View source for I. S. Johar

{{short description|Indian actor}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = I. S. Johar
| image         = I.S.Johar-pic.jpg
| image size    = 220px
| caption       =
| birth_name    = Indra Sen Johar
| birth_date    = {{birth date|df=yes|1920|2|16}}
| birth_place   = [[Talagang]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]] <br /> ({{small|present-day [[Punjab, Pakistan]]}})
| death_date    = {{death date and age|df=yes|1984|3|10|1920|2|16}}
| death_place   = [[Bombay]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| occupation    = Actor, director, producer, writer
| yearsactive   = 1931–1984
| spouse        = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Ramma Bains|||end=divorced}}
* [[Sonia Sahni]]
* and three others
}}
| othername     =
| children      = 2
}}
'''Indra Sen Johar''' (16 February 1920 – 10 March 1984), better known as '''I. S. Johar''',<ref name="Narwekar1994">{{cite book|author=Sanjit Narwekar|title=Directory of Indian film-makers and films|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UYUjAQAAIAAJ|access-date=26 December 2011|year=1994|publisher=Flicks Books|isbn=9780948911408|archive-date=9 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009020428/http://books.google.com/books?id=UYUjAQAAIAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="imdb2">{{IMDb name|0424102}}</ref> was an Indian actor, writer, producer and director, who excelled in comedic roles but is best known to international audiences for portraying Gasim in the epic film classic ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]''.
==Early life==
Indra Sen Johar was born on 16 February 1920 in [[Talagang|Talagang City]], [[Talagang Tehsil]], [[Jhelum District]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab Province]], [[British India]] (now within modern-day [[Talagang District]], [[Punjab, Pakistan]]). He did an MA degree in Economics and Politics before completing his [[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]].<ref name="Narwekar1994"/> In August 1947, during the [[Partition of India]], Johar was visiting [[Patiala]] with his family for a wedding when serious rioting broke out in [[Lahore]], resulting in the Shah Alami Bazaar, once the largely Hindu quarter of the [[Walled City of Lahore|Walled City]], being entirely burnt down.<ref name=dejonge>{{cite book|last1=de Jonge|first1=Rene|title=Urban planning in Lahore: a confrontation with real development|date=1989|publisher=Peter Groote|isbn=9789036701839|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EqG6BQAAQBAJ&q=shah+alami+partition+riots+lahore&pg=PP35|access-date=11 October 2017|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804075935/https://books.google.com/books?id=EqG6BQAAQBAJ&pg=PP35#v=onepage&q=shah%20alami%20partition%20riots%20lahore|url-status=live}}</ref>
Johar never returned to Lahore. For a period he worked in [[Jalandhar]] while his family remained in [[Delhi]],<ref name=tri/> before he eventually moved to Bombay, where he made his acting debut in the 1949 Hindi comedy action film ''[[Ek Thi Ladki]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19970725/20650883.html|title=A serious satirist|newspaper=[[Indian Express]]|date=25 July 1997|access-date=7 November 2008|archive-date=25 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825193256/http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19970725/20650883.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career==
Johar acted in numerous [[Hindi cinema|Hindi films]] from the 1950s through to the early 1980s and appeared in international films such as ''[[Harry Black (film)|Harry Black]]'' (1958), ''[[North West Frontier (film)|North West Frontier]]'' (1959), ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'' (1962)<ref>[https://movies.nytimes.com/person/35712/I-S-Johar Filmography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013103753/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/35712/I-S-Johar |date=13 October 2012 }} ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> and ''[[Death on the Nile (1978 film)|Death on the Nile]]'' (1978), besides acting in ''[[Maya (U.S. TV series)|Maya]]'' (1967), a US TV series. He also appeared in Punjabi films, including ''Chaddian Di Doli'' (1966), [[Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai]] (1969) with [[Prithviraj Kapoor]], and ''Yamla Jatt'' with [[Helen (actress)|Helen]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070519/saturday/main1.htm|title=In search of a bigger role|newspaper=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|date=19 May 2007|access-date=7 November 2008|archive-date=1 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081101160929/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070519/saturday/main1.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
I. S. Johar also wrote and directed films, including the partition-based Hindi movie ''[[Nastik (1954 film)|Nastik]]'' (1954), ''Johar Mehmood in Goa'' and ''Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong'', in which he co-starred with comedian [[Mehmood Ali|Mehmood]]. These were inspired by comedy films of the [[Bob Hope]]-[[Bing Crosby]] style ''[[Road to...]]'' series.<ref>[http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/is_johar/biography.php IS Johar Biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512142837/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/is_johar/biography.php |date=12 May 2011 }} ''[[Rotten Tomatoes]]''.</ref> Johar was a unique and idiosyncratic individual, a lifelong liberal who poked fun at institutionalised self-satisfied smugness – an attitude which did not endear him to the essentially hierarchical and conservative Indian establishment, and led to difficulties finding finance for his unconventional screenplays. In many of his films, both those he directed and those he acted in, Sonia Sahni was the [[leading lady]], most notably in ''Johar Mehmood in Goa'', 1964.
