Manik Irani (Billa)

QAMYAB – THE FORGOTTEN GEMS OF BOLLYWOOD

Qamyab is our humble tribute to all those lesser-known actors, one hit wonders and junior artists who we see umpteen times but don’t know about; beyond their faces. These actors have been an integral part of Bollywood but didn’t get their due. This series is our sincere attempt to put a name to these faces, familiarize them to our readers and celebrate their achievements in life – however big or small. We believe that every artist contributes in his/her own way to the cinema’s success. Qamyab will explore the unknown lives of such actors and artists as we believe even these forgotten gems of Bollywood deserve their due recognition today.

In the ’70s, M.B. Shetty (or Shetty as he was popularly known) dominated the fight sequences in Bollywood. He invariably played the villain’s henchman who would get beaten up by the film’s hero. Later, few other fighters like Yusuf Khan (Zebisko), Mahesh Anand and Dan Dhanoa got added to this list. Another guy, who made a name for himself in this category, was Manik Irani.

Being a Parsi who are known to be thorough gentlemen, Irani was one of a kind as he had a chiselled physique with a menacing look and many a times, his wicked laughter would scare children. In fact, Manik’s lean and mean physique reminded everyone of the legendary Bruce Lee when he did a bare-chested fight scene with Shatrughan Sinha in Kalicharan (1976). This scene had him displaying various form of martial arts which were seen before only in Hollywood films.

Manik Irani was born on 23rd October, 1953 in a Parsi family in Mumbai. Being a huge Dara Singh fan, he was always interested in body building. In his younger days in the early ’70s, which was just the beginning of ‘Angry Young Man’ phenomenon, Manik got a chance to enter the film industry at the right time when action ruled the roost.

Manik Irani met Shetty for work purpose but the veteran fighter cautioned him that the job of a stunt man or a body double is not easy and he may end up hurting himself badly. However, Irani was undeterred and agreed to be part of Shetty’s action team and worked under him as a stunt double to all the top heroes of that time including superstar Amitabh Bachchan. During the filming of Don (1978) Manik Irani performed most of the stunts for Bachchan; be it the chase scene in the crowded ‘dhobi ghat’ or climbing the building, etc.

Manik Irani had made his Bollywood debut in 1974 with a small role in Paap Aur Punya. He was later seen in many films as the villain’s henchman or right hand who eventually gets bashed up by the hero. These films included Deewaar (1975) as Peter’s (Kuljeet) henchman during the iconic warehouse fight scene of Amitabh Bachchan and Trishul (1978) where he played Shetty’s lackey in the action scene where Bachchan arrives with an ambulance.

Until the next few years, Manik was getting blink and miss roles only where he would be part of the villain’s gang. His major turning point came with Mr. Natwarlal (1979) where he played the character of dumb villager, who is actually the main villain Amjad Khan’s informer. This character gave due recognition to Manik Irani and soon enough from ’80s onwards, he began to get meatier villainous roles with dialogues or one-liners.

In the early ’80s, Manik made his look even more menacing with his bulked-up physique and a full bearded look often smiling with his front teeth visible which gave goose bumps to the younger audience. He appeared in many big films of that era like Shaan (1980), Naseeb (1981), Silsila (1981), Raksha (1981), Johny I Love You (1982), Nastik (1983), Wanted (1984), Awaaz (1984), Duniya (1984), Sunny (1984), Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki (1984), Geraftaar (1985), Mard (1985), Aandhi-Toofan (1985), Ilzaam (1986), Muddat (1986), Karma (1986), Palay Khan (1986), Insaaf (1987), Marte Dam Tak (1987), Dance Dance (1987), Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988), Mar Mitenge (1988), Commando (1988), Toofan (1989), Ilaaka (1989) and Dana Paani (1989).

