Vinod Mehra

Vinod Mehra (13 February 1945 – 30 October 1990) was an Indian actor in Bollywood films. He started out as a child actor in the late 1950s before starting his film career as an adult in 1971. He acted in over 100 films from the 1970s through to his death at the age of 45 in 1990. He was also the producer and director of the film Gurudev which was released 3 years after his death.

Career

Mehra made his debut in the 1958 film Raagni as a child artist playing the younger version of the character played by Kishore Kumar. After playing a few more minor roles as a child, he started his film career as an adult in 1971 with Ek Thi Rita, a smash hit based on the English play, 'A Girl Called Rita', along with Tanuja. He was one of finalists in the 1965 All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare from more than ten thousand contestants. He lost the contest to Rajesh Khanna and became male runner up of the contest. He was an executive with Goldfield Mercantile Company till the time he became runner up in the contest. He joined the film industry after being spotted by Roop K Shorey at Bombay’s Gaylord restaurant.

This was followed by the film Parday Ke Peechhay opposite debutant Yogeeta Bali followed by Elaan (with Rekha), Amar Prem (1972) and Lal Patthar, though it was only Shakti Samanta's Anuraag (1972) with Maushmi Chatterjee, which established him as an actor. He went on to appear in over 100 films in his career spanning over two decades. He played the lead role in his earlier films but often acted in many multi-starrers as the secondary lead or played supporting roles such as a brother, friend, uncle, father and police officer. He worked with many actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt and Dharmendra. His frequent female co-stars included Rekha, Maushmi Chatterjee, Yogeeta Bali, Shabana Azmi and Bindiya Goswami.

Some of his prominent films were Nagin, Jaani Dushman, Ghar, Swarg Narak, Kartavya, Saajan Bina Suhagan, Jurmana, Ek Hi Raasta, Ye Kaisa Insaaf Sweekar Kiya Maine and Khud-Daar. He received Filmfare Nominations as Best Supporting Actor for Anurodh (1977), Amar Deep (1979), and Bemisal (1982). He also played the leading role in a Punjabi film Maujaan Dubai Diyaan in 1985.

He turned producer and director with the film Gurudev in the late 1980s, with Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in the lead. He died of a heart attack before completion of the film at the age of 45 in October 1990. The film was released in 1993 after director Raj Sippy completed the film.

Many of his delayed films were released after his death and dedicated to his memory such as Patthar Ke Phool (1991 film), Insaniyat (1994) and Aurat Aurat Aurat (1996).

Vinod Mehra's daughter Soniya Mehra has acted in a few films and son Rohan Mehra is making his debut in Nikhil Advani's Baazaar.

Personal life and family

Vinod Mehra was born in Amritsar in 1945. His father's name was Parameshwaridas Mehra and mother's name Kamala Mehra. Family shifted its base to Bombay from Amritsar after independence as Parameshwaridas has business interest in Bombay. He has an elder sister named Sharda who appeared in several films before Mehra started his career in 1970s. Mehra completed his schooling in Sacred Heart Boys High School Santa cruz and later earned a Bachelor's degree from St Xavier's College Bombay.

Mehra was close to the actress Rekha during the mid-70s. Indeed, they were widely believed to have married each other, but in a 2004 television interview with Simi Garewal, Rekha denied having ever been married to him, and referred to him affectionately as a "well-wisher." Mehra's first marriage to Meena Broca was arranged by his mother. The marriage was reportedly not consummated as Vinod had a heart attack shortly after the marriage. Once he recovered, he eloped with frequent leading lady of the time, Bindiya Goswami. Meena was left with no choice but to file for divorce. Mehra's relationship with Bindiya unraveled very quickly, and she soon left him to marry director J. P. Dutta. In 1988, Mehra married Kiran, daughter of a Kenya-based transport businessman. The marriage lasted until his death two years later and produced two children: a daughter named Soniya (born in 1988) and a son named Rohan (born posthumously). Mehra died of a heart attack on 30 October 1990. He was only 45 years of age.

After Mehra's death, his widow moved to Kenya, to live with her parents and sister. The children were raised in Mombasa and went to the UK for higher education. Both entered the film industry eventually. Soniya made her Hindi film debut in the 2007 film Victoria No. 203, a remake of the 1972 classic film of the same name. Rohan made his debut in Nikhil Advani's Baazaar (2018).

Selected filmography

Producer and director

• Gurudev (1993)

Actor