Sadhana Shivdasani (2 September 1941 – 25 December 2015),
[ known mononymously as Sadhana, was an ]Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
actress who worked in Hindi
Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
films, primarily active between 1958-1981. Regarded as one of the finest and iconic actresses of the golden age of Hindi Cinema, Sadhana was noted for her exquisite beauty, understated acting and trend-setting fashion statements. Popularly known as "The Mystery Girl" for her stint as the "mysterious woman" in the suspense thriller trilogy films directed by Raj Khosla
Raj Khosla (31 May 1925 – 9 June 1991) was one of the top director, producer and screenwriter in Hindi film industry from the 1950s to the 1980s. He was known for bringing in "neo-noir" and style in Indian cinema, and also as a "women's direc ...
during the mid 1960s, Sadhana was ranked among the highest-paid actresses in the country from mid-1960s to early 1970s.
Born in Karachi, Sadhana and her family migrated to Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...
during the partition of India when she was 7 years old. She aspired to become an actress since her childhood. After making an unnoticed and uncredited appearance in ''Shree 420
''Shree 420'' (also spelled as ''Shri 420''; ) is a 1955 Indian Hindi comedy-drama film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor from a story written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas whose use of Shree with the negative connotations of 420 caused controversy. ...
'' (1955), Sadhana became the protègè of the director Sashadhar Mukherjee
Sashadhar Mukherjee (29 September 1909 – 3 November 1990) was an Indian filmmaker in Hindi cinema. He started his career with Bombay Talkies in the 1930s, and later established Filmistan Studio with Rai Bahadur Chunilal (father of music direc ...
, who enrolled her in his acting school and then provided her with her first starring role, in the romantic comedy ''Love In Simla
''Love In Simla'' is a 1960 Indian romance film, produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee and his Filmalaya production house. Directed by R. K. Nayyar, who co-wrote the script with Agha Jani, the film had the producer's son, Joy Mukherjee, in the lead r ...
'' (1960), where her distinctive hairstyle became a rage and came to be known as "Sadhana Cut". Following the success of ''Love In Simla
''Love In Simla'' is a 1960 Indian romance film, produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee and his Filmalaya production house. Directed by R. K. Nayyar, who co-wrote the script with Agha Jani, the film had the producer's son, Joy Mukherjee, in the lead r ...
'', Sadhana went on to establish herself as an actress with several box-office hits, including the social satire and light hearted romantic dramas such as '' Parakh'' (1960) and ''Asli-Naqli
''Asli-Naqli'' () is a 1962 Hindi film produced by L.B Lachman and L.B Thakur. The film is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and stars Dev Anand, Sadhana, Leela Chitnis, Anwar Hussain, Sandhya Roy and Keshto Mukherjee. The film's music is by ...
'' (1962), the war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
film '' Hum Dono'' (1961) and the adventurous thriller '' Ek Musafir Ek Haseena'' (1962).
She followed this initial success with her greatest commercial successes—the Muslim social romantic drama ''Mere Mehboob
''Mere Mehboob'' ("My Lover") is a 1963 Indian film directed by Harnam Singh Rawail and starring Ashok Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana, Nimmi, Pran, Johnny Walker and Ameeta. The film became a blockbuster and took the number one position a ...
'' (1963), the costume drama '' Rajkumar'' (1964), romantic family drama '' Arzoo'' (1965); the multi-starrer '' Waqt'' (1965) and the mystery-thriller trilogy such as ''Woh Kaun Thi
''Woh Kaun Thi?'' () is a 1964 Indian Hindi-language mystery thriller film directed by Raj Khosla, starring Sadhana, Manoj Kumar and Prem Chopra. Though the screenplay was written by Dhruva Chatterjee, parts were later rewritten, wherein Manoj K ...
'' (1964), '' Mera Saaya'' (1966) and '' Anita'' (1967).
Her health deteriorated in the latter half of 1960s due to hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the condition that occurs due to excessive production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Thyrotoxicosis is the condition that occurs due to excessive thyroid hormone of any cause and therefore includes hyperthyroidis ...