He also starred in films with his own surname in the title such as ''Mera Naam Johar'',<ref>{{IMDb title|0290761}}</ref> ''Johar in Kashmir'' and ''Johar in Bombay'', which is a testament both to his immense egotism, as well as his popularity with the common masses – for whom a movie with the Johar name was a guarantee of easy laughs, as well as subtle ironic or frankly sarcastic jibes at Indian customs, mores, superstitions and institutions. His film ''Nasbandi'' ([[Vasectomy]]) was a spoof on Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]]'s failed policy of population control by coerced vasectomies during the period of Emergency and was "banned" when it was first released. In the plays written by him too, Johar attacks those in power. In a play on Bhutto, he writes about Pakistan's Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as well as Gen Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq.<ref name=Cinestaan>{{cite web|last1= Kahlon|first1= Sukhpreet|title= 'The comical, the witty and the satirical: Remembering the many facets of IS Johar'|url= https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2020/feb/16/24530/the-comical-the-witty-and-the-satirical-remembering-the-many-facets-of-is-johar|website= Cinestaan.com|access-date= 16 Feb 2020|ref= IS Johar|archive-date= 22 February 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200222091055/https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2020/feb/16/24530/the-comical-the-witty-and-the-satirical-remembering-the-many-facets-of-is-johar|url-status= live}}</ref> [[Yash Chopra]] started his film career as an assistant director with I. S. Johar.<ref name="Face of romance in Bollywood: Iconic filmmaker Yash Chopra's five-decade long illustrious career">{{cite news|title=Face of romance in Bollywood: Iconic filmmaker Yash Chopra's five-decade long illustrious career|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/yash-chopra-obituary/1/225684.html|access-date=29 October 2012|newspaper=India Today|date=21 October 2012|archive-date=31 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031123324/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/yash-chopra-obituary/1/225684.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 1963 he starred as "Gopal" in two Italian films directed by [[Mario Camerini]]: ''[[Kali Yug, la dea della vendetta]]'' (Kali Yug, Goddess of vengeance) and ''Il Mistero del tempio indiano'' (The secret of the Hindu temple).
He died in Bombay, on 10 March 1984.<ref name="Narwekar1994"/>
==Personal life==
Johar married Ramma Hoon in 1943 in Lahore. The couple became parents to two children, a son named Anil and a daughter named Neelam.<ref name=tri>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11688843.cms Survival fittest] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022043039/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11688843.cms |date=22 October 2012 }} ''[[Times of India]]'', 2 June 2002.</ref> Both his children worked in a handful of films in the late 1970s, including ''[[Nasbandi]]'' (1978) and ''[[5 Rifles]]'' featuring both of them. Ramma Bans herself acted in small roles in a couple of films, most notably as Balraj Sahni's cunning sister in ''[[Garam Hawa]].''
Johar and Ramma were divorced; theirs was one of the earliest legal divorces in the country.<ref>[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040306/windows/above.htm Ramma Bans] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823113508/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040306/windows/above.htm |date=23 August 2009 }} THIS ABOVE ALL, [[Khushwant Singh]], ''[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]'', 6 March 2004.</ref> After this divorce, Johar married and divorced no less than four more women (five marriages in all, and as many divorces). One of his later wives was the actress [[Sonia Sahni]], who had made her film debut in Johar's production ''[[Johar-Mehmood in Goa]] (1965)''. None of Johar's later marriages resulted in children.
