While many remember him as the most stylish Indian star, Feroz Khan to me is one of the most underrated actors of Hindi cinema.
While many remember him as the most stylish Indian star, Feroz Khan to me is one of the most underrated actors of Hindi cinema.
The man who gave Bollywood a taste of Spaghetti Westerns, Khan is synonymous with stylish cinema. As the poncho-clad gun-wielder in Khhotte Sikkay, or the righteous cop in Jaanbaaz, or the loud gangsta RDX act in
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shoot at sight: Feroz Khan during the filming of Yalgaar |
Welcome his last film the Pathan was all class. Interestingly, having won the Filmfare Best Debut Award (Didi, 1960), Khan was never known for great acting skill.
His critics say Khan's films are all gloss, no substance. His fans, however, say he is the desi Clint Eastwood. But they all agree on one thing his internationalism is legendary. Why his acting abilities are rarely talked about could partly be because of his choice of films potboilers, which were considered 'non-serious' and because he seldom played the lead.
Khan worked in several multi-starrers, playing second fiddle to many heroes. So even his significant performances were lost in the milieu. He, in some way, reminds me of Shashi Kapoor, another actor whose brilliance was outshone by bigger stars.
In Safar, for instance, Feroz played the suspicious husband Shekhar. A multi-layered role, it required him to oscillate between the realms of charm and qualm, something that Feroz did with u00e9lan but was sidelined by Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore's starry presence.
In Oonche Log, pitted against biggies like Raaj Kumar and Ashok Kumar, Khan delivered a notable performance even though he was a struggler back then. Those who think he was mediocre may not have seen his diverse range. Be it the sacrificing lover in Arzoo, the insecure business baron in Aadmi Aur Insaan or the happy-go-lucky sidekick in Dayavan, Feroz looked equally comfortable in each portrayal.
Several actor-directors of his time didn't bat an eyelid before casting themselves for the lead role, but Khan had no issues casting other heroes. Of the six films he directed during the peak of his stardom, Feroz played the lead in only two. While the virile Vinod Khanna was the face of Qurbani and Dayavan, Khan gladly shared credits with younger actors like Anil Kapoor (Jaanbaaz) and Sanjay Dutt (Yalgaar).
Khan, it seems, was gladder incorporating new styles and techniques in Indian filmmaking and it showed. He was one of the earliest ones in Tinseltown to push the envelope with his megalomaniac narratives. For a holier-than-thou Bollywood engaged in dramatic family sagas and innocuous love triangles, Khan's flicks were a revelation. With his banner FK International, Feroz introduced Hindi films to new levels of hedonism.
So as Feroz the filmmaker strived to modernise the Indian filmmaking, Feroz the actor was lost in the course. Whether we have earned a great filmmaker or lost a gifted actor, I can't decide.
