By: Anjali

'Mere samne vale kildiki mei...'
'Hum kale hain to kya hua...'
'Muttu kolikka varihala...'

…the songs ring in my ears as I write this piece as a tribute to a great comedian who is no more, but has left his footprints on the sands of time. Yes, Mehmood Ali, Hindi cinema's most beloved comedian died on 23 July 2004 at Pennsylvania, US. He was 72.

Born in 1932 in Mumbai to actor-dancer Mumtaz Ali and father of singer Lucky Ali, Mehmood meant a monstrous mirth-worth for Indian cinema. King of Laughs, Mehmood tickled the funny bone of four generations. Such was his fame that noted heroes would accept a film only if he was not acting in it. He usually had a huge draw at the box office. Even directors began to have a special 'comedy track' written into their films for him. Only one comedian who knew the kind of success that Mehmood tasted was Johnny Walker. Mehmood started off as Johnny Walker's student in the field of the 'funnies.'

His career took off with bit roles in films like Guru Dutt's PYAASA but gained a toehold with PARVARISH-a 1958 tearjerker. Mehmood acted in over 300 films, including PADOSAN, and directed a few. His directorial ventures often derived scripts from his personal life.

Mehmood virtually swept the screen with his antics while pairing himself first with Shubha Khote and later with Aruna Irani. He amalgamated the styles of earlier comedians like Agha and Johnny Walker. Most of his comic virtuosity depended on split-second timing and an ability to react a tad late to a situation, thus inventing a completely original lexicon of laughter.

Mehmood has films like GUMNAM, PYAR KIYE JAA, DIL TERA DIWANA, SASURAL, and HUMJOLI to his credit. PYAR KIYE JA won him a Filmfare award. A remake of the Tamil film KADALIKKA NERAMILLAI, is considered to be one of his best movies. In HUMJOLI, he played a triple role imitating three generations of the Kapoors -Prithiviraj, Raj and Randhir.

In Raj Kumar Santoshi's ANDAZ APNA APNA, Mehmood played a fleeting role. BOMBAY TO GOA, he played a bus conductor, which had the then upcoming star Amitabh Bachchan sharing the screen with him. Mehmood introduced some extraordinary talent to Hindi cinema. He gave music composer Rahul Dev Burman his first break in CHOTE NAWAB.

The comedian's other popular roles include LAAKHON MEIN EK, MASTANA, LOVE IN TOKYO, GINNY AUR JHONY, and BHOOT BHANGLA. Mehmood was surely Bollywood's comedian par excellence. His demise means a great loss to Indian cinema, which can't be replaced for years to come.