During this time, a film gave him a new name which got stuck with him forever. That movie was Subhash Ghai’s Hero (1983), which had him playing a dreaded goon called Billa. His fight scene with newcomer Jackie Shroff was appreciated but what caught the audience’s attention was the name Billa which became Manik Irani’s new identity. It was similar to Yusuf Khan getting the name Zebisko. In most of his later movies, Manik Irani was called Billa and even the audience referred to him as Billa in the real world. Such was his recognition as Billa that a decade later in another Jackie Shroff film Gardish (1993), audience actually mistook the newcomer villain Mukesh Rishi to be Manik Irani due to his similar menacing looks and the character also named Billa Gillani.

Manik dominated the ’80s Bollywood by appearing in every second movie as a villain’s accomplice or a street thug. He also worked as an action director in Aamne Samne (1982), Love in Goa (1983), Duniya (1984), Inteha (1984), Bhago Bhoot Aaya (1985), Saaheb (1985) and few others. Later, Mahesh Anand had disclosed that Manik Irani was a fight guru to actors like him and he would personally train them for the action sequences.

Throughout the ’80s, Irani was a regular in most Amitabh Bachchan and Mithun Chakraborty films. Amusingly, in the 1989 actioner Ilaaka, Mithun Chakraborty tells Manik Irani before a fight, “Kitni baar mujhse maar khayega. Teri dhulaai dekh dekh ke public bhi bore ho gayi hai (How many times will you get beaten up by me. Even the public is bored now)” as every film in those days had Mithun bashing up Irani.

One iconic character which fell in Manik’s kitty was Zebisko in Manmohan Desai’s Mard (1985). This character was originally to be played by Yusuf Khan (popularly known as Zebisko) after Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and Naseeb (1981). Unfortunately, Khan passed away before he could shoot for the film and Manik Irani was brought in as the last-minute replacement.

Another memorable role for Manik was when Ramsay Brothers cast him as the monster in Purani Haveli (1989) taking a break from their regular Anirudh Agarwal. Manik Irani looked really scary in this movie. However, Purani Haveli didn’t do so well at the box office and the Ramsays’ reverted to Agarwal for their next Bandh Darwaza (1990).

In his overall career, audience remember Manik Irani in negative roles only but he played the rare positive character in Vishwanath (1978) and Aamne Samne (1982). His only appearance in Marathi cinema was Maal Masala (1992) which had an ensemble cast of Ashok Saraf, Varsha Usgaonkar, Nilu Phule and Jayshree Gadkar. Manik had a small role in it as a karate instructor to Ashok Saraf and was credited as ‘Black Belt Champion Manik Irani’.

In real life, Manik Irani was a fitness enthusiast but also a heavy drinker and it is said that he would do his workout after consuming alcohol to increase his metabolism.

In the early ’90s also, Manik Irani continued working in many films like Chor Pe Mor (1990), Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri (1990), Farishtay (1991), Mast Kalandar (1991), Fateh (1991), Trinetra (1991) and Pratikaar (1991). This was the time he acted with then upcoming hero Akshay Kumar in Saugandh (1991) and Deedar (1992). But by then, Manik had totally turned towards alcohol and started getting obese which was visible in his final movies. At one point of time, he contracted jaundice and was prohibited from alcohol but still continued to drink which took a toll and he passed away on 16th June, 1991.

Manik Irani died a very sad death and there were speculations over the reasons for his death. Some claimed he committed suicide, few said he died while doing a stunt for a movie but during our research for this series, one of his close relatives disclosed to us that Manik died due to jaundice and consumption of alcohol while being treated for it.

Manik’s death was not known to many as his films released after his death with the much-delayed Talaashi coming as late as 1996. This was the reason he was mistaken as the main villain in Gardish (1993). Almost ten years after his death, his final film titled Badla Aurat Ka (2001) released in theatres. This lesser-known film starred Sahila Chaddha in lead role with Raza Murad and Ranjeet. Manik Irani also featured in its posters which made his fans believe that he is still alive.

Manik’s son Shanoor Irani tried to step in his dad’s footsteps and acted in a few films; best known as the Negro guy who fights with Govinda in Hadh Kar Di Aapne (2000). Shockingly, he too passed away at a young age like his father.

Today’s youngsters may not know Manik Irani but for the ’80s kids, the name Billa will strike an instant chord. That’s the name which will always remain synonymous with Manik Irani.