Mahipal was an iconic actor in mythological and fantasy films, known for his films like Narasinha Avatar (1949), Aladdin Aur Jadui Chirag (1952), Alibaba Aur 40 Chor (1954), Maya Bazaar (1958), Navrang (1959), Sampoorna Ramayana (1961), Zabak (1961), and Parasmani (1963). Tasweermahal is paying tribute to the legendary performer and bringing you his brief life sketch.
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Mahipal Chandra Bhandari, better known by his first name “Mahipal,” was born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, on December 24, 1919, into a rich Oswal Jain business family. His mother passed away when he was only six years old, and he was raised by his grandparents, as his father’s business was based in Kolkata.
Mahipal was interested in performing arts and literature from his school days and used to act in school dramas. He also started writing poetry when he was in college. Mahipal himself said in an interview that poet “Harnam Dass Seth,” who was his mathematician professor, encouraged him to write poems.
He graduated from Jodhpur’s Jaswant College in the early 1940s. It was the time when Producer Anand Behari Khandelwal and Director G. P. Kapoor were on the lookout for fresh talent for their film “Nazrana,” the first-ever Marwari language film. They approached Mahipal, and that’s how his journey in the film industry began. Mahipal came to Mumbai in the 1940s and made his film debut in the 1942 film Nazrana.
In 1944, when Shantaram made “Maali,” Mahipal not only wrote songs for the movie but also played the role of Vishnu. This film was also an instant success.
It’s not widely known, but Lata Mangeshkar’s debut as a playback singer in Hindi was in the song “Paa Lagoon Kar Jori Re” in “Aap Ki Seva Mein (1946),” which had lyrics by Mahipal. Despite his efforts as a lyricist, Mahipal faced ongoing challenges as his earnings weren’t sufficient. During this phase, he made a few films, the most notable of which were the mythological “Narasinha Avatar (1949)” and a comedy titled “Daulat (1949),” in which he took on the lead role alongside Madhubala. However, these films didn’t achieve success, adding to the complexities of Mahipal’s journey in the film industry.
Mahipal got a call from leading film-maker Homi Wadia, who gave him his first big break in the mythological film “Shri Ganesh Mahima (1950).” After the super success of Shri Ganesh Mahima, Mahipal acted in a fantasy film, “Alladin Aur Jadooi Chirag (1952),” where his leading lady was Meena Kumari. It was a jubilee hit, and the lead couple went on to star in another film, Laxmi Narayan, a mythological.
Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom
He did a series of fantasy films based on Arabian Nights, including “Alibaba and 40 Thieves (1954),” “Chirag-e-Cheen (1955),” Alibaba ka Beta (1955), Sultan-E-Alam (1956), Sheikh Chilli (1956), Lal E Yaman (1956), Khul Ja Sim Sim (1956), Husn Banu (1956), Sher-E-Baghdad (1957), Shahi Bazar (1957), Alladdin Laila (1957), and Sim Sim Marjeena (1958), which gave him popularity even in Gulf countries.
He also did many mythogonal films like Lakshmi Narayan (1951), Hanuman Patal Vijay (1951), Tulsidas (1954), Madhur Milan (1955), Jai Mahadev (1955), Shree Krishna Bhakti (1955), Mahasati Savitri (1955), Sudarshan Chakra (1956), Sati Naag Kanya (1956), Bajrang Bali (1956), Pawan Putra Hanuman (1957), Teerth Yatra (1958), Maya Bazaar (1958), and many more.
Though he collaborated with directors like Sohrab Modi and the Wadia Brothers—Homi Wadia and JBH Wadia—along with Babu Bhai Mistry, it was his partnership with V. Shantaram that brought him enduring acclaim.
The announcement of his role in V. Shantaram’s “Navrang” (1959), opposite Sandhya, created quite a buzz. “Navrang” went on to become a blockbuster, enjoying a silver jubilee run. Its timeless music album, featuring songs like “Aadha Hai Chandrama,” “Tu Chupi Hain Kahan,” “Shyamal Shyamal Baran,” and “Are Ja Re Hat Natkhat,” further solidified Mahipal’s standing in the industry.
In 1961, Homi Wadia’s action costume drama “Zabak” was opposite Shyama, with Sachdev and Manhar Desai. Chitragupt composed the music, and Prem Dhawan wrote the songs, which include “Teri Duniya Se Door Chale Hoke Majboor,” “Shama Jale Armaanon Ki,” “Teri Taqdeer Ka Sitara,” and “Humko Be De De Sahara,” sung by Mohammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, and Geeta Dutt.
Babubhai Mistry directed Parasmani (1963), which was also a milestone in his career. Mahipal paired up with South Indian actress Geethanjali in the fantasy film, which saw the debut of music director Laxmikant-Pyarelal. The film became one of the greatest musical hits of that era. The movie has all-time classics like “Ui Maa ui Ma Kya Ho aya,” “Hansta Hua Noorani hehra,” “Woh Jab Yaad Aye Bahut Yadd Aaye,” and “Salamat Raho” by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammed Rafi.
Mahipal’s movies, often musicals, were celebrated for their enchanting music, classical dance, and unforgettable songs. His versatility shone through in both mythological and stunt films, showcasing his brilliance. Mahipal challenged the norms of traditional Hindi cinema, where only women were associated with dance. Interestingly, leading ladies were reportedly hesitant to share the stage with him, fearing they might be overshadowed by his captivating presence.
Mahipal’s last film as lead was Jai Santoshi Maa (1975), the highest-earning and longest-running mythological film.
Mahipal had to make a major change in his screen persona, and he went on to play character roles in films like Rani Aur Lalpari (1975) and Do Chehre (1977). His last film role was in Amar Jyoti (1984).
Mahipal married his wife Akkal Kunwar in the 1940s and had two daughters, Shushila Jain and Nirmala Oswal. Mahipal died of a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on May 15, 2005, at the age of 86.
