Amol Palekar, known as the best common man actor with great comedy skills, turns 73 today. An actor, who was born and brought up in Mumbai, started his acting career with the Marathi film Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe directed by Satyadev Dubey. He then appeared in Basu Chatterjee’s film Rajnigandha in 1974. As an actor, Palekar was most prominent for over a decade from the 70s. His image as the boy next door contrasted with larger than life heroes prevalent in Indian Cinema. In his career, he received a one Filmfare and six States awards as Best actor.
Golmaal (1979)
Golmaal remains Amol’s most iconic performance till date. The movie has brilliant combination of Utpal Dutt and Amol, which make it an all-time classic. In the movie, Amol played a double role as chalk and cheese as Ramprasad Sharma and Laxmanprasad Sharma to save his job. The chemistry between Palekar and Dutt was blockbuster. Songs like ‘Aane wala Pal jane wala hai’ and ‘Gol maal hai bhai sab gol maal hain’ still mesmerise audience.
Meri Biwi Ki Shaadi (1979)
Rajat Rakshit film ‘Meri Biwi Ki Shaadi’ stars Amol Palekar, Ashok Saraf and Ranjeeta Kaur, and was a dark comedy released in 1979. Amol Palekar plays a professor, who believes that due to illness he is going to die. He plans that his young wife marries to someone else who can take care of her before he dies. This story of the film might be odd, but it is another significant movie of Palekar from the 70s.
Chhoti Si Baat (1976)
Chhoti Si Baat is a rom com and it is hard to believe that Palekar could play a lover’s character. In the movie, Palekar plays a shy accountant in Mumbai. He is a silent lover who follows his crush Prabha (Vidya Sinha) to office every day. While Arun is hopelessly stuck, Nagesh Shastri (Asrani), a colleague of Prabha manages to get her attention. Feeling humiliated, Arun meets Nagendranath (Ashok Kumar), who helps him. Kumar plays the role of someone on a mission to assist those in love and find their destiny.
Chitchor (1976)
Chitchor is a romantic, musical film made under the banner Rajshri production and produced by Tarachand Barjatya. It was based on Bengali story, Chittachakor by Sudha Gosh. Palekar scores once again in the sweet simplicity of Chitchor’s romance. The song ‘Gori tera gaon bada pyaara’ with Zarina Wahab blushing is priceless.
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Namak Garam (1981)
After the success of ‘Golmaal’, Amol, Utpal and Hrishida were back with ‘Naram Garam’. The story of the film was very simple and again Amol is an employee of Utpal Dutt’s office. Naram Garam revolves around Kusum (Swaroop Sampat), who made her debut in Bollywood and her father (AK Hangal) who are left homeless due to non-repayment of debts of the local money lender. They are helped by Ramprasad (Amol Palekar), who is in love with Kusum, and hatches a plan to marry her.