, which forced her to take a brief break from work. She went to Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
for her treatment and returned to acting in 1969, starring in two consecutive box-office hits—''Ek Phool Do Mali
''Ek Phool Do Mali'' is a 1969 Indian Hindi film directed by Devendra Goel. The film is based on the book ''Do Kadam Aage'' by Sampat Lal Purohit. The film was a Blockbuster and second highest grossing movie of 1969 along with '' Aradhana'' & ...
'' and ''Intaqam
''Intaqam'' () is a 1969 Bollywood thriller film directed by R. K. Nayyar. It starred Sanjay Khan and Sadhana in the lead, supported by Ashok Kumar, Rehman, Jeevan, Rajendra Nath, Helen and Anju Mahendru.
The film also features the iconic ...
''. In 1974, the actress made her directorial debut with the crime thriller '' Geetaa Mera Naam'', and later withdrew from acting. Her final screen appearance was in the delayed release ''Ulfat Ki Nayi Manzilein'' (1994). In 2002, she received the IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to Indian cinema
The Cinema of India consists of motion pictures produced in India, which had a large effect on world cinema since the late 20th century. Major centers of film production across the country include Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, ...
.
Sadhana was married to her ''Love in Simla'' director R.K. Nayyar on 7 March,1966. Their marriage lasted for nearly 30 years and ended when Nayyar died in September 1995 due to Astma.
She was admitted to Hinduja Hospital on 24 December, 2015, following a high fever and also complained of breathlessness. She passed away on the morning of 25 December, 2015.
Early life
Born as Anjali Shivdasani in a Sindhi Hindu
Sindhi Hindus are Sindhis who follow the Hindu religion, whose origins lie in the Sindh region and spread across modern-day India and Pakistani Sindh province. After the Partition of India in 1947, many Sindhi Hindus were among those who fl ...
family in Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
, British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
on 2 September 1941, she was the second child of her parents Shivram Shivdasani and Lali Devi. However, as her father used to be a big fan of Bengali actress-dancer Sadhana Bose, he renamed his daughter as Sadhana at the age of 5. Her father was the elder brother of actor Hari Shivdasani
Hari Shivdasani (1909–1994) was an Indian character actor in Hindi cinema from 1930s-1980s.
Personal life
Hari Shivdasani was a Sindhi Hindu from Karachi and had moved with his family to Mumbai at the time of the partition of the British Ra ...
, father of actress Babita
Babita Shivdasani-Kapoor (born 20 April 1947), also known simply as Babita or Babita Kapoor, is a former Indian actress who appeared in Hindi-language films. The daughter of actor Hari Shivdasani, she is the first cousin of her contemporary a ...
. Sadhana had an elder sister named Sarla Shivdasani.
The family migrated from Karachi
Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former c ...
during the partition of India and settled in Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...
(now Mumbai). Her mother home-schooled her until she was 8 years old, after which she studied at Auxilium Convent School, Wadala. After her schooling, she went ahead to pursue her education in Arts Degree at Jai Hind College
Jai Hind College ( Marathi: जय हिंद कॉलेज) is an autonomous college in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, affiliated to the University of Mumbai. It was established in 1948.
In 2000, ''India Today'' named Jai Hind College as o ...
. During her college days she used to act in several plays, but when the family was finding it difficult to make both ends meet, Sadhana started working as a typist in Colaba, in order to support her family. She attended the morning college and used to work in the second half of the day. However, she wasn't able to complete her degree and later joined films. She aspired to have a career in films right from childhood and actress Nutan
Nutan Samarth Bahl (4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991), known mononymously as Nutan, was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. In a career spanning nearly four decades, she appeared in more than 70 films, mostly as a protagonist, in both b ...
was said to have been her inspiration. She was also a big fan of actor Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was ...
, with whom she had worked in Hum Dono (1961) and Asli-Naqli
''Asli-Naqli'' () is a 1962 Hindi film produced by L.B Lachman and L.B Thakur. The film is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and stars Dev Anand, Sadhana, Leela Chitnis, Anwar Hussain, Sandhya Roy and Keshto Mukherjee. The film's music is by ...
(1962).
Career
Early career
Sadhana aspired to be an actress since childhood. In 1955, she played a chorus girl in the song "Mur mur ke na dekh mur mur ke" in Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of th ...
