Source:Wikipedia
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 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 Mumbai’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 some of 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. He has an elder sister named Sharda who appeared in several films before Mehra started his career in 1970s.
Mehra was married three times. His 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 chose to marry his frequent leading lady Bindiya Goswami while still married to Meena. Meena left him and returned to her parents' house. However, Mehra's "marriage" to Bindiya also unraveled very quickly, and she soon left him to marry director J. P. Dutta.
Following Bindiya's departure, Mehra was single for some time, and grew close to the actress Rekha during this period. 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."
In 1988, Mehra married for the last time, and his bride was Kiran. The marriage lasted until his death two years later and resulted in the birth of two children: a daughter named Soniya (born in 1988 itself) and a son named Rohan. The children were still in their infancy when Mehra died of a heart attack on 30 October 1990. He was only 45 years of age.
After Mehra's death, his widow took the two children and moved to Kenya, which is where the children were raised. Later, Soniya went to London for higher education. She made her Hindi film debut in the 2007 film Victoria No. 203, a remake of the 1972 classic film of the same name. Rohan is set to make his film debut shortly, in the film Baazaar to be made by Nikhil Advani.
Selected filmography
Producer and director
Gurudev (1993)
Actor
Raagni (1958) .... Young Rajan
Bewaqoof (1960).... Young Kishore Kumar
Angulimaal (1960) .... Young Ahinsak
Ek Thi Rita (1971)
Lal Patthar (1971) .... Shekhar
Amar Prem (1972) .... Nandu
Anuraag (1972) .... Rajesh
Do Phool (1973) .... Chuttan
Hawas (1974) .... Dr Bali
Kunwara Baap (1974) .... (Special Appearance)
Umar Qaid.. (1975)
Raftaar.. (1975)
Vardaan (1975)
Zindagi (1976) .... Ajay
Arjun Pandit (1976)
Ginny Aur Johnny (1976)
Nagin (1976) .... Rajesh
Sabse Bada Rupaiya (1976) .... Amit Rai
Anurodh (1977) .... Shrikanth
Safed Jhooth (1977) .... Amol
Ghar (1978) .... Vikas Chandra
Swarg Narak (1978) .... Vinod
Saajan Bina Suhagan (1978)
Aakhri Kasam (1979) .... Inspector Ram
Dada (1979).... Moti / Jeetu Dharamdas
Amar Deep (1979) .... Kishan
Jaani Dushman (1979) .... Madman
Jurmana (1979) .... Prem Prakash
Kartavya (1979) .... Dushyant
Pyaara Dushman (1980)
The Burning Train (1980) .... Rakesh
Saajan Ki Saheli (1981)
Pyaasa Sawan (1981) .... Monorama's Father
Khoon Ki Takkar (1981)
Sannata (1981) .... CBI officer (Special Appearance)
Khud-Daar (1982) .... Raja
Bemisal (1982) .... Dr. Prashant Chautervedi
Ustadi Ustad Se... Sanjay 'Sonu' / Rajesh 'Raju'
Mehndi ... Gautam
Naukar Biwi Ka (1983) ..... Inspector Amar Nath
Sweekar Kiya Maine(1983)....Kailash Shukla
Bindiya Chamkegi (1984) .... Shyam
Maujaan Dubai Diyaan (1985) .... Chandraprakash
Aap Ke Saath (1986) .... Ashok
Swati (1986) .... Satya Prakash
Pyar Ki Jeet (1987) .... Anand
Aag Hi Aag (1987) .... Raghuveer Singh
Vardi (1989).....
Eeshwar (1989) .... Lalita's brother
Meri Zabaan (1989)....Vikram Singh
Prem Pratigyaa (1989) .....Professor
Patthar Ke Phool (1991) .... Inspector Vijay Verma
Sarphira (1992) .....Sanjay's brother
Police Wala (1993) .... Rakesh Nath
Insaniyat (1994) .... Nandu
Aurat Aurat Aurat (1996) ... Vijay
Aatank (1996) ... Peter
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