On November 11, Johnny Walker would have been 100 years old. Not that age matters for this timeless comic, who insisted that his comedy on screen should be clean and watchable for the entire family. 17 years before his birth, a cult whiskey brand named Johnnie Walker had been ‘born’ in Scotland, named after its brewery’s founder, John Walker.
But our Johnny was named so by actor-filmmaker Guru Dutt, when actor Balraj Sahni introduced them and the comedian impersonated a drunkard. Dutt took such a fancy to him that he christened Badruddin Jamaluddin Khan Kazi on the spot after the liquor brand and ensured a role in each of his films thereon. The sole exception was Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) where director Abrar Alvi refused to dilute the serious subject with a comic. Otherwise, Johnny even got a distinctive song in each of his movies.
Interestingly, Johnny never tasted a drop of alcohol in his life. And as he told his son, actor Nasir Khan, later, “I am paid to be Johnny Walker,” which meant his on-screen acting, looks, gait and speech. For this man, family and profession lay in watertight separate compartments. He forgot films at home, even locking up his trophies in a cupboard, but immersed himself into his character on sets, though he ended work at 6.30 pm and never worked on Sundays.
While his first film was Hulchul in 1951 in just a scene with Dilip Kumar (with whom he formed a famous friendship), his major break came in the same year with Dutt’s Baazi. And while most of his characters stood out for a cohesive link with the script, his individualistic humor was so endearing and engaging, come Naya Daur, Pyaasa, CID or Chachi 420, his 1997 swan song, that his mere appearance on screen brought a smile or a chuckle to audiences.
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(Incidentally, Johnny never did anything than comedy, but the sole and standout exception was Anand, in which he moved audiences to tears with his character shaped by writer-director Hrishikesh Mukherjee and dialogues writer Gulzar.)
Distributors soon began to insist on him and also for a song, and over 150 songs were filmed on him. Kishore Kumar got to sing for him in R.D. Burman’s Sanjog and Rajesh Roshan’s Rishta Kagaz Ka. Johnny and Kishore shared a close friendship and Johnny would accompany him on his shows besides co-starring with him in several films and speaking a few lines in his Dev Anand hit song, Chahe koi khush ho, in the 1954 Taxi Driver. Manna Dey and Mahendra Kapoor sang a few songs for hi too, but it was Mohammed Rafi who got the lion’s share.
Manna Dey’s most popular song for the comedian was Kisne chilman se maara (Baat Ek Raat Ki) composed by S.D. Burman, though Kalyanji-Anandji and C. Ramachandra also used his voice.
Mahendra Kapoor again sang for him under C. Ramachandra, but his most popular songs for the funnyman were the O.P. Nayyar compositions, Ankhon ki talaashi de de (Dil Aur Mohabbat) and Yaaron ki tamanna hai(Kahin Din Kahin Raat). Ironically, this was the phase in which Nayyar had stopped recording with Rafi after an ego issue!
But Rafi’s effortlessly molding of his texture, pitch and playful tenor to match Johnny’s persona made audiences believe that the actor was singing many of the songs himself. Producers, distributors and music directors realized that having this deadly combo bolstered a film’s appeal: a first for a comedian-singer team, that was never equaled again.
Here is a list of a dozen Rafi’s crème-de-la-crème for this icon.
- Ae dil hai mushkil – CID (1956) Music: O.P. Nayyar
- All line clear – Chori Chori (1956) Music: Shankar-Jaikishan
- Arey na na na na na na tauba – Aar Paar (1954) Music: O.P. Nayyar, where Johnny romanced his future wife, Noor, on screen.
- Jaane kahan mera jigar gaya ji – Mr. & Mrs. 55 (1955) Music: O.P. Nayyar
- Jangal mein mor nacha kisine na dekha – Madhumati (1958) Music: Salil Chowdhury
- Main Bambai ka babu – Naya Daur (1957) Music: O.P. Nayyar
- Maine kaha tha aana Sunday ko – Ustadon Ke Ustad (1963) Music: Ravi
- Munh se mat laga chij hai buree – Johnny Walker (1957) Music: O.P. Nayyar, making Johnny Walker the only actor in the world to have a film named after him!
- O mere yaar Tommy – Night In London (1967) Music: Laxmikant-Pyarelal
- O Peter o brother – Kaagaz Ke Phool (1957) Music: S.D. Burman
- Sar jo tera chakraaye – Pyaasa (1957) Music: S.D. Burman
- Yeh duniya gol hai – Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) Music: Ravi