's ''Shree 420
''Shree 420'' (also spelled as ''Shri 420''; ) is a 1955 Indian Hindi comedy-drama film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor from a story written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas whose use of Shree with the negative connotations of 420 caused controversy. ...
''. When she was 15 years old, she was approached by some producers who had seen her act in a college play. They cast her in India's first Sindhi film titled ''Abaana'' (1958), where she played the role of Sheila Ramani
Sheila Ramani (2 March 1932 – 15 July 2015), also known as Sheila Kewalramani, was an Indian actress who was introduced into Bollywood by the film-maker Chetan Anand. She is known for her role in the movie ''Taxi Driver''. She was born in Sin ...
's younger sister.[
A photograph of her taken during the promotional shoot for the film ''Abaana'' (1958) appeared in the movie magazine '']Screen
Screen or Screens may refer to:
Arts
* Screen printing (also called ''silkscreening''), a method of printing
* Big screen, a nickname associated with the motion picture industry
* Split screen (filmmaking), a film composition paradigm in which mul ...
''. It was then that Sashadhar Mukherjee
Sashadhar Mukherjee (29 September 1909 – 3 November 1990) was an Indian filmmaker in Hindi cinema. He started his career with Bombay Talkies in the 1930s, and later established Filmistan Studio with Rai Bahadur Chunilal (father of music direc ...
, one of Hindi cinema's leading producers at that time, noticed her. She joined Mukherjee's acting school along with her debutant co-star Joy Mukherjee, Sashadhar's son. Ram Krishna Nayyar ( R.K. Nayyar), who had previously worked as assistant director on a few films, directed this film. He also created her trademark look, called the ''Sadhana cut'', inspired by British actress Audrey Hepburn. The Filmalaya Production banner thus introduced Joy, Sadhana and her iconic hairstyle in their 1960 romantic film ''Love in Simla
''Love In Simla'' is a 1960 Indian romance film, produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee and his Filmalaya production house. Directed by R. K. Nayyar, who co-wrote the script with Agha Jani, the film had the producer's son, Joy Mukherjee, in the lead r ...
''. The film was declared a hit at the box office and was listed in the top 10 films of 1960. During this period she would again work under the same banner opposite Joy in '' Ek Musafir Ek Haseena''.
Stardom
Besides ''Love in Simla
''Love In Simla'' is a 1960 Indian romance film, produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee and his Filmalaya production house. Directed by R. K. Nayyar, who co-wrote the script with Agha Jani, the film had the producer's son, Joy Mukherjee, in the lead r ...
'', Sadhana was signed by acclaimed director Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 8 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as '' Do Bigha Zamin'', '' Parineeta'', '' Biraj Bahu'', ''Devdas'', ''Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' ...
for his satirical film on Indian democracy, '' Parakh''. She portrayed a simple village girl in this multi-award-winning film. The film was a semi hit at box office and is known for the song "O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aai" sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
Major breakthrough
* 1961: '' Hum Dono'' - In this 1961's hit film, '' Hum Dono'', she played the love interest of Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was ...
. This black-and-white film was colourised
Film colorization (American English; or colourisation [British English], or colourization [ Canadian English and Oxford English]) is any process that adds color to black-and-white, sepia, or other monochrome moving-picture image ...
and re-released in 2011. ''Rediff.com
Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City.
, it had more than 300 e ...
'' in the film's review writes about Sadhana: "Her eyes, expressive and captivating, do most of the work, while she balances out her submissiveness with a firm tongue." The duet "Abhi na jaao chhodkar" from the film ''Hum Dono'' is regarded as "the most romantic song" by actor Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Sanjay Leela Bhansali (; born 24 February 1963) is an Indian filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and music composer who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards, ten Filmfar ...
. Author Amit Chaudhuri
Amit Chaudhuri (born 15 May 1962) is a novelist, poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, singer, and music composer from India.
He was Professor of Contemporary Literature at the University of East Anglia from 2006 to 2021, Since 2020, he has ...
in an essay comparing cultures, says that Sadhana's curious expressions in the song denote listener's peculiar ecstasy while in other cinemas it would mean sex or love.
