Hyderabad moviegoers plan to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of popular Bollywood actor Hamid Ali Khan, better known as Ajit, in collaboration with his family and fans in Hyderabad on Thursday.
According to Mohammad Safiullah, manager of the Hyderabad-based Deccan Heritage Trust, tributes will be paid to the actor, who is known for delivering on his dialogues. “We will pray at his grave in Jamali Kunta Cemetery, near Golconda Fort in the afternoon.”
Ajit’s son Shahid Ali Khan, senior IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan, former Salar Jung Museum member Zakir Hussain and Deccan Heritage Trust president Veda Kumar will attend the ceremony.
“By the way, a book about his life and time will be published. “We are also planning to screen his super-successful films in the coming days,” Safiullah said.
He said a series of postcards with pictures will be released and an online seminar on his life, times and heritage is also being planned. “Similar events are planned in various centers across the country for the centenary.”
He said a request had been made to the Telangana government to name a road in his honor. “We have also made a request to the Government of India to issue a stamp in memory of Ajit,” he said.
According to Safiullah, Ajit, born in Golconda, Hyderabad on January 27, 1922, had his early education in Hyderabad and Warangal. She went to Bombay in the early 1940s to pursue an acting career. After a few small roles in movies, he took a break in 1946 as a hero in the movie “Shah-e-Misr”.
He played leading and supporting roles for 20 years in films such as Nastik, Guest House, Anand Mutt, Bada Bhai, Marine Drive, Delhi Junction and Naya Daur, before moving on to bad roles in films such as Suraj, Zanzeer, Kalicharan, Yaadon Ki Barat, Ram Balram and Dharma.
“In his career spanning more than five decades, Ajit Khan starred in more than 200 films and was known for his unique way and tradition of dialogue. “His catchy phrases like ‘Mona Darling’ and ‘Smart Boy’ were madness to moviegoers in those days,” Safiullah said.
Ajit returned to Hyderabad in the 1980s after stopping playing due to age-related problems. He died on 22 October 1998 at his residence in Hyderabad.
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