Mahipal was an iconic actor who made his mark in mythological, action advanture and fantasy films, during 1950s and 60s. Some of his most memorable films include 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.
Early Life
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.
Debut and Early Struggles
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. The failure of his early films, prompts him to explore other avenues within the industry. He turned to lyric writing, contributing songs to four films for the legendary filmmaker V. Shantaram. Despite the setback, Mahipal persisted, taking on minor roles in films like Shankar Parvati (1943), Banwasi (1948), and Laxmi Narayan (1951).
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.
Breakthrugh of Mahipal
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.
The fantasy film Alibaba and 40 Thieves (1954), part of a series of Arabian Nights-inspired movies, showcased Mahipal’s versatility as a lead in adventure tales. The film’s success extended his popularity to Gulf countries, where such stories were widely appreciated.
His other fantasy films based on Arabian Nights, includes” “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.
Superstar Mahipal
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 Babubhai 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.
Mahipal portrayed Lord Rama in the mythological epic Sampoorna Ramayana (1961), directed by Babubhai Mistry. The film was a major success, cementing his reputation as a go-to actor for divine roles. His dignified portrayal of Rama resonated with audiences, making it one of his standout performances.
Continuing Success
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 was an accomplished dancer and never hesitate from performing. He challenged the norms of Hindi cinema, where dance was the forte of women. Interestingly, many actresses feared to share the stage with him. They thaught that he will overshadow them by his captivating presence.
Later Career
Mahipal played the Muni Narada in Jai Santoshi Maa (1975), the highest-earning and longest-running mythological film. The film also stars Kanan Kaushal, Bharat Bhushan, Ashish Kumar, Anita Guha, and Trilok Kapoor.
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).
After his final film, Amar Jyoti (1984), Mahipal largely withdrew from the film industry, choosing to live a reclusive life. He spent his later years traveling the world, a passion he pursued after stepping away from the silver screen, as he disliked publicity. Mahipal married his wife Akkal Kunwar in the 1940s and had two daughters, Shushila Jain and Nirmala Oswal. He died of a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on May 15, 2005, at the age of 86.
Mahipal on IMDB
