Mohan (born 23 August 1956 as Mohan Rao) is a popular Kollywood actor. He hails from the Udupi district of Karnataka. He derived his name Kokila Mohan after debuting in a film called Kokila, which starred Kamal Haasan in the lead role.^[1][2] He considers Balu Mahendra as his mentor.^[3] He has acted in Kannada films, Telugu films and Malayalam films, but his main contribution was to Tamil cinema where he has acted in over 80 films.

Early life[link]

Mohan was born and brought up in ITI Colony, Bangalore. His father was a restaurateur who owned restaurants at various places in south Karnataka and in Bangalore. He completed his education in Bangalore.

Career[link]

From 1978 to 1987, the Mohan phenomenon swept the Tamil movie world off its feet and the hysteria he generated was unlike anything seen before and after. At one point, three films of Mohan’s were released on the same day, at the same theater complex all three ran for more than a hundred days and created a record which has never been broken by any actor to date. Mohan’s films were competing against his own films during his days.

Mohan’s entry into the field of acting was accidental. Mohan was introduced in to the world of theater by B. V. Karanth and trained by the likes of G. V. Iyer. Mohan was spotted by B. V. Karanth at a restaurant and asked to join the theater group. Mohan’s first stage play was praised by critics from places like Delhi. Mohan was introduced to the cinema by Balu Mahendra in his movie Kokila in 1977 alongside Tamil actor Kamal Haasan.^[4]

Kokila was a hit and Mohan was catapulted into the limelight, where he played a friend of Kamal Haasan, the hero; ever since then he has become one of the biggest-grossing box-office stars of the Tamil cinema industry. He is called the "Silver Jubilee Star" since almost all movies featuring him witnessed a fantastic run. He holds the record in the Tamil film industry for acting in more than 25 films which became Silver Jubilee hits.

After Kokila, Mohan starred in a Malayalam movie titled Mathalasa. Furthermore, immediately after the success of the Malayalam movie, Mohan went on to sign a Telugu film titled Thoorpu Velle Railu, which was a remake of the Tamil film Kizhakkae Pogum Rail. The Telugu version was directed by Bapu. After that Mohan was introduced in the Tamil film Nenjathai Killathey by director Mahendran. In 1980 he acted in dual roles for the first time in Gandar Golam which was directed by director Singeetham Srinivasa Rao.^[3]

Nenjathai Killaadhey marked the beginning of the peak of Mohan's career. Kilinjalgal by Durai ran for more than 25 weeks. Mohan’s sensational hit Payanagal Mudivathillai ran for 500 days. Most of the movies which Mohan starred in since then were either Silver Jubilee or ran for over 200 days.

Mohan became a major star through Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982) ^[4] The trio of Ilaiyaraaja, S. P. Balasubramanyam and Mohan created history in the Tamil music world with consistent hits.

At the peak of his career, Mohan took up challenging negative roles in films like Nooravadhu Naal (1984) and Vidhi (both were blockbusters in 1984). He also performed in comedies like Sahadevan Mahadevan and Rettai Vaal Kuruvi (likewise blockbusters). In fact, Mohan played the role of a wonderful lover and husband in Mouna Raagam^[5] and in Rettaival Kuruvi he portrayed a man who cheats his wife and ending up being with two wives.

Thereafter till 1987, it looked like he was steady. But there was more to him than just his mannerisms as he built an image of a gentle romantic. Mohan even portrayed negative characters in the movies Vithi, Nooravathu Naal, Nan Ungal Rasigan and December Pookal and those films were box-office hits as well. The audience accepted him as a hardcore romantic villain and also as a good comedian.

Payanangal Mudivathillai was perhaps his greatest ever performance as a singer and a man stricken with cancer. As he went from strength to strength, even his guest appearances in Sri Raghavendra (1985) alongside Rajinikanth and Nanpadum Padal generated more hysteria. Mohan has worked with top heroines of the day like Suhasini, Poornima, Radha, Amala, Radhika, Kushboo, Ambika, Revathi, Nalini, Nadiya, Jeyashree, Lizy and Archana.

He also created a record in 1984, when 19 of his films were released and most were hits.^[3] Mohan played a major role in the life of the production company Motherland Pictures.

Voice[link]

Despite becoming fluent in Tamil after acting in more films, his voice was usually dubbed by S. N. Surendar.^[6] He dubbed in his own voice for the first time in Paasa Paravaigal after the insistence of M. Karunanidhi, former chief minister of Tamil Nadu. From then on, he usually dubbed for his character and even spoke literary Tamil for Pasamazhai.^[3]

His 1986 Tamil film, Mouna Raagam won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.

