Introduction

Johnny Lever is an Indian film actor and one of the most noted comedians in Hindi cinema. Lever is one of the first stand-up comedians in India. Known as the king of comedy in Bollywood, Johnny Lever is a legend who reintroduced Indian cinema to the staple Shakespearean fool invoking side-splitting humour, all with a pinch of wit! But, while this household name is well-known for causing laughter riots everywhere he goes, there is a lesser-known side to him. Much like American humorist Erma Bombeck’s idea that a thin line indeed separates laughter and pain, comedy and tragedy, humour and hurt, Johnny Lever’s life too has been a boat rocking between fame and big struggles. 

Early life & education

Born in a Telugu Christian family, he is basically from Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh. However, he was brought up in Dharavi, Mumbai, and his father used to work as an operator in Hindustan Lever Ltd. His real name is John Rao Prakash Rao Janumala and he is the eldest among his three sisters and two brothers. Johnny was unable to complete his schooling because of his family's financial problems. As he was the eldest, he left school when he was in seventh standard and started doing small jobs such as selling pens on the roads of Mumbai by doing mimicry of Bollywood actors and dancing on their songs. He also learnt a unique style of comedy acting in Yakutpura, old Hyderabad. For young Johnny, his genuine passion for comedy blossomed amid all these hardships and these experiences played a pivotal role in making him what he is today. 

Job at Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)

He started working with his father at HUL but during free time, he used to entertain his colleagues by doing mimicry of Bollywood actors. In a function, he was asked to show his talent and he copied the talking style of some senior officials of HUL. After that he was given the nickname of Johnny Lever. He kept the name when he entered Bollywood. In 1981, he left the job of HUL after working for 6 years as he was not able to attend the office due to his shows. What's more, he was also earning good at that time. 

When Johnny met Lever

After a few years, Johnny’s father began to bring him to work at HUL. To his surprise, his son became popular among his colleagues, not for his work, but for his mimicry skills. This hidden talent needed a platform, and that came in the form of the company’s annual function where he mimicked some senior HUL officials. The absolute cracker-of-a-show earned him the nickname Johnny ‘Lever,’ and this was something that he carried with him forever. The response boosted his morale, and it pushed Johnny to try harder and make something out of his passion. Soon, opportunities of stand-up comedy shows began to pour in. His popularity grew by leaps and bounds, and he finally quit his job in 1981 after six long years to start working as a full-time comic. As he continued to garner popularity from the stand-up comedy shows in orchestras, he got a chance to join the Kalyanji-Anandji group, which gave him a more considerable exposure both nationally and internationally. Slowly, but steadily, Johnny Lever rose to become one of the first mass popular stand-up comedians in India. But, his tryst with the movies was yet to unfold. 

Stand-up shows

Johnny started doing stand-up comedy shows in the orchestras and slowly, he became popular. Then he got the chance to join the group of Kalyanji- Anandji and did many shows and world tours with them. It is being said that Johnny Lever is the first Indian stand-up comedian. In 1982, he got the chance to do shows with Amitabh Bachchan and it was during these shows that he was noticed by actor Sunil Dutt and he offered him a movie "Dard Ka Rishta". Till then, Johnny started getting TV commercials as well that further increased his popularity. 

The big movie break

Johnny got his first break in the industry with Tum Par Hum Qurban. It was during the shooting for this film that actor-director Sunil Dutt recognised his talent and offered him a role in his movie, ‘Dard Ka Rishta’ in 1982. Since then, Johnny Lever has worked in more than 350 films including Jalwa, Tezaab, Kasam, Kishen Kanhaiya, Baazigar, Khiladi, Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega and so on. Be it Harry’s abba dabba jabba in Judaai or Aslam Bhai’s Dubai Ka Chashma, his characters, though touted as side roles, have become timeless, thanks to his incredible comic timing. A legend in Indian comedy industry, Johnny lever has indeed done it all! From bringing comic respite to the most tense and thrilling scenes to transforming a villain’s lair into a house of comedy, his jokes and most importantly, expressions, never have—and never will—grow old. 

Personal life

The name of Johnny's wife is Sujatha and he is a proud father of a daughter and son named Jamie and Jesse respectively. Jamie is also a stand-up comedian and she has worked in some shows and movies. Despite becoming a star, Johnny is still a very humble person and we will love to see more of him in the future as well. 

A big change in life

His son was diagnosed with cancer and it broke him completely. This incident brought a big change in his life; his faith in God increased and he started preaching about religion. On the question of this transition, Johnny said, 

"It was God's will. I had always been a religious person, but one incident changed my life. My son was diagnosed with cancer. I was helpless and turned to God for help. I stopped working in films and spent all my time praying for him. Ten days later, when he was taken for a test, the doctors were surprised because the cancer had vanished. It was the beginning of a new life for me." 

Johnny Lever's life is a great source of inspiration for many people and we wish that he achieves a lot more in life. 

📜Conclusion:-

Talent is given by God but you should respect it by doing good work.