New Delhi: Film, theatre and TV personality Zohra Sehgal turns 102 today.
Zohra, often called Bollywood's 'laadli', was last seen in films like 'Cheeni Kum' and 'Saawariya'. In her career spanning almost eight decades, she has acted in a number of Bollywood and Hollywood films.
In 2008, Zohra Sehgal was named the 'Laadli of the Century' by the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF)-Laadli Media Awards.
The tireless performer resides in New Delhi with her daughter, renowned Odissi danseuse Kiran Sehgal. In 1994, she was diagnosed with cancer, but she has fought this off too.
She will celebrate her 100th birthday at home with the daughter and a few close friends from the artistic fraternity, said a member of her family.
"She is in fine health barring a few age-related complications, which are not serious, Her spirit is still high, along with her enthusiastic, articulate persona," the source told IANS.
As a youngster, Zohra was passionate about dance. Her tryst with showbiz began with dance when she joined Uday Shankar in 1935 and worked with him for a few years.
She went on to teach dance in Almora later, and that's where she met painter and dancer Kameshwar Sehgal and married him. She later took to dramatics with the Prithvi Theatre in 1945. She worked with them for 14 years, travelling to various cities, and even joined the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA).
From Prithviraj Kapoor to Raj Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, she has worked with four generations of Bollywood's famous Kapoor family - and she hasn't let age dampen her spirit at all.
Zohra, considered a doyen of Indian theatre, has appeared in over 20 films. She is best remembered for her appearances in 'Bhaji on the Beach' (1992), 'Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam', 'Bend It Like Beckham' (2002), 'Dil Se...' (1998) and 'Cheeni Kum' (2007).
Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who directed her in two of his films- 'Hum Dil...' and 'Saawariya', had once said: "To call her a livewire is an understatement." He couldn't think of a second name for a particular role in 'Saawariya' other than her.
"It had to be Zohraji and no one else. There was a kind of hesitation within me - after all Zohraji is 94. But all our doubts were dispelled once she came on the sets," Bhansali had said during the shooting of 'Saawariya'.
While she was in London, she featured in a film called 'The Courtesans of Bombay', directed by James Ivory in 1982. There was no looking back in international showbiz thereafter. She went on to feature in TV series like 'The Jewel in the Crown', 'My Beautiful Launderette', 'Tandoori Nights' and 'Never Say Die'.
Zohra came back to India in the 1990s. She was around 80 years old then. While many would have thought she would quit the entertainment world, she was not ready to call it quits.
On the small screen, she featured in 'Amma and Family', and bagged roles in big banner movies. When it comes to awards, in 1998 she was honoured with the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honours, following which she received the Kalidas Samman in 2001, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2004. In 2010, she was bestowed with the Padma Vibhushan. Small parts or big, Zohra continues to spread smiles.
(With inputs from IANS)
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