Khalil (1903–1941) was an Indian cinema actor of silent and talkie films. He achieved stardom with silent films like Gul-E-Bakavali (1924), Kulin Kanta (1925), and Lanka Ni Laadi (1925) which was a major success commercially. His other successes included Cinema Queen (1925) with Sulochana, Draupadi (1931), and Daily Mail (1930). Khalil is referred to as the "macho hero".

Khalil worked from 1920 to 1941, making a transition to Talkies in 1931 with Draupadi directed by B. P. Mishra, and Daulat Ka Nasha directed by Pesi Karani. Both films were produced by Kohinoor and Imperial Films. He shifted to Calcutta from Bombay in 1934, and immediately "made his mark" with the East India Film Company production Quismat Ki Kasauti (1934), directed by Pesi Karani. He also wrote lyrics for films like Dard-e-Dil (1934).

Career Silent films Khalil's first film was Krishna Sudama (1920), a silent film co-produced by Kohinoor Film Company and Imperial Film Company. He joined the Kohinoor Film Company in 1925, along with other known actors of that time like Raja Sandow, Zubeida and Tara. Some of his notable silent films were Sati Parvati (1920), Mahasati Ansuya (1921), Rukmani Haran (1921), Malti Madhav (1922), Surya Kumari (1922) and Manorama (1924).

In 1924, he acted as a "lecherous Maharaja" in Kulin Kanta. The film was based on a true incident cited as the Bawla murder case, and depicted the story of the Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar III of Indore and a dancing girl who wanted to escape from the harem.

In 1925, Khalil acted as a shepherd in love with a princess he saves, in Kohinoor Film Company's fantasy production called Lanka Ni Laadi, also known as Fairy Of Ceylon. The film was directed by Homi Master with story by Mohanlal G. Dave. It co-starred Gohar and Jamna. The film became Gohar's first "major" hit and "grossed more than any other film in 1925".

Talkies

Khalil joined Indian Talkies 1931, and worked in the two films produced by them, Draupadi and Daulat Ka Nasha. Draupadi, also called The Daughter Of King Drupad, was the story of Draupadi from the epic Mahabharata. It was produced by the Imperial Film Company and directed by Bhagwati Prasad Mishra. Khalil played Lord Krishna with actress Ermiline playing Draupadi. Daulat Ka Nasha was directed by Pesi Karani.

He continued to make his mark with films like Bharat Mata (1932), directed by Pesi Karani, Niti Vijay (1932), directed by Moti Gidwani, Do Rangi Duniya, directed by Pesi Karani and Saubhagya Sundari, directed by Homi Master. All films were produced by Imperial Film Company.

In 1934, Khalil acted in Mazdoor, also known as The Mill, which was directed by Mohan Bhavnani for Ajanta Cinetone. Written by Munshi Premchand, it was one of the first talkies to be banned by British censors in India.

Khalil shifted from Bombay to Calcutta, where he achieved success working again with Karani in East India Films' Kismet Ki Kasauti (1934). With Madan Theatres Ltd. he worked in Miss Manorama (1935) and Bulbul-e-Iran (1936), directed by Faredoon Irani, and in Miss Parivartan, directed by Ezra Mir.

In 1937, Khalil acted in Whose Darling?, also called Kiski Pyari?. He played the second lead to Jal Merchant and Zubeida. The film was written and directed by Akhtar Nawaz. The advertisement in filmindia called it a "Heart-throbbing Rajput story of love, romance and chivalry". The film was produced by Sunrise Film Co. from The Tollywood Studios.

Personal life and death A Muslim by birth, he performed varied roles in films. His initial acting phase had him playing Hindu Gods in mythology films. He portrayed Krishna and Rama several times. Disenchanted by the communalism arising in the film industry, he made a speech against it at the Indian Motion Pictures Congress on 4 May 1939. A section was quoted in his obituary in the cine-mag Filmindia in 1941:

Khalil died on 28 October 1941, in Calcutta, after a short illness. He was thirty-seven years old and left behind "a widow" and "five children".

Filmography Lists:

Silent films Year Film1920 Krishna Sudama1921 Sati Parvati1921 Mahasati Ansuya1921 Rukmini Haran1922 Malti Madhav1922 Suryakumari1924 Gul Bakavali1924 Manorama1924 Minal Devi1925 Kulin Kanta1925 Child Widow1925 Dream Of Life1925 Lanka Ni Laadi1925 Veer Bala1926 Lakho Vanjaro1926 Sati Jasama1926 Shirin Farhad1926 Thief Of Delhi1926 Wandering Phantom1927 Return Of Kala Naag1927 The Mission Girl1927 Why Sons Go Astray1928 Bhai Ki Kasai1928 Gul Sanobar1928 Rajnibala1928 Veerangana1929 The Lovers1930 A Woman's Vengeance1930 Daily Mail1931 Cavalier Of Love

Talkies A partial list: Year Film Director Studio/Producer1931 Draupadi B. P. Mishra Imperial Film Company1931 Daulat Ka Nasha Pesi Karani Imperial Film Company1932 Bharati Mata Pesi Karani Imperial Film Company1932 Niti Vijay Moti Gidwani Imperial Film Company1933 Dorangi Duniya Pesi Karani Imperial Film Company1933 Saubhagya Sundari Homi Master Imperial Film Company1934 Kismet Ki Kasauti Pesi Karani East India Film Company1934 Mazdoor a.k.a. Mill Mohan Bhavnani Ajanta Cinetone1935 Gaibi Gola Vithaldas Panchotia Tollywood Studio (Madan Theatres)1935 Miss Manorama Faredoon Irani Tollywood Studio (Madan Theatres)1936 Parivartan Ezra Mir Madan Theatres1936 Shaitan Ka Pash Ezra Mir Madan Theatres1937 Aflatoon Pesi Karani Tollywood Studio (Madan Theatres)1937 Kiski Pyari a.k.a. Whose Love Akhtar Nawaz Sunrise Pictures1938 Karma Veer Vithaldas Panchotia Sitaram Cine1940 Hamara Desh A. M. Khan Mohan Pictures1941 Abla Ki Shanti Munshi Dil Radha Films1941 Merchant Of Venice J. J. Madan Radha Films

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