Manmohan Krishna (26 February 1922 – 3 November 1990) was a popular Indian film actor and director, who worked in Hindi films for four decades, mostly as a character actor. He started his career as a professor in Physics and held master's degree in physics. He anchored the radio show Cadbury's Phulwari, a singing contest. Many people don't know that Manmohan Krishna sang his first song, 'Jhat khol de' in Afsar (1950), a Dev Anand film with music by S.D. Burman.

Manmohan Krishna Chadha
Born(1921-08-11)11 August 1921
Died3 November 1990(1990-11-03) (aged 68)
Other namesManmohan Krishan
Occupation(s)actor, director
Years active1950–1989

He was a favourite with the Chopra brothers and played small or large roles in movies directed and/or produced by them. Deewar, Trishul, Daag, Hamraaz, Joshila, Kanoon, Sadhna, Kaala Patthar, Dhool Ka Phool, Waqt and Naya Daur are some examples.

He worked in nearly 250 films, notably Naya Daur (1957), Khandan (1965), Sadhana (1958), Waqt (1965) and Hamraaz (1967).[1] He won acclaim for his work in Bees Saal Baad (1962)[1] and won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Abdul Rasheed in Dhool Ka Phool (1960), where the song epitomizing Nehruvian secularism, Tu Hindu banega na Musalman banega, insaan ki aulaad hai, insaan banega was picturised on him.[2] Beside these, he also acted in 12 Punjabi films, played a pivotal role in K. A. Abbas's Shehar Aur Sapna (1963), which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, and acted in the first Indo-Soviet co-production Pardesi (1957),[1] which was nominated for the Golden Palm at 1958 Cannes Film Festival.[3]

Later in his career he directed the hit film for Yash Raj Films, Noorie (1979), for which he was also nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Director.[4]

He died at Lokmanya Tilak Hospital, Mumbai at the age of 68 in 1990. His son Dr Ram Chaddha is a famous spine surgeon at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai[1]

Selected filmography edit

Films as actor
Year Film Role Notes
1949 Apna Desh sang the song also "Apna Desh Hai Apna Desh"
1950 Afsar Playback singer also
1951 Aaram Playback singer also
1951 Nadaan
1951 Sanam
1952 Baiju Bawra Shanker Anand
1952 Rahi
1953 Anarkali Parvez
1957 Naya Daur Jumman dada
1955 Railway Platform as assistant story,songs play,dialogues
1957 Pardesi
1958 Sadhna Lallu Bhai
1959 Dhool Ka Phool Abdul Rasheed
1960 Angulimaal Ahinsak's father (Raj Purohit)
1961 Dharmputra Amrit Rai
1962 Bees Saal Baad Ramlal /Radheshyam
1962 Jhoola Head Constable Sundarlal
1963 Grahasti Doctor
1963 Dil Ek Mandir Philip
1963 Shehar Aur Sapna
1963 Sehra Chief Tailab
1964 Main Jatti Punjab Di Darmu Punjabi Movie
1965 Waqt Mittal
1965 Khandan Shankar Lal
1966 Chaddian Di Doli Father Punjabi film
1967 Hamraaz Mr. Verma
1967 Naunihal Ustad Mansharam
1967 Upkaar Bisna
1968 Izzat Father Abhrahim
1969 Aadmi Aur Insaan Mr.Khanna
1970 Maharaja (1970 film) Lawyer Ramdas
Pushpanjali Maharaj, the cook
1972 Apna Desh Dinanath Chandra
1972 Joroo Ka Ghulam Mohanlal
1972 Raampur Ka Lakshman Kedarnath Bhargav
1973 Anokhi Ada Gupta
1973 Teen Chor Dukandar
1973 Daag Deewan
1973 Joshila Jailor
1975 Do Jasoos Journalist, V N Sinha
1975 Deewaar DCP Narang
1975 Mittar Pyare Nu Baba ji Punjabi Movie
1976 Aaj Ka Mahaatma Khanna
Mazdoor Zindabaad Seth Chunilal
Charas Vijay Ramniklal
Santo Banto Kartara Punjabi Movie
Mehbooba Bandhe Ali Khan
1977 Shirdi Ke Sai Baba Ganpatrao
1977 Guru Manio Granth Punjabi Movie
1978 Tumhari Kasam Ramprasad
1978 Trishul Seth Dindayal
1979 Kaala Patthar Dhaba Owner
1980 Sau Din Saas Ke Sukhlal, Servant
1980 Noorie Saiji (Storyteller) Director of the film
1981 Khoon Ki Takkar
1982 Gopichand Jasoos Bank Manager Girdharilal
1982 Sawaal Late Dinanath Mishra Uncredited
1983 Ek Din Bahu Ka School Master
Justice Chaudhury
1984 Prerana Chaudhary
1985 Ek Chitthi Pyar Bhari Milkman
Yudh (film) Judge
1987 Madadgaar Sohanlal
1988 Kanwarlal Shastriji
Vijay Judge

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Obituary: Manmohan Krishna". Indian Express. 4 November 1990.
  2. ^ "Nehru's vision shaped many Bollywood golden oldies". The Times of India. 16 November 2009. Archived from the original on 13 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Journey Beyond Three Seas". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  4. ^ "List of Filmfare Award Winners and Nominations, 1953-2005" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 31 July 2012.

External links edit