Paidi Jairaj
Born(1909-09-28)28 September 1909
Sircilla, Hyderabad State, British India
(now in Telangana, India)[1]
Died11 August 2000(2000-08-11) (aged 90)
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Alma materNizam College
Years active1929–1995
Spouse
Savitri
​
(m. 1940)​
AwardsDadasaheb Phalke Award (1980)

Paidi Jairaj (born 28 September 1909 – 11 August 2000) was an Indian actor, director and producer known for his works majorly in Hindi; few Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu language films, and Telugu theatre.[2][3] During the talkie period, from 1931 onwards, he started with Shikari in Urdu and English languages. Subsequently, he became one of the leading actors for about two decades, along with V. Shantaram, Ashok Kumar, Prithviraj Kapoor, Motilal etc. He starred in about 170 feature films in a variety of roles. He directed a few films such as Mohar, Mala (1943), Pratima, Rajghar and Saagar (1951), which he produced. In 1980, he was awarded with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award for films in India, for his contributions to Indian cinema.[3][4]

Early life

Jairaj was born in Sircilla of Hyderabad State (present-day Telangana) on 28 September 1909. He had two brothers - Paidi Sundararaja, Paidi Deendayal (Artist) and Paidi Jairaj was the youngest.[3]

Career

Jairaj developed an interest in theatre and films during his graduate studies at Nizam College, and left for Bombay in 1929.[5] He made his acting debut in 1929 with the silent film Star Kling Youth, and subsequently he acted in about eleven silent films including Triangle of Love, Mathru Bhoomi, All for Lover, Mahasagar Mothi, Flight into Death, My Hero etc.[2][3]

He played the characters of Amar Singh Rathore [1957], Prithviraj Chauhan [1959], and Maharana Pratap [1960] among notable films. He also essayed the roles of Shah Jahan [1947], Tipu Sultan [1959] and Haider Ali [1962]. His other portrayals have been in films such as Sassi Punnu [1947], Hatimtai [1956], Chandrashekar Azad [1963] and Durga Das [1964] among others. Jairaj did six films with Suraiya in the 1940s and 1950s, five of them, viz. Humaari Baat (1943), Singaar (1949), Amar Kahani (1949), Rajput (1951) and Resham (1952) as her hero, and one of them, Lal Kunwar (1952), as second lead. In 1952, he produced and directed his own film Sagar, which was not well received by the audiences, but he was still committed to cinema.[6]

Personal life

He married a Punjabi woman, Savitri, from Delhi. It was an arranged marriage. Prithviraj Kapoor's father had chosen the bride for him.[7] He had two sons and three daughters. His wife died a year before him of cancer. His daughter Geeta Gupta looked after him in his last years. Rajan Shahi, TV producer-director, is his daughter's son (maternal grandson), the sole person of Jairaj's extended family in Bollywood.[2][8][9] Jairaj died in Mumbai on 11 August 2000.[2][3][5]

A one-hour documentary, Life journey of Jairaj, was made by the Government of Telangana in 2018 to celebrate his life.[10]

Awards

National Film Awards

Filmography

Actor

YearFilmNotes
1930Jagmagti Jawani
1932Shikari
1933Maya Jaal
Patit Pawan
Aurat Ka Dil
1934Mazdoor
1935Sher Dil Aurat
Jeevan Natak
1937Toofani Khazana
1938Bhabhi
Madhur Milan
1939Jugari
Leatherface
1940Chambe Di Kali
1941Prabhat
Mala
Swami
1942Nai Duniya
Khilona
Tamanna
1943Nai Kahani
Hamari Baat
Prem Sangeet
1944Panna
1945Rahat
1946Shahjehan
Salgirah
Rajputani
1947Manmani
1948Sajan Ka Ghar
Anjuman
Azadi Ki Raah Par
1949Darogaji
Roomal
Singaar
Amar Kahani
1951Rajput
Saagar
1952Lal Kunwar
Resham
1954Baadbaan
1955Teerandaz
Insaniyat
1956Parivar
Hatim Tai
1957Mumtaz Mahal
Journey Beyond Three SeasPardesi
1959Char Dil Char Raahein
1960Return of Mr. SupermanMr. Superman ki Wapsi
Lal Quila
Veer Durgadas
Chambe Di KaliPunjabi movie
1961Razia Sultana
Aas Ka Panchhi
Jai Chitod
1962Pick Pocket
1963Nine Hours to Rama
Gul-e-Bakawali
1964Khufia Mahal
1965Baghi Haseena
1965Mujrim Kaun Khooni Kaun
1966Maya
1967Baharon Ke Sapne
1968Neel Kamal
1970Gunah Aur Kanoon
Jeevan Mrityu
1971Nadaan
Chhoti Bahu
Chingari
1972Shehzada
1973Gehri Chaal
Suraj Aur Chanda
Chhalia
Naag Mere Saathi
1974Chor Chor
Faslah
1975SholayPolice Commissioner
Kala Sona
Dharmatma
Jogidas Khuman
Himalay Se Ooncha
Toofan
1976Hera Pheri
Charas
Bairaag
Naag Champa
1977Chhailla Babu
Kachcha Chor
1978Muqaddar Ka Sikandar
Don
Aakhri Daku
Khoon Ka Badla Khoon
1979Ahimsa
Khandaan
Nagin Aur Suhagan
1980Jyoti Bane Jwala
Chunaoti
Jazbaat
Shiv Shakti
1981Fiffty Fiffty
Khoon Aur Paani
Kranti
1983Ardh Satya
Masoom
Karate
Pukar
Paanchwin Manzil
1984Bindiya Chamkegi
Unchi Uraan
1986Zinda Laash
1988Khoon Bhari Maang
1992Lambu Dada
1993Meri Aan
1994Betaaj Badshah
1995God and Gun

Director

YearFilmNotes
1945Pratima
1951Saagar
1959Mohar

References

  1. ↑ Paithari, Raghu. "Sircilla-born Jairaj still remains unsung in film industry". Telangana Today. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "rediff.com, Movies: Jairaj's son asked to vacate father's flat".
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Luminaries of 20th Century, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad, 2005
  4. ↑ "::DIRECTORATE OF FILM FESTIVALS::". Archived from the original on 27 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Paidi Jairaj 105 Jayanthi Utsavam".
  6. ↑ Mahajan, Vidya. "Paidi Jairaj - The Invincible Celluloid Man". Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Jairaj – Profile".
  8. ↑ Team, Tellychakkar. "Did you know that director Rajan Shahi and veteran film actor P.Jairaj are related?".
  9. ↑ "How Rajan Shahi became a successful TV producer - TelevisionPost.com".
  10. ↑ "Documentary on Telangana's Paidi Jairaj to be released". telanganatoday.com. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018.
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