REMEMBERING BOLLYWOOD'S CHARACTER ACTOR "DAVID ABRAHAM "

                                                                      

                                                                        

                                                              ( David with Nehru )

                                                           ( David with Satyajit Ray )
                                                                             

                                          ( With actor  Amol Palekar )

CHARACTER ACTOR DAVID ABRAHAM ( 1909-1981)..

“ To Aap Hain film BOOT POLISH ke John Chacha . Array aap to Gazab ke Compere Bhi hain. Aagay se Koyee Bhi Function ho , Aap hi Compere Kiya karein”

                                                         Or

“ So you are John uncle of BOOT POLISH movie. O You are a fantastic compere . Henceforth , you should only compere all such functions “

That is what Nehru told film Actor David when he heard his Voice while he was managing the dais at a function.

In An Interview David has Said :

" I have rubbed shoulders with a galaxy of talent, both men and women. As colleagues and co-artists they have been wonderful. God bless them and may they thrive and strive to put India on the map of the film world.When I think back upon my own career, I remember Cardinal Wolsey’s cry of anguish and could find occasion to echo it in my own words:

“Had I served myself as diligently as I have served the Indian film producers I wouldn’t have found myself broke in this my old age.”

Let me assure you, however, that despite the disillusionment and the disappointments, I still love my profession and believe with every actor, stage and screen, that “There is no business like show business.”

David Abraham Cheulkar was born in 1909 in Thane, a city in Maharashtra. He was the youngest child of Abraham and Dinah Chewoolkar, members of India’s  Marathi speaking Jewish( Bene Israel) community .He was a qualified Lawyer .

Some Notable films done by him are Panna; Kismet (This film had a record that it played for three years continuously at a theatre in Calcutta), Draupadi, Nal- Damayanti, Apna Ghar, Shehnai, Boot Polish,  Chupke Chupke , Rahi, Shehar Aur Sapna, Mahatma (in Marathi) ,Himalaya Ki Godh Mein, Abhimaan , Amar Deep, samaajh ko Badal Daalo , Ek phool do mali, Baton Baton Mein, Hathi meray sathi, Dus Nambri, Satyam Shivam Sundaram , Nanak Naam Jahaaz Hai and many more .

His close friends included Prithvi Singh, Jairaj, Naimpally, K.N. Singh, Mubarak, Amol Palekar and famous Photographer Dattu Koparde.

His involvement with sport led him to be an active member in leading clubs in Bombay such as Cricket Club of India (CCI) and the Bombay Gym-khana and The National Sports Club with facilities in Bombay and New Delhi.

In every Meeting relating to sports he would say;

“Please take away politics from sport, and introduce sporting values in politics”

He migrated to Canada in 1979 to live with his Nephew and niece . He made a movie in Canada called “Love in Canada”. He also acted in a play in Hamilton about the Holocaust. He also made a documentary called “Bridges” for the Film Board of Canada.

David suffered a massive stroke and died in Toronto  ( Canada ) on Saturday, January 2, 1982. He is buried in Hamilton in the Beth Jacob Synagogue Cemetery.

( Autar Mota )

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