Film actor Mehmood was not only a great actor and a comedian. Kunwara Baap was based on the Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid. The film off course was released with a serious message on polio vaccination. Mehmood made this film ‘Kunwara Baap’ to raise the awareness on polio as his own son was affected by this disease.
With this film, Mehmood not only proved himself as a great actor but also a good director and he went on to direct many more great films like Padosan, Bombay to Goa both which were super hit films and much loved by the audience and viewers. But his best film and one on the top was the film ‘Kunwara Baap’.
In the film Mehmood has his polio struck son . The film had emotional moments between the father and son that brought tears to the eyes of the viewers and it was not just a super hit film but the film reached out to every part of India.
Since the film was for a cause, Indian Government made this film tax free and the tickets were sold at a very lost cost to enable more and more people to come forward and watch the film. The film to an extent was successful in bringing about the awareness of polio. The film went on for many months and was one of the highest grossing films despite tax free, in the year 1977.
In an interview Mehmood mentioned that in those days when his son was born he was too busy with 5 to 6 film shootings that he could not pay attention to his new born child and he soon was a victim of polio and hence feels responsible for his son’s polio disease.
He had therefore decided he would not let other children suffer like his son did and wanted to spread the seriousness and made this film to reach out to every corner of India and the parents ensure timely polio treatment for their children.
