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

  • ''Gurudev''

    Actor

  • Adl-E-Jehangir as Young Khurram
  • Patit Pawan
  • Sharada as Shekhar's Brother
  • Duniya Rang Rangeeli as Street Singer
  • Balyogi Upmanyu
  • Raagini as Young Rajan
  • Bewaqoof as Young Kishore Kumar
  • Angulimaal as Young Ahinsak
  • Ek Thi Reeta
  • Parde Ke Peechey as Rajan
  • Elaan as Naresh Kumar Saxena
  • Lal Patthar as Shekhar
  • Amar Prem as Nandkishore Sharma "Nandu"
  • Anuraag as Rajesh
  • Bandgi as Darpan
  • Rani Mera Nam as CID Inspector Anand
  • Bees Saal Pahele as Story Listener
  • Kahani Hum Sab Ki as Prabhat
  • Teen Chor as Mohan
  • Nirdosh as Ravi
  • Hifazat as Kishore
  • Do Phool as Charitra Kumar Rai "Chuttan"
  • Jurm Aur Sazaa as Ratan
  • Aarop as Ravi
  • Kunwara Baap as Vinod
  • Vada Tera Vada as Vinod
  • Ujala Hi Ujala as Vikram
  • Us Paar as Mohan
  • Shaandaar as Chandar
  • Hawas as Dr. Bali
  • Faslah as Vinod
  • Chattan Singh as Vishal
  • Albeli as Vikas Chandra Verma
  • Vardaan as Mahesh Sharma
  • Umar Qaid as Vinod
  • Mazaaq as Vinod
  • Raftaar as Vikram
  • Do Jhoot as Sanjay
  • Neelima
  • Zindagi as Ajay
  • Arjun Pandit as Tinu-Tina Shukla
  • Nagin as Rajesh
  • Sabse Bada Rupaiya as Amit Rai
  • Ginny Aur Johnny as Mechanic
  • Do Khiladi as Sawan
  • Saal Solvan Chadya as Tony's Uncle
  • Tinku as Rajendra Shah
  • Jagriti
  • Duniyadari as Prakash
  • Khel Kismat Ka as Vinod
  • Chaalu Mera Naam as CBI Officer Chandrashekhar / Raju
  • Ooparwala Jane
  • Kali Raat as Ashok
  • Ek Hi Raasta as Nirmal
  • Safed Jhooth as Vinod Thakur
  • Anurodh as Shreekant
  • Ab Kya Hoga as Kaka's Son
  • Saajan Bina Suhagan as Anand
  • Ghar as Vikas Chandra
  • Swarag Narak as Vinod
  • Chowki No.11 as Vijay
  • Chakravyuha as Raman
  • Aakhri Kasam as Inspector Ram
  • Kartavya as Ajay Rai / Dushyant
  • Jurmana as Prem Prakash Trivedi
  • Jaani Dushman as Police Inspector / Madman
  • Bin Phere Hum Tere as Raju Sharma / Debu Sharma
  • Raakhi Ki Saugandh as CID Inspector Shankar Verma
  • Love in Canada as Dr. Amit
  • Jaandar as Inspector Raj Kumar Verma "Raju"
  • Dada as Moti / Jeetu
  • Amar Deep as Kishan
  • Atmaram as Madan
  • Naya Bakra as Vinod
  • Premikaa as Vinod
  • Kashish as Mohan
  • Badla Aur Balidan as Deepak
  • Saboot as Vikas
  • The Burning Train as Rakesh
  • Takkar as Vinod / Boss
  • Jyoti Bane Jwala as Inspector Arjun Bakshi
  • Jwalamukhi as Vikram
  • Pyaara Dushman as Inspector Amar
  • Zakhmon Ke Nishan as Shankar
  • Yeh Kaisa Insaf as Ramnath Malhotra "Ram"
  • Khoon Kharaba as Raju
  • Saajan Ki Saheli as Anand
  • Ye Rishta Na Tootay as Ram Kapoor
  • Shama as Dargah Devotee
  • Chehre Pe Chehra as David
  • Sannata as CBI Officer Amit Malhotra
  • Pyaasa Sawan as Jagannath
