Vinod Mehra


Vinod Mehra was an Indian actor in Hindi films. He started out as a child actor in the mid 1950s, before starting his film career as an adult in 1971. He appeared in over 100 films from the 1970s, until his death in 1990. He was also the producer and director of the film Gurudev which was released in 1993, 3 years after his death.

Career

Mehra made his debut as a child actor in the 1955 film Adl-e-Jehangir at the age of 10. He continued playing minor roles in films such as Raagini and Bewaqoof, playing the younger version of the character played by Kishore Kumar.
He started his film career as an adult in 1971 with Ek Thi Reeta, a smash hit based on the English play, A Girl Called Rita, along with Tanuja. He was one of finalists in the 1965 All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare from more than ten thousand contestants. He lost the contest to Rajesh Khanna and was the male runner-up of the contest. He was an executive with Goldfield Mercantile Company, until he was the runner-up in the contest. He joined the film industry after being spotted by Roop K. Shorey at Bombay’s Gaylord restaurant.
This was followed by the film Parde Ke Peechey opposite debutant Yogeeta Bali followed by Elaan, Amar Prem and Lal Patthar, though it was only Shakti Samanta's Anuraag with Moushumi Chatterjee, which established him as an actor. He went on to appear in over 100 films in a career spanning over two decades. He played lead roles in his earlier films. Later he mostly acted in multi-starrers as a secondary lead or played strong supporting roles such as a brother, friend, uncle, father and police officer. He worked with all top actors like Sunil Dutt, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan. His frequent female co-stars included Rekha, Moushumi Chatterjee, Yogeeta Bali, Shabana Azmi and Bindiya Goswami.
Some of his most prominent films include Nagin, Jaani Dushman, Ghar, Swarg Narak, Kartavya, Saajan Bina Suhagan, Jurmana, Ek Hi Raasta, Ye Kaisa Insaaf, Sweekar Kiya Maine and Khud-Daar. He received Filmfare Nominations as Best Supporting Actor for Anurodh, Amar Deep, and Bemisal. He also played the leading role in a Punjabi film titled Maujaan Dubai Diyaan in 1985.
He became producer and director with the film Gurudev in the late 1980s, starring Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in the lead roles. He died of a heart attack before the film was completed, at the age of 45 in October 1990. The film was released in 1993, after director Raj Sippy completed the film. Many of his delayed films were released after his death and dedicated to his memory such as Patthar Ke Phool, Insaniyat and Aurat Aurat Aurat.
Mehra's daughter Soniya Mehra has also appeared in films and his son Rohan Mehra made his acting debut in Nikhil Advani's Baazaar in 2018.

Personal life and family

Mehra was born in 1945, in Amritsar to a Punjabi family. His father was Parameshwaridas Mehra and his mother was Kamala Mehra. The family moved its base to Bombay from Amritsar after independence as Parameshwaridas had business interest in Bombay. He had an elder sister named Sharda who appeared in one movie before Mehra started his career in 1970s. Mehra completed his education at Sacred Heart Boys High School Santacruz and later earned a Bachelor's degree at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.
Mehra was close to Rekha in the mid-70s. Indeed, they were widely believed to have been married, but in a 2004 television interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha denied having ever been married to him, and referred to him affectionately as a well-wisher." Mehra's first marriage to Meena Broca was arranged by his mother. The marriage was reportedly not consummated as Vinod suffered a heart attack shortly after the marriage. After he recovered, he eloped with his frequent leading lady of the time, Bindiya Goswami. Meena was left with no choice but to file for a divorce. Mehra's marriage with Goswami unraveled quickly and she soon divorced him to marry director J. P. Dutta. In 1988, Mehra married Kiran, the daughter of a Kenya-based transport businessman. The marriage lasted until Vinod's death in 1990 and the couple had two children: a daughter named Soniya and a son named Rohan. Mehra died of a heart attack on 30 October 1990. He was only 45 years years old.
After Mehra's death, his widow moved to Kenya, to live with her parents and sister. Their children were raised in Mombasa and went to the UK for higher education. Both later entered the film industry. Soniya made her Hindi film debut in the 2007 film Victoria No. 203, a remake of the 1972 classic film of the same name. Rohan made his debut in Nikhil Advani's Baazaar.

