Indra Sen Johar (16 February 1920 – 10 March 1984) was an Indian actor, writer, producer and director, who excelled in comedic roles and is best known to international audiences for portraying Gasim in the epic film classic Lawrence of Arabia.

Early life Indra Sen Johar was born on 16 February 1920 in Talagang City, Talagang District, Punjab, British India (now within modern-day Talagang District, Punjab, Pakistan). He did an MA degree in Economics and Politics before completing his LLB. In August 1947, during the Partition of India, Johar was visiting Patiala with his family for a wedding when serious rioting broke out in Lahore, resulting in the Shah Alami Bazaar, once the largely Hindu quarter of the Walled City, being entirely burnt down.

Johar never returned to Lahore. For a period he worked in Jalandhar while his family remained in Delhi, before he eventually moved to Bombay, where he made his acting debut in the 1949 Hindi comedy action film Ek Thi Ladki.

Career Johar acted in numerous Hindi films from the 1950s through to the early 1980s and appeared in international films such as Harry Black (1958), North West Frontier (1959), Lawrence of Arabia (1962)Filmography New York Times. and Death on the Nile (1978), besides acting in Maya (1967), a US TV series. He also appeared in Punjabi films, including Chaddian Di Doli (1966), Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai (1969) with Prithviraj Kapoor, and Yamla Jatt with Helen.

I. S. Johar also wrote and directed films, including the partition-based Hindi movie Nastik (1954), Johar Mehmood in Goa and Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong, in which he co-starred with comedian Mehmood. These were inspired by comedy films of the Bob Hope-Bing Crosby style Road to... series.IS Johar Biography Rotten Tomatoes. Johar was a unique and idiosyncratic individual, a lifelong liberal who poked fun at institutionalised self-satisfied smugness – an attitude which did not endear him to the essentially hierarchical and conservative Indian establishment, and led to difficulties finding finance for his unconventional screenplays. In many of his films, both those he directed and those he acted in, Sonia Sahni was the leading lady, most notably in Johar Mehmood in Goa, 1964.

He also starred in films with his own surname in the title such as Mera Naam Johar, Johar in Kashmir and Johar in Bombay, which is a testament both to his immense egotism, as well as his popularity with the common masses – for whom a movie with the Johar name was a guarantee of easy laughs, as well as subtle ironic or frankly sarcastic jibes at Indian customs, mores, superstitions and institutions. His film Nasbandi (Vasectomy) was a spoof on Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's failed policy of population control by coerced vasectomies during the period of Emergency and was "banned" when it was first released. In the plays written by him too, Johar attacks those in power. In a play on Bhutto, he writes about Pakistan's Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as well as Gen Mohammed Zia-ul-Haq. Yash Chopra started his film career as an assistant director with I. S. Johar.

In 1963 he starred as "Gopal" in two Italian films directed by Mario Camerini: Kali Yug: Goddess of Vengeance and The Mystery of the Indian Temple.

Personal life Johar married Ramma Hoon in 1943 in Lahore. The couple became parents to two children, a son named Anil and a daughter named Neelam, who adopted the stage name Ambika Johar.Survival fittest Times of India, 2 June 2002. Both his children worked in a handful of films in the late 1970s, including Nasbandi (1978) and 5 Rifles. Ramma herself acted in small roles in a couple of films, most notably as Balraj Sahni's cunning sister in Garam Hawa.

Johar and Ramma were divorced; theirs was one of the earliest legal divorces in the country.Ramma Bans THIS ABOVE ALL, Khushwant Singh, The Tribune, 6 March 2004. After this divorce, Johar married and divorced no less than four more women (five marriages in all, and as many divorces). One of his later wives was the actress Sonia Sahni, who had made her film debut in Johar's production Johar-Mehmood in Goa (1965). None of Johar's later marriages resulted in children.

Death He died in Bombay, on 10 March 1984.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Film Result1959British Academy Film AwardsBest British ActorHarry Black1971Filmfare AwardsBest Performance in a Comic RoleJohny Mera Naam1974Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar

