{{short description|Indian character actor}} {{more citations needed|date=April 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Ulhas | image = Ulhas in Basant.jpg | alt = | caption = Ulhas in ''Basant'', {{circa|1942}} | birth_name = M. N. Kaul | birth_date = {{birth date text|1913}} | birth_place = Ajmer, Ajmer-Merwara, British India | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1969|07|14|1913||}} | death_place = Bombay, Maharashtra, India | other_names = | occupation = Actor | known_for = | years_active = 1937–1969 | parents = | relatives = Indira Gandhi (first cousin) }}
'''Ulhas''' (born '''M. N. Kaul'''; 1913 – 14 July 1969) was an Indian actor, who played character roles in Hindi cinema from the late 1930s to the early 1980s. However, since he died in 1969, many of his films were released after his death.
==Personal life== Ulhas was born as M N Kaul at Ajmer in a Kashmiri Pandit family in the year 1913 to Chand Bahadur Kaul, who in turn was the brother of Kamla Nehru. This makes Ulhas, the first cousin of Indira Gandhi who was the third Prime Minister of India.<ref name="HindiRadio">{{cite web|title=Old actor Ulhas|via=YouTube|date=1 January 2024|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCeRQ0Z7iGA|time=2:52|access-date=6 April 2024|website=youtube.com}}</ref> He was also distantly related to actor Prem Adib. After completing his formal education, Ulhas left for Poona with the help of Prem Adib to try his luck in the Hindi film industry.
==Career== [[Image:Mumtaz Shanti, Madhubala et Ullhas dans Basant (1942).jpg|thumb|upright|Ulhas (right) in ''Basant'']] Ulhas came to Poona in search of work in 1935. After the initial struggle, he soon got his first film titled ''Wahan'', with the help of fellow actor Chandra Mohan, who also happened to be another Kashmiri Pandit. ''Wahan'' was being made under the banner of Prabhat Film Company headed by V. Shantaram and directed by K Narayan Kale. Ulhas came into prominence with ''Basant'' (1942) in which he was cast opposite Mumtaz Shanti. Coincidentally, another Mumtaz was signed in the film who played the role of Ulhas's daughter. This Mumtaz went on to become legendary actress Madhubala.<ref name="Dawn">{{Cite web |last=Noorani |first=Asif |author-link=Asif Noorani |date=10 February 2019 |title=Flashback: Fifty Years Without Madhubala |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1462968 |access-date=16 June 2021 |work=Dawn |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=5 February 2010 |title=Box Office 1942 |url=http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=147&catName=MTk0Mg== |url-status=live |access-date=21 November 2021 |publisher=Box Office India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205043708/http://boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=147&catName=MTk0Mg== |archive-date=5 February 2010}}</ref>
Even after being cast as the leading hero, Ulhas continued playing supporting roles. Some of his prominent films are ''Parbat Pe Apna Dera, Do Bhai, Jhansi Ki Rani, Laila Majnu, Amar, Nastik, Mirza Ghalib'' and ''Kundan''. For his performance in ''Kundan'', he was also nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category at the 3rd Filmfare Awards. A regular feature in V. Shantaram's films, he appeared in ''Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani, Dahej, Surang, Do Aankhen Barah Haath, Navrang'' and ''Sehra''. His filmography also has films like ''Guide, Sunghursh, Prince, Prem Pujari'' and ''Heer Ranjha.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=26 March 2023 |title=TAG ARCHIVES: ULHAS |url=https://madhulikaliddle.com/tag/ulhas/|access-date=6 April 2024 |website=Madhulika Liddle |language=en-GB}}</ref>
==Death== Ulhas died in 1969 when many of his films were pending for their release. The film ''Prem Pujari'' refers to him as "Late Ulhas" in its credits.<ref name="PremPujari">{{cite web|title=Prem Pujari|via=YouTube|date=28 January 2021|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w1cnFOYnUk|time=1:23|access-date=6 April 2024|website=youtube.com}}</ref> Ulhas's final film was ''Sawaal'' which released almost 13 years after his untimely death.
==Accolades== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="background:#154365"|{{font color|#FFFFFF|Year}} ! style="background:#154365"|{{font color|#FFFFFF|Title}} ! style="background:#154365"|{{font color|#FFFFFF|Category}} ! style="background:#154365"|{{font color|#FFFFFF|Work}} ! style="background:#154365"|{{font color|#FFFFFF|Result}} ! style="background:#154365"|{{font color|#FFFFFF|{{Refh}}}} |- | 1956 ! style="background:#FAEB86"|Filmfare Award | Best Supporting Actor | ''Kundan'' | {{nom}} | |}
== Filmography == {| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! {{Refh}} |- | 1955 | ''Baap Re Baap'' |Colonel Jung Bahadur | |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|0880419}} * [https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000245/1956 3rd Filmfare awards] {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ulhas}} Category:Indian male film actors Category:1913 births Category:1969 deaths Category:Male actors from Mumbai Category:Actors in Hindi cinema Category:Kashmiri male actors Category:Male actors from Rajasthan Category:People from Ajmer Category:Nehru–Gandhi family