  • Gehra Zakham as Vijay
  • Kahani Ek Chor Ki as Shyam / Vilaiti
  • Sansani as Ajay Sachdev
  • Professor Pyarelal as Professor Pyarelal
  • Khoon Ki Takkar as Rajan
  • Ustadi Ustad Se as Sanjay "Sonu"
  • Bemisal as Dr. Prashant Chaturvedi
  • Dial 100 as Gautam
  • Khud-Daar as Rajesh Shrivastav "Raja"
  • Lakshmi as Mohan Saxena
  • Shiv Charan as Charan
  • Gopichand Jasoos as Jeetendra Verma
  • Sumbandh as Prakash Khanna
  • Raakh Aur Chingari as Ashok
  • Khushnaseeb as Vijay Sharma
  • Dil Hi Dil Mein as Vijay Kumar Anand
  • Sweekar Kiya Maine as Kishan Kumar Shukla
  • Mehndi as Gautam
  • Kanku Ni Kimat
  • Prem Tapasya as Ashok
  • Naukar Biwi Ka as Inspector Amarnath
  • Shubh Kaamna as Mr. Mehra
  • Laalach as Kishore
  • Chor Police as Inspector Rohan Sinha
  • Yeh Desh as Salim
  • Bindiya Chamkegi as Shyam Kapoor
  • Dharm Aur Qanoon as Dr. Basheer Khan
  • Jeene Nahi Doonga as Police Inspector
  • Zakhmi Sher as Police Inspector
  • All Rounder as Birju
  • Aurat Ka Inteqam as Dinesh
  • Pet Pyar Aur Paap as Vinod
  • Mujhe Shaktee Do as Suraj
  • Ram Tere Kitne Nam as Aloknath Gupta
  • Pyari Behna as Vinay Verma
  • Sanjog as Narayan's Brother
  • Shiva Ka Insaaf as Ram
  • Maujaan Dubai Diyaan as Chandraprakash
  • Ankahee as Doctor
  • Jaal as Satpal Verma
  • Aap Ke Sath as Ashok
  • Mohabbat Ki Kasam as Dancer / Singer
  • Locket as Rajkumar Anil Pratap Singh / Raja
  • Swati as Satyaprakash
  • Aisa Pyar Kahan as Advocate Deepak Khanna
  • Patton Ki Bazi as Inspector Vinod Saxena
  • Inteqaam Ki Aag as Inspector Kishan
  • Preeti
  • Maqaar as Prashant / Jerry
  • Samay Ki Dhaara as Dr. Vinod Kapoor
  • Vishal as Dr. Tarak
  • Pyar Ki Jeet as Dr. Anand
  • Aag Hi Aag as Dr. Raghuveer Singh
  • Satyamev Jayate as Inspector Mirza
  • Aulad as Vikas "Vicky"
  • Woh Milie Thi as Amar
  • Waqt Ki Awaz as Dr. Shreekant
  • Aakhri Adaalat as Barrister Shreekant Sharma
  • Faisla as CID Inspector Ashok Verma / Bansi
  • Mahaveera as Dharam
  • Namumkin as Shakti Kaul
  • Saazish as Inspector Saxena
  • Mar Mitenge as Inspector Thakur
  • Bees Saal Baad as Inspector Verma
  • Vardi as Police Commissioner Verma
  • Meri Zabaan as Vikram Singh
  • Eeshwar as Ramesh
  • Prem Pratigyaa as Professor
  • Shehzaade as Inspector Shankar Shrivastav
  • Mitti Aur Sona as Inspector Sunil
  • Hum Intezaar Karenge as Ravi
  • Matlabi
  • Zimmedaaar as Inspector Prakash Verma
  • Pyar Ka Karz as Police Commissioner Arun Kumar
  • Patthar Ke Phool as Inspector Vijay Verma
  • Shikari as Chanchal's Father
  • Kohraam as Masterji
  • Sarphira as Advocate Raj Kishan Sinha
  • Policewala as Inspector Prabhakar
  • Prateeksha as Tom D'Costa
  • Insaniyat as Nandu
  • Aurat Aurat Aurat as Vijay
  • Aatank as Peter
  • Aahat as Rajesh