Mithun Chakraborty Biography

Personal Life and Career

MITHUN CHAKRABORTY was born in Kolkata and educated at the Scottish Church College,Calcutta, from where he earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry (B.Sc). After that he attended and graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India.He started his film career at a late age of 29 in a Bengali film made by Mrinal Sen. Numerous sources claim that MITHUN CHAKRABORTY had a relationship with actress Sridevi from year 1986 to year 1987, and that Sridevi ended the relationship when she found out that he had not divorced his first wife, Yogita Bali. Many versions of this story say that the couple was secretly married and the marriage was later annulled. His first movie role was in the Bengali Mrinal Sen directed film Mrigaya in year 1976 for which he won a National Film Award for Best Actor. He then had a few minor roles in Hindi films such as Do Anjaane (year 1976) and Phool Kile Hain Gulshan Gulshan (year 1978).
 
He shot into national prominence in the late year 1970s and year 1980s with leading roles in many Hindi films such as Suraksha (year 1979) , Taarana (year 1979), Patita (year 1980), Hum Paanch (year 1980) and his breakthrough role finally came in the musical drama Disco Dancer in year 1983 which was a huge success at the box office. This film and other films such as Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki (year 1984) and Dance Dance (year 1987) showcased him as a talented dancer. It is a little known fact that Mithun was a staunch Naxalite before entering the film industry. But tragedy struck his family when his only brother got accidentally electrocuted and killed in a freak accident. Mithun returned to his family and left the Naxalite fold, even though doing so meant a grave risk to his own life from the Naxalites, because this was considered a one-way road (it was an unwritten law somewhat like an Omerta, that one could not abandon the Naxalite cause once it had been embraced). This proved to be a turning point in his life and became one of the prime causes that led to his iconic status. Another lesser known fact is that he had undergone expert training in martial arts.

Mithun is married to Indian actress Yogita Bali and has six children, four sons and two daughters. The eldest son, Mimoh Chakraborty is an upcoming actor whose debut movie is scheduled to be launched in year 2007. During the mid year 1980s he was regarded as a rival to Amitabh Bachchan as the genre of films he did then showcased him as an angry young man at odds with the ills of society and corruption. This was the characterization of an image that made Amitabh Bachchan famous in the year 1970s.Mithun achieved not only commercial success but also tremendous critical acclaim. His performances in his first film Mrigaya as well as for films such as Tahader Katha and Ramakrishna, were widely appreciated. He received the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor for the three films.He also won the Filmfare Award for Jallad & Agneepath and has won many awards in India and abroad in the last 31 years.
 
During the mid year 1990s he shifted his focus from the mainstream Hindi cinema and went into starring in his own low-budget B-grade movies. These movies were mainly produced to cater to the audiences of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, where Mithun has a cult-following even today, thanks to his Bhojpuri movies. He made a comeback to the Bollywood mainstream film industry in year 2005 with the film Elaan which was not successful. After a few supporting roles in films such as Lucky: No Time for Love and Dil Diya Hai he gave a critically acclaimed performance in Chingari which was however, not a commercial success. He recently starred in Mani Ratnam’s film Guru.

Early life and education

Mithun Chakraborty was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, India to a Bengali Hindu family.

He was educated at the Oriental Seminary and later, graduated in chemistry from the Scottish Church College in Kolkota.^[3] He was initially associated with Naxalites in West Bengal, which he later left and joined Mumbai films. For rest of his life, his family had continuous threat from Naxalities. After that he attended and graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.

Mithun Chakraborty was a staunch Naxalite before entering the film industry, but tragedy struck his family when his only brother got accidentally electrocuted and killed in a freak accident. He returned to his family and left the Naxalite fold, even though doing so posed a grave risk to his own life. He had also undergone expert training in Martial Arts to the grade of black belt.

Film career

Mithun Chakraborty made his film debut in the 1976 Mrinal Sen directed film Mrigaya for which he won the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor. After his debut he played some supporting roles in films such as Do Anjaane (1976) and Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan (1977) which did not gain him any recognition. However, Mera Rakshak (1978) was a hit. He shot into prominence in the late 1970s with the low budget Ravikant Nagaich directed spy film Surakshaa (1979) and the early 1980s with leading roles in hit films such as Hum Paanch(1980), Unees Bees (1981) , Wardat (1981) (a sequel to Surakshaa) and Aadat Se Majboor (1982).

His breakthrough role finally came in the musical drama Disco Dancer (1982) which was a huge success and remains a cult favorite to this day. This film and other musical films such asKasam Paida Karne Wale Ki (1984) and Dance Dance (1987) showcased him as a talented dancer.

