Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi | WatchedThis
Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi
Acting
Biography
Kanhaiyalal was born in Varanasi into a theatrical family. His father, Pandit Bhairodutt Choube, owned a drama company but disapproved of his son’s interest in acting. Undeterred, Kanhaiyalal began working backstage and gradually transitioned into small stage roles. After his father's death, he moved to Bombay to pursue a career in cinema—initially aspiring to become a writer and director. However, fate had other plans, and he made his screen debut as an extra in Sagar Ka Sher. He rose to national and international fame for his iconic portrayal of the scheming moneylender Sukhilala in Mehboob Khan’s Mother India (1957), one of Indian cinema’s most legendary villains. He had originally played the same role in Aurat (1940), making him the first Indian actor to reprise a character in a remake 17 years later. Mother India also earned the distinction of being India’s first official entry to the Academy Awards (Oscars) for Best International Feature Film—cementing Kanhaiyalal’s performance in global film history. Known for his mastery of negative and elderly roles, Kanhaiyalal acted in over 100 films including Ganga Jamuna, Upkar, Apna Desh, Dushman, and Grahasti. He also wrote dialogues and lyrics for films like Sadhana. His cinematic legacy lives on through the 2022 documentary Naam Tha Kanhaiyalal, produced by his daughter Hemaa Singh. TMDB mini biography by: Ashvin Borad
Filmography Movies
Acting
Mother India
A poverty-stricken woman raises her sons through many trials and tribulations. But no matter the struggles, always sticks to her own moral code.
Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke
Gangaram, a farmer, has two younger step-brothers, Moti and Shivram. Supported by Gangaram, Moti has gone to Calcutta to be a lawyer, while Shivram is an illiterate farmer like Gangaram. A series of unfortunate events leads to an estrangement between the three brothers while they face the threat of losing their land to a local greedy moneylender.
Zindagi
Beena falls in love with Rajan after he rescues her from some goons. Soon they marry and she is pregnant. The trouble starts when Beena spends the night with Gopal. What compels her to do this?
Gaban
Based on novel by Munshi Prem Chand. Believing himself to be a suspect for embezzlement in British India, a man must testify against non-violent freedom-fighters.
Samaj Ko Badal Dalo
Two close friends, Vimla and Chhaya, part ways when their friendship turns bitter. Years later, when Chhaya is arrested for a crime, Vimla, a lawyer, faces a moral dilemma.
The Test
The postmaster of a village receives a check for 500,000 rupees, for the purpose of bequeathing it to the village’s most upstanding citizen.
Naata
A woman describes the relationship between her sister and a postmaster
Dost
Maanav is an orphan who was brought up by a Catholic Priest. After completing his M.A. he returns home and finds out that his mentor is dead. He re-locates to Bombay and a man named Gopichand Sharma attempts to steal his luggage. The men become friends - Gopichand eventually changes his lifestyle, decides to be honest. Maanav gets him a job with Hercules Milk Foods. Maanav meets with and falls in love with the daughter of the owner of Hercules Milk Foods, much to the chagrin of her Dad. Then one day Maanav disappears from Gopichand and Kaajal's lives. He re-locates to Simla and it is here that he learns that things have spiraled out of control.
Satyam Shivam Sundaram
Rajeev falls in love with Roopa, a beautiful singer who hides the fact that half her face is disfigured. However, he soon discovers her secret after marriage and begins to ignore her.
Ram Aur Shyam
Abused by an oppressive brother-in-law Gajendra (Pran), Ramchandra (Dilip Kumar) runs away from home, and ends up in a small village where he is mistaken for Shyamrao (also Dilip Kumar), and must accept Ganga (Leela Mishra) and his new name or face severe exorcism. Meanwhile, Shyamrao is mistaken for Ramchandra by Anjana (Waheeda Rehman) and her dad (Nazir Hussain). When Gajendra finds out, he is enraged and attempts to beat the stuffing out of the person he thinks is his brother-in-law, but Shyamrao refuses to be abused or beaten, and all of a sudden things start changing in the household as well as in the community. It is not long before Gajendra finds out about the truth, and plans an ugly death for Shyamrao, and all those opposed to him.
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