Mehar Mittal was soul of Punjabi films: Co-actors

Jasmine Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 22

Punjabi film actor Vijay Tandon knew Mehar Mittal for almost 50 years. The two actors worked together in “Maa Da Ladla”, “Teri Meri Ek Jindari” and many more films. “Many Punjabi films were re-released because the distributors wouldn’t take any film that didn’t have him in the star cast. Mehar had a wonderful Malwai accent and he would improvise his dialogues amazingly well,” he said.

Nirmal Rishi, actor, said: “We worked together in five-six films. He used to do a lot for the underprivileged children. Once we had gone on a tour to Canada. I asked him if he wanted to go out to a party. He said je othe meat te sharaab hoi, fer apaa nai jaana. Fer aithe hi missi roti mangwa lavange. Mehar Mittal was nothing less than a superstar. He would charge more money than actors and the producers willingly paid him.”

Famous actor Gugu Gill said: “There was a time when only question a distributor would ask before taking a film was ‘Is vich Mehar Mittal ne’?”

Film producer JS Cheema said: “I had the opportunity to see Mehar Mittal working in ‘Chann Pardesi’. He was indeed a director’s delight. The Punjabi film industry has lost a cooperative and down-to-earth actor.”

His simplicity floored all, recall friends

Bathinda: PD Goyal, a close friend of Mehar Mittal, said the veteran actor stayed at his house last month. At that time he appeared fine, but later he was admitted to a hospital in Ahmedabad with a clot in his brain, he said. Jatinder Goyal, another friend of Mehar Mittal, said everyone in the film industry respected him owing to his simple living.  Mehar Mittal had a long association with the city. He worked as a teacher and later moved to Chandigarh. He used to play roles in Ram Leela and became hit with audience with his comedy. He later acted in plays that helped him get a break in movies.  — Sukhmeet Bhasin

Leaders mourn actor’s death

Chandigarh: Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal expressed grief over the death of the actor. PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh said Mittal's contribution to the Punjabi film industry was immense. AAP state convener Gurpreet Singh Waraich said Mehar Mittal was an asset for the Punjabi film industry.