Veteran actor Jankidas passes away

Jankidas Mehra, veteran actor of Hindi cinema, died of cardiac failure at his Juhu residence on Wednesday, his family said. He was 93.

Jankidas was suffering from heart ailment for quite some time and was discharged from a local hospital two days ago.

The veteran actor had acted in more than 1,000 films since the silent era. He was the first production designer in the Indian film industry and had designed several films including Pathar aur Paya and Warrant.

He was the recipient of many national and international awards. In May 1996, he received the lifetime achievement award instituted by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association.

As production designer, Jankidas introduced Madhubala in Sohrab Modi's Daulat in 1947. He also introduced Meena Kumari in Nanabhai Bhatt's Hamara Ghar and Mala Sinha in Hamlet, produced and directed by Kishore Sahu. Jankidas also introduced Khusboo in Sunil Dutt's Dard Ka Rishta.

Jankidas also wrote several books on the film industry. His popular books are My misadventures in filmland and Acting for beginners.

As a sportsman, Jankidas was the only Indian to have broken the world record in cycling between 1934 to 1942. He was also the only Indian member of International Olympic Committee at the Olympic Games in 1936 at Berlin.

In 1986, he undertook a fast unto death to seek tax benefits for the film industry and gave up his agitation after Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray intervened.

Jankidas is survived by his two sons and two daughters.