Johnny Walker (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Johnny Walker
Walker in C.I.D. (1956)
Born	Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi Indore, Indore State, Central Provinces, British India (present-day Madhya Pradesh, India)
Died	29 July 2003(2003-07-29) (aged 78–79) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1951 – 1997
Spouse(s)	Noorjahan ​ (m. 1955)​
Children	6 (including Nasir Khan)
Relatives	Tony Walker (born, Kamaluddin Kazi) (brother) Vijay Kumar (brother) Shakila (sister-in-law)

Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi (born around 1924 – died 29 July 2003) was a famous Indian actor. He was much better known by his stage name Johnny Walker. He acted in about 300 films and was loved for his funny roles. He often played characters who were a bit clumsy or silly, which made audiences laugh.

Early Life and First Steps in Film

Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi was born in Indore, which was part of British India at the time. Today, it is in Madhya Pradesh, India. He was one of twelve children in his family. His father was a weaving teacher.

When his father lost his job, the family moved to Mumbai. Kazi found work as a bus conductor for the Bombay Electric Supply & Transport (BEST) company. He loved to entertain his passengers. He would call out bus stops in a funny way and do hilarious impressions and tricks.

From a young age, Kazi dreamed of working in films. He practiced stunts he saw on screen. He got his big chance in the film industry when actor Balraj Sahni met him. Sahni was very amused by Kazi's funny acts. He then introduced Kazi to the famous actor and director Guru Dutt.

A Star's Journey in Cinema

Johnny Walker's dream of working in films came true after meeting Guru Dutt. Dutt saw Kazi's talent for comedy. He gave him a role in the film Baazi (1951). It was Guru Dutt who gave him the stage name Johnny Walker. This name became very famous.

After Baazi, Walker appeared in almost all of Guru Dutt's movies. Guru Dutt encouraged him to make up lines and use his own life experiences in his acting. Johnny Walker was mostly known for his funny roles. He made audiences laugh with his unique style.

Some of his most famous films include Mere Mehboob, C.I.D., Pyaasa, and Chori Chori. These movies made him a big star. His most successful period was in the 1950s and 1960s. His career changed after Guru Dutt passed away in 1964.

Johnny Walker also worked with other great directors like Bimal Roy and Vijay Anand. He was very proud of his work in films like B. R. Chopra's Naya Daur (1957), Chetan Anand's Taxi Driver (1954), and Bimal Roy's Madhumati (1958).

After a break of 14 years, Johnny Walker returned to acting for his final film. This was Chachi 420 (1997), which was a remake of Mrs. Doubtfire. During his break from films, he had a successful business. He worked with precious and semi-precious stones.

Some songs were even written especially for him in movies! He was so popular that film distributors would often ask for him to have a song in his films. He also produced and directed a film called Pahunche Huwey Log in 1985.

Family Life

Johnny Walker married Noorjahan. She was the sister of the Indian actress Shakila. They had three daughters and three sons. One of his sons, Nasirr Khan, also became an actor. Johnny Walker had to leave school early, so he made sure his sons got a good education. He sent them to the US for schooling.

Johnny Walker passed away on 29 July 2003, after being ill for some time.

Awards and Recognition

Johnny Walker received awards for his acting:

• Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his role in Madhumati
• Filmfare Best Comedian Award for his role in Shikar

Filmography

Johnny Walker acted in around 300 films. Here are some of them:

1950-1959

1960-1969

1970-1979

1980-2000