Comeback ventures[link]

He attempted a comeback by producing, directing, and playing the lead role in Anbulla Kadhalukku. However, the movie flopped. He took a new avatar as the producer of tele-serials and managed to come out with a serial on the prominent Tamil satellite channel Sun TV. Mohan again played the hero after a hiatus of nine years in the moderate success film Sutta Pazham, a low-budget production.

Also in 2008, Mohan's Civic Cinema produced a Malayalam movie named Thalappavu, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Lal, the debut directorial venture of popular actor Madhupal, based on the controversial and real-life confession of police constable Raveendran Pillai who gunned down the Naxalite leader Varghese on 18 February 1970, in the jungles of Wayanad in North Kerala.

Mohan made a comeback to Kannada film with Ghautham (2009), directed by Rajeev Prasad and starring Prem Kumar, Sara, and Ananth Nag. His Kannada film Asokavana is scheduled for an early 2011 release.

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

• 1982 - Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award for Payanangal Mudivathillai.^[3]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mohan (actor) at the Internet Movie Database

Mohan is an Indian director of Malayalam films. Mohan has done several critically acclaimed films including Angene Oru Avadhikkalathu, Pakshe, Isabella, Oru Katha Oru Nunnakkatha, Idavela, Vida Parayum Mumbe and Shalini Ente Koottukari. He has scripted five films, Angene Oru Avadhikkalathu, Mukham, Sruthi, Alolam and Vida Parayum Mumbe , and wrote the story of two films, Ithile Iniyum Varu and Kathayariyathe. He himself produced his film Upaasna.

His association with screenwriter John Paul has always spawned critically and commercially successful films.^[1] He has also associated with master writer Padmarajan in the films Idavela, Kochu Kochu Thettukal and Shalini Ente Koottukari. He is widely considered to be one of the major directors during the 80s, the golden era of Malayalam cinema.^[2]

Filmography[link]

• The Campus (2005)
• Angene Oru Avadhikkalathu (1999)
• Sakshyam (1995)
• Pakshe (1994)
• Mukham (1990)
• Isabella (1988)
• Sruthi (1987)
• Theertham (1987)
• Oru Katha Oru Nunnakkatha (1986)
• Mangalam Nerunnu (1984)
• Rachana (1983)
• Alolam (1982)
• Idavela (1982)
• Ilakkangal (1982)
• Niram Marunna Nimishangal (1982)
• Kathayariyathe (1981)
• Vida Parayum Mumbe (1981)
• Kochu Kochu Thettukal (1979)
• Surya Daham (1979)
• Randu Pen Kuttikal (1978)
• Shalini Ente Koottukari (1978)
• Vadaka Veedu (1978)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mohan at the Internet Movie Database
• Mohan at the Malayalam Movie Database
• Mohan's profile at Cinemaofmalayalam.net

Further reading[link]

• John Paul (in Malayalam). Vasanthinte Sandesha Vahakar. 

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2010)

Vinu Mohan
Vinu Mohan in IFFK 2011
Born	Vinu Mohan
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2007-present

Vinu Mohan is an Indian actor in Malayalam cinema.^[1][2] His debut was through the award-winning movie Nivedyam by A. K. Lohithadas. He is the grandson of late actor Kottarakkara Sreedharan Nair, son of actress Sobha Mohan and nephew of actor Sai Kumar.

Career[link]

He started his career with the film Nivedyam, for which he won the Asianet Best New Face Award in 2007. Sai Kumar was cast as the villain in the film Cycle, in which Vinu Mohan played the hero along with Vineeth Sreenivasan. In 2009, he acted alongside Mammootty in the film Chattambinadu, which was a big hit. His upcoming film is Bombay Mittayi.

Awards[link]

Asianet Film Award

• 2007 - Best New Face Award - Nivedyam

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Vinu Mohan at the Internet Movie Database
• http://popcorn.oneindia.in/artist-filmography/3916/1/vinu-mohan.html
• http://www.cinecurry.com/celebzone/malayalam/vinumohan

Mohan Makijany (24 April 1938 – 10 May 2010), popularly known as Mac Mohan, was a well-known Indian character actor in Hindi language films.^[1] Although, Mac Mohan acted in over 190 films and remained popular as a villain through the 1970s and 1980s with films like Don, Karz, Satte Pe Satta, Zanjeer, Rafoo Chakkar, Shaan and Khoon Pasina, he is mostly remembered for his role of Sambha, the sidekick of dacoit Gabbar Singh in Ramesh Sippy’s blockbuster Sholay (1975).^[2][3]

Biography[link]

Early life and career[link]

Mohan was born in Karachi in British India state. Mohan came to Bombay with the intention to become a cricketer, but here, he joined theatre and finally became a Bollywood actor.^[1] He learned acting in the Filmalaya School of Acting in Bombay.^[4]

Mac Mohan started his Hindi film career as an assistant with director Chetan Anand, before making his debut as an actor in his film, Haqeeqat in 1964. He had acted in more than 190 films. He was mostly known for his role as Sambha in Ramesh Sippy's popular film Sholay in 1975, apart from Zanjeer, Don, Shaan and Satte Pe Satta.^[5][6] His last appearance was in Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge as 'guest appearance'.

