Shabana Azmi

Shabana Azmi (Hindi: शबाना आज़मी, Urdu: شبانه عظمي; born 18 September 1950 in New Delhi, India) is one of the leading actresses of parallel cinema. She is a film actress and social activist, and her performances in films in a variety of genres have generally earned her praise and awards including five wins of the National Film Award for Best Actress. She is married to Indian poet and screenwriter Javed Akhtar.

Early life and background

Shabana Azmi was born in a Muslim family. Her parents are Kaifi Azmi (an Indian poet) and Shaukat Azmi (a stage actress), both of whom were members of the Communist Party of India. Her brother, Baba Azmi, is a cinematographer. Her parents had an active social life, and their home was always throbbing with people and activities of the communist party. It was not unusual for her to wake up in the morning and find members of the communist party sleeping about, from a previous night’s communist social that ran late. Early in childhood, the environment in her home was inculcated into her a respect for family ties, social and human values; and her parents always supported her to develop a passion for intellectual stimulation and growth.

She completed a graduate degree in Psychology from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and followed it with a course in Acting at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. She described the reason she decided to attend the film institute, saying, “I had had the privilege of watching Jaya Bhaduri in a (Diploma) film, Suman, and I was completely enchanted by her performance because it was unlike the other performances I had seen. I really marvelled at that and said, ‘My god, if by going to the Film Institute I can achieve that, that’s what I want to do.’” Azmi eventually topped the list of successful candidates of 1972.

Career

Azmi graduated from the FTII in 1973 and went on to sign on Khwaja Ahmad Abbas’ Faasla and began work on Kanti Lal Rathod’s Parinay as well. Her first release, however, was Shyam Benegal’s directorial debut Ankur (1974). Belonging to the arthouse genre of neo-realistic films, Ankur is based on a true story which occurred in Hyderabad. Azmi played Lakshmi, a married servant and villager who drifts into an affair with a college student who visits the countryside. Azmi was not the original choice for the film, and several leading actresses of that time refused to do it. The film went on to become a major critical success, and Azmi won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performances. Upperstall.com described her work in the film as “an outstanding psychologically penetrating performance very different from those seen normally till then in mainstream Hindi cinema”, and famous independent filmmaker Satyajit Ray commented, “In Ankur she may not have fitted immediately into her rustic surroundings, but her poise and personality are never in doubt. In two high pitched scenes, she pulls out the stops to firmly establish herself as one of our finest dramatic actresses”.

She went on to receive the National Film Award consecutively for three years from 1983 to 1985 for her roles in movies, Arth, Khandhar and Paar. Another film Godmother (1999) earned her another National Film Award, taking her tally to five.

Azmi’s acting has been characterized by a real-life depiction of the roles played by her. In Mandi, she acted as a madam of a whorehouse. For this role, she put on weight and even chewed betel. Real life portrayals continued in almost all her movies. These included the role of a woman named Jamini resigned to her destiny in Khandhar, and a typical urban Indian wife, homemaker and mother in Masoom.

She also acted in experimental and parallel Indian cinema. Deepa Mehta’s 1996 film Fire depicts her as a lonely woman, Radha, in love with her sister-in-law. The on-screen depiction of lesbianism (perhaps the first in Indian cinema) drew severe protests and threats from many social groups as well as by the Indian authorities. Her role as Radha brought her international recognition with the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress at the 32nd Chicago Film Festival and Jury Award for Best Actress at Outfest, Los Angeles.

Some of her notable films include Shyam Benegal’s Nishant (1975), Junoon (1978), Susman (1986), and Antarnaad (1992); Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khiladi; Mrinal Sen’s Khandhar, Genesis, Ek Din Achanak; Saeed Mirza’s Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Aata Hai; Sai Paranjpye’s Sparsh and Disha; Gautam Ghose’s Paar; Aparna Sen’s Picnic and Sati ; Mahesh Bhatt’s Arth; Vinay Shukla’s Godmother. Her other films include the commercially successful Manmohan Desai’s Amar Akbar Anthony, and Parvarish and Prakash Mehra’s Jwalamukhi. Azmi starred in Hollywood productions such as John Schlesinger’s Madame Sousatzka (1988) and Roland Joffe’s City of Joy (1992).

Azmi debuted on the small screen in a soap opera titled Anupama. She portrayed a modern Indian woman who, while endorsing traditional Indian ethos and values, negotiated more freedom for herself. She had also participated in many stage plays, and notable among them include M. S. Sathyu’s Safed Kundali (1980), based on The Caucasian Chalk Circle; and Feroz Abbas Khan’s Tumhari Amrita along with actor Farooq Sheikh, which ran for five years. She toured Singapore on an assignment with the Singapore Repertory Theatre Company, acting in Ingmar Bergman’s adaptation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, which was directed by Rey Buono. Pointing out the differences in all these media, she once remarked that theatre was really the actor’s medium; the stage was actor’s space; cinema was the director’s medium; and television was a writer’s medium.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

In the initial stage of her career, she was linked to film director Shekhar Kapur. She married Javed Akhtar, a lyricist, poet and Bollywood scriptwriter on 9 December 1984. It was Akhtar’s second marriage, the first being with Bollywood scriptwriter, Honey Irani. Indian actresses Farah Naaz and Tabu are her nieces.

