Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda’s inspiration, Bhagwan Dada went from ‘millionaire to pauper’

‘Became a lakhpati after Albela’

Bhagwan Dada started working in the movies in the silent era in the 1930s where he was working as a junior artiste. He eventually found himself a job in film production, and in a few years, he started producing films. Since he had worked in a few films by then, he knew most of the stars of the era and after getting some encouragement from Raj Kapoor, Bhagwan produced his first major film, Albela, co-starring Geeta Bali. The film was a massive hit and ran for almost 50 weeks.

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In a chat with The Illustrated Weekly of India, he recalled that he “became a lakhpati” after the film became a hit, and bought everything that he ever wanted. “I owned a studio, I bought seven imported cars for each day of the week. I had a 25-room bungalow at Juhu in my possession,” he recalled with pride.

‘Do the Bhagwan Dada step’

His unique dancing style is said to have inspired many who came after him, even Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda. In a chat with Khalid Mohamed, he shared, “I am flattered that Amitabh Bachchan, Mithun Chakraborty and Govinda have said that they imitate my dance moves. Waah, unko thank you bolna.”

Rishi Kapoor, in a chat with The Quint, remembered his glorious days. “You know Awaara and Albela released on the same day and both were big hits. Yes, he fell on bad times and later did a lot of small parts in many films as well. He was a very senior actor and came from the silent times. I am indebted to him for the dance steps. Much later, many dance masters told me, ‘Do the Bhagwan dada step’,” he said.

Govinda (left) with Bhagwan Dada (centre). (Photo: Express Archives)

When Bhagwan Dada slapped Lalita Pawar, caused facial paralysis

Bhagwan Dada, before producing Albela, had made a name for himself as an actor and in 1942, while filming a scene with a fairly new Lalita Pawar, he caused her a major injury. The scene required that he slap her character. In the movies, actors don’t actually hit each other but make it seem like the slap is real. But for some reason, he hit Lalita on her face so badly that it led to her facial paralysis. A vein in her left eye burst, and after this, she had a permanent squint. Her career as a leading lady was over.

She later told Doordarshan, “For two years, I was jobless. I was fired from many films.” Many years later, Bhagwan Dada expressed his regret in a chat with Khalid Mohamed, “I regret the fact that I was responsible for Lalita Pawar’s facial paralysis. For a scene in one of our early films, I had slapped her so hard that her left eye was damaged. That is unforgivable.”

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‘I became a sharabi kababi, was unfaithful to wife’

The good times ended even before he could blink. After Albela, Bhagwan Dada produced films like Jhamela, and lost everything. But it just wasn’t the failure of the film that led to his bad times, it was also his vices. “I became a sharabi kababi, gambled at cards and the race course. Drinks and women were my weakness. I was unfaithful to my wife . The truth is, I had ignored my family. Maybe it was God’s way of punishing me. From a mazdoor millionaire, I became a pauper,” he told Illustrated Weekly of India.

His business partners cheated him, and in the end, he did not even know who owned the rights to Albela, for the rights could have been enough to save him from his poverty. “Who knows whom the rights of Albela or any of my films belong to? Bas khel khatam, paisa hazam,” he said.

Bhagwan Dada lived in a chawl in his last years. (Photo: Express Archives)

‘Dilip Kumar still honks, waves goodbye’

After he lost it all, Bhagwan Dada and his family moved to a chawl in Dadar, Mumbai, and he started appearing in smaller roles in films. “To keep this house going, I continue to accept every role, even if it’s one scene,” he said, adding that his only request was that they send a taxi for him. “I’m exhausted at the end of the shooting. I return home, drink my navtaak (quart) and go to sleep. Whatever food is served at the studio, I have,” he said.

Through his career, he acted in over 600 films, but is still celebrated and remembered for his dance moves in the songs of Albela. Even when bad times came upon him, he refused to ask for help. “I haven’t asked for monetary help from any of the film industry’s welfare associations. I’m too proud to do that,” he said. Although in his last years, cine-associations CINTAA and IMPAA sent him Rs 3000 and Rs 5000 per month, respectively.

In a chat with Filmfare, he shared that many of his colleagues had cut ties with him, but Dilip Kumar continued to visit him, despite his bad times. “There was a time when the top industry people were my friends, especially Dilip Kumar. Even today, whenever he passes by my window, he stops the car and honks. He moves on only after we have greeted each other,” he recalled.

‘It would have been good to go in a Chevrolet’

Bhagwan Dada died at the age of 88 in 2002 in the same chawl in Dadar. “It would have been good to go in a Chevrolet but rehne do, how will I know what’s happening when I’m no more. No one cares,” he said.

His story was presented in the 2016 Marathi film Ekk Albela, directed by Shekhar Sartandel. Mangesh Desai played Bhagwan Dada and Vidya Balan appeared in a cameo as Geeta Bali.

DISCLAIMER: This article is a historical reflection on the life and career of an entertainment industry figure and is intended solely for informational and storytelling purposes. The personal hardships, addiction struggles, and financial adversities discussed reflect past individual experiences and do not constitute personal, legal, or financial guidance. Readers facing personal challenges or hardships are encouraged to seek appropriate independent support.