Besides Hindi movies, he also acted in the films in a number of other Indian languages, which include Punjabi, Haryanvi, Sindhi, Gujarati and Marathi.^[4] He had delivered dialogue in almost all Indian languages except Oriya.^[1] He also acted in English, Russian^[4] and Spanish films.^[1]

Illness and death[link]

In November 2009, a day before he could start the shooting for Ashwini Dheer’s Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?, he was admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri in Mumbai after his health detoriated. He had a tumour in the right lung, and died of lung cancer on 10 May 2010.^[7] Asian Academy Of Film & Television had a special prayer meeting on 14 May at Noida Film City. There was also a prayer meeting (chautha) on the 14th of May 2010 at Ajivasan Hall for family and friends, and from the oldest of his spot boys to Amitabh Bachchan attended the prayer meeting to pay their respect.

Personal life[link]

Mac Mohan married Minny in 1986 and they had two daughters, Vinati and Manjari and a son, Vikrant. He was the maternal uncle of actress Raveena Tandon.^[1][8] He was Sunil Dutt's classmate in Lucknow from where he hailed.^[9]

Selected filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mac Mohan at the Internet Movie Database

Mohan Babu (born Manchu Bakthavatsalam Naidu) is an actor and producer in Telugu Cinema. He is also an educationist and a former Member of Parliament – Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh. He received the Padma Shri in 2007.

Early life[link]

Mohan was born on 19 March 1952^[1] at Modhugulapalem village near the banks of the river Swarnamukhi, and sandwiched between two famous pilgrim centers, Tirupati (abode of Lord Venkateshwara) and Srikalahasti (abode of Lord Vayulingeswara) in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. He has three younger brothers – Ranganath Chowdary, Ramachandra Chowdary and Krishna – and a sister Vijaya. He had his schooling at Yerpedu village and Tirupati. He took his degree in Physical Education in Chennai. He worked as a physical education instructor for a brief while, before making his debut as an actor in the Telugu film industry. Mohan Babu also worked in the film direction department for about half a decade in the early 1970s. He was a class mate of Rajinikanth while they studied at the Madras Film Institute.

Mohan Babu married Vidya Devi. After the death of Vidya Devi, Mohan Babu married his late wife’s sister Nirmala Devi. He has two kids (Lakshmi Manchu and Vishnu Manchu) with Vidya Devi and Manchu Manoj with Nirmala Devi.

Film career[link]

Mohan Babu made his debut as an actor in the film Swargam Narakam in (1975). He debuted in the Tamil film industry through Annan Oru Kovil in 1977 alongside Sivaji Ganesan. He became a popular villain in the Tamil and Telugu films. He went on to appear in 20 odd films in Tamil, mostly as villain.^[2]

Actor and producer[link]

Mohan Babu is noted for acting in critically acclaimed negative roles in Telugu film industry. He is noted for his clarity in Dialogue and Telugu language Diction. He has acted in more than 550 films, including 216 films in Lead Actor roles. He has two sons Vishnu Manchu and Manoj Manchu who are also film actors. Daughter, Lakshmi Manchu is also an actress and Television anchor.

Politician[link]

Mohan Babu was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1995 and had his tenure (till 2001) and played an active role in Telugu Desam Party.

Educationist[link]

Mohan Babu established the Sree Vidyanikethan Educational Trust in 1992. It has an International School, Degree College, Engineering College, Pharmacy College, College of Nursing, Management college and College for Post Graduation Studies. The educational institutions are very reputed in the South India. Every year 25% of the students are provided with free education. Dr. Mohan Babu created a history by removing the Caste column in the joining application of Sree Vidyanikethan Educational Institutions.

Awards[link]

• Filmfare Best Actor Award (Telugu) – Peddarayudu
• Padma Shri – Govt of India
• Honorary doctorate – university of California
• India International Award
• CineMAA Awards – Best supporting actor – Yama donga – 2008
• Bharathamuni Award
• Vamsi Berkley Award
• AP Cinegoers Award
• Natavachaspathi Title by TSR kalaparishath

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]