Song: Everybady Dance With Pa Pa PaShemaroo
In Dance Dance, Mithun yet again flaunted his dancing prowess. It sort of completes his ‘Dance-based’ triology with director B.Subhash who directed Disco dancer, Kasam Paida Karnewali Ki & Dance Dance.
Mithun’s movies in the 80s were box-office hits. And one such movie is Waqt Ki Awaz which claimed to be the ‘fifth highest-grossing film of 1988’. The movie depicts the love story of a rich girl, Lata (Sridevi), and Vishwa Pratap (Mithun) of modest living.
Song: Guru Guru Aa Jao GuruShemaroo
Mithun & Sridevi shared a sizzling chemistry on-screen and were a part of several hit films, Waqt Ki Awaz being one of them. The film also features the last recorded song of Kishore Kumar “Guru Guru Aa Jaao Guru”.
In Daata, the audience witnessed Mithun in an action avatar. The plot revolves around the family of Kundan Singh, played by Mithun. When dowry demands lead to the consequent death of Kundan’s sister and father, Kundan turns into a rebel to avenge the goon responsible for these family tragedies.
Song: Babul Ka Yeh Ghar BehnaShemaroo
Daata remains one of the most popular movies of Mithun and its song “Babul Ka Yeh Ghar Behna Ek Din Ka Thikana Hai” a family hit.
Song: Yaad Aa Raha Hai Tera PyarShemaroo
Mithun reached the peak of stardom in the 80s and continues to win the audience hearts even today. He still performs in Bollywood as well as Bengali and other regional films.
Song: Yaad Aa Raha Hai Tera PyarShemaroo
Mithun has starred in box-office hits, OMG – Oh My God! (2012) and Kick (2014), and another popular hit, The Tashkent Files (2019). He also manages to rule the television as the judge of the biggest dance reality show in India, Dance India Dance.
In real life, too, he dons many roles including actor, producer, hotelier, cricket team owner, philanthropist, and animal lover. But the love for the superstar never ceases. And this is well-reflected in several books that have been published on his life, including a comic book, Jimmy Zhingchak.
Song: Super Dancer Aaye Hai Aaye HainShemaroo
Many movies, including the Golmaal 3 (2010), have fondly depicted parodies on Mithun's trademark dance moves, unique disco gear, and his famous expression 'Koi Shaq'.
