Mumbai, Kader Khan died after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Toronto in Canada, a family member said here on Tuesday. He was 81. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan led the tributes to the veteran Bollywood actor-writer-comedian and Quranic scholar.
He is survived by his wife Hajra, son Sarfaraz, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
According to Ahmed Khan, a close relative, he passed away around 4 a.m. (IST). He added that the last rites will be held in a Toronto cemetery later in the day.
Reported to be critical and on a ventilator, rumours of Kader’s demise had been doing the rounds on social networks and some media outlets (not IANS), since the past five days, which left the family and other relatives traumatised.
He spent nearly four months in hospital, for various old-age related ailments including breathing issues and finally succumbed on December 31 evening (Toronto time).
Born on October 22, 1937 in Kabul, Afghanistan, to a Pashtun family, Kader Khan was educated in a municipal school and later graduated from Mumbai’s Ismail Yusuf College, Jogeshwari, a government-run institution.
An avid reader and a film-buff, he had a huge collection of books on various subjects related to filmmaking, acting, screenplay writing, penning story-dialogues and other departments, and had a mastery over Urdu.
Starting with his first film as an actor in “Daag” (1973), over the next 35 years he went on to act in over 300 films in memorable roles, and also wrote the story or dialogues for more than 250 films in Hindi and Urdu, starting with “Roti” (1974).
Some of his most memorable films as a comedian-character actor are: “Daag”, “Adalat”, “Bairaag”, “Parvarish”, “Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, “Shalimar”, “Mr. Natwarlal”, “Suhaag”, “Dhan Daulat”, “Qurbani”, “Jwalamukhi”, “Abdullah”, “Naseeb”, “Ahista Ahista”, “Yaarana”, “Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai”, “Satte Pe Satta”, “Raaz”, “Desh Premee”, “Sanam Teri Kasam”, “Mehndi Rang Layegi”, “Himmatwala”, “Coolie”, “Ghar Ek Mandir”, “John Jaani Janardhan”, “Tawaif”, “Loha”, “Jawab Hum Denge”, “Shahenshah”, “Pyar Ka Mandir”, “Khoon Bhari Maang”, “Vardi”, “Baap Numbri, Beta Dus Numbri”, “Pyar Ka Devta”, “Saajan”, “Bol Radha Bol”, “Meherbaan”, “Aankhen”, “Eena Meena Deeka”, “Coolie No.1”, “Saajan Chale Sasural”, “Judaai”, “Dulhe Raja,” “Aunty No.1” and “Sooryavansham”.
He penned the story-dialogues for top-grossing films like: “Jawani Diwani”, “Benaam”, “Roti”, “Parvarish”, “Suhaag”, “Mr. Natwarlal, “Yaarana”, “Desh Premee”, “Khuddar”, “Sharaabi”, “Ganga Jamna Saraswati”, “Singhasan”, “Khoon Bhari Maang” and “Aunty No. 1”. He also produced a film, “Shama” in 1981.
Kader had contributed to several Amitabh-starring films like “Amar Akbar Anthony”, “Muqaddar Ka Sikandar”, “Laawaris” and “Coolie” as a writer.
“Kader Khan passes away. Sad, depressing news. My prayers and condolences. A brilliant stage artiste, most compassionate and accomplished talent on film. A writer of eminence…in most of my very successful films. A delightful company and a mathematician,” Amitabh tweeted on Tuesday.
Veteran actor Dharmendra expressed his grief on Twitter. He wrote: “It is so sad. We have lost another loving co-star. Jannat naseeb ho Kader Bhai!”
Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha, on the other hand, wondered why was Kader in Canada during the time of his death. “Kader Khan has given so much to our entertainment industry…What a sad start to 2018. There is a lesson to be learnt from Kader Khan’s death in a foreign country. We need to take better better care of our artistes so that they don’t feel neglected,” he said.
Actor Anupam Kher hailed Kader as “one of the finest actors of our country”. The two had worked together in films like “ChaalBaaz”, “Meherbaan” and “Bade Miyan Chote Miyan”.
“It was a joy and a learning experience to be on the sets with him. His improvisational skills were phenomenal. His humour was eternal and original. He was a wonderful writer. We will miss him and his brilliance,” he tweeted.
Kader’s death has left filmmaker Anees Bazmee feeling sad. “Had the privilege to work with him as a writer in ‘Aankhen’, ‘Raja Babu’, ‘Shola Aur Shabnam’, ‘Bol Radha Bol’, ‘Mujhse Shaadi Karogi’ and direct him in my debut film ‘Hulchul’. RIP Kader Khan. You shall always be missed,” he tweeted.
Apart from members of the film fraternity, President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several political leaders also condoled his death.
