Mehmood's brother Anwar Ali on re-release of his timeless classics 'Padosan' and 'Bombay to Goa': 'I won't be surprised if he gets the same response even today' - Exclusive

Anwar Ali, the brother of the legendary Mehmood, took us down memory lane, celebrating the enduring magic of his sibling’s comedic genius. As Mehmood's classic films Padosan and Bombay to Goa make a triumphant return to the spotlight, Anwar shares his thoughts on how the humour and charm of these iconic films continue to captivate audiences, proving that some things—like great comedy—never fade with time. Excerpts...

How does it feel knowing today’s audience will get to experience Mehmood’s films?
Mehmood is a comedian 'by public demand.' Mehmood is an actor 'by public demand.' Mehmood is a filmmaker 'by public demand.'

He became an ace entertainer based on the love and adoration he received from audiences young and old, far and wide, over several decades. When it came to Mehmood Bhaijaan, the exhibitors were always enthusiastic to screen his films. Distributors, in turn, insisted on taking only films that featured Mehmood. Hence, producers had to weave the story around Mehmood. Sometimes, even after completing the film, they had to create a separate track for Mehmood, shoot accordingly, and incorporate it into the final edit. This ensured that the exhibitor, distributor, and producer all laughed their way to the bank!



I won’t be surprised if he gets the same response even today, as some things never change. The emotions of joy, laughter, grief, separation, happiness, their interpretation, and their acceptance are universal and unchanged over time. Comedy makes people happy. So, it’s an incredibly joyful moment to entertain once again!

Are you planning a premiere for the film?
There would be some members of the film fraternity who would love to join in the laughter riot.

How do you view the re-release of old films?
Why do we make films? For entertainment, entertainment, entertainment! Every time a film hits the theatres, we follow the same trajectory: the producer, director, actors, exhibitors, distributors, and the entire team behind the film tick the same boxes—Will my film reach the target audience effectively? Will it be accepted? Have I done well enough? Will this be a blockbuster? Will it achieve a milestone? And so on. So, once it’s in the theatre, every release is as good as new. Every occupied seat contributes to the final result.

Do you think the trend is growing?
The introduction of viewing on gadgets, OTT film releases, and OTT web series has opened up new ways of viewing content beyond the big screen. But that does not mean the viewer’s choices have changed. The viewer still wants to be entertained with a story that touches the heart and has some recall value.



The choice now is between watching a film in solitude with a couple of bowls of popcorn at home or among a vibrant audience with samosas, wafers, and resounding peals of laughter.

'Bombay To Goa' marked Amitabh Bachchan's first film as a hero...
Today’s generation watching the living legend Amitabh Bachchan, whom they know and see on screen in his present avatar, has the great opportunity of seeing him on the same big screen in his first-ever film as a hero. They can better understand his journey as an actor by watching the film where he started his magical journey under the mentorship of none other than the then living legend Mehmood, a one-of-a-kind genius actor.

What do you have to say about Kishore Kumar and Mehmood in Padosan?
Mehmood Bhaijaan and Kishore Da, who struggled for work together in the early days and turned their struggles into happy moments, did not miss the opportunity to work together. Padosan was another laughing riot—an emotion they were both so well-versed with.
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