Paidipati Jairaj (28 September 1909 – 11 August 2000) was an Indian actor, director and producer known for his works majorly in Hindi; few Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu language films, and Telugu theatre.Luminaries of 20th Century, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005 During the talkie period, from 1931 onwards, he started with Shikari in Urdu and English languages. Subsequently, he became one of the leading actors for about two decades, along with V. Shantaram, Ashok Kumar, Prithviraj Kapoor, Motilal etc. He starred in about 170 feature films in a variety of roles. He directed a few films such as Mohar, Mala (1941), Pratima, Rajghar (1951) and Sagar (1951), which he produced. In 1980, he was awarded with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award for films in India, for his contributions to Indian cinema.

Early life Paidipati Jairaj was born in Sircilla of Hyderabad State (present-day Telangana) on 28 September 1909. He had two brothers - Paidipati Sundararaj Naidu, Paidipati Deendayal Naidu(Artist) and Paidipati Jairaj was the youngest.

Career Jairaj developed an interest in theatre and films during his graduate studies at Nizam College, and left for Bombay in 1929. He made his acting debut in 1929 with the silent film Star Kling Youth, and subsequently he acted in about eleven silent films including Triangle of Love, Mathru Bhoomi, All for Lover, Mahasagar Mothi, Flight into Death, My Hero etc.

He played the characters of Amar Singh Rathore , Prithviraj Chauhan , and Maharana Pratap among notable films. He also essayed the roles of Shah Jahan , Tipu Sultan and Haider Ali . His other portrayals have been in films such as Sassi Punnu , Hatimtai , Chandrashekar Azad and Durga Das among others. Jairaj did six films with Suraiya in the 1940s and 1950s, five of them, viz. Humaari Baat (1943), Singaar (1949), Amar Kahani (1949), Rajput (1951) and Resham (1952) as her hero, and one of them, Lal Kunwar (1952), as second lead. In 1952, he produced and directed his own film Sagar, which was not well received by the audiences, but he was still committed to cinema.

Personal life He married a Punjabi woman, Savitri, from Delhi. It was an arranged marriage. Prithviraj Kapoor's father had chosen the bride for him. He had two sons and three daughters. His wife died a year before him of cancer. His daughter Geeta Gupta looked after him in his last years. Rajan Shahi, TV producer-director, is his daughter's son (maternal grandson), the sole person of Jairaj's extended family in Bollywood. Jairaj died in Mumbai on 11 August 2000.

Popular culture A one-hour documentary, Life journey of Jairaj, was made by the Government of Telangana in 2018 to celebrate his life.

Awards National Film Awards Dadasaheb Phalke Award - 1980

Filmography

Actor Year Film Character Notes 1930 Jagmagti Jawani 1932 Shikari 1933 Maya Jaal Patit Pawan Aurat Ka Dil 1934 Mazdoor 1935 Sher Dil Aurat Jeevan Natak 1937 Toofani Khazana 1938 BhabiKishore Madhur Milan 1939 Jugari Leatherface Samar 1940 Chambe Di Kali 1941 Prabhat Mala Also co-director Swami 1942 Nai Duniya Khilona Amar Tamanna Ramesh 1943 Nai Kahani Hamari Baat Prem Sangeet 1944 PannaShyam 1945 Rahat 1946 Shahjehan Shirazi Salgirah Rajputani 1947 Manmani Manohar 1948 Sajan Ka Ghar Anjuman Azadi Ki Raah Par 1949 Darogaji Roomal Singaar Dr. Kishan Amar Kahani Re-released later on as Kanchan (1955)1951 Rajput Sagar 1952 Lal Kunwar Resham 1954 Baadbaan 1955 Teerandaz Insaniyat Martand 1956 Parivar Hatim Tai Hatim Tai 1957 Mumtaz Mahal Pardesi Hassan Baig Khurrasani Also known as Journey Beyond Three Seas 1959 Char Dil Char Rahen Nirmal Kumar 1960Superman Return of Mr. Superman Superman Mr. Superman ki Wapsi Lal Quila Veer Durgadas Chambe Di Kali Punjabi movie1961 Razia Sultana Jai Chitod 1962 Pick Pocket 1963 Nine Hours to Rama Gul-e-Bakawali 1964 Khufia Mahal 1965 Baghi Haseena 1965 Mujrim Kaun Khooni Kaun 1966 Maya 1967 Baharon Ke Sapne 1968 Neel Kamal 1970 Gunah Aur Kanoon Jeevan Mrityu 1971 Nadaan Chhoti Bahu Chingari 1972 Shehzada 1973 Gehri Chaal Suraj Aur Chanda Chhalia Naag Mere Saathi 1974 Chor Chor Faslah 1975 SholayPolice Commissioner Kala Sona Dharmatma Jogidas Khuman Himalay Se Ooncha Toofan 1976 Hera Pheri Charas Bairaag Naag Champa 1977 Chhailla Babu Kachcha Chor 1978 Muqaddar Ka Sikandar Don Aakhri Daku Khoon Ka Badla Khoon 1979 Ahimsa Khandaan Nagin Aur Suhagan 1980 Jyoti Bane Jwala Chunaoti Jazbaat Shiv Shakti 1981 Fiffty Fiffty Khoon Aur Paani Kranti 1983 Ardh Satya Masoom Karate Pukar Paanchwin Manzil 1984 Bindiya Chamkegi Maan MaryadaThakur Surajbhan Singh Unchi Uraan 1986 Zinda Laash 1988 Khoon Bhari Maang 1992 Lambu Dada 1993 Meri Aan 1994 Betaaj Badshah 1995 God and Gun

Director Year Film Notes1941MalaCo-directed with Mahendra Thakore and also acted. 1945 Pratima 1951Rajghar Sagar Also producer and actor 1959 Mohar

References

External links

Talkie Star from the Silent Era(by B. Sumangal)