Mumtaz Ali (29 September 1902 – 7 February 1975) was an Indian dancer and

character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...

Hindi cinema 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 "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

from the 1940s to 1970s. He was the father of Indian actor Mehmood. He also had his own dance troupe "Mumtaz Ali Nites" which performed all over India. However, his career suffered due to excessive drinking, and his family faced financial difficulties. As a result, his son Mehmood began working as a child artist, while his daughter Minoo Mumtaz worked as a dancer in his stage shows and later appeared in films.

Early life

Mumtaz Ali was born in

Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...

in 1905. Orphaned very early, he was raised by his nine-year-old sister Karimunnisa. Around 1928, he lived on the streets in Bombay when he met Benjamin Guy Horniman, an Englishman amateur of Indian cinema and former publisher of the '' Bombay Chronicle''. B G Horniman took him in, invited him to his home and supported him financially. Mumtaz Ali founded at that time a small troupe of street theater, the ''Mumtaz Ali Theatrical Company'', for which he plays almost all roles. In 1933, BG Horniman recommended Mumtaz Ali to Himanshu Rai who was establishing the

Bombay Talkies Bombay Talkies was a movie studio founded in 1934. During its period of operation, Bombay Talkies produced 40 movies in Malad, a suburb of the Indian city of Bombay. The studio was established in 1934 by Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani. Afte ...

studio in Malad, the suburbs of

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 ...

Career

Mumtaz Ali joined Bombay Talkies from the first movie of the studio. He was a part of the production team of ''Jawani Ki Hawa'' which was released in 1935. But he had to wait the next year to appear on the screen on the third film, ''Achhut Kanya''. Among his best work was his song "Mein to Dilli se Dulhan laya re" from the 1942 film ''Jhula''. This song was a must to be played at all marriage functions in those days in Mumbai and India. Mumtaz Ali sided with Devika Rani during the Bombay Talkies split in early 1943. He decided to leave the studio in 1945, when Devika Rani left him.

Later Years and Death

He was last seen in the 1974 Hindi movie ''Kunwara Baap'', directed by and starring his son Mehmood in the song "Saj Rahi Gali Meri Maa". He died the next year on 7 February, aged 72. Mumtaz Ali Grave

Personal life

Mumtaz Ali married Latifunnisa, in October 1929. They had eight children: Husseini, Mehmood, Khairunnisa, Usman, Malikunnisa ( Minoo Mumtaz ), Zubeida, Shaukat and Anwar. Mehmood made his acting debut in Kismet (1943). Minoo Mumtaz made her stage debut for ''Mumtaz Ali Nites'' and became a recognized dancer in Indian cinema in the 1950s.

Filmography

Gallery

File:Mumtaz Ali dans Nirmala (1938).jpg, Mumtaz Ali in 1938 film ''Nirmala'' File:Mumtaz Ali et Sunita Devi dans Prem Kahani (1937).jpg, With Sunita Devi in 1937 film ''Prem Kahani''

References

External links

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jhula..mai tau dilli se dulhan laya re.1942
se Mumtaz Ali & actress Shahzadi. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ali, Mumtaz Male actors from Mumbai Male actors in Hindi cinema 20th-century Indian male actors 1905 births 1974 deaths