Motilal Rajvansh

Motilal Rajvansh was a very well known and talented actor in hindi films and was active for 30 years from the 1934 to 1965 . He is credited with being the first natural actor in hindi cinema.
He was Born in Shimla on 4th, December, 1910 . His father was a renowned educationist, who died when Motilal was one year old so he was brought up and educated by his uncle , a well-known civil surgeon in Uttar Pradesh .
After leaving college, Motilal came to Bombay to join the Navy but by coincidence film director K. P. Ghosh saw and took notice of him and in 1934 , he gave Motilal then aged 24 an opportunity to act as hero’s role in his film शहर का जादू Shaher Ka Jadoo and that is how motilal’s career in cinema started .
He later featured in several successful social dramas and films such as Dr. Madhurika (1935) , Kulvadhu (1937), Jagirdar (1937) , Hum Tum Aur Woh (1938) , Taqdeer (1943) , Acchut kanya (1940 ) , Armaan (1942) and Kaliyan (1944). He also acted in film Paigham पैगाम (1959) of Gemini Studios and Raj Kapoor’s super hit film Jagte Raho जागते रहो ( 1956).
Howeve, the filmy roles for which he received the most appreciation was that of a gentleman crook in film Mr Sampat (1952) and for his role as “Chunni Babu” in Bimal Roy’s film Devdas (1955) for which he won his first Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award.
Later in 1960 for his great role in film Parakh, he once again received the best supporting actor award .
He also directed the film Chhoti Chhoti Baten छोटी छोटी बातें (1965), but died before its release. This film won the award for Certificate of Merit for the Third Best Feature Film and he also posthumously ( after death) won the Certificate of Merit for the Best Story Writer .
He played the role of an untouchable in film Achhut kanya अछूत कन्या ( 1940), a socially progressive and reformist film and got the praise of Gandhi and sardar Vallabbhai patel .
Motilal acted in about 60 films ( with lead role in 30 of them ) including famous films like devdas , Paigam , Mr sampat , jagtey Raho , Anari , Parakh , yeh Raastey hein pyar key , leader and Waqt .
Amitabh Bachchan wrote in the foreword of the “ Hundred Luminaries of Hindi Cinema “ that :-
“ Not much has been written in praise of Motilal , a great and very natural actor. He was greatly ahead of his times and if he had been alive today , his sheer versatility would have ensured a place for him even now. In fact, he would be doing much better than many of us.”
Motilal Rajvansh was in relationship for several years with the actress Nadira and later with actress Shobhna Samarth after she separated from her husband . Motilal was a very polished man and moved in high society . Although a thorough gentleman, he enjoyed gambling and races, and died early in 1965 when he was in acute financial distress .The older generation will remember this natural actor for a long time .

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Four stars