Lekhraj Bhakri
- Died: 3 March, 1976 (Bombay)
- Primary Cinema: Hindi
- Spouse: Vedkumari Bhakri
- Children: Subhash Bhakri
Filmmaker Lekhraj Bhakri, who was active in the 50s and early 60s, has to his credit approximately 19 directorials. These include Rajput (1951), Thokar (1953), Dak Babu (1954), Naqab (1955), Tangewali (1955), Naag Padmani (1957), Aladdin Laila (1957), Naya Zamana (1957), Fashion (1957), Taxi 555 (1958), Sahara (1958), Panchayat (1958), Pyar Ki Rahen (1959), Chand (1959), Honeymoon (1960), Shama (1961), Ma Beta (1962), and Banarasi Thug (1962). Bhakri also penned the screenplay and dialogue for Ma Beta, Panchayat, Sahara, and Naag Padmani, also producing Banarasi Thug.
Bhakri worked repeatedly with certain stars such as Manoj Kumar, who was the hero of Banarasi Thug which also starred Vijaya Chaudhari, and I S Johar. Kumar was also the lead actor in Ma Beta, and Honeymoon. Shakila, Pradeep Kumar and Anita Guha also featured multiple times in Bhakri’s directorials. Bhakri’s Shama starred Nimmi as a woman who experiences heartbreak when she ends up arranging the marriage of the poet she secretly loves. While his Pyar Ki Rahen was a romance starring Pradeep Kumar, and Anita Guha, Chand featured Meena Kumari, Balraj Sahni, Pandari Bai and Manoj Kumar in lead roles in a plot that was set before the introduction of the Hindu Marriage Act of 1955, which opposed polygamy. Taxi 555 was a murder mystery starring Pradeep Kumar, Shakila, and Mahipal. Sahara starred Meena Kumari in the lead role of Leela in a tumultuous story; Meena Kumari received a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance, the only nomination for the film. Family drama Panchayat featured Shyama and Raaj Kumar, while Naag Padmani was a fantasy starring Shakila and Mahipal, who had also featured in Aladdin Laila. Naqab was a fantasy film starring Madhubala, Shammi Kapoor and Ajit, revolving around a damsel in distress who receives help from her fiancé and his sister. Tangewali starred Balraj Sahni, Shammi Kapoor and Anita Guha, who made her debut with this drama film. Dak Babu, starring Talat Mehmood, and Nadira, depicted the romance between a low-caste village girl and a young man of a higher social standing.
Brother of writer Mulkraj Bhakri, Lekhraj was the cousin of leading actor Manoj Kumar, and father of director Subhash Bhakri. He was married to Vedkumari Bhakri; the couple had five children. Lekhraj Bhakri passed away on 3 March, 1976 in Bombay.
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Filmography (13)
SortRole
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Banarasi Thug 1962
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Maa Beta 1962
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Honeymoon 1960
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Chand 1959
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Pyar Ki Rahen 1959
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Taxi 555 1958
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Naag Padmani 1957
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Fashion 1957
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Alladin Leila 1957
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Naqab 1955
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Tangewali 1955
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Tonga-Wali 1955
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