Remembering some of the forgotten faces of Hindi Cinema’s golden era ; here is the first part of the series “Forgotten Faces”.

Dhumal

Dhumal acted in many movies and was active from mid 1940s till the late 1980s.

He played various character roles; although he is best remembered as a comedian.
Dhumal started his acting career from marathi theatre and later moved to hindi cinema.
He worked in notable films like Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Howrah Bridge, Bombai Ka Babu , Kashmir Ki Kali , Gumnaam , Do Badan , Love in Tokyo,Woh Kaun Thi, Ankhen, Gumnaam, Arzoo, Sasural,Ek Musafir Ek,Bramhachari Hasina and a lot more.
Film lovers still remember his performance as Dharamdas in the 1965 suspense thriller Gumnaam as one of his best.

 

Dulari

Dulari ji’s real name was Ambika but she was often called ‘Rajdulari’ by her loved ones of which, later on, only ‘Dulari’ remained. Her first film was the Bombay Talkies production Jhoola (1941) and she also did some small roles in Roti, Apna Paraya and jawani (all 1942). Dular ji also played hero Jairaj’s younger sister in ‘Bombay Talkies’s’ film ‘Hamari Baat’ and shewas also seen as a the second lead in  ‘Amar Pictures’s film ‘Adaab Arz’ where her leading man was the famous singer Mukesh. Both the films were made in 1943.Dulari ji got her real due with ‘Filmistan’s’ 1947 film ‘Shehnai’. She had played Rehana’s elder sister in the movie and her leading man was Mehmood’s father Mumtaz Ali. Chartbusters like ‘aana meri jaan meri jaan Sunday ke Sunday’ and ‘jawaani ki rail chali jaaye re’ had infact also been filmed on Dulari ; although Dulari ji accepts that she was not confortable with dance sequences. Dulari ji was seen in an important role in the movie ‘Paapi’ which was made in 1953(Raj Kapoor’s only movie where he was seen in a double role).
She was She married sound recordist J. B. Jagtap in 1951, and took a break from acting for about ten  years During that time only 13-14 films of mine were released like ‘Devdas’ (1955), ‘Zindagi Ke Mele’ (1956), ‘Ek Gaon Ki Kahani’, ‘Johny Walker’, ‘Paying Guest’ (all 1957), ‘Kavi Kalidas’, ‘Santaan’ (1959).
After the break Dulari started the second innings of her career and for the next 35 years she was seen playing many big and small roles in almost 135 films like ‘Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai’, ‘Mujhe Jeene Do’, ‘Apne Hue Paraye’, ‘Aap Aaye bahaar Aai’, ‘Aaye Din Bahaar Ke’, Anupama’, ‘Teesri Kasam’, ‘Padosan’, ‘Aradhna’, ‘Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke’, ‘Chiraagh’, ‘Inteqaam’, ‘Aan Milo Sajna’, ‘Heer Ranjha’, ‘Johny Mera Naam’, ‘Caravan’, ‘Laal Patthar’, ‘Beimaan’, ‘Seeta Aur Geeta’, ‘Raja Rani’, ‘Ameer Gareeb’, ‘Haath Ki Safai’, ‘Deewar’, ‘Do Jasoos’, ‘Aahuti’, ‘Ganga Ki Saugandh’, ‘Biwi O Biwi’, ‘Naseeb’, ‘Prem Rog’, ‘Agar Tum Na Hote and ‘Dharmadhikari’.

Dulari ji’s career spanned 65 years where in she did 171 hindi, 35 Gujarati, 3 Marathi and 1 Rajasthani film and also acted in a ‘Shri Adhikari Brothers’ serial called ‘Waqt Ki Raftaar’.
Dulari ji’s husband passed away in the year 1972 and she suffered from acute Alzheimer’s in her last few years and stayed in an old age home in Pune. At 85 years of age ; she breathed her last on 18th January 2013 in Pune . Through the last years of her life Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) had started providing financial assistance after veteran actress Waheeda Rehman brought up her case.

(Courtesy – Shishir Krishna Sharma from the article ‘Aan Milo Aan Milo Shyam Sanware’-Dulari published in beetehuedin.blogspot.in)

 Ram Avtar

In a career spanning roughly 40 years; Ram Avtar featured as a character actor and turned into a comedian possibly with his increasing weight.He is best known for his roles in Nasir Hussain’s films, especially Teesri Manzil, Yaadon Ki Baaraat , Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hun and Tumsa Nahin Dekha.Some of his other films are Nagin,Ham Sab Chor Hain,Leader,Guide,Shadhu Aur Shaitan,Aradhana and Fakira.

 Bipin Gupta

Bipin Gupta’s career spanned from 1930s till the beginning of 1970s.Some of the key films of his career include Baiju Bawra (1952), Jagriti (1954),Bandish (1955),Amardeep(1958), Mamta (1966), Amrapali (1966), jeevan Mrityu and Khilona (1970).

 

 

Some of his most remembered performances include his role as Ashok Kumar’s father in Bandish and as Shahenshah Akbar in Baiju Bawra.

 

 

 

Manorama

Manorama was born as Erin Isaac Daniel. She was an actress best known for  her role as the comical tyrant aunt in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972).Althogh she worked in over 150 films , some of her best known films are Jhanak Jhanak Paayal Baaje, Mehboob Ki Mehndi, Ek Phool Do Mali(check out the parody song Chal Chal Re Naujawan),Caravan and Laawaris.
One of her most respected work was in Water (2005);She died on February 15, 2008 in Mumbai.