Bollywood's favorite cop Iftekhar was also an exceptional painter

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resure (1978) may have played the role of Amitabh Bachchan but one of the dialogues that became synonymous with Bollywood cops was not said by him, but by the character of DCP D & # 39 ; Silva: "Bhaagne ki koshish mat karna. Humne tumhe chaaron taraf se gher liya hai. Bhalaai isi mein hai ke tum apne aap ko kanoon ke hawaale kar do.

These words have become a staple, though with a few tweaks here and there, scenes of Bollywood cops through the ages. And for that, we must thank Sayedana Iftekhar Ahmed Sharif, better known as simply Iftekhar. On the occasion of its 25th anniversary of death, ThePrint looks back on the life of the preferred law and ethics policeman of Hindi cinema.

Singer, painter, actor, cop

Born in Jalandhar on February 22, 1920, Iftekhar was the eldest of four sons of a senior professional in a private company in Kanpur. Attracted to the arts from a young age, Iftekhar opted for a diploma course in painting from the University of Lucknow after enrolling. But his real dream was to become a professional singer – he was inspired by superstar singer KL Saigal, who was the benchmark for any aspiring singer in the country in the 1940s. At that time, Calcutta, not Bombay, was the entertainment capital. Iftekhar therefore left for Calcutta in 1942. He entered the office of HMV and auditioned for composer Kamal Dasgupta. Dasgupta is said to have peeked at the tall, sleek young man and recommended him for a role with MP Productions. Iftekhar gave up singing for a career on camera and made his debut in Taqrar (1944).

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He then played supporting roles in several films. In the meantime, he married a Jewish woman, Hannah Joseph, who changed her name to Rehana Ahmed. Her daughter Salma was born in 1946 and Saida a year later. Things were going pretty well, but when the partition arrived, it turned Iftekhar's life upside down. While many of his family members chose to move to Pakistan, he wanted to stay in India but had to leave Calcutta. Iftekhar’s daughter Salma says: “We (my sister and I) were still young and we were often without food. What followed was a long struggle for survival, with smaller roles. Only with Raj Kapoor Shree 420 (1955) that he found what would become his legacy – the role of an honest cop.

The loyal officer who sticks to his duties at all costs would soon become Iftekhar's specialty, helped in large part by his beautiful face and the air of dignity that surrounded him. Deewar, Zanjeer, Don, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Moccasin, Ittefaq, Teesri Manzil, Daag these are just a few of the films with the Iftekhar stamp. On rare occasions if Iftekhar played a criminal, such as the smuggler Davar in 1975 Deewar or Black Cobra in Khel Khel Mein, its stature and gravity ensured its impact.

While the cop's role has become synonymous with Iftekhar, he has never forgotten his love of painting. In fact, according to his wife, Iftekhar even taught Ashok Kumar the art of painting. In an interview, she says“We were and still are very close friends. Dada Moni learned to paint and draw with Ifti. Dada Moni fell ill once and was very irritable because he was confined to bed for a long time. Dada Moni, being the busy person he was, felt very restrained. Ifti suggested that he devote himself to a hobby and taught him to paint. This is how Dada Moni is such a good painter. "

In the 1964 Kishore Kumar vehicle Porte Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein, Iftekhar has done more than act. It was a rare occasion when his work appeared in the credits of the title. The resemblance of the actors captured by Iftekhar's brush was disturbing. It showed the hidden talent of a low-key actor who never really got his due.

In fact, according to his wife Hannah, Iftekhar even taught Ashok Kumar the art of painting. In one old interview, she said, "We were and still are very close friends. Dada Moni learned to paint and draw with Ifti. Dada Moni fell ill once and was very irritable because he was confined to bed for a long time. Dada Moni, being the busy person he was, felt very restrained. Ifti suggested that he devote himself to a hobby and taught him to paint. This is how Dada Moni is such a good painter. "

Coincidentally, Ashok Kumar and Iftekhar ended up being actors despite very different professional goals. While Iftekhar wanted to be a singer like K.L Saigal, Ashok Kumar wanted to be a lawyer. Fortunately for us, they did not.

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