Social activism

Shabana Azmi has been a committed social activist, active in fighting AIDS and injustice in real life. Shabana Azmi has voiced her opinion on a variety of issues. Initially, her activism drew skepticism and was dubbed by some as a publicity gimmick. However, she proved her critics wrong and used her celebrity status to emerge as a high-profile social activist.

She had participated in several plays and demonstrations denouncing communalism. In 1989, along with Swami Agnivesh and Asghar Ali Engineer, she undertook a four day march for communal harmony from New Delhi to Meerut. Among the social groups whose causes she has advocated are slum dwellers, displaced Kashmiri Pandit migrants and victims of the earthquake at Latur (Maharashtra, India). The 1993 Mumbai riots appalled her and she emerged as a forceful critic of religious extremism. After the 11 September 2001 attacks, she opposed the advice of an important religious leader calling upon the Muslims of India to join the people of Afghanistan in their fight by retorting that the leader go there alone. Her strong reaction encouraged other moderate Muslim leaders to counsel restraint and tolerance, and to shun terrorism.

She has campaigned against ostracism of victims of AIDS. A small film clip issued by the Government of India depicts an HIV positive cuddled in her arms and saying: “She does not need your rejection, she needs your love”. In a Bengali film named Meghla Aakash she played the role of a physician treating AIDS patients.

Select filmography

She has acted in more than one hundred Hindi films, both in the mainstream as well as in parallel cinema. Several of her films have received attention in the international arena, including at the Norwegian Film Institute, the Smithsonian Institution and the American Film Institute. She has appeared in a number of foreign films, most of which have won international acclaim, including John Schlesinger’s Madame Sousatzka, Nicholas Klotz’s Bengali Night, Roland Joffe’s City of Joy, Channel 4’s Immaculate Conception, Blake Edwards’ Son of the Pink Panther, and Ismail Merchant’s In Custody.

• Ankur (1974) – Laxmi
• Nishant (1976) – Sushila
• Shatranj Ke Khiladi (1977) – Khurshid
• Sparsh (1980) – Kavita
• Arth (1982) – Mrs. Pooja Inder Malhotra
• Masoom (1983) – Indu D. Malhotra
• Mandi (1983) – Rukmini Bai
• The Bengali Night (1988) – Mrs. Sen
• Madame Sousatzka (1988) – Sushila
• City of Joy (1992) – Kamla Pal
• In Custody (1993) – Imtiaz Begum
• Son of the Pink Panther (1993) – Queen
• Fire (1996) – Radha
• Saaz (1997) – Bansidhar (Bansi) Vrundavan
• Side Streets (1998) – Mrs. Chandra Bipin Raj
• Earth (1998) – voice of older Lenny
• Godmother (1999) – Rambhi
• Makdee (2002) – Makdee
• Tehzeeb (2003) – Rukhsana Jamal
• Morning Raga (2004) – Swarnlatha
• 15 Park Avenue (2005) – Anjali “Anju” Mathur
• Waterborne (2005) – Heera Bhatti
• Umrao Jaan (2006) – Khannum Jaan
• Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (2007) – Nahid
• Loins of Punjab Presents (2007) – Rita Kapoor
• Sorry Bhai! (2008) – Mother Gayatri
• It’s a Wonderful Afterlife (2010) – Mrs. Mehta

Awards and honors

National Awards

Azmi has received the National Film Award for Best Actress five times:

• 1975 – National Film Award for Best Actress, Ankur
• 1983 – National Film Award for Best Actress, Arth
• 1984 – National Film Award for Best Actress, Khandhar
• 1985 – National Film Award for Best Actress, Paar
• 1999 – National Film Award for Best Actress, Godmother

Filmfare Awards

Winner:

• 1978 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Swami
• 1984 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Arth
• 1985 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Bhavna
• 2006 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

Nominated:

• 1975 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Ankur
• 1981 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Thodisi Bewafaii
• 1984 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Masoom
• 1984 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Avtaar
• 1984 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Mandi
• 1985 – Filmfare Best Actress Award for Sparsh
• 2003 – Filmfare Best Villain Award for Makdee

International awards

• 1993: Best Actress award for Libaas in North Korea
• 1994: Best Actress award for Gautam Ghose’s Patang at the Taormina Arte Festival in Italy
• 1996: Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress for Fire at the Chicago International Film Festival
• 1996: Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film, for Fire in L.A. Outfest

