Jagdish Raj, an iconic Hindi film actor known to play the character of a police officer, is remembered as the most typecast actor ever. He entered the “Guinness Book of World Records” for playing the role of a policeman in around 144 films.
Early Life and Career
Jagdish Raj was born in 1928 in the town of Sargodha, Punjab, which is now in Pakistan. As a child, he acted in Mehboob Khan’s 1939 film “Ek hi Rasta,” starring Arun, Sheikh Mukhtar, and Sushila.
As an adult, Jagdish Raj made his debut in the 1955 classic “Seema,” starring Nutan and Balraj Sahni, where he played the small role of a doctor. Guru Dutt’s “C.I.D.“, directed by Raj Khosla and starring Dev Anand, Shakila and Waheeda Rehman, is the first film where he played a policeman. He also played villainous roles as well as supporting characters apart from his usual “police inspector” role. He appeared in over 325 films in his career of over four decades.
Jagdish Raj acted as a lead or as a prominent character in a few B movies like “Bahadur Lutera (1960) and Teen Ustad (1961).
The Eternal Policeman
Some of his famous films include 12 O’Clock (1958), Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Kala Bazar (1960), Dharmputra (1961), Tarzan Goes to India (1962), Nine Hours to Rama (1963), Ek Dil Sao Afsane (1963), Waqt (1965), Hamraaz (1967), Neel Kamal (1968), Ittefaq (1969), Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai (1969), Johny Mera Naam (1970), The Evil Within (1970), Dastaan (1972), Dhund (1973), 36 Ghante (1974), Deewaar (1975), Aaina (1977), Don (1978), Kaala Patthar (1979), Krodhi (1981), Silsila, Don, Shakti (1982), Mazdoor (1983), Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), Soorma Bhopali (1988), Paap Ka Ant (1989), Dil Tera Aashiq (1993) and many others.
In an interview, Jagdish Raj said, “Back in the 1960s, a big Hollywood casting director called Harvey Wood came and selected me for a police inspector’s role. Although I had done many films before as a hero and villain, I don’t know why I found popularity only as a police inspector. Twenty years later, I bumped into Harvey Wood again. He looked at me and said, “Bloody hell! You’re still in the same uniform.” He asked me to mail him the details of all my films, as I was on track for a world record for the most occupational roles. Later, the “Guinness Book People” sent a team to Bombay to verify facts before they entered my name in their book.”
Personal Life
The role of a police officer on screen influenced Jagdish Raj’s real life too. In an interview with The Indian Express, his daughter, famous actress Anita Raaj, told that He always kept his on-screen police uniform was always, crisply ironed in his cupboard. He was very meticulous about it. There were numerous instances when people mistook him for a real police officer or commissioner.
Jagdish Raj breathed his last on July 28, 2013, at his home in Juhu, Mumbai, following a respiratory illness. He was 85 years old at the time. He is survived by his children, Anita Raj, who is a famous actress; Roopa Malhotra; and Bobby Raj.
Jagdish Raj on IMDB
