Background

Johnny Lever was born John Rao Janumala on August 14, 1957, in Nandyala, Andhra Pradesh, India, but was brought up in Dharavi, Mumbai. Lever is the eldest son of Prakash Rao Janumala, an operator in Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL) plant, and of Karunamma Janumala. One of his brothers is Jimmy Moses, a famous Indian actor, and comedian. Lever also has one more younger brother and three younger sisters.

Education

Lever studied in Andhra education society English high school till the seventh grade but couldn't study further because of financial problems in his family. He decided to leave school and started working odd jobs, such as selling pens on the streets of Mumbai by imitating Bollywood stars and dancing to the songs of Bollywood stars. He also spent his early years in Yakutpura, an old city of Hyderabad where he learnt the unique style of comedy acting.

Career

Lever worked in the Hindustan Lever factory in Mumbai along with his father and while at work he would entertain his colleagues by imitating Elvis Presley. He was also asked to perform at a function organized by Hindustan Lever. Eventually, he began performing in musical shows organized by Tabassum Hit Parade and after earning a name for himself gradually went on to join the acclaimed Kalyanji-Anandji, a music director duo. Lever did many shows and world tours with them; his first big tour was with Amitabh Bachchan in 1982. At one of these shows, Lever was discovered by veteran actor Sunil Dutt who offered him a role in his film Dard ka Rishta.

Lever released his first comedy album in the 1980s titled Hansee ke Hungame which became popular not only in India, but around the world as well. During this time Lever had also begun doing commercials.

In 1986, Lever performed at a charity function called Hope 86 in front of the entire film industry and was highly appreciated by the audience. Following his performance, Lever was offered a role by Gul Anand in a film called Jalwa with Naseeruddin Shah.

Lever’s career began by him releasing an album in which he mimicked various Bollywood actors and created some famous characters, such as Chela Ramani while doing that. He made his debut with the film Tum Par Hum Qurban, followed by Dard Ka Rishta, Jalwa and his first hit film Baazigar. Despite acting in films, Lever continued doing live shows and is remembered for his performance at the annual Filmfare awards held in 1999 when he had imitated Michael Jackson. Apart from films, Lever had his own show on Zee TV called Johnny Aala Re and was on the panel of judges for a stand-up comedy reality show called Comedy Circus.

Lever's most acclaimed performance was the character of "Babulal" in the film, Baazigar. He is also remembered for some of his other famous characters, like "Chotta Chattri", "Aslam Bhai", etc. His performance in the film, Judaai and his dialogue in the movie, Abba Dabba Jabba are also notable. He also acted in a Tulu movie, Rang. His first Tamil feature film was Anbirkku Alavillai produced by Shepherd India Media Pvt. Ltd., released in 2011. He also had a special appearance in one Telugu feature film, Criminal directed by Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt.

Lever also appeared in several TV shows. He first appeared in an episode of sitcom Zabaan Sambhalke as Johnny Utolandand in 1993. Then he appeared on Zee TV in his own show, Johny Aala Re. In 2007, he appeared as a judge on the stand-up reality show Comedy Circus. In 2017 Lever joined the cast of Partners as Commissioner Googol Chatterjee.

He will be playing one of the leading roles in the upcoming movie Gara, which is to be released on May 3, 2019.

Achievements

• Johnny Lever has a very prolific and successful career and is considered one of the most influential Indian actors and comedians of Bollywood who has been cited as an inspiration by many other comics.
  
  He received thirteen Filmfare Awards nominations in Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role and has won the award twice, for his work in Deewana Mastana and Dulhe Raja.

Works

More photos

• movie

  • Love 86

    (Laxmidevi (Tanuja), a strict disciplinarian, wants her da...)

    1986
  • Deewana Main Deewana

    (Deewana Main Deewana is a 2013 Bollywood romantic thrille...)

    2012
  • Yamla Pagla Deewana

    (Yamla Pagla Deewana is a 2011 Hindi action comedy film di...)

    2011
  • Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani

    (Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani is an Indian Hindi comedy-dra...)

    2000
  • Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja

    (Roop ki Rani Choron Ka Raja is a 1993 Indian Hindi action...)

    1993
  • Golmaal Again

    (Golmaal Again is a 2017 Hindi supernatural comedy film, d...)

    2017
  • Hatya: The Murder

    (Ravi Lal (Akshay Kumar) lives a wealthy lifestyle with hi...)

    2004
  • ChaalBaaz

    (ChaalBaaz is a 1989 Indian slapstick comedy film directed...)

    1989
  • Dulhe Raja

    (Dulhe Raja is a 1998 Bollywood comedy film starring Govin...)

    1998
  • Paying Guests

    (Paying Guests is a Bollywood film starring Shreyas Talpad...)

    2008
  • Humraaz

    (Humraaz is a 2002 Indian romantic thriller film directed ...)

    2002
  • Kishen Kanhaiya

    (Kishen Kanhaiya is a 1990 Indian Hindi action comedy film...)

    1990
  • Ajnabee

    (Ajnabee is a 2001 Indian Hindi suspense thriller film dir...)

    2001
  • Singh Saab the Great

    (Singh Saab the Great, sometimes called SSTG, is a 2013 In...)

    2013
  • Raja Hindustani

    (Raja Hindustani is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language romantic ...)

    1996
  • Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen

    (Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen is a Bollywood movie starring ...)

    2005
  • Dulha Mil Gaya

    (Dulha Mil Gaya is a 2010 Bollywood romantic comedy film d...)

    2010
  • Deewana Mastana

    (Deewana Mastana is a 1997 Indian Hindi romantic comedy di...)

    1997
  • Aao Wish Karein

    (Aao Wish Karein is a 2009 Bollywood fantasy drama film di...)

    2009
  • Hero Hiralal

    (Hiralal, a rickshaw driver, falls in love with a starlet,...)

    1988
  • Anari No. 1

    (Anari No. 1 is a 1999 Indian Hindi language comedy movie ...)

    1999
  • Saawan... The Love Season

    (Saawan... The Love Season is a Hindi romance film directe...)

    2006

Religion

Lever is a practicing Christian. When asked about his transition, he replied: "It was God’s will. I had always been a religious person, but one incident changed my life. My son was diagnosed with cancer. I was helpless and turned to God for help. I stopped working in films and spent all my time praying for him. Ten days later, when he was taken for a test, the doctors were surprised because the cancer had vanished. It was the beginning of a new life for me."

Politics

On December 8, 1998, Lever was convicted and sentenced to seven days imprisonment for disrespect to the Indian National Anthem and Indian Constitution during a private performance in Dubai. According to the police, this private performance was on the occasion of the birthday party of the son of Anis Ibrahim, brother of international smuggler and terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

Membership

Lever is the president of MAAM (Mimicry Artist Association Mumbai).

Personality

Once, Lever mimicked a few senior officers during a function at the Hindustan Lever Ltd company, and from that day on, he was named Johnny Lever.

Physical Characteristics: Lever's height is 5' 5'' (165 cm), and he weighs around 146 lbs (66 kg). His hair and eyes' colour is dark brown.

Interests

• charity, music, movies

• Sport & Clubs

  football

Connections

Lever married Sujatha Johnrao Janumala in 1984. They have two children, a daughter Jamie, who is a stand-up comedian too, and a son Jesse.

Father:

Prakash Rao Janumala

Mother:

Karunamma Janumala

Spouse:

Sujatha Johnrao Janumala

Brother:

Jimmy Moses

Daughter:

Jamie Lever

Son:

Jesse Lever