Veteran actor Motilal is widely considered one of the first natural actors of Indian cinema, who drifted away from the then-pepoular theatric style of acting. Some of his notable films include Armaan (1942), Kaliyan (1944), Ek Do Teen (1953), Devdas (1955), Parakh (1960), Paigham (1959), and Jagte Raho (1956).
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Willum Skeener
Motilal Rajvansh was born on December 4, 1910, in Shimla into a distinguished family, with his father being a renowned educationist. Tragically, his father passed away when Motilal was just a year old. Raised by his uncle, a well-known civil surgeon, he received his education in English schools in Shimla and later in Uttar Pradesh. His academic journey continued in Delhi, where he completed his school and college education.
Originally aspiring to join the Navy, fate had other plans for Motilal. An illness prevented him from taking the Navy’s entrance exam, and during this period, he visited a film shoot at Sagar Studios. There, director K.P. Ghosh noticed him and offered him the lead role in “Shaher Ka Jadoo” in 1934, marking the beginning of his acting career.
Some of his early films include Vatan Parasta (1934), Silver King (1935), Do Ghadi Ki Mauj (1935), Jeevan Lata (1936), Do Diwane (1936), Dilawar (1936), Kokila (1937), Jagirdar (1937), Captain Kirti Kumar (1937), Teen Sau Din Ke Baad (1938), Hum Tum Aur Woh (1938), Sach Hai (1939), Aap Ki Marzi (1939), Holi (1940), Achhut (1940), Pardesi (1941), Armaan (1942), Tasveer (1943), and many more.
In 1943, he starred in Mehboob Khan’s “Taqdeer” with his friends Chandra Mohan, Nargis, and Charlie, followed by Shaukat Hussain Rizvi’s “Dost (1944).” One of his standout films was Roop K. Shorey’s “Ek Thi Ladki (1949),” with Meena Shorey and Kuldeep. He also paired with Madhubala in “Hanste Aansoo(1949).”
He turned writer with Shobhna Samrth’s directorial “Hamari Beti (1950),” which introduced Nutan. Some of his other films from this period include Pehli Nazar (1945), Phoolwari (1946), Aaj Ki Raat (1948), Apni Izzat (1952), Ek Do Teen (1953), Dhoon (1953), and many more.
Another significant role was in the movie ‘Mr. Sampat’ (1952), where he played the titular character. The film, based on R.K. Narayan’s novel ‘Mr. Sampat: The Printer of Malgudi’, featured Motilal in a role that highlighted his comedic timing and his capacity to capture the essence of a character.
One of Motilal’s most memorable roles was in the 1955 film “Devdas,” directed by Bimal Roy, where he played the character of Chunni Babu. His portrayal of the affable yet flawed friend of Devdas showcased his ability to bring complexity and nuance to his characters. This performance earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, cementing his reputation as a skilled actor.
He also appeared in Jagte Raho (1956) as a kind-hearted drukard singing “Zindagi Khwab Hai.” He again won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Sir Jagdish Chandra Roy, a wealthy man who pretends to be poor Haradhan, in Bimal Roy’s “Parakh (1960).
His later film roles include Ab Dilli Dur Nahin (1957), Paigham (1959), Anari (1959), Asli-Naqli (1962), Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke (1963), Leader (1964), Waqt (1965), and Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai (1966).
His directorial venture “Chhoti Chhoti Baten (1965)” was also a significant part of his career, although it was released posthumously. In this film, he not only directed but also acted, leaving behind a legacy of his understanding of cinema from both sides of the camera. At the 13th National Film Awards, the film won the award for “Certificate of Merit” for the Third Best Feature Film, and the Certificate of Merit for the Best Story Writer was awarded posthumously to Motilal.
Motilal’s contribution to Hindi cinema is immeasurable. He paved the way for future generations of actors by breaking away from the theatrical style prevalent in his era and adopting a more natural approach to his performances. His work has been lauded by many, including Naseeruddin Shah, who counted him among the all-time best actors of Hindi cinema.
Motilal is known for his devil-may-care attitude in real life; he was very fond of his love for racing, flying, gambling, and cricket. Motilal’s personal life was as eventful as his career. He was known to have close relationships with actresses Shobhna Samarth and Nadira.
He passed away on June 17, 1965, leaving behind a legacy of natural acting that continues to inspire actors and filmmakers, and his legacy lives on in the performances that he left behind for audiences to cherish.
