Rakhee Gulzar

Raakhee Gulzar (born Rakhee Majumdar on 15 August 1947 and known as Raakhee) is an Indian actress who has appeared in many Hindi films and Bengali films as well. In four decades of acting, she has won three Filmfare Awards and one National Film Award, apart from many other awards. At Filmfare, Raakhee has been nominated 16 times in all (8 times for Best Actress and 8 times for Best Supporting Actress).She debuted in the Bengali film ''Bodhu Boron'' in 1967 with Geeta Dutta in the lead role. Her first Hindi film was '' Jeevan Mrityu'' in 1970.

Early life

Rakhee was born in a Bengali family at Ranaghat in the Nadia district of West Bengal in the early hours of 15 August 1947, just hours after the independence of India. She received her early education in a local girls' school. Her father had a flourishing shoe business in his native village in East Bengal, modern-day Bangladesh, before the partition of India, and thereafter he settled in West Bengal. While still a teenager, Raakhee had an arranged marriage to Bengali journalist/film director Ajay Biswas, which ended shortly afterwards.

At the start of her film career, she dropped her surname and was mentioned in film credits only as "Rakhee," by which name she attained stardom, but upon marrying lyricist-director Gulzar, she took that as her surname and is credited thereafter as Rakhee Gulzar.

Career

In 1967, the 20-year-old Rakhee acted in her first Bengali film ''Bodhu Boron'', after which she was offered the lead role in Rajshri Productions' '' Jeevan Mrityu'' (1970) opposite Dharmendra.

In 1971, Rakhee played a double role opposite Shashi Kapoor in ''Sharmilee'', and also starred in '' Lal Patthar'' and '' Paras''; all three films became hits and she established herself as a leading actress of Hindi Cinema. ''Shehzada'' (1972) opposite Rajesh Khanna and '' Aankhon Aankhon Mein'' (1972) opposite a relative newcomer Rakesh Roshan showcased her comic abilities though their box office performance was unsatisfactory. She continued to display versatility even in relatively small roles in '' Lal Patthar,'' '' Heera Panna'' (1973) and '' Daag: A Poem of Love'' (1973), with her strong performances. The phenomenal success of Rajshri Productions' '' Tapasya'' (1976) a heroine-dominated movie where she played the sacrificing sister opposite Parikshit Sahni established her as a box-office name to reckon with. Rakhee regards her performances in ''Blackmail'' (1973), '' Tapasya'' (1976) and '' Aanchal'' as her best.

She acted with Dev Anand in ''Heera Panna'', '' Banarasi Babu'' (1973), ''Joshila'' (1973) and '' Lootmaar'' (1980). Rakhee starred opposite Shashi Kapoor in 10 released films: ''Sharmilee'', '' Jaanwar Aur Insaan'' (1972), '' Kabhie Kabhie'' (1976), '' Doosra Aadmi'' (1977), the critically acclaimed '' Trishna'' (1978), ''Baseraa'' (1981), '' Bandhan Kuchchey Dhaagon Ka'' (1983), '' Zameen Aasmaan'' (1984), and ''Pighalta Aasman'' (1985) and the unreleased ''Ek Do Teen Chaar.'' Her exemplary chemistry with Amitabh Bachchan was showcased in eight films: '' Kabhie Kabhie'' (1976), ''Muqaddar Ka Sikander'' (1978), '' Kasme Vaade'' (1978), '' Trishul'' (1978), ''Kaala Patthar'' (1979), '' Jurmana'' (1979), '' Barsaat Ki Ek Raat'' (1981), and '' Bemisal'' (1982). In some films such as '' Jurmana'', her name is even credited ahead of the hero. She also formed a popular pair with Sanjeev Kumar with films like ''Hamare Tumhare'' (1979) and ''Shriman Shrimati'' (1982).

In 1981, a 23-year-old aspiring director Anil Sharma asked her to star in an out and out female oriented role in his debut film ''Shradhanjali''. After the success of the film Raakhee was flooded by strong heroine-dominated roles. At the peak of her career as a popular heroine, she surprised everyone by accepting strong character roles as sister-in-law to Rajesh Khanna in '' Aanchal'' (1980), Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh in '' Shaan'' (1980), Mithun Chakraborty in ''Dhuan,'' and mother to Amitabh in ''Shakti'' (1982) and Rishi Kapoor in '' Yeh Vaada Raha'' (1982).

