Raj Kiran Mahtani (born 5 February 1949) is a former Indian actor who is recognised for his work in Bollywood.[1][2][3] Born in a Sindhi family in Bombay, he made his debut in B. R. Ishara's Kaagaz Ki Nao (1975) and appeared in more than 100 films until the mid-90s.[4] Later he disappeared from the industry and was thought to be living as a recluse in the United States but conflicting reports from 2011 indicated his whereabouts were unknown.
Raj Kiran | |
|---|---|
 Raj Kiran in the late 1970s | |
| Born | 5 February 1949 Bombay, Bombay State, India |
| Status | Missing |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1975–1999 |
| Notable work | Kaagaz Ki Nao Karz Baseraa Arth Raaj Tilak Waaris Ek Naya Rishta Hip Hip Hurray |
| Spouse | Roopa Mahtani |
Career
editRaj Kiran made his debut opposite Sarika in B. R. Ishara's Kaagaz Ki Nao (1975).[5] In 1980, he had eight releases and his career picked up.[6] He was appreciated in leading roles in films such as Shikshaa (1979), Maan Abhiman (1980) and Ek Naya Rishta (1988).[7][8][9] as well as supporting roles in Karz (1980), Baseraa (1981), Arth (1982) and Raaj Tilak (1984) to name a few.[10] While Raj Kiran was often typecast as a kind-hearted romantic because of his chocolate good looks[4][11] he has also played some roles with gray shades as in Justice Chaudhury (1983).[12] During the 1990s, his film career slowed down. He made his television debut in the much acclaimed TV series Reporter (1994) also starring Shekhar Suman.[13]
Personal Life
editRaj Kiran was born in Bombay to a Sindhi Hindu family. Raj Kiran is rumored to have gone into acute depression when his career declined and faced several domestic crises and was admitted to a mental asylum in Mumbai. He was later rumoured to have been living as a recluse in America. Deepti Naval tried to look for the missing actor through Facebook writing on her timeline "Looking for a friend from the film world his name is Raj Kiran – we have no news of him – last heard he was driving a cab in NY city if anyone has any clue, please tell . . ."[14]
"I’ve been wondering where Raj had disappeared. The question was haunting me for a very long time. Then these rumours of Raj being no more began doing the rounds. I was really disturbed. How can a colleague with whom I shared a really good times, just vanish from the face of earth? I decided to look up Raj’s elder brother Govind Mahtani to find out about Raj. I was so relieved when Govind told me that Raj was alive. But he was confined to an institution in Atlanta due to health problems. ... apparently, he looks after his own treatment by working within the institution. It’s a heart-rending situation for an actor who was so successful at one time".
– Rishi Kapoor on Raj Kiran’s disappearance[15]
In June 2011, Rishi Kapoor, on a trip to the United States made a phone call to the missing actor's brother Gobind Mahtani, and was told that Raj Kiran was in a mental asylum in Atlanta but was not given more details.[16][17][18][15][14][9] However Raj Kiran's daughter Rishika subsequently issued a public statement negating the reports of Raj Kiran being found in Atlanta. She clarified that their family has been searching for him with the assistance of New York police and private detectives for years.[19][20]
Filmography
edit| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Kaagaz Ki Nao | Debut | |
| 1977 | Kissa Kursi Ka | Gopal | |
| 1979 | Shikshaa | Vijay Gupta | |
| 1980 | Patita | Ashok | |
| 1980 | Karz | Raja Ravi Varma | |
| 1980 | Manokaamnaa | ||
| 1980 | Maan Abhimaan | ||
| 1980 | Yeh Kaisa Insaf | Shankar | |
| 1981 | Nakhuda | Ravi Shankar | |
| 1981 | Bulundi | Vicky | |
| 1981 | Baseraa | Sagar | |
| 1981 | Josh | ||
| 1981 | Kaaran | ||
