Inderjeet Singh Johar (16 February 1920 – 10
March 1984), better known as I. S. Johar, was an Indian actor,
writer, producer and director.
He was born on 16 February 1920, in Talagang (Now
in Pakistan), British India. He completed MA degree in Economics and
Politics before completing his LLB. In 1947, during the Partition
crisis, Johar was visiting Patiala with his family for a wedding,
when riots broke out back home in Lahore. He could never go back, and
thereafter he worked in Jalandhar for a while, and his family
remained in Delhi, before he eventually moved to Bombay, where he
made his acting debut with Roop K Shorey's, Ek Thi Ladki (1949).
Johar acted in numerous Hindi films from the 1950s
through to the early 1980s and played cameos in international films
such as Harry Black (1958), North West Frontier (1959), Lawrence of
Arabia (1962) and Death on the Nile (1978), besides acting in Maya
(1967), a US TV series. He also appeared in Punjabi films, including
Chaddian Di Doli (1966), Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai (1969) with Prithviraj
Kapoor, and Yamla Jatt with Helen.
Wrote, acted in, and Directed the best partition
based Hindi movie Nastik (1954).
I. S. Johar also wrote and directed films, some of
which included Johar Mehmood in Goa and Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong in
which he co-starred with comedian Mehmood. These were inspired by
comedy films of the Bob Hope-Bing Crosby style Road to... series.
That being said, Johar was a unique and idiosyncratic individual, a
lifelong liberal (if not a libertine: he had five marriages, an
extraordinary number by Indian standards, both then and now) who
poked fun at all forms of institutionalised self-satisfied smugness –
an attitude which did not endear him to the essentially hierarchical
and conservative Indian establishment, and might have contributed to
being relegated to making B-grade movies all his life, due to a lack
of finding financing for his highly individual and quirky
screenplays. In many of his films, both those he directed and those
he acted in, Sonia Sahni was the leading lady, most notably in Johar
Mahmood in Goa, 1964.
He also starred in films with his own surname in
the title such as Mera Naam Johar, Johar in Kashmir and Johar in
Bombay, which is a testament both to his immense egotism, as well as
his popularity with the common masses – for whom a movie with the
Johar name was a guarantee of easy laughs, as well as subtle ironic
or frankly sarcastic jibes at Indian customs, mores, superstitions
and institutions. His film Nasbandi (Vasectomy) was a spoof on Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi's failed policy of population control by
coerced vasectomies during the period of Emergency and was "banned"
when it was first released. Yash Chopra started his film career as an
assistant director with I. S. Johar.
He died in Bombay, on 10 March 1984.
He married Ramma Bains in 1943 in Lahore, and the
couple had a son, Anil Johar and a daughter, Ambika Johar before they
divorced. He had four more marriages after that. His daughter
Ambika Johar, appeared in some films in the late 1970s, including
Nasbandi (1978). His son, Anil Johar, appeared in 5 Rifles and
Nasbandi.
Awards and Nominations :
- 1971: Filmfare Best Comedian Award: Johny Mera Naam
- BAFTA Best Actor nomination for Harry Black.
I.S. Johar's Filmography with Super Star Rajesh Khanna :
Actor :
- Raaz (1967) - as Rocky.
- Shrimanji (1968) - as : Rajesh Khanna's special appearance.
- Safar (1970) - as
- Chhoti Bahu (1971) - as
- 5 Rifles (1974) - as Harfan Mama : Rajesh Khanna look like.
- Badhti ka naam daadhi (1974) - as Seth Sohrabji Bandookwala : Rajesh Khanna's special appearance.
- Nasbandi (1978) - as : Rajesh Khanna look like.
Director :
- 5 Rifles (1974) - Rajesh Khanna look like
- Nasbandi (1978) - Rajesh Khanna look like
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