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Kader Khan (22 October 1937 – 31 December 2018) was an Indian actor, screenwriter and film producer. As an actor, he appeared in over 300 Bollywood films after his acting debut in the film in 1973, starring Rajesh Khanna, as a prosecuting lawyer. He was a prolific actor and screenwriter in Hindi cinema, from the late 1970s to the late 1990s and wrote dialogues for 200 films. Born in Afghanistan, Khan graduated from Ismail Yusuf College affiliated to Mumbai University. Before entering the film industry in 1971, he was a professor of civil engineering in M. H. Saboo Siddik College of Engineering, Mumbai.
Khan was raised in the Kamathipura neighbourhood of Mumbai after his family moved there from Kabul. Khan had described the locality as being known for drug-peddlers, Rum-running and prostitution. He enrolled in a local municipal school and later in the Ismail Yusuf College after which he graduated in engineering, specialising in civil engineering. Between 1970 and 1975, he taught at M. H. Saboo Siddik College of Engineering in Byculla as a professor of civil engineering. Subjects he taught included applied mathematics and mechanics. As a teacher, he was known for making these subjects more accessible to the weaker students.
Mainly inspired by Russian literature and culture, with figures such as Stanislavsky, Anton Chekhov and Dostoevsky, Khan used to write plays for colleges, also acting in them, while he was still a teacher. While performing in a play named Taash Ke Patey, he was noted by comedian Agha who then suggested actor Dilip Kumar to see the play. Dilip Kumar was impressed and signed him up for his next films, Sagina and Bairaag. During an interview with Rediff, Khan recalled this as the incident that started his film career. He used to write plays for theatres and was subsequently offered to write the script of Jawani Diwani, which started his career as a scriptwriter and for which Khan received 1500 rupees.
He was most popularly recognised for working with actors Amitabh Bachchan, Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Feroz Khan, Mithun Chakraborty, Anil Kapoor, Govinda and in films directed by T. Rama Rao, K. Raghavendra Rao, K. Bapaiah, Narayana Rao Dasari, David Dhawan. He has worked side by side with other comedians like Asrani, Shakti Kapoor and Johnny Lever. He has co-starred with Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra, Amjad Khan and Anupam Kher in many films. He has played a large variety of parts in different genres of films like comedy, action, romance, family, social and political.
Khan made his debut with Daag, starring Rajesh Khanna in the main lead role, wherein Khan played the supporting role of an advocate. He subsequently starred as supporting artist with roles in Dil Diwana, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar and Mr. Natwarlal.
He also started getting lengthy roles as a supporting actor after 1984, with films like Masterji, Dharm Adhikari, Nasihat, Dosti Dushmani, Ghar Sansar, Loha, Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Insaf Ki Pukar, Khudgarz, Sherni, Khoon Bhari Maang, Sone Pe Suhaaga and Vardi. From 1988, there were films written with him in main lead, like Karz Chukana Hai, Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharnii, Biwi Ho To Aisi, Ghar Ho To Aisa, Hum Hain Kamaal Ke and Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri.
His first attempt at comedy was with Himmatwala and Aaj Ka Daur. He started doing main comedy roles from 1989 onwards, with films like Kishen Kanhaiya, Hum, Ghar Parivar, Bol Radha Bol and continued through the nineties with comedy roles in Aankhen, Taqdeerwala, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Dulhe Raja, Coolie No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Sooryavansham, Judaai, Aunty No. 1, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Raja Babu, Khuddar, Chhote Sarkar, Gharwali Baharwali, Hero Hindustani, Sirf Tum and Anari No. 1. Even in early 2000s, he attempted versatile roles with films like Akhiyon Se Goli Maare, Chalo Ishq Ladaaye, Suno Sasurjee, Yeh Hai Jalwa and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. His work as a comedian was notable in Himmatwala, Aankhen and Coolie No. 1.
He starred in his comedy television series titled Hasna Mat (literally: Don't laugh), which aired on Star Plus in 2001. He made a comeback on Indian television with a comedy series Hi! Padosi... Kaun Hai Doshi? on Sahara One.
Khan later appeared in (2006) and (2006). His last screen appearance was in Masti Nahi Sasti (2017).
As a screenwriter, Kader Khan has worked with Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra for their films starring Amitabh Bachchan. Besides Amitabh, he was the only one to work in the rival camps of Mehra and Desai. His films with Desai include Dharam Veer, Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati, Coolie, Desh Premee, Suhaag, Parvarish and Amar Akbar Anthony and films with Prakash Mehra include Jwalamukhi, Sharaabi, Lawaaris and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar.
Some of Amitabh Bachchan's films with popular dialogues and scripts were written by Khan. Some notable examples of these movies are Mr. Natwarlal, Khoon Pasina, Do Aur Do Paanch, Satte Pe Satta, Inquilab, Giraftaar, Hum and Agneepath. For the film Agneepath for Bachchan, had received the National Film Awards.
Khan was in demand by South Indian film production houses such as Padmalaya. Major filmmakers of southern cinema such as Narayana Rao Dasari, K. Bapayya, K. Raghavendra Rao, T. Rama Rao, Dasari Narayan Rao, D. Rama Naidu consulted Khan for doing the script and dialogue of the Hindi remakes of their southern language films. Some of these films included Himmatwala (1983), Justice Chaudhury (1983), Haisiyat (1984) and Singhasan (1986). As reported in The Hindu, "He didn't just translate the original films into Hindi but transposed them into a new North setting, culture, context and language."
He was the preferred dialogue writer for the Hindi films directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, Narayana Dasari Rao, K. Bapaiah and for films produced by D. Rama Naidu and K. C. Bokadia. He also wrote dialogues in other successful films in the late '80s to the late '90s like Meri Aawaz Suno, Angaar, Jail Yatra, Satte Pe Satta, Katilon Ke Kaatil, Waqt Ki Awaz, Coolie No. 1, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Kanoon Apna Apna, Karma, Sultanat, Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri, Humshakal, Saajan Chale Sasural, Hero Hindustani, Aunty No. 1, and Rajaji. He also wrote dialogues for films of Rakesh Roshan like Khoon Bhari Maang, Kala Bazaar and Khudgarz.
| + Filmfare Awards | ||||
| Best Dialogue | Meri Awaaz Suno | 1982 | ||
| Best Comedian | Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri | 1991 | ||
| Best Dialogue | Angaar | 1993 | ||
| Best Comedian | Himmatwala | 1984 | ||
| Aaj Ka Daur | 1986 | |||
| Sikka | 1990 | |||
| Hum | 1992 | |||
| Aankhen | 1994 | |||
| Main Khiladi Tu Anari | 1995 | |||
| Coolie No. 1 | 1996 | |||
| Saajan Chale Sasural | 1997 | |||
| Dulhe Raja | 1999 |
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