Personal info
Known for
Actor
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
1957-08-14
Location
Andhra Pradesh, India
Edit pageJohny Lever
Biography
Johnny Lever (born John Prakash Rao Janumala; 14 August 1957) is an Indian actor and popular comedian who is known for his works in Hindi cinema.
He is one of the first stand-up comedians in India. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including thirteen Filmfare Awards nominations in Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role, and has won the award twice, for his work in Deewana Mastana (1997) and Dulhe Raja (1998).
He began his career in 1984 and has acted in more than three hundred Hindi films.
Lever was born on 14 August 1957 in a Telugu Christian family in Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh. His father worked as an operator in Hindustan Unilever plant where he also worked as a labourer for six years.
Lever was brought up in the King's Circle area of Dharavi in Mumbai. His mother tongue is Telugu and is fluent in Hindi, English, Marathi, and Tulu.
He is the eldest in the family consisting of three sisters and two brothers (including his younger brother Jimmy Moses).
Lever studied at Andhra education society English high school until the seventh grade as he could not study further because of financial problems in his family.
As a result, he decided to leave school and started working odd jobs, such as selling pens on the streets of Mumbai by mimicking some famous Hindi film stars of that time and dancing to the songs of Hindi film stars.
He also spent his early years in Yakutpura, an old city of Hyderabad, where he learned the unique style of comedy acting.
During a Hindustan Unilever company function, he mimicked a few senior officers, and from that day on, the workers said he is Johnny Lever. When he later joined the film industry, he decided to use Johnny Lever as his screen name.
Known for
Actor
Koi... Mil Gaya as Chelaram Sukhwani
Khiladi 786 as Inspector Bhalerao Kambli
Khatta Meetha as 'Award' Anushuman
De Dana Dan as Kaala Krishna Murari
Phir Hera Pheri as Munna Bhai
Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon as Johnny
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... as Haldiram
Ajnabee as Banu Pradhan (B.P.)
Chori Chori Chupke Chupke as Pappu Bhai
Shikari as Jafrani
Badal as Guler Mehndi
Jaanwar as Bajrangi
Sirf Tum as Niranjan
Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi as Bandaged Patient on Street