Chakraborty starred in a number of successful romantic and family dramas during the 1980s, such as Mujhe Insaaf Chahiye (1983), Ghar Ek Mandir (1984), Pyaar Jhukta Nahin (1985),Swarg Se Sunder (1986), and Pyaar Ka Mandir (1988). These films remain his most commercially successful films to date.^[5]

He was widely recognized as an action hero in hit films like Jagir (1984), Jaal (1986), Dilwaala (1986), Watan Ke Rakhwale (1987), Waqt ki Awaz (1988) . Chakraborty worked with some of the biggest actresses of his time and Bollywood in general, including Zeenat Aman, Rekha, Sridevi , Juhi Chawla and Madhuri Dixit.

Chakraborty achieved not only commercial success but also tremendous critical acclaim. His performances in Mrigaya, Tahader Katha, Swami Vivekananda, Kalpurush and Titli were widely appreciated and won him National Film Awards and nominations. He won two Filmfare awards: The Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance in the 1990 filmAgneepath, and the Filmfare Best Villain Award for his performance in Jallad.

In the mid 90s he took a break from Mumbai and relocated to Ooty where he set up his Own hotel business under The Monarch brand name. He operates hotels in Mudhumalai, Ooty in Tamil Nadu and Darjeeling and Kolkata in West Bengal.^[6] Mithun strategically shifted his focus from mainstream Hindi cinema to low-budget movies. Hit movies like Dalaal (1993), Phool Aur Angaar (1994) and Ravan Raaj: A True Story (1995) were made during this period. His economical film production was popular as Mithun’s Dream Factory.^{[7][8][9][10][11]} He paid more tax than anyone else in the country in the mean period for 6 continuous years, from 1994 to 1999.^[12] Incidentally Chakraborty also hold the record of appearing in maximum number of Hindi films as Hero.

Chakraborty made a comeback to the mainstream Hindi film industry in 2005 with the film Elaan. After a few supporting roles in films such as Lucky: No Time for Love (2005), he performed in Kalpana Lajmi’s Chingari (2005). In 2007 he starred in Mani Ratnam’s hit film Guru. His performance was critically acclaimed for Guru. His 2009 movie Zor Lagaa Ke…Haiya!won multiple International awards ^[13] and Chal Chalein was appreciated by critics for its bold theme. Critically aclaimed Phir Kabhi with Dimple Kapadia had a very successful premiere through direct to home (DTH) in September 2009 and won as many as six awards in as many categories at the Los Angeles Reel Awards-2009. Mithunda’s last Hindi releases Veer, along with Salman Khan, though a commercial failure, won him rave reviews, but Golmaal 3 became a Blockbuster at the box-office. Now his delayed films like Raakh and Zindagi Tere Naam are getting ready for an early release due to Golmaal 3 ‘s huge Success. He is also doing Spaghetti 24 x 7, along with his son Mimoh Chakraborty. He is also set to appear inHousefull 2 in an action role with Akshay Kumar.

Parallel to his Bollywood career, Mithun Chakraborty has also worked in Bengali, as well as in realistic or arthouse movies including Troyee, made in 1982. He appeared in directorBuddhadeb Dasgupta’s Tahader Katha which got him the second National Award in 1992. A third National Award followed in 1995, this time for the Best Supporting Actor , for his portrayal of Ramakrishna Paramhansa, in G V Iyer’s Swami Vivekananda. He also appeared in Goutam Ghose’s Gudia in 1999 as well as Rituparno Ghosh’s Titli in 2002. In 2008, he collaborated again with Buddhadeb Dasgupta for Kaalpurush and later appeared in Shukno Lanka.

[edit]Sports

Mithun Chakraborty was also the co-owner of Royal Bengal Tigers, a cricket team of the now abandoned Indian Cricket League.^[14]

[edit]Personal life

Mithun Chakraborty is married to former Indian actress Yogeeta Bali and has four children, three sons and a daughter. The eldest son, Mimoh Chakraborty is an actor in Bollywood, who made his debut in the 2008 film Jimmy. His second son, Rimoh Chakraborty played Mithun’s younger version the film Phir Kabhi. And Mithun’s other two children Namashi Chakraborty and Dishani Chakraborty are still into their studies.

Numerous sources claim that Mithun Chakraborty had a relationship with actress Sridevi from 1986 to 1987, and that Sridevi ended the relationship when she found out that he had not divorced his first wife, Yogeeta Bali. Mithun Chakraborty and Sridevi were believed to have been secretly married and that the union was later annulled.