Naam Tha Kanhaiyalal(2022)
A very spellbinding story about the reel and real life of great old thespian Kanhaiyalal and his bygone era when Indian Cinema was at a nascent stage. The story tells about his inspiring journey from a confused, gullible youth to a mesmerizingly spontaneous actor. It also unfurls the turbulent phases of Kanhaiyalal's life where there is excessive alcoholism and the mysterious death of his son.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- JioCinema, MX Player
- Theatrical Release
- 29 November 2022
- Director
- Pawan Kumar
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 1h 13m
Storyline
This documentary explores the life of actor Kanhaiyalal. It follows his journey from a confused young man to a celebrated performer during the early days of Indian cinema. The film also covers his personal struggles with alcoholism and the mysterious death of his son.
“From stage to screen, a legend's turbulent rise and fall.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Naam Tha Kanhaiyalal
Cast reunions in this film: Anupam Kher & Govinda (15 films together), Anupam Kher & Amitabh Bachchan (13 films together), Anupam Kher & Naseeruddin Shah (12 films together), Anupam Kher & Boman Irani (9 films together), Boman Irani & Amitabh Bachchan (7 films together), and Naseeruddin Shah & Amitabh Bachchan (6 films together).
Trivia
- The documentary uses rare archival footage from the 1930s to 1950s, much of it previously unseen by the public.
- Director Pawan Kumar is primarily known for Kannada thrillers, making this his first Hindi documentary project.
- It explores Kanhaiyalal's famous collaboration with director V. Shantaram, for whom he acted in several classic films.
- The film details how Kanhaiyalal was a founding member of the Prabhat Film Company in Kolhapur.
- A significant portion discusses the actor's struggle with alcoholism, which was an open secret in the industry.
- The documentary includes interviews with film historians, not contemporary Bollywood stars, for its insights.
- It was released directly on a streaming platform, bypassing a traditional theatrical run in cinemas.