Mithun Chakraborty- The Disco Dancer

By: Sunil Noronha

Mithun Chakraborty was born on the 16th of June, 1947. He made his debut in Mrigaya, a Bengali flick directed by Mrinal Sen playing the role of an Adivasi.. Mrinal Sen picked him up after he had graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India. Despite being only his first foray into the industry, it won him a national award. The national award though didn't kickstart his career. He continued playing smaller roles without much notice. His initial "dry breakthrough" was broken with Disco Dancer. Disco Dancer was the trendsetter of its time. A part from being such a huge hit, it cast away the traditional look of Bollywood and brought in the disco age with its open shirt, tight bell-bottom trousers high heel boots fashion styling. Disco Dancer onwards he was every producers and filmmakers dream actor. Disco Dancer took his name to Russian and then on he has been unofficially accorded celebrity status. Disco Dancer was such a big hit in Russia that it reached its Golden Jubilee. Post Disco Dancer, he expanded his range of movies with films like Ghar Ek Mandir, Parivaar, Swarg Se Sunder and romantic movies like Pyar Jukhta Nahin.

After tasting success and being a virtual one-man industry, he slipped down to doing was called (and a name he refuted) B&C grade films. After retirement from active acting, he settled down with his hotels business, Monarch Group of Hotels based in the hills of Ooty in Tamilnadu. He still dabbles in films but only when shooting is around Ooty. He made his comeback in Elaan after a long hiatus from the screen. He was last seen on the screen in Chingaari co starring opposite Sushmita Sen.

He has given back to the society in the form of Aamra, an organization dedicated to Thalassemia sufferer-a habit he developed ever since he was able to afford it. While in his hayday, He kept on helping the poor and downtrodden with medical help and also with educational backup. His other contributions to the society are his patronage towards the causes of the Leukaemia Research Society and the starting of the Bengali Football Academy.

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