Makijany Mohan (24 April 1938 – 10 May 2010), popularly known as Mac Mohan, was a well-known Indian character actor in Hindi language films. Although, Mac Mohan acted in 218 films and remained popular as a rather sympathetic villain through the 1970s and 1980s with films like Don, Karz, Satte Pe Satta, Zanjeer, Rafoo Chakkar, Shaan and Khoon Pasina, he is mostly remembered for his role of Sambha, the sidekick of dacoit Gabbar Singh in Ramesh Sippy's blockbuster Sholay (1975).

Biographie

Early life and career
Mohan was born in Karachi in British India. Mohan came to Mumbai to become a cricketer, but joined theatre and became a Bollywood actor. He learned acting in the Filmalaya School of Acting in Mumbai.

Mac Mohan started his Hindi film career as an assistant with director Chetan Anand, before making his debut as an actor in his film, Haqeeqat in 1964. His last appearance was in Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge as guest appearance.

Besides Hindi movies, he also acted in Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Haryanvi, Sindhi, Gujarati and Marathi He had delivered dialogue in almost all Indian languages except Oriya. as well as in English, Russian and Spanish films.

He is the only actor where his real name Mac was used as his character name in many movies.


Illness and death
In November 2009, a day before he could start the shooting for Ashwini Dheer's Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?, he was admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri in Mumbai after his health detoriated. He had a tumour in the right lung, and died of lung cancer on 10 May 2010.
Asian Academy of Film & Television had a special prayer meeting on 14 May at Noida Film City. There was also a prayer meeting (chautha) on 14 May 2010 at Ajivasan Hall for family and friends, and from the oldest of his spot boys to Amitabh Bachchan attended the prayer meeting to pay their respect.


Personal life
Mac Mohan married Minny in 1986 and they had two daughters, Vinati and Manjari and a son, Vikrant. He was the maternal uncle of actress Raveena Tandon. He was Sunil Dutt's classmate in Lucknow from where he hailed. Mac Mohan's wife Minny is an Ayurvedic Doctor. It was when Mac Mohan's father was admitted to Arogya Nidhi Hospital in Juhu their interaction first started and later the relationship culminated into marriage. In the interview taken by professional writer Niilesh A Raje we learn that Mac Mohan had an excellent command over spoken and written English. Apart from reading newspapers at length he loved reading the Reader's Digest magazine a lot.