Other awards

Shabana Azmi has received various awards for her long association with movies, and her work as a social activist and as an active parliamentarian. Other awards received by her include:

• 1988: Awarded the Padma Shri from the government of India.
• 1988: Yash Bhartiya Award by the Government of Uttar Pradesh for highlighting women’s issues in her work as an actress and activist.
• 1994: Rajiv Gandhi Award for “Excellence of Secularism”
• 1998: Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress for Mrityudand.
• 1998: Was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund.
• 1999: Bengal Film Journalists’ Association Awards, Best Actress for Godmother.
• 2004: Zee Cine Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role- Female for Tehzeeb.
• 2005: Star Screen Awards – Best Performance in an Indian Film in English for Morning Raga
• 2006: Gandhi International Peace Award, awarded by Gandhi Foundation, London.
• International Awards for Best Actress for Gulzar’s Libaas in North Korea (1993), for Gautam Ghose’s Patang at the Taormina Arte Festival (1994) in Italy, and for Deepa Mehta’s Fire at the Chicago International Film Festival (1996).
• She was honoured with the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award /
• She was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Art by Chancellor of the University Brandan Foster by the Leeds Metropolitan University in Yorkshire

Since 1989, she has been a member of the National Integration Council headed by the Prime Minister of India; a member of National AIDS Commission (of India); and was nominated (in 1997) as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament. The United Nations Population Fund appointed her as its goodwill Ambassador for India, and the University of Michigan conferred (in 2002) on her the Martin Luther King Professorship award in recognition of her contribution to arts, culture and society.

Sarika

Sarika (Hindi: सारिका) (born 3 June 1962) is an acclaimed National Award winning Indian actress.

Early life

Sarika was born in to a Maharashtrian family in New Delhi, India on 3 June 1962.

Career

Sarika started her film career as a child actor (baby Sooraj) as a boy in the 60’s in Hindi movies. She appeared in many children’s movies as well as B grade movies . She moved to better films with Rajshri Productions Geet Gaata Chal with Sachin, with whom she starred in many Hindi and Marathi films and is known to have a brief affair as well.

In her acting career, she was often cast as the vamp or ‘westernized’ girl in films from 1980’s. She gave up her career after marriage with Kamal Hassan during the peak of her career. She has now made a comeback in Hindi films. She played Ipsita Ray Chakraverti in the film Sacred Evil which failed at the box office.

In year 2000, she won the National Film Award for Best Costume Design for the film Hey Ram, her performance in Parzania in which she plays the role of a Zoroastrian woman who loses her child during the 2002 riots of India, fetched her the National Film Award for Best Actress.

She also stars as Sheetal Thadani in the movie Bheja Fry (2007).

She also had a small but important role in Manorama Six Feet Under.

Her new upcoming movie is Shoebite (2010 film) releasing in 2010 where she is pairing with Amitabh Bachchan

Personal life

After her break up with Sachin, she was involved with an actor/model Deepak Parashar. Later she married renowned Tamil/Hindi film actor Kamal Hassan. They have two daughters Shruti Haasan and Akshara Haasan. Her daughter, Shruti made her debut in Tamil movie Vaaranam Aayiram as playback singer. Shruti recently starred in a Hindi movie called Luck opposite Imran Khan.

Sameera Reddy

Sameera Reddy (Telugu: సమీరా రెడ్డి)/(Tamil: சமீரா ரெட்டி) (born 14 December 1979) is an Indian actress.

Sameera has two sisters, Meghna Reddy and Sushma Reddy.

She graduated from Sydenham College. She did her schooling at Bombay Scottish School, Mahim, Mumbai.

Career

Sameera Reddy made her debut in ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas’s music video, “Aur Aahista”, when she was a graduate. The song was appreciated and her looks were noticed. She earned her ticket to Bollywood with a pivotal role in the Hindi feature film, Maine Dil Tujhko Diya in 2002. She is famous for her role in Musafir. Luck favoured Sameera in the South Indian Tamil Cinema where she recently acted in the movie Vaaranam Aayiram directed by Gautham Menon which proved to be a blockbuster. Sameera’s acting and modest portrayal of a confident and down-to-earth girl Meghna has earned her rave reviews. She is believed to have lost weight for the film and done extensive make up to pull off a slim good looking modern girl. Her performance has been rated one of her best so far and the character included very sophisticated dialogue delivery with more importance given to facial expressions. There has been a definite rise in her career graph and Sameera is looking to face the brighter side of Filmdom. Her role in Musafir gave her a glamorous image – one that she has evidently tried to shed through her choices thereafter. Sameera has a huge fan following and is working her way up to the top as a leading Hindi Film Industry actress. Apart from doing hindi Movies, she had also acted in quite a few telugu and tamil movies. citation needed

Filmography

Salma Agha

Salma Agha (born April 3 1962) is a popular singer from Pakistan who sang as well as acted in Indian films in the 1980s and the early 1990s. She won the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award in 1982 for the ghazal “Dil ke Armaan” in Nikaah.

