Khan was born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan in Bilimora in Gandevi Taluka of Surat State (now Gujarat) on 9 September 1907.[2]
Career
He was brought to Bombay from his home town in Gujarat by Noor Muhammad Ali Muhammed Shipra Baddhiyawala (producer and horse supplier in Indian cinema) to work as a horseshoe repairer in a stable (owned by Noor Muhammad Ali Muhammed Shipra Baddhiyawala). One day at the shooting of South Indian director Chandrashekhar, Mehboob showed interest in working with Chandrashekhar. After seeing his great interest and skills, Chandrashekhar asked Noor Muhammad Ali Muhammed Shipra Baddhiyawala to allow him to take Mehboob with him to work at small jobs in the film studios of Bombay. He started as an assistant director in the Silent Film era and as an extra in the studios of the Imperial Film Company of Ardeshir Irani, before directing his first film Al Hilal a.k.a. Judgement of Allah (1935), when he started directing films for the Sagar Film Company. Notable films he directed for Sagar Movietone and National Studios included Deccan Queen (1936), Ek Hi Raasta (1939), Alibaba (1940), Aurat (1940) and Bahen (1941).
In 1945, Khan set up his own production house – Mehboob Productions. In 1946, he directed the musical hit Anmol Ghadi, which featured singing stars Surendra, Noor Jehan and Suraiya in leading roles. Khan went on to produce and direct many blockbuster films, the most notable being the romantic drama Andaz (1949), the swashbuckling musical Aan (1951), the melodrama Amar (1954), and the social epic Mother India (1957). The latter was a remake of his 1940 film Aurat and was nominated for an Academy Award in 1957. His earlier works were in Urdu, but his later material, including Mother India, were in Hindustani, a friendlier and softer spoken version of Hindi and Urdu. Several of his films, especially his earlier work on Humayun (1945), the story of a Mogul emperor who ruled India, Anmol Ghadi (1946), and Taqdeer, (in which he introduced Nargis, who later married Sunil Dutt), were written by Aghajani Kashmeri. Kashmeri was responsible for picking and training Nargis in Hindustani and Urdu dialogue delivery. His last film as a director was 1962's Son of India.
Mehboob Khan was known for having been influenced by Hollywood, and his films often featured lavish sets in the style of the Hollywood at that time. The oppression of the poor, class warfare and rural life are recurring themes in his work.
Mehboob Khan was awarded the title of Hidayat Kar-e-Azam by the Indian government.[11]
Personal life
Mehboob Khan married twice.[12][11] With his first wife Fatima, he had three sons: Ayub, Iqbal and Shaukat. After separation from his first wife, he married the famous Indian film actress Sardar Akhtar (1915–1986) in 1942. He adopted Sajid Khan (born 28 December 1951), who has starred in Indian and foreign English films.[11]
Death and legacy
Mehboob Khan died of a heart attack on 28 May 1964.[11]
As a part of his birth centenary celebrations, the Indian postal department released a commemorative stamp of Mehboob Khan at a function held at the Mehboob Studios in September 2007.[13]
^Karanjia, B.K. (1986). A many-splendoured cinema. New Thacker's Fine Art Press. p. 215. Archived from the original on 1 March 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018. ... Mehboob Khan died the day after Jawaharlal Nehru. Neither the country, nor its cinema, have been the same since. Films continue to be made that may critically be compared to that all-time grosser "Mother India". But no leader since its maker died has approached the dimensions of leadership reached by this country bumpkin who began his career as a bit player in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" (1927) and went on to make ...
