A couple of weeks back I did a review on the topic ?Five Worst Actors of Bollywood?.. those of you, who have read that, may remember that, in stead of writing on 5 worst, I reviewed on 5 actors who have been over hyped. So its only fair that, in stead of 5 best actors, I do my review on 5 great actors, who did not get their due.
Mehmood
The first name that comes to my mind is that off Mehmood. Sadly enough, he has been remembered only as a comedian, who did very good south Indian accent. But this star never got his due as an actor. The couple of movies, where he came in a somewhat serious role: Gini aur Johnny and Kunwara Baap saw glimpses of his phenomenal performance. I wonder, why he never became a character actor. I will strongly say, Mehmood was not merely a comedian? he was a true performer, who brought life to whatever he did.
Pran
The undisputed king of villains of Indian cinema? We would have missed many facets of his versatile personality, had it not been opened up in Upkaar. The performances in Upkaar and Zanjeer, which was later followed up in movies like Sharaabi, Kasauti etc, are a feast for the eye. He also tried out comedy/ semicommedy roles in movies like Victoria No. 305 (was it 305 or something else?) and Karz. But again, the industry did not recognize him as the performer he was? he is today treated as a typical villain of 1960s, where Shammi Kapoor was the typical hero and Mahmood was the typical comedian.
Amjad Khan
This man made the most memorable deview and for a decade or so, dominated the scenario of the villains. Also did a few supporting roles (Yarana etc.) and a few character roles (Lawaris). But what stood out about him was his ability to handle the unconventional roles with ease. May it be the inspector of Qurbani, Dilawar of Muqaddar ka Sikander, or in Chameli Ki Shaadi, he brought unthinkable variety to his roles. He had a short career, but he never got the respect as an actor as he should have got. I have read in someone?s review at MS saying that ?I just love this man?? I can?t agree more?. I also love this man? he is a pillar of acting in Indian cinema.
Kishore Kumar
He got more than his due as a singer, but has he got any credit as an actor? The man, who was so effortless in his performances and gave us the biggest range of comedy movies, we simply tend to forget that he was an actor also. Anyone who has seen him in Padosan or Half Ticket will agree. It was not only comedy roles, he was equally good in more serioud roles?. Have you seen Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Mein??
Sakthi Kapoor
Very few people have been successful both as villains and also as comedians. Sakthi Kapoor is one such example. We have hated this man in the eighties for the negative roles and we have loved this man in the nineties for the laughter that he brought to our lives. But again, we have not respected him as an actor? He is so natural that often we tend to forget the fact that he is only acting. For him the length of the role never makes a difference as his numerous guest appearances prove. Miles to go Sakthiji, you are an asset to the industry!!
Let me repeat in the end, it is not a list of the best actors, it is a list of actors, who were great, but did not get their due. Had I written on the greatest actors, my list of 5 would have been?
Kamal Hassan (Low rank due to less Hindi movies as this list is for Hindi film actors)
Naseeruddin Shah
Aamir Khan
Amitabh Bachchan
Sanjeev Kumar