madhubala ek ishq ek junoon 20th august 2013

In reaction to his death, Shabana Azmi wrote on Twitter: 'An era comes to an end. The superlative performance went on to become one of the most cherished acts of Hangal.

In movies he has played a very large number of character roles, mostly positive, with rare exceptions where his negetive roles became famous like in Manzil and Prem Bandhan . According to film expert Rajesh Subramanian, the producer Debika Mitra had signed Madan Puri for Inder Sen's role but a friend advised that A K Hangal would be a better choice. His best performances in his later years was in Shararat (2002) his character roles in Tere Mere Sapne (1997) and Lagaan. Ram Avtar, Bewafai till Sautela Bhai in 1996. He, as a character actor was part of 16 films with Rajesh Khanna as the lead hero like Aap Ki Kasam, Amar Deep, Naukri, Prem Bandhan, Thodisi Bewafaii, Phir Wohi Raat, Kudrat, Aaj Ka M.L.A. His pivotal roles in the films like Chetan Anand's Heer Raanjha (1970), Namak Haraam, Shaukeen(1981), Sholay, Aaina (1977), Avtaar, Arjun, Aandhi, Tapasya, Kora Kagaz, Bawarchi, Chhupa Rustam, Chitchor, Balika Badhu, Guddi, Naram Garam are considered to be among his best. He started his Hindi film career at the age of 50 with Basu Bhattacharya's Teesri Kasam in 1966 and Shagird, and went on to play as the man of principles playing the on-screen father or uncle of the leading men/women in the films in the 70's 80's 90's or sometimes the quintessential meek and oppressed old man. He later acted in many plays in theatres in India from 1949–1965.

He was jailed because he was a communist in Karachi for two years from 1947–1949 and after his release came to India and settled in Mumbai. He was involved with the theatre group IPTA along with Balraj Sahni and Kaifi Azmi, both of whom had Marxist leanings. He moved to Bombay after the Partition of India in 1949 after 3 years in prison in Pakistan. Following his father's retirement, the family moved from Peshawar to Karachi. He joined Shree Sangeet Priya Mandal, a theatre group in Peshawar in 1936 and continued to act in many plays in pre Partition Pakistan till 1946. He was an active participant in the Indian freedom struggle from 1929–1947. However, his primary occupation for the early part of his life was that of a tailor. His father's name was Pandit Hari Kishan Hangal. Born into a Kashmiri Pandit family, he spent his childhood and youth in Peshawar, where he had performed in theatre for some major roles.His family home was inside Reti Gate as mentioned in his memoirs.

Madhubala ek ishq ek junoon 20th august 2013