Early life

Salma was grand daughter of 30’s/40’s famous actress Anwari Begum who played the role of Heer in the first ever Punjabi film in the Indian sub-continent Heer Ranjha (1932). Famous musician Rafiq Ghaznavi was her grand father and her mother Nasreen worked with K. L. Saigal in Shahjahan (1946) and Aik roz (1947). She was born to a wealthy father in Karachi and moved to London at the age of 9. Agha is the granddaughter of famous Indian actor – Prithviraj Kapoor’s brother-in-law; thus she is related to the famous Indian film family – Kapoors.

Career

Salma along with sister Sabina produced and sang for a record called AGHA – Salma and Sabina Agha sing ABBA hits in Hindi. The record made a few waves and was applauded by critics. However, it didn’t create any major ripples in the Hindi film circles at the time.

When acclaimed Indian director Raj Kapoor was at the London reception of his son Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s wedding, he invited his cousin Zarina Agha (Salma’s mother) to the reception. Present at the wedding were many prominent Indian directors, including B.R. Chopra. Chopra had just finished a female oriented hit with Zeenat Aman called Insaf Ka Tarazu. He had just commissioned a heroine-oriented movie called Talaq Talaq Talaq and was on the look out for a Muslim actress. Zeenat Aman (even though, half Muslim) he felt had a much too urban look to portray the character of Neelofar in his movie. Raj Kappor too was on the lookout for a Muslim girl his movie Heena. Soon Raj Kapoor nixed plans and went ahead with Prem Rog. Hearing that Chopra was looking for a Muslim girl, Salma flew to Bombay to meet him. Using her uncle Raj Kapoor’s connection, Salma was soon hired.

When the music directors heard Salma’s ABBA hits they signed her on to sing her own playback songs. The songs were a huge success even before the movie was released. The movie got stuck with the Islamic clerics who were to approve the movie before its release. They insisted on a name change and Chopra rechristened the movie Nikah. The movie went on to be a huge success and is considered a classic. It is one of the strongest debuts for an actress and a huge vehicle for a newcomer. She earned a Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. In addition to winning the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award for the song “Dil Ke Armaan,” she also earned two Filmfare nominations: one for the song “Pyar Bhi Hai Jawan” and the other for the song “Dil Ki Yeh Arzo”.

Salma soon purchased Reena Roy’s apartment in Bandra, while Reena packed bags to move to London with her new husband cricketer Mohsin Khan. However, Salma wasn’t interested in movies much, she soon was introduced to Mehmood Sipra, a New York City business man, who made Salma drop all her movie assignments and produced movies for her, beginning with Begum Sahiba and Bebasi. Sipra’s divorce came through while his love affair with Salma began to fade. Both movies were shelved and Salma was left without a husband or career.

Thankfully, her photos were constantly in magazines even though she hadn’t had a release since Nikaah and refused most offers made to her. Finally, after her break with Mehmood Sipra, she signed Babbar Subhash’s Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki with Mithun Chakraborty and Smita Patil. The movie was publicised with huge pictures of Salma, which in turn upset and overshadowed Mithun. This movie became Salma’s second release and another hit. She earned a Filmfare nomination for the song “Jhoom Jhoom Baba.” Salma went to Pakistan to visit her now married sister Sabina, living in Karachi and while visiting relatives in Lahore, she was offered Pakistani movies. She debuted in Hum aur Tum with Javed Sheikh. They both fell in love and Javed divorced his wife of 15 years and tied the knot with Salma. They were in such a rush for marriage that Salma Agha didn’t even dub for the Hum aur Tum. The bad dubbing job and the horrible story line killed the movie. Though the curiosity of seeing Salma and her box office power made the movie a hit in Pakistan.

Salma worked on many other movies in Pakistan, none with major recognition other than a movie that later got adopted into a Hindi version Pati, Patni aur Tawaif. Salma played the same character she had, in the Pakistani version and was once again teamed with Mithun. While shooting in Mumbai she also did Oonche Log with Rajesh Khanna and Salma . All of these movies flopped massively at the box office.

She recently went on tour promoting her album Husn.

Personal life

She was married at 16 years of age to a prominent Pakistani settled in London. A divorce soon followed.

After that Salma was married to actor Javed Sheikh. Soon Salma was going through another divorce. She carried on with a few more Pakistani movies then settled with the squash coach Rehmat Khan. She now shuttles between Islamabad and London with Khan and puts out an album of ghazals every few years.

Saira Banu

Saira Banu also Saira Bano (Hindi: साइरा बानु, Urdu: سائرہ بانو) (born 23 August 1944), an Indian actress, is a popular Bollywood heroine and the wife of the famous film actor Dilip Kumar. She acted in many blockbusters from 1960-80.