== Awards and nominations ==
{| class=wikitable
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Film
! Result
|-
![[12th British Academy Film Awards|1959]]
|[[British Academy Film Awards]]
|[[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role|Best British Actor]]
|''[[Harry Black (film)|Harry Black]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
![[18th Filmfare Awards|1971]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Filmfare Awards]]
|rowspan="2"|[[Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role|Best Performance in a Comic Role]]
|''[[Johny Mera Naam]]''
|{{won}}
|-
![[21st Filmfare Awards|1974]]
|''[[Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar]]''
|{{nom}}
|}
==Filmography==
;Actor
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
* ''[[Ek Thi Ladki]]'' (1949) - Sohan
* ''Ek Teri Nishani'' (1949)
* ''Dholak'' (1951) story only didn't act
* ''Shrimati Ji'' (1952) - Chhoturam
* ''Nagin'' (1954)
* ''[[Shart (1954 film)|Shart]]'' (1954) - Hiten
* ''[[Nastik (1954 film)|Nastik]]'' (1954) - Joker
* ''Durgesh Nandini'' (1956)
* ''Hum Sab Chor Hain'' (1956) - Kadkaram / Shuddhram / Sohrab / D'Souza / Kalidas / Tomson / Ayyar / Madam Kadki / Daleelchand Daleel
* ''Miss India'' (1957) - Pyarelal
* ''Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan'' (1957)
* ''[[Ek Gaon Ki Kahani]]'' (1957) - Gokul
* ''[[Harry Black (film)|Harry Black]]'' (1958) - Bapu
* ''[[North West Frontier (film)|North West Frontier]]'' (1959) - Gupta
* ''[[Goonj Uthi Shehnai]]'' (1959) - Kanhaiya
* ''[[Bewaqoof]]'' (1960) - Johar
* ''Billo'' (1961) as Baunrar Mal  (Punjabi movie)
* ''[[Aplam Chaplam]]'' (1961)
* ''[[Mr. India (1961 film)|Mr. India]]'' (1961) - Gullu Lala / Jung Bahadur
* ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'' (1962) - Gasim
* ''[[Main Shadi Karne Chala]]'' (1962)
* ''Ma Beta'' (1962) - Bishan Sahay
* ''[[Banarsi Thug]]'' (1962) - lBanarasi Prasad
* ''[[Kali Yug: Goddess of Vengeance]]'' (1963) - Gopal
* ''[[The Secret Of The Hindu Temple]]'' (1963) - Gopal
* ''[[April Fool (1964 film)|April Fool]]'' (1964) - Advocate Brijlal Sinha
* ''[[Johar-Mehmood in Goa]]'' (1965) - Ram
* ''[[Teen Devian]]'' (1965) - I.S. Johar
* ''Namaste Ji'' (1965)
* ''[[Bheegi Raat]]'' (1965) - Acharyaa Jhootlingam
* ''[[Main Wohi Hoon]]'' (1966) - Ashok
* ''[[Chaddian Di Doli]]'' (1966) - Hero
* ''[[Maya (1966 film)|Maya]]'' (1966) - One-Eye
* ''[[Ladka Ladki]]'' (1966) - Jagmohan / Chakor
* ''[[Johar in Kashmir]]'' (1966) - Aslam Abdul Samdani
* ''[[Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (1966 film)|Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya]]'' (1966) - Bhagwan
* ''Akalmand'' (1966)
* ''Johar in Bombay'' (1967) - Rajesh
* ''[[Shagird (1967 film)|Shagird]]'' (1967) - Prof. Brij Mohan Agnihotri 'Birju'
* ''[[Raaz (1967 film)|Raaz]]'' (1967) - Rakharam Singh 'Rocky'
* ''[[Anita (1967 film)|Anita]]'' (1967) - Pramanand Marayan
* ''Shrimanji'' (1968) - Johar M. Gupta / Pran
* ''Mera Naam Johar'' (1968) - 008 / Johar Das
* ''Haye Mera Dil'' (1968) - Sokhanlal
* ''[[Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai]]'' (1969) - Shuka
* ''[[Pavitra Paapi]]'' (1970) - Adarshan Lala
* ''Do Thug'' (1970)
* ''[[Johny Mera Naam]]'' (1970) - Pehle Ram (Palmist) / Dooja Ram / Teeja Ram
* ''Mera Naam Joker'' (1970) - (uncredited)
* ''[[Safar (1970 film)|Safar]]'' (1970) - Kalidas
* ''[[Puraskar]]'' (1970) - Sumesh
* ''[[Aag Aur Daag]]'' (1970) - Murli - Taxi-driver
* ''Albela'' (1971)
* ''[[Chhoti Bahu]]'' (1971) - Premnath (Niku's dad)
* ''Thi Reeta'' (1971)
* ''[[Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong]]'' (1971) - Ramesh / Prince Pagadandi
* ''Jai Bangladesh'' (1971)
* ''Dost Aur Dushman'' (1971)
* ''Maalik Tere Bande Hum'' (1972)
* ''Doctor X'' (1972)
* ''[[Dastaan (1972 film)|Dastaan]]'' (1972) - Johar aka Birbal
* ''[[Roop Tera Mastana]]'' (1972) - Driver
* ''[[Gomti Ke Kinare]]'' (1972) - Seth Chellamal
* ''[[Tangewala]]'' (1972) - Nagina
* ''[[Banarasi Babu (1973 film)|Banarasi Babu]]'' (1973) - Jackpot
