Realname
Ramjan Khan (1907-1964)

Born in 1907 *

Place of Birth Bilimoria (Gujarat)
28.05.1964 ?

Mehboob Khan was born in Gujarat to a poor family and as a youngster went to Bombay to make a career in movies. Though he had started to direct his own movies in the mid 1930s, the films he made after India became independent are regarded as his masterpieces. His social concern and political views soon became the foundation of his attempt to create realistic films for the masses.
Mehboob's Aurat shows his strong developement, but certainly Roti in 1942 was his best film before independence. Bringing Brecht's ideas on Theatre to the Indian screen Mehboob made Roti a study of capitalism. The film takes place in a fictitious country, where the difference between the urban and the rural population are even bigger than they were in India at that time. Mehboob's support of the farmers and the rural population as well a his strong criticism of western influences on Indian society remain the major topic of his films.
In 1949 Mehboob released his famous Andaaz starring three of India's finest actors: Nargis, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. In Andaaz Mehboob shows how western influence on personal relationships destroys a woman and her marriage.
Together with his cameraman Faredoon Irani Mehboob constantly tried to work out new styles and possibilities in his movies. He invested all his money to make a film in colour - Aan in 1952. Though strictly speaking Aan was not the first Indian film in colour, it certainly was the movie, that forced other producers to switch to colour. Aan was shot in 16mm and its copies where then blown up to 35mm for cinema release. In 1957 Mehboob released his most remembered film Mother India a remake of his earlier Aurat. This film earned Indian cinema a lot of recognition worldwide and was the first Indian movie to be nominated for an oscar. It remains among India's top classics.
Mehboob last release Son Of India was a commercial failure. His next project could not be finished. Mehboob died in 1964. Together with Raj Kapoor, Bimal Roy and Guru Dutt he is among those who defined Indian post independent cinema and who were able to combine commercial cinema with political views and social concern.

Khan has directed many blockbuster films the most notable being Andaz (1949), Aan (1951) and Mother India (1957), which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1957 He has directed 21 other films dating from the late 1930s. His earlier works were in Urdu, but his later material, including Mother India, were in Hindi.

Filmography

As Director
Son Of India, 1962
Mother India, 1957
Amar, 1954
Aan, 1952
Andaaz, 1949
Anokhi Ada, 1948
Elaan, 1947
Anmol Ghadi, 1946
Humayun, 1945
Najma, 1943
Taqdeer, 1943
Roti, 1942
Bahen, 1941
Alibaba, 1940
Aurat, 1940
Ek Hi Rasta, 1939
Hum Tum Aur Woh, 1938
Watan, 1938
Jagirdar, 1937
Deccan Queen, 1936
Manmohan, 1936
Judgement of Allah, 1935

As Producer
Son Of India, 1962
Mother India, 1957
Aan, 1952

As Script Writer
Judgement of Allah, 1935

Source :
SPICE (Society Promoting Indian Cinematic Entertainment)
http://www.spicevienna.org/showPerson.php?p=929