Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Manmohan Desai

Role / Field:

Pioneering Bollywood filmmaker, celebrated for crafting iconic Masala films of the 70s and 80s.

Born:

1937-02-26

Died:

1994-03-01

Century / Era:

1937s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Manmohan Desai (26 February 1937 – 1 March 1994) was an Indian film producer and director. He was one of the most successful filmmakers of the 70s and 80s. Desai was an influential and sought-after film director of Bollywood and a pioneer of making Masala films. His most successful films are Amar Akbar Anthony, Dharam Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Parvarish, Suhaag, Naseeb, Coolie and Mard.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Manmohan Desai was of Gujarati ancestry. His father, Kikubhai Desai, was an Indian film producer and owner of Paramount Studios (later Filmalaya) from 1931 to 1941. His productions, mainly stunt films, included Circus Queen, Golden Gang, and Sheikh Challi. Manmohan Desai's elder brother, Subhash Desai, became a producer in the 1950s and gave Manmohan his first break in the Hindi film Chhalia (1960). Subhash later went on to produce Bluff Master, Dharam Veer, and Desh Premee with Manmohan as the director.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

His wife was Jeevanprabha Desai. She died in April 1979. He was engaged to actress Nanda from 1992 until the time of his death in 1994. He had one son Ketan Desai who is still involved in the film industry. Ketan is married to Kanchan Kapoor, daughter of actor Shammi Kapoor and actress...

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• 1937 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1937
• February 26 (02-26) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 26
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• March 1 (03-01) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on March 1

Frequently Asked Questions about Manmohan Desai