Early life

Saira Banu was born in India to actress Naseem Banu of 30s-40s, and the granddaughter of a courtesan Chamiyan Bai, also known as Shamshad Begum (not to be confused with the famous playback singer of yesteryear Shamshad Begum. Her father was film Producer Mian Ehsan-ul-Haq, who Produced film Phool in Bombay and film Wadah in Pakistan. Saira had spent a significant part of her childhood in London, and went on to finish school.

Career

Banu made her acting debut at 17 years opposite Shammi Kapoor in the 1961 hit film Junglee for which she earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. The famous song from this movie “Yaahoo!! Chahe koi mujhe junglee kahe” was a big hit. It was sung by the singer Mohammed Rafi. Junglee was written by Aghajani Kashmeri (aka Kashmiri and Agha Jani), who also coached her in Urdu dialogue delivery, given his background in Urdu literature and poetry from Lucknow. Junglee also instantly made her a successful actress throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. After having a long time affair with Rajendra Kumar^{[citation needed]}, she got married to Dilip Kumar in 1966.

Her valiant attempts to establish a reputation as an actress after Gopi, Sagina and Bairaag (all with Dilip Kumar) and films like Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Chaitali met with limited success. She did earn three additional Filmfare nominations as Best Actress for Shagird (1967), Diwana (1968), and Sagina (1974). In 1976, Saira chose to end her film career. Subsequently she weathered a storm in her marriage in 1980 which was quickly resolved. She then appeared in a cameo opposite her husband in Duniya (1984) and made her last film appearance in the 1988 film Faisla.

Filmography

• Faisla (1988)
• Duniya (1984)
• Hera Pheri(1976)
• Zameer (1975)
• Chaitali (1975)
• Resham Ki Dori (1973)
• International Crook (1973)
• Victoria No. 203 (1972)
• Saazish (1972)
• Purab Aur Paschim (1971)
• GOPI (1970) with Dilip Kumar
• Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969)
• Jhuk Gaya Aasmaan (1968)
• Padosan (1968)
• Aman (1967)
• Diwana (1967)
• Shagird (1967)
• Pyar Mohabbat (1966)
• Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai (1966)
• Saaz aur awaaz (1966)
• April Fool (1964) … Madhu/Rita Christina
• Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964) … Barkha Choudhry
• Door Ki Awaaz (1964)
• Bluff Master (1963) … Seema
• Shaadi (1962)
• Junglee( 1961) … Rajkumari ‘Raj’
• Sazish… Vikas Kaushal

Sadhana

Sadhana (Hindi: साधना, Sindhi: ساڌھنا) is a popular Indian Bollywood actress. She was born 2 September 1941 in Karachi, Sind, which was at that time part of India and since 1947 part of Pakistan. Her cousin was actor Hari Shivdasani, the father of actress Babita.

Early life

Sadhana was born in Karachi, the only child of Shivdasanis, a Sindhi Family. Her mother schooled her at home until she turn 8 year. They fled to Mumbai after the partition of India in 1947.

Early career

Hari helped Sadhana enter films. She was a chorus girl in Raj Kapoor’s Shree 420 in 1955. She played a second lead in a Sindhi film called Abana (1958), which got her noticed and entry to an acting school. The school was run by film producer Sashadhar Mukherjee, and also had another aspiring actress named Asha Parekh as a student. When Mukherjee was casting Dil Deke Dekho (1959), he gave director Nasir Hussain a choice between Sadhana and Asha to play the heroine; Hussain chose Asha.

However, for his next project, Love in Simla (1960), Mukherjee again gave his director, R.K. Nayyar (Raj Kapoor’s assistant) a say in who should play the heroine. Nayyar chose Sadhana, and she was paired with Mukherjee’s own son Joy Mukherjee in the film. During the making of the film, Sadhana and director R.K. Nayyar fell in love, and married in 1965.

Film career

R.K. asked Sadhana to style her hair with a fringe (like Audrey Hepburn); this hairstyle later became a craze and is still referred to as the “Sadhana cut” in India .

Sadhana’s film Mere Mehboob (1963) with Rajendra Kumar was one that helped make her career and is said to have some of her most beautiful closeups in early Technicolor. However, it was Raj Khosla’s “Woh Kaun Thi?” (1964) which really became a landmark in her career and gave her the image of the “mystery girl,” where her spellbinding performance kept everyone guessing to the very end. The film became a huge hit and earned her her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. Khosla was so enthralled with her performance that he would cast her in two more big-budget mystery films, Mera Saaya (1966) and Anita (1967). She would earn her second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress for the blockbuster Waqt (1965), where she set another fashion trend with her tight churidar kurtas.