Filmography

Director and producer

Actor

Adl-E-Jehangir as Young KhurramPatit Pawan Sharada as Shekhar's BrotherDuniya Rang Rangeeli as Street SingerBalyogi Upmanyu Raagini as Young RajanBewaqoof as Young Kishore KumarAngulimaal as Young AhinsakEk Thi Reeta Parde Ke Peechey as Rajan Elaan as Naresh Kumar SaxenaLal Patthar as ShekharAmar Prem as Nandkishore Sharma "Nandu"Anuraag as RajeshBandgi as DarpanRani Mera Nam as CID Inspector Anand Bees Saal Pahele as Story Listener Kahani Hum Sab Ki as PrabhatTeen Chor as MohanNirdosh as RaviHifazat as KishoreDo Phool as Charitra Kumar Rai "Chuttan"Jurm Aur Sazaa as RatanAarop as RaviKunwara Baap as Vinod Vada Tera Vada as VinodUjala Hi Ujala as VikramUs Paar as MohanShaandaar as ChandarHawas as Dr. BaliFaslah as Vinod Chattan Singh as VishalAlbeli as Vikas Chandra VermaVardaan as Mahesh SharmaUmar Qaid as VinodMazaaq as VinodRaftaar as VikramDo Jhoot as SanjayNeelima Zindagi as AjayArjun Pandit as Tinu-Tina ShuklaNagin as RajeshSabse Bada Rupaiya as Amit RaiGinny Aur Johnny as MechanicDo Khiladi as SawanSaal Solvan Chadya as Tony's UncleTinku as Rajendra ShahJagriti Duniyadari as PrakashKhel Kismat Ka as VinodChaalu Mera Naam as CBI Officer Chandrashekhar / RajuOoparwala Jane Kali Raat as AshokEk Hi Raasta as NirmalSafed Jhooth as Vinod ThakurAnurodh as ShreekantAb Kya Hoga as Kaka's Son Saajan Bina Suhagan as AnandGhar as Vikas ChandraSwarag Narak as VinodChowki No.11 as VijayChakravyuha as RamanAakhri Kasam as Inspector RamKartavya as Ajay Rai / DushyantJurmana as Prem Prakash TrivediJaani Dushman as Police Inspector / MadmanBin Phere Hum Tere as Raju Sharma / Debu Sharma Raakhi Ki Saugandh as CID Inspector Shankar VermaLove in Canada as Dr. AmitJaandar as Inspector Raj Kumar Verma "Raju"Dada as Moti / JeetuAmar Deep as KishanAtmaram as MadanNaya Bakra as VinodPremikaa as VinodKashish as MohanBadla Aur Balidan as DeepakSaboot as VikasThe Burning Train as RakeshTakkar as Vinod / Boss Jyoti Bane Jwala as Inspector Arjun BakshiJwalamukhi as VikramPyaara Dushman as Inspector AmarZakhmon Ke Nishan as ShankarYeh Kaisa Insaf as Ramnath Malhotra "Ram"Khoon Kharaba as RajuSaajan Ki Saheli as AnandYe Rishta Na Tootay as Ram KapoorShama as Dargah Devotee Chehre Pe Chehra as DavidSannata as CBI Officer Amit MalhotraPyaasa Sawan as Jagannath Gehra Zakham as VijayKahani Ek Chor Ki as Shyam / VilaitiSansani as Ajay SachdevProfessor Pyarelal as Professor PyarelalKhoon Ki Takkar as RajanUstadi Ustad Se as Sanjay "Sonu"Bemisal as Dr. Prashant ChaturvediDial 100 as GautamKhud-Daar as Rajesh Shrivastav "Raja"Lakshmi as Mohan SaxenaShiv Charan as CharanGopichand Jasoos as Jeetendra Verma Sumbandh as Prakash KhannaRaakh Aur Chingari as AshokKhushnaseeb as Vijay SharmaDil Hi Dil Mein as Vijay Kumar AnandSweekar Kiya Maine as Kishan Kumar ShuklaMehndi as GautamKanku Ni Kimat Prem Tapasya as AshokNaukar Biwi Ka as Inspector AmarnathShubh Kaamna as Mr. MehraLaalach as KishoreChor Police as Inspector Rohan Sinha Yeh Desh as SalimBindiya Chamkegi as Shyam KapoorDharm Aur Qanoon as Dr. Basheer KhanJeene Nahi Doonga as Police InspectorZakhmi Sher as Police InspectorAll Rounder as BirjuAurat Ka Inteqam as DineshPet Pyar Aur Paap as VinodMujhe Shaktee Do as SurajRam Tere Kitne Nam as Aloknath Gupta Pyari Behna as Vinay VermaSanjog as Narayan's BrotherShiva Ka Insaaf as RamMaujaan Dubai Diyaan as ChandraprakashAnkahee as DoctorJaal as Satpal VermaAap Ke Sath as AshokMohabbat Ki Kasam as Dancer / Singer Locket as Rajkumar Anil Pratap Singh / RajaSwati as SatyaprakashAisa Pyar Kahan as Advocate Deepak KhannaPatton Ki Bazi as Inspector Vinod SaxenaInteqaam Ki Aag as Inspector KishanPreeti Maqaar as Prashant / JerrySamay Ki Dhaara as Dr. Vinod KapoorVishal as Dr. TarakPyar Ki Jeet as Dr. AnandAag Hi Aag as Dr. Raghuveer SinghSatyamev Jayate as Inspector MirzaAulad as Vikas "Vicky"Woh Milie Thi as AmarWaqt Ki Awaz as Dr. ShreekantAakhri Adaalat as Barrister Shreekant SharmaFaisla as CID Inspector Ashok Verma / BansiMahaveera as Dharam Namumkin as Shakti KaulSaazish as Inspector SaxenaMar Mitenge as Inspector ThakurBees Saal Baad as Inspector VermaVardi as Police Commissioner VermaMeri Zabaan as Vikram SinghEeshwar as RameshPrem Pratigyaa as ProfessorShehzaade as Inspector Shankar Shrivastav Mitti Aur Sona as Inspector SunilHum Intezaar Karenge as RaviMatlabi Zimmedaaar as Inspector Prakash VermaPyar Ka Karz as Police Commissioner Arun KumarPatthar Ke Phool as Inspector Vijay VermaShikari as Chanchal's FatherKohraam as Masterji Sarphira as Advocate Raj Kishan SinhaPolicewala as Inspector PrabhakarPrateeksha as Tom D'CostaInsaniyat as Nandu Aurat Aurat Aurat as Vijay Aatank as Peter Aahat as Rajesh

Unreleased films

Dam Maro Dam Barrister Chakma Ek Naya Itihas Kasme Rasme
  • ''Bonny''