* 1962: ''Asli-Naqli
''Asli-Naqli'' () is a 1962 Hindi film produced by L.B Lachman and L.B Thakur. The film is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and stars Dev Anand, Sadhana, Leela Chitnis, Anwar Hussain, Sandhya Roy and Keshto Mukherjee. The film's music is by ...
'' - In 1962, she was again paired with Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was ...
in ''Asli-Naqli
''Asli-Naqli'' () is a 1962 Hindi film produced by L.B Lachman and L.B Thakur. The film is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and stars Dev Anand, Sadhana, Leela Chitnis, Anwar Hussain, Sandhya Roy and Keshto Mukherjee. The film's music is by ...
'' by director Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee (30 September 1922 – 27 August 2006) was an Indian film director, editor and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. Popularly known as ''Hrishi-da'', he directed 42 films during his ca ...
. The film has two hit songs "Tujhe Jeevan Ki Dor Se", sung by both Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...
and "Tera Mera Pyar Amar", sung by Lata Mangeshkar. The same year saw director-screenwriter Raj Khosla
Raj Khosla (31 May 1925 – 9 June 1991) was one of the top director, producer and screenwriter in Hindi film industry from the 1950s to the 1980s. He was known for bringing in "neo-noir" and style in Indian cinema, and also as a "women's direc ...
cast her opposite Joy Mukherjee in ''Ek Musafir Ek Hasina
''Ek Musafir Ek Hasina'' ''(English: A Traveller and A Beauty)'' is a 1962 Bollywood film directed by Raj Khosla and starring Joy Mukherjee, Sadhana in lead roles. The film was produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee. The film's music is by O. P. Nayy ...
''. She had debuted with Joy Mukherjee with the film ''Love in Shimla'' in 1960. Khosla would again work with Sadhana to make a suspense thriller trilogy.
* 1963: ''Mere Mehboob'' - This film was the highest grossing Indian film of 1963. The film stars Sadhana, Rajendra Kumar
Rajendra Kumar Tuli (20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999) was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. He was popularly known as the 'Jubil ...
, Ashok Kumar
Kumudlal Ganguly (13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), better known by his stage name Ashok Kumar and also by Dadamoni, was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema and who was a member of the cinematic Ganguly family.
He ...
, Nimmi
Nawab Bano (18 February 1933 – 25 March 2020), better known by her stage name Nimmi, was an Indian screen actress who achieved stardom in the 1950s and early 1960s in Hindi films. She was one of the leading actresses of the "golden era" of Hin ...
, Pran, Johnny Walker and Ameeta
Ameeta (born as Qamar Sultana) is an Indian actress. She appeared in Bollywood films such as '' Tumsa Nahin Dekha'', ''Mere Mehboob'' and '' Goonj Uthi Shehnai''.
Career
Beginning
A fan of Madhubala, Ameeta was enacting her idol's sword fight ...
. In this film, Sadhana played her first role in the technicolor
Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades.
Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...
film. The film ''Mere Mehboob
''Mere Mehboob'' ("My Lover") is a 1963 Indian film directed by Harnam Singh Rawail and starring Ashok Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana, Nimmi, Pran, Johnny Walker and Ameeta. The film became a blockbuster and took the number one position a ...
'' was directed by H. S. Rawail
Harnam Singh Rawail (21 August 1921 – 17 September 2004), often credited as H. S. Rawail, was an Indian filmmaker. He debuted as a director with the 1940 Bollywood film ''Dorangia Daku'' and is best known for romantic films like ''Mere M ...
. The song "Mere Mehboob Tujhe" was shot in the University Hall and in a couple of places, one gets to see the university. The song became very popular upon release. The opening scene of the film shows the famous residential hall and the associated hall "Victoria Gate". The film was the blockbuster of 1963, and ranked in the top 5 films of the 1960s.
* 1964: ''Woh Kaun Thi'' - In 1964, she played a double role in the first of the suspense-thriller trilogy; '' Woh Kaun Thi?''. This white-sari-clad performance opposite Manoj Kumar
Harikrishan Goswami (born 24 July 1937), better known by his screen name Manoj Kumar, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is known for acting and making films with patriotic theme ...
earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. Through this role she got to be part of Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...
