Prakash Mehra

• Name — Prakash Mehra • Born — 13 July 1939 • Birthplace — Bijnor, United Provinces, British India • Died — 17 May 2009 • Place of death — Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Born on 13 July 1939 in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, Mehra started in the late 1950s as a production controller. In 1968, he directed Shashi Kapoor who played a double role in Haseena Maan Jayegi. In 1973, he produced and directed Zanjeer, with a screenplay by Salim–Javed, and starring Amitabh Bachchan. Zanjeer was the beginning of the Angry Young Man films of Hindi cinema. This film also started a long and successful collaboration with Bachchan that spanned 7 more films, 6 being blockbuster hits: Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Lawaaris, Namak Halaal and Sharaabi. Their final collaboration was Jaadugar which was a flop and ended their successful streak. Zanjeer was the film credited with launching the career of Bachchan as a lead actor and their final film together Jaadugar. Prakash Mehra also directed & produced Zindagi Ek Jua with actor Anil Kapoor in 1991, which was not a commercial success. In 1996, he introduced veteran actor Raaj Kumar's son Puru Raaj Kumar in Bal Bramhachari which was also unsuccessful. This was the last film he directed. He also produced the movie Dalaal with Mithun Chakraborty, in the mid-90s, which was a box-office moneymaker. Mehra received a lifetime achievement award from the India Motion Picture Directors Association (IMPDA) in 2006. He also received Lifetime Achievement as Producer from IMPPA (Indian Motion Picture Producers Association) on 19 September 2008. Prakash Mehra was one of the first Bombay directors to try venture into Hollywood. In the late eighties he tried a joint venture to make the movie The God Connection with Frank Yandolino. The movie was to include Hollywood actors such as Charles Bronson among others, but the project though funded heavily initially, never came to fruition. Mehra died on 17 May 2009 in Mumbai of pneumonia and multiple organ failure.

• Year — Film — Director — Producer — Notes • 1962 — Professor — AS a controller of production • 1965 — Purnima — Assistant Director & lyrics one song • 1968 — Haseena Maan Jayegi • 1971 — Mela • 1972 — Samadhi • 1972 — Aan Baan • 1973 — Zanjeer • 1973 — Ek Kunwari Ek Kunwara • 1974 — Haath Ki Safai • 1976 — Khalifa • 1976 — Hera Pheri • 1977 — Khoon Pasina • 1978 — Aakhri Daku • 1978 — Muqaddar Ka Sikandar • 1980 — Jwalamukhi • 1980 — Desh Drohee • 1981 — Laawaris • 1982 — Namak Halaal • 1984 — Sharaabi • 1986 — Chameli Ki Shaadi — Contributed to script • 1987 — Muqaddar Ka Faisla • 1988 — Mohabbat Ke Dushman • 1989 — Jaadugar • 1992 — Zindagi Ek Juaa • 1993 — Dalaal • 1996 — Bal Bramhachari • 2001 — Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachao