Chandra Mohan

Personal Life and Death Chandra Mohan liked to help needy people discreetly. He was fond of buying race horses, betting and best quality scotch whisky. Motilal, with whom he had shared screen, had similar interests which made them close friends. His other horse-riding friends included, besides Motilal, the Maharaja of Kashmir Hari Singh and of Gwalior Jeewajirao Scindia. Chandra Mohan's telephone number was 26333. He had a cook named Mohammed and a secretary Patel. Amongst his closest friends from the industry included Motilal, K. L. Saigal, K. N. Singh, M. Kumar, Prem Adib, Ulhas and Rajan Haksar. He often used to have drinks and treats with them, all the expense being borne by him. Known for his extravagant lifestyle, his financial condition kept worsening day by day. Despite that, Mohan kept fulfilling his luxury desires which included gambling and drinking heavily as a result of which, towards the end of his life, he had to sell his household possessions for money. An unmarried man, Mohan was looked after by a companion named Sheila James. Around March 1949, his health started detoriating steadily. Following an illness of 15 days, he realized he would die soon. On April 2 1949 (Saturday), he requested Sheila James to call upon Motilal and M. Kumar to him on his deathbed. Soon, at 10:15 a.m., Chandra Mohan passed away from a heart attack at a untimely age of 42 at his residence,16, Bikha House (now called Ram Mahal), Churchgate, Bombay (now Mumbai). Apart from Motilal, M. Kumar and Sheila James, no one was present at the time of his death, not even his siblings. Leonine in bearing and noble in character, Chandra Mohan was recognized for being a great actor, a great sportsman and a friend to whom all rushed in their hour of need.

Partial Filmography