Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi (1910-1982) was a veteran Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is best known for his role as Sukhilala in the hit film Mother India (1957). In a career spanning nearly 45 years, he appeared in more than 150 films.
Wiki/Biography
Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi was born on Thursday, December 15, 1910, in Banaras, United Provinces, British India (now Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India) (age 72; at time of death). He received his education up to the fourth grade in a Hindi medium school. He has wanted to work in the film industry since he was a child. Although his father did not want him to pursue a film career, he persuaded his father and started doing odd jobs in the theater troupe from an early age. He began writing stage plays at the age of 16 and later began to play small roles in plays. After his father’s death, he and his brother tried to run his father’s theater company; however; they were unsuccessful and eventually closed the company. Thereafter, Kanhayalal moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in the film industry.
family
Parents and siblings
His father Pandit Bhairodutt Choube is the owner of Sanatan Dharm Ramleela Mandali in Varanasi. He has a sister named Kunwar and a brother named Sankata Prasad Chaturvedi. He was an actor working in silent films.
wife and children
He was married twice. His second wife was Jambansi Chaturvedi, and they had seven children, including four daughters and three sons.
Kanhayalal and wife
His daughter Hemaa Singh is a film producer.
Kanhaiyalal and daughter Hemaa Singh
Kanhaiyalal (right) at his son’s wedding reception
Profession
Kanhaiyalal made his acting debut with the film Jhul Badn (1938) starring Motilal and Sabita Devi. In an interview, he revealed how he got the role. He explained that the actor who was supposed to play Motilal’s father did not show up at the studio. So, the director asked Kanhayalal to read the dialogues. He read the stories in his own poetic style, which impressed the director who ultimately cast him for the role. Speaking about this in an interview, he said,
The actor who played Motilal’s father did not report to the set, so there was an opportunity to fill the gap. The conversation I’m about to tell fills a page. Almost everyone on the set was ready to laugh at me for trying to become an actor, but God helped me and I did my job. “
In the same year, he acted in Sagar Movietone’s film Sadhana. He played the hero’s grandfather in the film and considered the role his first major role. He also composed songs and dialogue for the film. In 1939, he appeared in the film “Ek Hi Raasta”, playing a villain role for the first time.
Movie “Ek Hi Raasta” poster
In 1940, he wrote the dialogue for the film “A Civil Marriage.” He rose to fame for his role as Sukhilala in the film Aurat (1940) directed by Mehboob Khan.
Kanhaiyalal (left) as Sukhilala in the film “Aurat” (1940)
He performed the role so well that when Mehboob Khan remade the film in 1957 as Mother India, he asked Kanhayalal to star in the remake. reprise this role. After this, Kanhayalal became the first person in the Hindi film industry to reprise the same role after 17 years.
Kanhaiyalal played Sukhilala in the film Mother India (1957)
His performance as the kind-hearted pickpocket Morty in the film Bahen (1941) received high praise from audiences. Initially, the film only had four scenes for him, but by the end of the film, the number had increased to fourteen.
Kanhaiyalal in a still from the movie “Bahen”
During his nearly 45-year career, he appeared in more than 150 films. His most famous films include Bhookh (1946), Devdas (1955), Upkar (1967), Gaon Hamara Shaher Tumhara (1972), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978) and Haathkadi.” (1981).
die
Kanhaiyalal passed away on August 14, 1982, at the age of 72, after suffering from long-term asthma.
Facts/Trivia
- Initially, Kanhayalal wanted to be a writer and director and did not have any plans to become an actor. However, he started his film career as a background extra in Sagar Movietone’s Sagar Ka Sher (1937) and later worked hard to become a successful actor.
- He worked in theater productions in various capacities before entering the film industry. He has acted in various self-written plays such as Pandrah August in Mumbai.
- After his father’s death, he and his brother ran a grocery store to support the family.
- Kanhayalal was disappointed when he didn’t get a chance to direct a film. As a result, he returned to his hometown Varanasi after working as an actor in the film Ek Hi Raasta (1939). However, he later returned to Bombay and agreed to assist Virendra Desai, son of Chimanlal Desai, the chief of Sagarmo Vitong. This collaboration took place in the film Sanskar (1940). Kanhayalal rewrote the dialogues and lyrics of the film, but his efforts did not lead to success.
- The actor was injured while shooting for a house-collapse scene in the film Aurat. He was so dedicated to his work that when the director asked for a doctor, Kanhayalal refused and insisted on completing the remaining scenes.
- Kanhayalal revealed in an interview that during the shooting of the film Aurat, no makeup artist was prepared to apply makeup on him and he wore only a mustache as makeup while performing scenes. Although still young at the time, he played the role of a middle-aged moneylender in the film. Speaking about this in an interview, he said:
No makeup artist was available or willing to serve me. When I explained this difficulty to the cinematographer, Feredoon Israeli, he said calmly, “Don’t worry.” Just act like you are, and I’ll photograph you without makeup. “That’s what he did. My makeup only consisted of a mustache.”
- The actor has played the role of an old man in most of his films. He revealed in an interview that he started playing the role of an old man when he was very young. Speaking about this in an interview, he said:
I was young, but I started playing old characters because of it. And, over the years, I’ve gotten older, but my characters haven’t gotten any younger! “
- In addition to acting and writing, he also has a keen interest in music.
- Kanhaiyalal loved eating paan and he always carried a paan box with him. It is said that he used to eat paan more often than regular food.
- Kanhaiyalal’s daughter Hemaa Singh made a documentary about his life and success in 2021 titled “Naam Tha Kanhaiyalal”. The film was released on the OTT platform MX Player and was screened at various film festivals under the title “Cradle to Grave”.
Poster of the documentary “Naam Tha Kanhaiyalal”
- Kanhaiyalal’s daughter Hemaa Singh said in an interview that her father deserves the ‘Dadasaheb Phalke Award’ for his outstanding contribution to the film industry. she says,
My father, who has acted in more than 120 films, has made a huge contribution to the film industry and now needs recognition in the form of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. ”
- Bollywood actor Govinda is a family friend of Kanhayalal as Kanhayalal and Govinda’s father were good friends.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education