In the late 1960s, a thyroid problem required taking a leave to goto Boston for treatment. Thankfully, she made a successful recovery, after her health scare, and continued to deliver hits like Inteqaam (1969), Ek Phool Do Mali (1969), and Geeta Mera Naam (1974), which she also directed. She then decided to retire from acting, saying that she wanted her fans to remember her as a young, beautiful leading lady. She and her husband formed a production company afterwards.

Personal life

Sadhana married R.K. Nayyar in 1965, she was happily married to him for nearly thirty years, till his death in the late 1990s. She still lives in Mumbai meeting with many friends and family and keeping busy with her beautiful home and multiple projects.

Today, Sadhana meets regularly for lunch with other 1960’s actresses: Asha Parekh, Nanda, Waheeda Rehman, and Helen.. Its mistakenly said that her daughter is actress Sheena who recently made her debute in telegu movies and starred in Tere Sang. She is the daughter of actress Sadana Singh

Personal quotes

On director Raj Khosla who directed her in the maximum number of films: “He had become a sort of family friend, and he knew my strengths and weaknesses as an actress. I felt comfortable working with him. We vibed well together.”

Filmography

Sagarika Ghatge

Sagarika Ghatge (8 January 1982) is an Indian actress. She was born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, in a maratha family and went to Chatrapati Shahu Vidyalaya in Kolhapur until 8th grade. She completed her 10th and 12th grades at Mayo College Girls School, Ajmer, Rajasthan and her graduation from HR college, Mumbai.

Sagarika has completed Kishore Namit Kapoor’s acting training course. She used to play hockey in her college time. She got many offers to act in ad films while she was studying in college but her father strictly refused her to undertake them, till she completed her graduation. She portrayed the role of Preeti Sabharwal, a member of the Indian women’s national hockey team, in the 2007 hit film, Chak De India. As a result of her role in Chak De India, Sagarika Ghatge has become a representative for Reebok.

She is a daughter of veteran actor Vijayendra Ghatage.

Filmography

She Works For Fashion Magazines

Rimi Sen

Rimi Sen (Bengali: রিমি সেন) (b. on 21 September 1981 in Kolkata, India) is an Indian actress working in the Bollywood film industry. Her real name is Shubhomitra Sen. She is also an Odissi dancer and performed in the dance troupe of the eminent Kolkata-based Odissi exponent, Aloka Kanungo.

Biography

Her last release was De Taali in 2008. In 2007 she appeared in Johnny Gaddaar alongside newcomer actor Neil Nitin Mukesh. She also had a cameo in 2006 film Dhoom 2.

Rimi is now going by the screen name Rimmi. She explains the name change as a career move: there are many other Sens working in Bollywood right now, and a single name may help her stand out from the crowd and stay apart from others.

Rimi completed her schooling from Bidya Bharati Girls’ High School in the year 1998.

Controversy

Rimi caused widespread offence in an interview statement in 2005, regarding the talent abilities of the director of the film Golmaal, Rohit Shetty. When complimented by a journalist on how good she’d looked in the film she was quoted as saying “Rohit Shetty is amazing as a director that he can even make a Black African look pretty”. Numerous social groups reacted negatively and called for Rimi to be made to apologise for the comment. The interview was removed from many online Bollywood related sites due to an onset of complaints from site visitors. Rimi has not made a formal statement on the incident from any medium at present.

Filmography

Reema Sen

Reema Sen (born 29 October 1981) is an Indian actress and model.

Early life

Reema Sen was born in Kolkata, into a middle class family in 1981. She completed high school from Calcutta, after which her family moved to Mumbai.

Career

Film career

In Mumbai, she began her modelling career, appearing in a number of advertising campaigns.

Later on, Reemma moved from modelling to acting soon after. Her first film was a low budget film, Chitram, in Telugu, in which she acted opposite Uday Kiran. Later she appeared in the Tamil film, Minnale, which was very successful. She tried to enter Bollywood but her first Hindi film Hum Ho Gaye Aap Ke flopped, and she decided to continue working in Tamil cinema. Her latest movie Rendu was also a successful movie in the Tamil cinema. People found her facial expressions in the film Thimiru endearing and her horrific turn in Vallavan exposed her abilities in the histrionic department.Her role in Aayirathil Oruvan was highly praised by viewers and critics.

Obscenity charges

In April 2006, a Madurai court issued non-bailable warrants against Sen and Shilpa Shetty for “posing in an obscene manner” in photographs published by a Tamil newspaper – Dinakaran owned by Sun Media. The report stated that the two actresses had failed to comply with earlier summonses for the same reason, hence the issuance of the warrants. The petitioner submitted that the paper had published “very sexy blow-ups and medium blow-ups” in its issues December 2005 and January 2006 issues, and which allegedly violated the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986, Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act 1956, and the Indian Penal Code Section 292 (Sale of Obscene Books). The petitioner further demanded that the images should be confiscated under the terms of the Press and Registration of Book Act 1867.

