Versatile actor and writer Kader Khan breathed his last on December 31, 2018, due to a prolonged illness. He has etched a special place in the history of Indian cinema, which is truly irreplaceable. As the world celebrates his birth anniversary on October 22, let's take a look at his journey in tinsel town.
Updated On: 2019-01-02 02:18 PM IST
Born in Afghanistan in 1937 to Abdul Rahman from Kandahar and Iqbal Begum from Pishin (British India - now Balochistan, Pakistan), Kader Khan was an Indo-Canadian film actor, screenwriter, comedian, and director. The versatile talent breathed his last on December 31, 2018. The actor had been suffering from supranuclear palsy, a degenerative disease. As October 22 is observed as his birth anniversary, let's take a look at his journey through pictures. (All pictures/mid-day archives)
As an actor, Kader Khan appeared in over 300 films, post his debut in the 1973 film Daag. Starring Rajesh Khanna, Kader Khan played the role of a prosecuting attorney. Acting was not the only skill he excelled in, he was also a prolific screenwriter for Bollywood films (1970s to 1999) where he wrote dialogues for over 200 films. But did you know acting was not the first career choice for Kader Khan? He started working as a teacher before entering the film industry in the early 1970s. Kader Khan taught at MH Saboo Siddik College of Engineering, Mumbai, as a professor of civil engineering.
Kader Khan had three brothers - Shams ur Rehman, Fazal Rehman and Habib ur Rehman. The actor, who was raised in the Kamathipura neighbourhood of Mumbai, enrolled in a local municipal school and later in Ismail Yusuf College. Kader Khan obtained a Master's Diploma in Engineering (MIE) from the Institution of Engineers (India) specialising in Civil Engineering. Though the actor lived in Mumbai, he had family members settled in the Netherlands and Canada. Kader Khan's sons, Sarfaraz Khan, Shahnawaz Khan, and Quddus, live in Canada. His eldest son Sarfaraz Khan has also acted in several films. He is related to Zareen Khan's family, who also works in the film industry as an actress and model.
Kader Khan has worked with a lot of Bollywood superstars - Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Feroz Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, Govinda to name a few. The actor also got the opportunity to work in movies directed by Tatineni Rama Rao, K. Raghavendra Rao, K. Bapaiah, Narayana Rao Dasari, David Dhawan. He has worked side-by-side with other comedians like Asrani, Shakti Kapoor, and Johnny Lever. He has co-starred with Amrish Puri, Prem Chopra and Anupam Kher in many films.
Kader Khan started getting roles as a supporting actor after 1984 with films like Masterji, Dharm Adhikari, Nasihat, Dosti Dushmani, Ghar Sansaar, Loha, Insaniyat Ke Dushman, among others. From 1988, there were films written with him as one of the lead characters like Jaisi Karni Waisi Bharni, Biwi Ho Toh Aisi, Ghar Ho Toh Aisa, Hum Hai Kamaal Ke, and Baap Numbari Beta Dus Numbari.
His first attempt at comedy was with Himmatwala and Aaj Ka Daur. He started doing comedy roles from 1989 onwards, with films like Sikka, Kishen Kanhaiya, Hum, Ghar Parivar, Bol Radha Bol and continued through the nineties with comedy roles in Aankhen, Taqdeerwala, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Dulhe Raja, Coolie No.1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Sooryavansham, Judaai, Aunty No.1, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, among many others. Even in the early 2000s, he attempted versatile roles with films like Akhiyon Se Goli Maare, Chalo Ishq Ladaaye, Suno Sasurjee, Yeh Hai Jalwa and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi.
After giving many years to Bollywood, Kader Khan starred in his own comedy television series Hasna Mat, which aired on Star Plus in 2001. The actor, later on, made a comeback on Indian television with a comedy series Hi! Padosi... Kaun Hai Doshi? on Sahara One in 2011. Kader Khan also appeared in Lucky: No Time for Love (2006), Family: Ties of Blood (2006), and Tevar (2015).
It was Rajesh Khanna who gave him a break as a dialogue writer in his film Roti and thereafter he wrote dialogues for films with Rajesh Khanna in the lead like Mahachor, Chailla Babu, Dharam Kanta, Fifty Fifty, Naya Kadam, Masterji and Nasihat, all of which were a hit at the box office. Other successful films for which he has written or assisted in dialogues include films starring Jeetendra like Himmatwala, Jaani Dost, Sarfarosh, Justice Chaudhury, and many others.
As a screenwriter, Kader Khan has worked with Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra for their films starring Amitabh Bachchan. Besides Amitabh, he was the only one to work in the rival camps of Mehra and Desai. His films with Desai include, but are not limited to, Dharam Veer, Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati, Coolie, and Amar Akbar Anthony, and his films with Prakash Mehra include Jwalamukhi, Sharaabi, Lawaaris, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar.
It was not just Bollywood where Kader Khan showcased his talent! The actor was also in demand by south Indian film production houses such as Padmalaya. Major filmmakers of southern cinema such as Narayana Rao Dasari, Kovelamudi Bapayya, K. Raghavendra Rao, Rama Rao Tatineni, Dasari Narayan Rao, D. Rama Naidu consulted Khan for the scripts and dialogues of Hindi remakes in south languages. Some of these films included Himmatwala (1983), Justice Choudhury (1983), Haisiyat (1984) and Singhasan (1986).
While the actor was missing for a long time from B-town, it was said that the comedian relocated to Dubai for a while where he started his teaching career once again. Kader Khan taught at a private institute with the hope to set up his own educational centre later on in Dubai.
Kader Khan's health deteriorated post his knee surgery at the age of 79. The actor was also on a wheelchair for quite a long time. The actor was with his son Sarfaraz in Canada for the remainder of his life.