– Madan Mohan
Madan Mohan is a form of the Hindu god, Krishna.
Krishna is celebrated as ''Madan Mohan'', who mesmerizes everyone. His consort, Radha is glorified as Madan Mohan's ''Mohini'', who can even mesmerise Madan Mohan (her Kahn). Radha is known as th ...
’s songs "Naina barse" and " Lag jaa gale". ''Rediff.com'' called her a show-stopper "with an intriguing Mona Lisa
The ''Mona Lisa'' ( ; it, Gioconda or ; french: Joconde ) is a Half length portrait, half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described ...
-like smile". The film was a box office hit. Raj Khosla cast her in two more successful mystery films; '' Mera Saaya'' (1966) and '' Anita'' (1967) thus making her famous as the "Mystery girl".
*1965 : Arzoo- Arzoo was a box office success, with Sadhana, Rajendra Kumar and Feroz Khan in lead roles. The film had songs like "Ae Phoolon ki Rani" sung by Mohammad Rafi and " Aji rooth kar ab" , sung by Lata Mangeshkar.
* 1966: ''Mera Saaya'' - ''Mera Saaya'' was a box office success, a courtroom drama film, again saw her playing a double role, now opposite Sunil Dutt. The film was the third film directed by Raj Khosla with Sadhana. The song "Jhumka Gira Re
"Jhumka Gira Re" (Hindi: झुमका गिरा रे, "Earring Has Fallen") is an Indian Hindi song from the 1966 Bollywood film '' Mera Saaya''. It was sung by Asha Bhosle. The song was picturized on Sadhana Shivdasani. It was written ...
" sung by Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur
and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in th ...
and composed by Madan Mohan
Madan Mohan is a form of the Hindu god, Krishna.
Krishna is celebrated as ''Madan Mohan'', who mesmerizes everyone. His consort, Radha is glorified as Madan Mohan's ''Mohini'', who can even mesmerise Madan Mohan (her Kahn). Radha is known as th ...
saw Sadhana perform dance steps choreographed by Saroj Khan
Saroj Khan (born Nirmala Nagpal; 22 November 1948 – 3 July 2020) was an Indian dance choreographer in Hindi cinema. She was born in Bombay State (present day Maharashtra), India. She was best known for the dance form mujra and the firs ...
. Khan was then an assistant to dance director B. Sohanlal. The song became so popular that excited audience in cinema halls used to throw coins at the screen, and is one of the most requested songs on the radio. The film also had the classic songs "Mera Saaya Saath Hoga" and "Nainon Mein Badra Chhaye", both voiced by Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...
.
* 1965: ''Waqt''- In this 1965 drama film, Sadhana appeared alongside Sunil Dutt. For her performance in this hit film, Sadhana got her second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress for the role of Meena, in Yash Chopra's directorial saga ''Waqt'' (1965). She stood out in Bollywood's first ever ensemble cast by bringing out the fashion of tight ''churidar-kurtas''. The song has hit Hindi songs such as "Aye Meri Zohra Zabeen", sung by Manna Dey, "Hum Jab Simat Ke", sung by Mahendra Kapoor and Asha Bhosle, "Waqt Se Din Aur Raat", sung by Mohammed Rafi and "Aage Bhi Jaane Na Tu", sung by Asha Bhosle. The film proved to be 1965's "blockbuster hit".
* 1967: ''Anita'' - In this 1967 suspense film, Sadhana appeared alongside Manoj Kumar with whom she had starred in lead role in the blockbuster film ''Woh Kaun Thi''. This was the last film of the suspense-thriller trilogy of Khosla-Sadhana partnership.
*1969: ''Inteqam'' - This film was directed by R.K. Nayyar, and stars Sadhana and Sanjay Khan in lead roles and supported by Ashok Kumar, Jeevan, Rajendra Nath, Rehman, Helen and Anju Mahendru. The film features the first cabaret number song "Aa Jaane Jaan", also a rarity through her career. The film was a success at box office and marked the return of Sadhana after her brief illness, and her husband directed the film.