She acted in other Bengali films; ''Paroma'' (1984) and was awarded the BFJA Award for Best Actress.

Towards the late 1980s and 1990s she played strong character roles as the elderly mother or a woman of principles in commercially successful films such as ''Ram Lakhan'' (1989), '' Anari'' (1993), '' Baazigar'' (1993), '' Khalnayak'' (1993), '' Karan Arjun'' (1995), ''Border'' (1997), ''Soldier'' (1998), '' Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love'' (2001) and '' Dil Ka Rishta'' (2002).

In 2003 she appeared in Rituparno Ghosh directed film ''Shubho Mahurat'' for which she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In one of her interviews, she said in 2012 that her favourite heroes were Rajesh Khanna and Shashi Kapoor.

In 2019 Kolkata International Film Festival the film ''Nirbon'' directed by Goutam Halder was premiered, where Rakhee portrayed the role of Bijolibala, a seventy years old lady with a strong conviction. "Doing films is not on my agenda right now, but the story fascinated me" Rakhee said about the adaptation of Moti Nandi's novel ''Bijolibalar Mukti''.

Rakhee Gulzar has diverse experiences in a wide range of activities she has been associated with in the film industry. In many occasions she extended her contributions beyond acting and delved into various other field of activities, some of which are listed below:
1998 – ''Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha'' – Costume Designer1999 – ''Dil Kya Kare'' – Dress AssistantIn 1982 she lent her voice for the film ''Taaqat'' in the song ''Teri nindiya ko lag jaye aag re'' sung in duet with Kishore Kumar.

Personal life

In her second marriage, Raakhee married film director, poet and lyricist Gulzar. The couple have a daughter, Meghna Gulzar. When their daughter was only one year old, they separated. After completing her graduation in films from New York University, Meghna went on to become a director of films including '' Filhaal...'', '' Just Married'' and '' Dus Kahaniyaan'', and authored a biography of her father in 2004.

At one point, Raakhee stayed in her bungalow, "Muktangan" (bought from the Marathi playwright P. L. Deshpande), on Sarojini Road in Khar, Mumbai. Later, she sold the property and moved to an apartment two buildings away, though the new high rise is still called by the same name, as she had wished. she mostly stays in the Panvel farmhouse on the Mumbai outskirts.

"My mother has lived her professional and personal life with tremendous dignity and grace". said Meghna Gulzar, daughter of Rakhee, in an interview. Presently she lives in recluse in her farmhouse at Panvel, spending time in tending to a huge flock of animals, growing vegetables and reading books.

Awards and nominations

;Won
*1973 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for '' Daag: A Poem of Love''
*1973 – BFJA Award, Best Supporting Actress (Hindi) for ''Daag: A Poem of Love''
*1974 – National Film Award, special souvenir for her role in '' 27 Down''.21st National Film Awards

*1976 – Filmfare Award for Best Actress for '' Tapasya''
*1984 – BFJA Award, Best Actress for ''Paroma''
*1989 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for ''Ram Lakhan''
*2003 – National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for the Bengali film ''Shubho Mahurat''
*2003 – Padma Shri Award

;Nominated
*1972 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for '' Aankhon Aankhon Mein''
*1976 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for '' Kabhie Kabhie''
*1977 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for '' Doosra Aadmi''
*1977 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for '' Doosra Aadmi''
*1978 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for '' Trishna''
*1979 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for '' Jurmana''
*1981 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for ''Baseraa''
*1983 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Actress for ''Shakti''
*1985 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for '' Saaheb''
*1993 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for '' Anari''
*1995 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for '' Karan Arjun''
*1997 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for ''Border''
*1998 – Filmfare Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for ''Soldier''

Filmography

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gulzar, Raakhee
Indian film actresses
Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts
1947 births
Living people
Best Supporting Actress National Film Award winners
Actresses in Bengali cinema
Actresses in Hindi cinema
People from Nadia district
Filmfare Awards winners