Sen responded that she had not received any court summons and also discounted the charges. She further claimed that the pictures were freeze-frame shots from a recent movie that only exposed her navel. “As far as my photographs go, what is obscene about it? If navel-showing is obscenity, then our traditional Indian outfit – the traditional sari – should be banned in the first place.”

In January 2007 outgoing Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal confirmed that Sen had written to him in order to enunciate guidelines against frivolous lawsuits against artists, but refused her plea on the grounds that she should have filed a formal petition instead of writing a letter.

Awards and recognitions

• Filmfare Best Female Debut (Tamil) (2000) for Minnale

Filmography

Reena Roy

Reena Roy (born 7 January 1956) was one of the top Hindi film actresses in India. She performed leading roles in many films from 1972 to 1985.

Early life and background

Reena Roy was the third daughter of a Muslim father and a Hindu mother. Her parents divorced after having four children together. She started acting in films in her early teens to support her mother and siblings.

Career

Reena Roy’s career in films started off with a non-starter, B. R. Ishara’s Nai Duniya Naye Log with another newcomer Danny Denzongpa, but it was shelved temporarily. Undeterred, B. R. Ishara cast both actors again in Zaroorat (1972), along with another newcomer Vijay Arora, and the racy film got her some attention. She was now called the “Zaroorat Girl.” Yet, she struggled for the next four years in B grade films that had feeble scripts and faltering leading men. The bright spot during this period came with her lively performance in Jaise Ko Taisa (1973), and her rain-soaked dance to the song “Ab ke Sawan” with Jeetendra raised temperatures.

Another break came after two years. At the outset Kalicharan (1975) didn’t seem like it had the makings of a hit. Subhash Ghai, a failed actor, was making his directorial debut, and Shatrughan Sinha, an actor known for his villainous roles, was making his first mark as a hero. But the film defied everyone’s expectations and became a surprise hit, and Reena as Shatrugan’s love interest got attention from audiences and from Shatrughan himself. They became an off-screen pair as well, and they signed several films together.

Reena Roy also made several films with Sunil Dutt. The successes of Zakhmee (1975) and Kalicharan led to her star vehicle Nagin (1976). Playing the title role of “female snake with mythological powers”, she avenges the death of her lover by ruthlessly murdering five men. The film became a huge hit, and Reena received her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. She was now one of the top heroines in Hindi films. Inspired by “Nagin”’s success, director, Rajkumar Kohli, cast Reena again in his next horror movie, Jaani Dushman (1979). Thereafter, the Kohli-Roy combination continued to give blockbusters, including Muqabla (1979), Badle Ki Aag (1982), and Raaj Tilak (1984). Reena Roy-Shatrughan Sinha became a famous team after “Kalicharan,” and had delivered yet another blockbuster thriller, Subhash Ghai’s Vishwanath (1978). But it was Reena’s appearance with Jeetendra in marital dramas like Badaltey Rishtey (1978) and Pyaasa Sawan (1982) that set her career soaring. The duo produced three of their greatest classics together – Apnapan (1977), Aasha (1980) and Arpan (1983).

Her role in Apnapan as the selfish gold-digger who abandons her husband and child and later wanting her son back, won her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award, beating out top actresses Nutan, Asha Parekh, and Rekha. (This was the precursor to the type of role that Meryl Streep played two years later in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)).

After the box office success of Aasha for which she received her second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress, Reena entered the 1980s as a leading lady in demand, securing herself roles with famous movie star like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, and Vinod Khanna.

Though professionally she competed with Rekha, off the screen they were good friends. Rekha helped Reena improve her costume sense and hair styles.

Reena Roy then concentrated on her career, with stiff competition from Hema Malini, Rekha. In 1982 alone, she had thirteen releases, by far more than any other actress. She was now demanding equal footing with Hema. Her characters became more versatile, as did her dances. She danced with the classical ‘natyam’ in Rocky (1981)), just as easily as the “Disco Station” number in Hathkadi (1982). She was the sophisticated city dwelling model in Karishma (1984) and as the village girl in Dharam Kanta (1982). She met the challenging demands of her double role in the Muslim social, Ladies Tailor (1981), and acted against Sanjeev Kumar.

At the pinnacle of her popularity, Reena’s strong desire to prove herself got her involved in a number of women-oriented films. Enacting the role of a tormented daughter-in-law in Sau Din Saas Ke (1980), she defies conventions to oppose her tyrant mother-in-law. With an author-backed role in Bezubaan (1982), she gave a portrayal of a woman whose past returns to threaten her present married life. In Lakshmi (1982 film) (1982), playing the role of a mis-fortunate tawaif, she dances to her never-ending tragedies. However, the film failed at the box office. But she was successful with her other home production – the musical comedy, Sanam Teri Kasam (1982), opposite Kamal Hassan and produced by her sister Barkha Roy.