Her other notable works in the 1960s include performances in ''Gaban'' (1966) and ''Budtameez
''Budtameez'' (English: ''Insolent'') is a 1966 Bollywood film produced by Jagdish Varma and directed by Manmohan Desai. It stars Shammi Kapoor, Sadhana in lead roles, along with Brahm Bhardwaj, Laxmi Chhaya, Jagdish Raj, Kanan Kaushal, Purnima, ...
'' (1966). Sadhana and Shammi Kapoor worked together in 4 films Rajkumar, Budtameez, Sachaai and Chhote Sarkar of which the first 3 were box office hits and the pair got good audience acceptance''.''
* 1964: ''Rajkumar'' - ''Rajkumar'' stars Sadhana, Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor (born Shamsher Raj Kapoor; (pronounced ʌmːi kʌpuːɾ 21 October 1931 – 14 August 2011) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of two Filmfare Awards, winning in the categories of Best Actor for ...
, Pran, Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor (born Prithvinath Kapoor; 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was an Indian actor who is also considered to be one of the founding figures of Hindi cinema. He was associated with IPTA as one of its founding members and establish ...
, Om Prakash
Om Prakash (born Om Prakash Chibber 19 December 1919 – 21 February 1998) was an Indian film actor. He was born in Jammu as Om Prakash Chibber and went on to become a well-known character actor of Bollywood. His most well-known movies are Na ...
and Rajindernath. The film was a box office success and has the hit songs "Aaja Aai Bahar", sung by Lata Mangeshkar, "Tumne Pukara Aur Hum Chale Aaye", sung by Mohammed Rafi and Suman Kalyanpur, "Tumne Kisi Ki Jaan Ko" and "Is Rang Badalti Duniya Mein", both sung by Mohammed Rafi.
*1969: Sachaai - Sachaai stars Sadhana, Shammi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Helen, Johnny Walker and Pran. This film was a box office hit with songs like " Sau baras ki zindagi", sung by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhosle " Ae dost mere maine duniya dekhi hai" , sung by Mohammed Rafi and Manna Dey and " Mere gunaah maaf kar" sung by Mohammed Rafi.
* 1969: ''Ek Phool Do Mali'' - This Indian Hindi film of 1969 stars Sadhana and Sanjay Khan in lead roles and has hit songs such as "Ye Parda Hata Do", sung by Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi, "Aulad Walo", sung by Asha Bhosle and Mohammed Rafi, "O Nanhe Se Farishte" sung by Mohammed Rafi, "Saiyan Le Gayi Jiya", sung by Asha Bhosle and "Tujhe Suraj Kahoon Ya Chanda" sung by Manna Dey
Prabodh Chandra Dey (May 1, 1919 − October 24, 2013), known by his stage name Manna Dey, was an internationally acclaimed and celebrated Indian playback singer, music director, and a musician. As a classical vocalist, he belonged to the Bhe ...
.
End of acting career
Sadhana had health issues due to her thyroid, which she got treated in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. After returning from the US, she starred in the successful movies Intaquam (1969), Ek phool do mali (1969), Sachaai (1969), Dil Daulat Duniya (1972) and Geeta Mera Naam (1974).
In ''Intaquam
''Intaqam'' () is a 1969 Bollywood thriller film directed by R. K. Nayyar. It starred Sanjay Khan and Sadhana in the lead, supported by Ashok Kumar, Rehman, Jeevan, Rajendra Nath, Helen and Anju Mahendru.
The film also features the iconic a ...
'' she played the role of a woman who revengefully lures the son of her own boss who cheated her, to be put behind the bars for a crime he did not commit. In 1974, her directorial venture ''Geeta Mera Naam
''Geetaa Mera Naam'' () is a 1974 Indian Hindi-language produced by R. K. Nayyar. His wife Sadhana starred in a dual role and also directed the film. The film also features Sunil Dutt, Feroz Khan and Helen. The music is by Laxmikant-Pyarela ...
'' was released. Produced by her husband, the film had herself playing the lead actress along with Sunil Dutt and Feroz Khan. It was also Saroj Khan
Saroj Khan (born Nirmala Nagpal; 22 November 1948 – 3 July 2020) was an Indian dance choreographer in Hindi cinema. She was born in Bombay State (present day Maharashtra), India. She was best known for the dance form mujra and the firs ...
's first film as an independent dance director. The film did "above average" business at the box office.
