Kanhaiyalal’s daughter Hemaa Singh: Big B, Dharmendraji have paid tribute to dad

Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra

Pick any film in the '60s featuring a conniving money-lender, and chances are that the role was played by Kanhaiyalal. The late actor, who featured in over 100 films between the '50s and late '70s, is best remembered as Sukkhi Lala, the shrewd villain in Nargis-led Mother India (1957). Decades later, as Bollywood has moved on from the archetypal munimji and all-black villains, the veteran actor's daughter Hemaa Singh is making a documentary to honour his contribution to Hindi cinema.

"The reason behind making the documentary is to highlight the [role] of veteran actors during that era, be it Motilalji, Ishwarlalji or my father. The [feature] will showcase all that is not known to the public - right from his childhood days in Varanasi, his migration to Mumbai, his struggles, personal life and work," says Singh, who is hoping to release the yet-untitled project in the coming months.

Hemaa Singh

In his three-decade career, Kanhaiyalal served as the perfect antithesis to the well-meaning heroes, sharing screen space with Dilip Kumar in Ganga Jamuna (1961), Rajesh Khanna in Apna Desh (1972) and Dharmendra in Dost (1974). Singh is touched that many celebrities have supported her endeavour. "Amitabh Bachchanji, Dharmendraji, Asha Parekhji, Jackie Shroffji and Govindaji have paid their shraddhanjali [tribute] to my father in the documentary. When I approached them, they enthusiastically agreed to do it. Johnny Lever went out of his way and reached out to other [stars] on my behalf. Sunil Duttji and Dilip Kumarji were close to my bauji; unfortunately, Duttji is no longer with us."

Kanhaiyalal played a shrewd money-lender in Nargis's Mother India

While he paved the way for Bollywood villains, Singh says her father was a real-life hero. "He offered financial aid to so many people, never turning anyone away," she recounts, lamenting that he didn't get his due. "He never got the Dadasaheb Phalke award for his remarkable contribution. He was an effortless actor who never rehearsed his dialogues."