| 1982 | Bezubaan | Raman | |
| 1982 | Arth | Raj | |
| 1982 | Star | Shiv Kumar Varma | |
| 1983 | Sun Meri Laila | ||
| 1983 | Mazdoor | Ramesh Saxena | |
| 1984 | Ghar Ek Mandir | Vijay | |
| 1984 | Raaj Tilak | Shamsher Singh | |
| 1984 | Hip Hip Hurray | Sandeep | |
| 1985 | Aaj Ka Daur | Ram | |
| 1985 | Ghar Dwaar | Chandar | |
| 1985 | Faasle | Shivraj | |
| 1985 | Arjun | Inspector Ravi Rane | |
| 1985 | Teri Meherbaniyan | Gopi | |
| 1986 | Ilzaam | Satish Singh | |
| 1986 | Shatru | Raj Chaudhry | |
| 1987 | Ghar Ka Sukh | ||
| 1987 | Woh Din Aayenga | ||
| 1987 | Khooni Mahal | Raj | |
| 1987 | Mard Ki Zabaan | Anand | |
| 1987 | Goraa | ||
| 1987 | Manu The Great | ||
| 1988 | Pyar Ka Mandir | Collector Vijay Kumar | |
| 1988 | Ek Hi Maqsad | Raj | |
| 1988 | Bahaar | ||
| 1988 | Waaris | Shravan Singh | |
| 1988 | Ek Naya Rishta | Rajiv Tandon | |
| 1989 | Waqt Ke Zanjeer | ||
| 1989 | Paanch Paap | Vijay Singh | |
| 1989 | Ghar Ho To Aisa | Vijay Kumar | |
| 1990 | Police Public | Vijay Sharma | |
| 1991 | Pyar Ka Devta | Advocate Gopal | |
| 1991 | Karz Chukana Hai | Vijay Mathur | |
| 1993 | Zakhmi Rooh | Rocky | |
| 1995 | Kartavya | Inspector Sooraj Singh | Flashback Cameo |
| 1999 | Chudail No. 1 | ||
| 1999 | Akeli | Boss | Delayed release in 2014 |
Television
edit- Reporter (1994)
- Aakhir Kaun (1996)
- Aahat (1997–98)
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Raj Kiran – BollywoodMDB". bollywoodmdb.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Raj Kiran movies, filmography, biography and songs – Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ After Raj Kiran, we find the memories – Times Of India. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (1 June 2011). Retrieved on 30 May 2013.
- ^ a b "Bygone Stars of Eighties". koimoi.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Kagaz Ki Nao". osianama.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Raj Kiran Filmography, Raj Kiran List of Movies on Gomolo.com". gomolo.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Ek Naya Rishta (1988) – Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Raj Kiran finds a well-wisher in Sushma Swaraj". Rediff. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ a b Khanna, Riddhima (19 February 2014). "5 film stars who burned into oblivion". Kindle Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ "The Strange Tale of Hindi Film Actor Raj Kiran – Lost and Found". Bollykings. 4 June 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
- ^ "Actor Raj Kiran Still Missing! Family Orders Rishi Kapoor and Deepti Naval To Back Off!!". spotboye.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Justice Chowdhury (1983) – Cinestaan.com". Cinestaan. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Reporter (Old Doordarshan TV Serial)". Free Online India. 1 November 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ a b "This Famous 80s Bollywood Star Went From Being A Heartthrob to a Taxi Driver And Finally Has Ended Up in a Metal Asylum". dailybhaskar. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Actor Raj Kiran in mental asylum – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
- ^ Rishi to help Raj Kiran return to B-town. Hindustan Times (3 June 2011). Retrieved on 30 May 2013.
- ^ 'Raj Kiran is okay wherever he is' – Rediff.com Movies. Rediff.com (6 June 2011). Retrieved on 30 May 2013.
- ^ Actor Raj Kiran found in mental asylum in US. Ibnlive.in.com (1 June 2011). Retrieved on 30 May 2013.
- ^ "We just want people to back off: Raj Kiran's daughter – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ My dad's still missing: Raj Kiran's daughter. NDTV, 12 July 2011. Archived 20 March 2013 at the Wayback Machine