Motilal Rajvansh (4 December 1910 – 17 June 1965) was an Indian actor and the winner of Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for '' Devdas'' (1955) and '' Parakh'' (1960). He is credited with being among Hindi cinema's first natural actors. He also directed the film '' Chhoti Chhoti Baten'' (1965), but died before its release. At the 13th National Film Awards, it won the award for Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film and he posthumously won the Certificate of Merit for the Best Story Writer.

Early life and background

Born in

Shimla Shimla, also known as Simla ( the official name until 1972), is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of British India. After independence, the city ...

on 4 December 1910, Motilal came from a distinguished family. His father was a renowned educationist, who died when Motilal was one year old. He was brought up by his uncle who was a well-known civil surgeon in

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh ( ; UP) is a States and union territories of India, state in North India, northern India. With over 241 million inhabitants, it is the List of states and union territories of India by population, most populated state in In ...

. At first, Motilal was sent to an English school at Shimla and later, in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Thereafter, he shifted to Delhi where he continued with school and college.

Acting career

Motilal Rajvansh said of his screen career: Motilal in the film Armaan

After leaving college, Moti came to

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

to join the Navy, but he fell ill and could not appear for the test. Fate had other choices charted out for him. One day, he went to see a film shoot at Sagar Studios, where director K. P. Ghosh was shooting. Motilal, even then, was quite the man about the town and he caught Ghosh's eye. In 1934 (aged 24), he was offered the hero's role in '' Shaher Ka Jadoo'' (1934) by the Sagar Film Company. He later featured in several successful social dramas alongside Sabita Devi, including '' Dr. Madhurika'' (1935) and '' Kulvadhu'' (1937). He worked with

Mehboob Khan Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan (9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 May 1964) was a pr ...

in '' Jagirdar'' (1937) and '' Hum Tum Aur Woh'' (1938) under the Sagar Movietone banner, in ''Taqdeer'' (1943) for Mehboob Productions, and Kidar Sharma's ''Armaan'' (1942) and ''Kaliyan'' (1944). He also acted in S. S. Vasan's film '' Paigham'' (1959) (Gemini Studios), and Raj Kapoor's '' Jagte Raho'' (1956). In 1965, he also acted in the Bhojpuri film ''Solaho Singar Kare Dulhaniya.'' Perhaps the role for which he received the most critical appreciation was that of the gentleman crook in S. S. Vasan's adaptation of R K Narayan's book '' Mr Sampat'' (1952). He is most remembered for his role as "Chunni Babu" in Bimal Roy's ''Devdas'' (1955), for which he won his first Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. Actor Naseeruddin Shah once described him as one of three all-time best actors of Hindi cinema, others being Balraj Sahni and Yakub.

Personal life

Motilal was very suave and polished, and moved in high society, though towards the end of his life he was in financial difficulty. Although a thorough gentleman, he enjoyed gambling and races, and died almost penniless in 1965. He was in a relationship for several years with the actress Nadira. He was later involved with actress Shobhna Samarth after she separated from her husband, and he played Samarth's real-life daughter Nutan's father in ''Hamari Beti'', Shobhana's launch movie for Nutan. He also played her guardian in '' Anari'', though this time the role had a villainous touch to it.

Tribute

Amitabh Bachchan wrote in the foreword of ''The Hundred Luminaries of Hindi Cinema'': "Not much has been written in praise of a great and very natural actor. He (Motilal) was greatly ahead of his times. Were he alive today his sheer versatility would have ensured a place for him even now. In fact, he would be doing much better than many of us." Motilal Rajvansh 2013 stamp of India

Filmography

Actor

# '' Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai'' (1966) # '' Chhoti Chhoti Baten'' (1965) # '' Waqt'' (1965) # ''Solaho Singar Kare Dulhaniya'' (Bhojpuri) (1965) # '' Ji Chahta Hai'' (1964) # ''

Leader Leadership, is defined as the ability of an individual, group, or organization to "", influence, or guide other individuals, teams, or organizations. "Leadership" is a contested term. Specialist literature debates various viewpoints on the co ...

'' (1964) # '' Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke'' (1963) # '' Asli-Naqli'' (1962) # '' Parakh'' (1960) # '' Anari'' (1959) # '' Paigham'' (1959) # '' Ab Dilli Dur Nahin'' (1957) # '' Jagte Raho'' (1956) # '' Devdas'' (1955) # '' Dhoon'' (1953) # '' Ek Do Teen'' (1953) # '' Apni Izzat'' (1952) # '' Mr. Sampat'' (1952) # '' Hamari Beti'' (1950) # '' Hanste Aansoo'' (1950) # '' Ek Thi Ladki'' (1949) # ''Lekh'' (1949) # '' Gajre'' (1948) # '' Mera Munna'' (1948) # '' Aaj Ki Raat'' (1948) # '' Do Dil'' (1947) # '' Phoolwari'' (1946) # ''Pehli Nazar'' (1945) # '' Dost'' (1944) # '' Mujrim'' (1944) # '' Raunaq'' (1944) # '' Umang'' (1944) # '' Aage Kadam'' (1943) # '' Taqdeer'' (1943) # '' Tasveer'' (1943) # '' Armaan'' (1942) # '' Pardesi'' (1941) # '' Sasural'' (1941) # '' Achhut'' (1940) # ''

Holi Holi () is a major Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love and Spring.The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) p. 874 "Holi /'həʊli:/ noun a Hindu spring festival ...".Yudit Greenberg, Encyclopedia of Love in World ...

'' (1940) # '' Aap Ki Marzi'' (1939) # '' Sach Hai'' (1939) # '' Hum Tum Aur Woh'' (1938) # '' Teen Sau Din Ke Baad'' (1938) # '' Captain Kirti Kumar'' (1937) # '' Jagirdar'' (1937) # '' Kulvadhu'' (1937) # '' Kokila'' (1937) # '' Dilawar'' (1936) # '' Do Diwane'' (1936) # '' Jeevan Lata'' (1936) # '' Lagna Bandhan'' (1936) # '' Do Ghadi Ki Mauj'' (1935) # '' Dr. Madhurika'' (1935) # '' Silver King'' (1935) # '' Shaher Ka Jadoo'' (1934) # '' Vatan Parasta'' (1934)

Director

# '' Chhoti Chhoti Baten'' (1965)

References

External links

*

* http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/A-trip-down-memory-lane-with-actor-Motilal/articleshow/47697183.cms {{DEFAULTSORT:Motilal 1910 births 1965 deaths Indian male film actors Male actors in Hindi cinema Actors from Shimla 20th-century Indian male actors Hindi-language film directors Male actors from Himachal Pradesh Film directors from Himachal Pradesh Best Story National Film Award winners Filmfare Awards winners