After that, she retired from acting, as she did not want to be cast as a side-actress or do character roles.[ Later, she and her husband formed a production company. She also produced the movie ''Pati Parmeshwar'', starring ]Dimple Kapadia
Dimple Kapadia (born 8 June 1957) is an Indian actress predominantly appearing in Hindi films. Born and raised in Mumbai by wealthy parents, she aspired to become an actress from a young age and received her first opportunity through her father ...
in 1989.
Personal life
Sadhana married her ''Love in Simla'' director Ram Krishna Nayyar on 7 March 1966. Their love blossomed on the film set. But as she was very young then, her parents opposed it. They were married for nearly thirty years, until his death in 1995 from asthma. The couple had no children. In 2013, she stated that she doesn't keep in touch with her first cousin Babita
Babita Shivdasani-Kapoor (born 20 April 1947), also known simply as Babita or Babita Kapoor, is a former Indian actress who appeared in Hindi-language films. The daughter of actor Hari Shivdasani, she is the first cousin of her contemporary a ...
but does keep in touch with actresses such as Asha Parekh
Asha Parekh (born 2 October 1942) is a retired Indian actress, film director, and producer who appeared in many commercially successful films throughout her career. She was the highest paid actress of her time and was one of the most successful ...
, Waheeda Rehman
Waheeda Rehman (born 3 February 1938) is an Indian actress and dancer. Regarded as one of Hindi cinema's finest actresses, Rehman's accolades include a National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards. Rehman was honoured with the Padma Shri by G ...
, Nanda
Nanda may refer to:
Indian history and religion
* Nanda Empire, ruled by the Nanda dynasty, an Indian royal dynasty ruling Magadha in the 4th century BCE
** Mahapadma Nanda, first Emperor of the Nanda Empire
** Dhana Nanda (died c. 321 BCE), last ...
, Shammi and Helen
Helen may refer to:
People
* Helen of Troy, in Greek mythology, the most beautiful woman in the world
* Helen (actress) (born 1938), Indian actress
* Helen (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
Places
* Helen, ...
.
She suffered from eye problems due to hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is the condition that occurs due to excessive production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Thyrotoxicosis is the condition that occurs due to excessive thyroid hormone of any cause and therefore includes hyperthyroidis ...
. After her retirement from acting, she refused to be photographed.[ Living in ]Santacruz, Mumbai
Santacruz or Santa Cruz (Pronunciation: aːn̪t̪akɾuːz is a neighbourhood of Mumbai. The Santacruz railway station on the Mumbai Suburban Railway, the domestic terminal (T1) of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, and one ...
, she rented an apartment building owned by singer Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle (; Mangeshkar; born 8 September 1933) is an Indian playback singer, entrepreneur
and occasional actress and television personality who predominantly works in Indian Cinema. Known for her versatility, she has been described in th ...
.
Fashion icon
Sadhana introduced the fringe
Fringe may refer to:
Arts
* Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival, known as "the Fringe"
* Adelaide Fringe, the world's second-largest annual arts festival
* Fringe theatre, a name for alternative theatre
* The Fringe, the ...
hairstyle in the Indian film industry in her first film ''Love in Simla
''Love In Simla'' is a 1960 Indian romance film, produced by Sashadhar Mukherjee and his Filmalaya production house. Directed by R. K. Nayyar, who co-wrote the script with Agha Jani, the film had the producer's son, Joy Mukherjee, in the lead r ...
''. R.K. Nayyar, director of the film and her future husband, suggested the fringe style in order to make her forehead look narrower. Sadhana says: "They tried to stick a strip near the hair-line, but it didn’t work out."[ Nayyar then suggested she go for the fringe style as was then sported by the Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn.][ The fringe soon became popular and a fashion fad in the 1960s.]
The style was copied by girls in India and is still known by the same name. The look suited the role of naughty, pretty, glamorous Sonia that she played. But when Sadhana went on the shoot for Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 8 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as '' Do Bigha Zamin'', '' Parineeta'', '' Biraj Bahu'', ''Devdas'', ''Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' ...
