Mohan Choti was a very popular comedian and character artist from Bollywood yesterdays. He was active in Bollywood from 1950s to 1970s. Apart from an actor, he was a director of 2 films, under his own production banner, Mohan Choti Production. He played brief, but noted comic roles in Amar Prem, Do Raaste, Mr. X in Bombay, Farz, Bluff Master, Anpadh, Dil Tera Deewana, Chaaya, Pooja Ke Phool, Khandaan, Bairaag, Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere, Lal Bangla, Pagla Kahin Ka, Woh Kaun Thi, Man Mauji, Mujhe Jeene Do etc. Choti became a household name for his comedic roles and memorable performances.
Mohan Choti – Popular comedian of the Bollywood 1960s
Mohan Choti’s real name is Mohan Rakshakar
Mohan Choti was born as Mohan Rakshakar on January 1st, 1935 in a rural village of Rajasthan, Ummedabad in Jalore district. He belonged to a modest family. His father, Atmaram Rakshakar worked as a constable. In the early 1950s, Choti moved to Mumbai to pursue his dreams. He started his film journey in the year 1954 with the Bollywood classic hit Jagruti starring Abhi Bhattacharya, Bipin Gupta etc.
In the 50s, he acted in Devdas, Parivar, Musafir, Ek Gaon Ki Kahani, Ab Dilli Door Nahin, Dhool Ka Phool, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Kaagaz Ke Phool etc, but repeated the same kind of roles.
Choti was known for slapstick roles
Mohan Choti was known for slapstick comedy roles, and he got typecast for the same kind of repeated roles. Yet he was a popular face of the 1950s and 1960s. He often played innocent guy roles onscreen. With 1960s, he started getting less roles. Yet he appeared in many movies of the 1960s and 1970s.
He changed his name after acting in Musafir (1957)
Mohan Rakshakar changed his name to Mohan Choti after his memorable fictional role in Musafir (1957), the debut film of Hrishikesh Mukherjee. He played a tea shop delivery boy who sports a “choti” or traditional lock of hair on the top of his headthe same name in the film, and came to be known by that name after that. He added ‘Choti’ to his screen name, and thus became Mohan Choti.
He turned into an entrepreneur and film producer
He produced and directed two films — “Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty” and “Hunterwali 77”. Through Hunterwali 77, he gave the first break to popular music composer Anu Malik, who revolutionized Bollywood music in the mid-1990s and later.
Though he was not so successful in films as an actor, he was a successful businessman. Apart from starting his own production company, Mohan Choti Production, he also opened a restaurant – “Sawal roti ka; Dhaba choti ka” and Atta distribution unit – “Choti Walla Atta”.
Through done brief roles most, he appeared in nearly 280 films. He passed away in 1992, aged 57 only. He was still active in the industry. A few of his films were released posthumously. He passed away on 1 February 1992. He was survived with his wife Sheela Mohan Choti, and two children.
Also read: Sheikh Mukhtar – The first antihero of the Hindi silver screen
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