She also starred in the Punjabi films Sat Sri Akal (1977) and Walayati Babu (1981)(paired with Amitabh Bachchan).

Personal life

In 1983, at the height of her fame, Reena Roy decided to quit films to marry Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan. Her last film was the tragedy Inteha (1984), in which she is raped and tormented by Raj Babbar. The film didn’t do well. One of Reena’s last releases was J.P. Dutta’s war-torn Ghulami (1985). Her husband tried to become a Bollywood film star; ultimately he was unsuccessful in acting and in marriage. Reena initially lost custody of their daughter Sanam in the divorce. However, after her ex-husband married a younger woman who didn’t want to raise a child, Reena regained custody.

Return

Reena returned to Bollywood in 1992, in a mature supporting role as a sister-in-law (‘bhabhi’) in Aadmi Khilona Hai (1993). Her unhappiness showed in her significant weight gain, and the insignificant roles that followed proved to even her die-hard fans that Reena Roy’s film career was over.. Her last film appearance was in J.P Dutta’s Refugee (2000). She has since turned to acting in television serials, such as “Eena Meena Deeka,” produced by her sister Barkha. After the serial ended, the sisters opened an acting school in 2004. Reena Roy has also campaigned for the Indian National Congress.

Filmography

1. Zaroorat (1972)
2. Milap (1972)
3. Jangal Mein Mangal (1972
4. Nai Duniya Naye Log (1973)
5. Jaise Ko Taisa (1973)
6. Goonj (1974)
7. Vardaan (1974)
8. Madhosh (1974)
9. Zakhmee (1975)
10. Umar Qaid (1975)
11. Rani Aur Lalpari (1975)
12. Apne Dushman (1975)
13. Nagin (1976)
14. Kalicharan (1975)
15. Barood (1976)
16. Udhar Ka Sindur (1976)
17. Gumrah (1976 film) (1976)
18. Sangram (1976)
19. Paapi (1977)
20. Taxi Taxie (1977)
21. Jagriti (1977)
22. Zamaanat (1977)
23. Gyaani Ji Sat Sri Akal (1977)
24. Jay Vejay (1977)
25. Jadu Tona (1977)
26. Daku Aur Mahatma (1977)
27. Apnapan (1977)
28. Vishwanath (1978)
29. Aakhri Daku (1978)
30. Chor Ho To Aisa (1978)
31. Bhookh (1978)
32. Badaltey Rishtey (1978)
33. Daku Aur Jawan (1978)
34. Karmayogi (1978)
35. Jaani Dushman (1979)
36. Heera Moti (1979)
37. Muqabla (1979)
38. Naya Bakra (1979)
39. Khanjar (1980)
40. Ganga Aur Suraj (1980)
41. Aasha (1980)
42. Sau Din Saas Ke (1980)
43. Be-Reham (1980)
44. Yari Dushmani (1980)
45. Kashish (1980)
46. Jwalamukhi (1980)
47. Naseeb (1980)
48. Ladies Tailor (1981)
49. Rocky (1981)
50. Dhanwan (1981)
51. Kachche Heere (1981)
52. Pyaasa Sawan (1981)
53. Jail Yatra (1981)
54. Walayati Babu (1981) Punjabi film
55. Hathkadi (1981)
56. Do Ustad (1982)
57. Sanam Teri Kasam (1982)
58. Main Intaquam Loonga (1982)
59. Insaan (1982)
60. Badle Ki Aag (1982)
61. Dharam Kanta (1982)
62. Baghavat (1982)
63. Lakshmi (1982)
64. Deedar-E-Yaar (1982)
65. Jeeo Aur Jeene Do (1982)
66. Bezubaan (1982)
67. Dard Ka Rishta (1982)
68. Arpan (1983)
69. Andhaa Kanoon (1983)
70. Prem Tapasya (1983)
71. Naukar Biwi Ka (1983)
72. Maati Maangey Khoon (1984)
73. Asha Jyoti (1984)
74. Inteha Raj (1984)
75. Raaj Tilak (1984)
76. Ek Chitthi Pyar Bhari (1984)
77. Karishma (1984)
78. Hum Dono (1984)
79. Kali Basti (1985)
80. Ghulami (1985)
81. Mangal (1986)
82. Yaadon Ki Zanjeer (1987)
83. Dharam Shatru (1988)
84. Aadmi Khilona Hai (1993)
85. Janam Kundli (1995)
86. Policewala Gunda (1995)
87. Kalyug Ke Avtaar (1995)
88. Smuggler (1996)
89. Raj Kumar (1996)
90. Ajay (1996)
91. Jeeo Shaan Se (1997)
92. Gair (1999)
93. Refugee (2000)

Awards and nominations

• Filmfare Nomination for Best Actress—Nagin (1976)
• Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award–Apnapan (1977)
• Filmfare Nomination for Best Actress—Aasha (1980)