Ajit: Remembering Hyderabad’s greatest contribution to Bollywood

Hyderabad : “Sara Shehar Mujhe LION Ke Naam Se Janta Hai” reminds us of the twirling mustachioed daku of Hindi cinema, Ajit. Known for his distinctive performance and incredible dialogue delivery, actor Ajit was the one who had revolutionised the way of villains’ slang in the world of cinema.  He entertained the audience, especially the movie buffs, for over 4 decades by appearing in more than 200 films.  Ajit’s Family background Born on 27 January, 1922 in Golconda, Hyderabad, Ajit was originally known as Hamid Ali Khan. Ajit was his stage name which he acquired after stepping into the world of cinema. His father Bashir Ali Khan worked in the Nizam’s army in Hyderabad .
Ajit along with his sons Shahid Ali Khan, Zahid Ali Khan and Abid Ali Khan and grand children Saadia and Saeb.
Ajit did his early education from a Government Junior College, Hanamkonda in Warangal district. He is survived by five sons:: Shahid Ali Khan, Zahid Ali Khan, Abid Ali Khan, Shehzad Ali Khan and Arbaaz Ali Khan.
Journey in the world of cinema Hamid Ali Khan aka Ajit was fond of acting since childhood. He left Hyderabad and landed in Mumbai to begin his career in the film industry. He was apparently so passionate to get into Bollywood that he reportedly sold his college books to pay for his journey to Mumbai, which is the heart of the Hindi film industry.  After some struggle, Ajit finally managed to get roles in a few films. He started his acting career with the film Shahe Misra opposite Geeta Bose, which was released in 1946. From 1946 to 1956, Ajit struggled to find his place in the film industry.