Filmography Actor

Ek Thi Ladki (1949) - Sohan Ek Teri Nishani (1949) Dholak (1951) story only didn't act Shrimati Ji (1952) - Chhoturam Nagin (1954) Shart (1954) - Hiten Nastik (1954) - Joker Durgesh Nandini (1956) Ham Sab Chor Hain (1956) - Kadkaram / Shuddhram / Sohrab / D'Souza / Kalidas / Tomson / Ayyar / Madam Kadki / Daleelchand Daleel Miss India (1957) - Pyarelal Kitna Badal Gaya Insaan (1957) Ek Gaon Ki Kahani (1957) - Gokul Harry Black (1958) - Bapu North West Frontier (1959) - Gupta Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959) - Kanhaiya Bewaqoof (1960) - Johar Billo (1961) as Baunrar Mal (Punjabi movie) Aplam Chaplam (1961) Mr. India (1961) - Gullu Lala / Jung Bahadur Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - Gasim Main Shadi Karne Chala (1962) Ma Beta (1962) - Bishan Sahay Banarsi Thug (1962) - lBanarasi Prasad Kali Yug: Goddess of Vengeance (1963) - Gopal The Mystery of the Indian Temple (1963) - Gopal April Fool (1964) - Advocate Brijlal Sinha Johar-Mehmood in Goa (1965) - Ram Teen Devian (1965) - I.S. Johar Namaste Ji (1965) Bheegi Raat (1965) - Acharyaa Jhootlingam Main Wohi Hoon (1966) - Ashok Chaddian Di Doli (1966) - Hero Maya (1966) - One-Eye Ladka Ladki (1966) - Jagmohan / Chakor Johar in Kashmir (1966) - Aslam Abdul Samdani Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya (1966) - Bhagwan Akalmand (1966) Johar in Bombay (1967) - Rajesh Shagird (1967) - Prof. Brij Mohan Agnihotri 'Birju' Raaz (1967) - Rakharam Singh 'Rocky' Anita (1967) - Pramanand Marayan Shrimanji (1968) - Johar M. Gupta / Pran Mera Naam Johar (1968) - 008 / Johar Das Haye Mera Dil (1968) - Sokhanlal Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai (1969) - Shuka Pavitra Paapi (1970) - Adarshan Lala Do Thug (1970) Johny Mera Naam (1970) - Pehle Ram (Palmist) / Dooja Ram / Teeja Ram Mera Naam Joker (1970) - (uncredited) Safar (1970) - Kalidas Puraskar (1970) - Sumesh Aag Aur Daag (1970) - Murli - Taxi-driver Albela (1971) Chhoti Bahu (1971) - Premnath (Niku's dad) Thi Reeta (1971) Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong (1971) - Ramesh / Prince Pagadandi Jai Bangladesh (1971) Dost Aur Dushman (1971) Maalik Tere Bande Hum (1972) Doctor X (1972) Dastaan (1972) - Johar aka Birbal Roop Tera Mastana (1972) - Driver Gomti Ke Kinare (1972) - Seth Chellamal Tangewala (1972) - Nagina Banarasi Babu (1973) - Jackpot Joshila (1973) - Raunaq Singh Teen Chor (1973) Kashmakash (1973) - Private Detective Johar Intezaar (1973) Ek Mutthi Aasmaan (1973) - Pandit Kishorilal Sharma Aaj Ki Taaza Khabar (1973) - Ramji Trimurti (1974) - Shadilal 5 Rifles (1974) - Harfan Mama Prem Shastra (1974) - Malhotra Do Nambar Ke Amir (1974) - Mr. Johar Do Aankhen (1974) Badhti Ka Naam Daadhi (1974) Maze Le Lo (1975) Zinda Dil (1975) - Pinto D'Souza / Daya Shankar Sankoch (1976) - Sangeet Samrat Khalifa (1976) - Diwan Manoharlal Agnihotri Yamla Jatt (1976) - Yamla Jatt Mazdoor Zindabaad (1976) - Kansraj (uncredited) Aaj Ka Ye Ghar (1976) - Painter Saheb Bahadur (1977) - Prof. Rampyare Jagriti (1977) Ek Aurat Do Joote (1978) Nasbandi (1978) - Himself Ganga Ki Saugandh (1978) - Birju Master Priyatama (1978) - Lawyer Death on the Nile (1978) - Mr. Choudhury, Manager of the Karnak Premi Gangaram (1978) Ek Baap Chhe Bete (1978) - B.R.Choranjia Guru Ho Jaa Shuru (1979) - Curator D'Costa Ranjha Ikk Tey Heeran Do (1979) - Tota Ram Ramu To Diwana Hai (1980) Beqasoor (1980) - Private Detective Dinanath Do Premee (1980) - Daulatram Be-Reham (1980) - Police Inspector Malpani Sanjh Ki Bela (1980) Raaz (1981) Do Posti (1981) - Makhan Guru Suleman Chela Pahelwan (1981) - Dharmatma Gopichand Jasoos (1982) - Ram Rokada / No. 256 Teesri Aankh (1982) - Mirchandani Heeron Ka Chor (1982) Bad Aur Badnam (1984) - Malpani (uncredited) (final film role)

Director Director Year Film Producer Story Screenplay Dialogue Note1952 Shrimati JiSelfSelf1954 NastikSelfSelf1955 Shri Nagad Narayan1956 Ham Sab Chor HainSelf1957 Kitna Badal Gaya InsaanSelf1957 Miss India (1957)SelfSelfSelf1960 BewaqoofSelfSelfSelfSelf1965 Johar-Mehmood in GoaSelf1966 Johar in KashmirSelfSelfSelf.Self.1971 Jai BangladeshSelfSelfSelf.Self.1974 5 RiflesSelfSelfSelf.Self.1978 NasbandiSelfSelfSelf.Self.

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