Mahendra Sandhu (born 18 April 1947) is an Indian actor, who worked in

Hindi film Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and " Hollywood". The industry, producing films in t ...

and

Punjabi film Punjabi cinema, also known as Pollywood or Punjwood, is cinema dedicated to the production of motion pictures in the Punjabi language, Punjabi-language widely spoken in the Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab. It is based in Amritsar, Ludhi ...

s, most known for '' Agent Vinod'' (1977), produced by Rajshri Pictures.

Early life and education

Sandhu was born into a

Jat The Jat people (, ), also spelt Jaat and Jatt, are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, many Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in l ...

(

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

) family in the city of

Patiala Patiala () is a city in southeastern Punjab, India, Punjab, northwestern India. It is the fourth largest city in the state and is the administrative capital of Patiala district. Patiala is located around the ''Qila Mubarak, Patiala, Qila Mubar ...

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

. He graduated from Mohindra College, Patiala. He was very active in doing plays and was associated with Harpal Tiwana & Balwant Gargi. In 1970, he joined the

Film and Television Institute of India The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is a film institute under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India and aided by the Central Government of India. ...

Pune, and did two years acting course.

Career

Mahendra Sandhu started his career in 1973 with '' Khoon Khoon'', a movie inspired by ''

Dirty Harry ''Dirty Harry'' is a 1971 American action-thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry (film series), ''Dirty Harry'' series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first appearance as San Francisco Polic ...

''. He has acted in 30 films, most famously in '' Agent Vinod'' (1977), produced by Rajshri Pictures. He had impressed

Tarachand Barjatya Tarachand Barjatya (10 May 1914 – 21 September 1992) was an Indian film producer. He has produced many Hindi films from the 1960s through to the 1980s. He founded Rajshri Productions which continues to produce films even today. His mainstay ...

with his performance in '' Khoon Ki Keemat'' and was offered two movies. He refused those, but agreed to work in '' Agent Vinod''.

Directorial career

Mahendra Sandhu directed the movie '' Kisme Kitna Hai Dum'' in 1992.

Later career

Mahendra Sandhu made an appearance in the 2004 film ''

Mitter Pyare Nu Haal Mureedan Da Kehna Mitter is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adam Mitter (born 1993), English footballer * Gerhard Mitter (1935–1969), German racing driver * Gobindram Mitter (fl. 18th century), one of the earliest Indian officials under the B ...

'', but was credited as "Mohinder Sandhu". He later purchased land in Boisar, about 90 minutes from Mumbai airport and is currently building weekend homes. He was approached for a cameo in '' Agent Vinod'' in 2011 but declined. However, there is a dialogue in the film that is a tribute to him. When

Saif Ali Khan Saif Ali Khan (; born Sajid Ali Khan Pataudi; 16 August 1970) is an Indian actor and film producer who primarily works in Hindi cinema, Hindi films. The titular head of the Pataudi family since 2011, he is the son of actress Sharmila Tagore a ...

's character is being interrogated at a base in Pakistan/Afghanistan, he reveals the identity of Ravikishan's character as an Indian spy named Major Mahendra Sandhu. After his film career, Sandhu started a real estate business, and divided time between Mumbai and Punjab.

Filmography

Actor

Producer

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sandhu, Mahendra Male actors from Punjab, India Living people Male actors in Hindi cinema Hindi film producers People from Patiala 1947 births Male actors in Punjabi cinema 20th-century Indian male actors 21st-century Indian male actors