* ''[[Joshila]]'' (1973) - Raunaq Singh
* ''Teen Chor'' (1973)
* ''[[Kashmakash (1973 film)|Kashmakash]]'' (1973) - Private Detective Johar
* ''Intezaar'' (1973)
* ''[[Ek Mutthi Aasmaan]]'' (1973) - Pandit Kishorilal Sharma
* ''[[Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar (1973 film)|Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar]]'' (1973) - Ramji
* ''[[Trimurti (1974 film)|Trimurti]]'' (1974) - Shadilal
* ''[[5 Rifles]]'' (1974) - Harfan Mama
* ''[[Prem Shastra]]'' (1974) - Malhotra
* ''[[Do Nambar Ke Amir]]'' (1974) - Mr. Johar
* ''Do Aankhen'' (1974)
* ''[[Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi]]'' (1974)
* ''Maze Le Lo'' (1975)
* ''[[Zinda Dil (1975 film)|Zinda Dil]]'' (1975) - Pinto D'Souza / Daya Shankar
* ''[[Sankoch]]'' (1976) - Sangeet Samrat
* ''[[Khalifa (film)|Khalifa]]'' (1976) - Diwan Manoharlal Agnihotri
* ''Yamla Jatt'' (1976) - Yamla Jatt
* ''[[Mazdoor Zindabaad]]'' (1976) - Kansraj (uncredited)
* ''[[Aaj Ka Ye Ghar]]'' (1976) - Painter
* ''[[Saheb Bahadur]]'' (1977) - Prof. Rampyare
* ''Jagriti'' (1977)
* ''Ek Aurat Do Joote'' (1978)
* ''[[Nasbandi]]'' (1978) - Himself
* ''[[Ganga Ki Saugandh]]'' (1978) - Birju Master
* ''[[Priyatama]]'' (1978) - Lawyer
* ''[[Death on the Nile (1978 film)|Death on the Nile]]'' (1978) - Mr. Choudhury, Manager of the ''Karnak''
* ''[[Premi Gangaram]]'' (1978)
* ''[[Ek Baap Chhe Bete]]'' (1978) - B.R.Choranjia
* ''Guru Ho Jaa Shuru'' (1979) - Curator D'Costa
* ''Ranjha Ikk Tey Heeran Do'' (1979) - Tota Ram
* ''Ramu To Diwana Hai'' (1980)
* ''[[Beqasoor (1980 film)]]'' - Dinanath
* ''[[Do Premee (1980 film)|Do Premee]]'' (1980) - Daulatram
* ''[[Be-Reham]]'' (1980) - Police Inspector Malpani
* ''Sanjh Ki Bela'' (1980)
* ''[[Raaz (1981 film)|Raaz]]'' (1981)
* ''Do Posti'' (1981) - Makhan
* ''Guru Suleman Chela Pahelwan'' (1981) - Dharmatma
* ''Gopichand Jasoos'' (1982) - Ram Rokada / No. 256
* ''[[Teesri Aankh (1982 film)|Teesri Aankh]]'' (1982) - Mirchandani
* ''[[Heeron Ka Chor]]'' (1982)
* ''[[Bad Aur Badnam]]'' (1984) - Malpani (uncredited) (final film role)
{{div col end}}
===Director===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="8" style="background:#bfd7ff"|Director
|-
!Year !! Film !!Producer !!Story !!Screenplay !! Dialogue!! Note!!
|-
|1952
| ''[[Shrimati Ji]]''
|
|Self
|Self
|
|
|
|-
|1954
| ''[[Nastik (1954 film)|Nastik]]''
|||Self
|Self
|
|
|
|-
|1955
| ''[[Shri Nagad Narayan]]''
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1956
| ''Ham Sab Chor Hain''
|
|Self
|
|
|
|
|-
|1957
| ''[[Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan]]''
|
|
|
|Self
|
|
|-
|1957
| ''Miss India''
|
|Self
|Self
|Self
|
|-
|1960
| ''[[Bewaqoof]]''
|Self
|Self
|Self
|Self
|
|
|-
|1965
| ''[[Johar-Mehmood in Goa]]''
|Self||
|
|
|
|
|-
|1966
| ''[[Johar in Kashmir]]''
|Self
|Self
|Self.
|Self.
|
|
|-
|1971
| ''[[Jai Bangladesh]]''
|Self
|Self
|Self.
|Self.
|
|
|-
|1974
| ''[[5 Rifles]]''
|Self
|Self
|Self.
|Self.
|
|
|-
|1978
| ''[[Nasbandi]]''
|Self
|Self
|Self.
|Self.
|
|
|-
|}
==References==
<references/>
== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{TV Guide person|is-johar}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes person|is_johar|I. S. Johar}}
* {{Bollywood Hungama person|i-s-johar}}
* {{IMDb name|0424102}}
{{Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johar, I. S.}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1984 deaths]]
[[Category:Forman Christian College alumni]]
[[Category:Indian male film actors]]
[[Category:Male actors in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Hindi-language film directors]]
[[Category:Film producers from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian male screenwriters]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:Pahari Pothwari people]]
[[Category:People from Chakwal District]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian screenwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]
[[Category:People from Talagang District]]
[[Category:People from Punjab Province (British India)]]