's '' Parakh'', Roy was disappointed to see her modern look. She had to stick her fringe back in order to match the simple village girl she played here. In 1963, when she signed to play a role of a simple Muslim girl from Aligarh in ''Mere Mehboob
''Mere Mehboob'' ("My Lover") is a 1963 Indian film directed by Harnam Singh Rawail and starring Ashok Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Sadhana, Nimmi, Pran, Johnny Walker and Ameeta. The film became a blockbuster and took the number one position a ...
'', Sadhana undid her famous "Sadhana cut" to fit the bill. She had centre-parted her hair and wore it in a plait, which was immediately discarded by the director H.S. Rawail. He said that the audience wanted to see her signature "Sadhana cut" and demanded it. Many years later, the Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone
Deepika Padukone ( or ; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in India, and her accolades include three Filmfare Awards. She features in listings of the nation's most po ...
sported the same fringe in her films ''Om Shanti Om
''Om Shanti Om'' (transl. ''Peace Be With You'') is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language fantasy romance film written and directed by Farah Khan, co-written by Mayur Puri and Mushtaq Shiekh, and produced by Gauri Khan under the banner of Red Chillies ...
'' (2007) and ''Chandni Chowk To China
''Chandni Chowk to China'' (shortened to ''CC2C'') is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Nikkhil Advani and stars Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, with Mithun Chakraborty and Hong Kong action cinema actor Gordon Liu ...
'' (2009).
Sadhana is also credited with bringing into fashion the tight ''churidar-kurta''. She went with this concept of gracefully changing the traditional loose salwar kameez
Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by women, and in some regions by men, in South Asia, and Central Asia.
''Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the wa ...
to her director Yash Chopra
Yash Raj Chopra (27 September 1932 21 October 2012) was an Indian film director and film producer who worked in Hindi cinema. The founding chairman of the film production and distribution company Yash Raj Films, Chopra was the recipient of ...
for the 1965 film '' Waqt''. Chopra felt insecure and thought that it would not be accepted. But Sadhana, with the help of her fashion designer Bhanu Athaiya
Bhanu Athaiya (née Rajopadhye; 28 April 192915 October 2020) was an Indian costume designer and painter. She was the only woman member of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group and the first Indian to win an Academy Award. Alongside being Bolly ...
showed him a sample, which he liked. The trend lasted well into the 1970s and can be seen, adopted by many actresses.
In a song sequence of " Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte" for ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi
''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' (), also known as ''RNBDJ'', is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy film written and directed by Aditya Chopra and produced by him and his father Yash Chopra under their banner of Yash Raj Films. The film stars ...
'' (2008), actress Bipasha Basu
Bipasha Basu Singh Grover (born 7 January 1979) is an Indian actress and former model. Primarily known for her work in Hindi films, she has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and English films. Basu is the recipient of numerous accolades ...
dressed herself in a white ''churidar-kurta'' and also frolicked with the famous fringe as a tribute to Sadhana.
In 2014, Sadhana made a rare public appearance walking the ramp in a pink sari at a fashion show to support the cause for cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
and AIDS patients. She was escorted by her relative, actor Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir Kapoor (; born 28 September 1982) is an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi-language films. He is one of the highest-paid actors of Hindi cinema and has featured in ''Forbes India''s Celebrity 100 list since 2012. Kapoor is the re ...
.
Accolades
Death
During her later years, Sadhana was involved in court cases and suffered from illness. She had undergone an emergency surgery due to a bleeding oral lesion in December 2014 at the K J Somaiya Medical College.
Sadhana died on 25 December 2015 in Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai after being hospitalised with high fever.[ Although the illness she briefly suffered from was officially undisclosed, Sadhana was cremated at Oshiwara crematorium in ]Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
, Maharashtra. Bollywood stars such Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar, Madhur Bhandarkar
Madhur Bhandarkar (born 26 August 1968) is an Indian film director, script writer, and producer. In 2016,Bhandarkar was honoured with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, by the Government of India.
The drama film '' Chandni B ...
, Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her con ...
and several others expressed their sorrow at the loss.
Filmography
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadhana
1941 births
2015 deaths
Actresses in Hindi cinema
20th-century Indian actresses
Sindhi people
Actresses from Karachi
Deaths from cancer in India
Indian women film directors
Jai Hind College alumni