Enchanting Sadhana in the Film : MERA SAAYA (1966)

O SAJANA BARKHA BAHAR AAYI on my FLUTE

(Author's Note : Please CLICK above PLAY button to play the song "O Sajana Barkha Bahar Aayi" from the Film : Parakh of 1960 which I played on my Flute, Music of original song was composed by Maestro Salil Choudhary)                                        

Among top heroines of 1960’s Sadhana is definitely one of the most talented actresses who was very beautiful. Her simplistic beauty attracted millions of fans to cinema halls to watch her movies in1960’s. In mid 1960’s, after the release of the Mystery Films “Woh Kaun Thi” (1964), Sadhana became sort of a mystery girl to her fans. In the Film “Woh Kaun Thi”, Sadhana gave a brilliant performance and she was nominated for coveted Filmfare award for best actress of 1964. Film “Woh Kaun Thi” was a big hit of its times. Of course, she never won that prize for best actress. Mystery girl Sadhana went on to act in 2 more suspense films “Mera Saaya” (1966) and “Anita” (!967).

Sadhana was born in 1941 in Karachi before the partition of India in a Sindhi Family. Her father named her after one of his favorite heroines of his time Sadhana Bose. Her father and Hari Shivadasani (Actress Babita’s father) were real brothers. Being only child to her parents, her mother schooled her at home until 8 years of age. The family fled to Mumbai after the partition of India in 1947.

In Mumbai, Sadhana was allowed to see 2 films per week. One of the film producers saw her acting in College play at Jai Hind College, Mumbai where she was doing her post graduate studies in literature, offered a role in her first Sindhi Film “Abana” in 1958 where17 year old Sadhana played the role of younger sister of main heroine. After Filmalaya owner Subodh Mukherjee saw a photo of Sadhana in a Film Magazine, he offered her a role in Sadhana’s first Hindi Film ”Love in Simla” (1960) opposite another newcomer Joy Mukherjee who was Sashadhar Mukherjee’s son. This film had very melodious songs which were composed by Music Director Iqbal Qureshi. The songs of “Love in Simla” became huge hits on popularity charts. Sadhana looked extremely beautiful in the Film “Love in Simla”. This film was directed by another newcomer director R. K. Nayyar who created a trademark of “Sadhana Cut”. Since Sadhana had a broad forehead, to minimize its breadth, R.K.Nayyar created a new hair style for Sadhana where he shaped her hair in such a fashion so as make them fall on her forehead which was modeled after Audrey Hepburn’s hairstyle to cover up Sadhana’s flaw, her broad forehead.


Enchanting Sadhana in her First Film : LOVE IN SIMLA (1960)

Debut Film “Love in Simla” was a great success and Sadhana became an overnight star. “Sadhana Hair Cut” became a rage among teenage girls all across India during 1960’s. What was to cover up broad forehead of Sadhana became an instant fashion all over India. 

In 1960, during the shooting of the Film "Love in Simla", 16 year old Sadhana fell in love with its Film Director 22 years old R. K. Nayyar. But at that time, Sadhana's parents vehemently objected to R.K.Nayyar getting married to Sadhana and they threatened R.K.Nayyar of dire consequences and R.K.Nayyar got scared and backed off from marriage. However, in 1966 after Raj Kapoor reintroduced Sadhana to R.K.Nayyar, they got married without caring for anybody's objection. Maybe it was a "Janam Janam Ka Saath" set up by their destiny.


Later in the Film “Waqt” (1965), Sadhana started the trend of tight Churidar Pyajama and Kameez by wearing it in “Waqt” as a lead heroine. Her acting in the Film : Waqt was superb and she was nominated for second time for Filmfare award as best actress. She did not win the award anyway.

 
Mystery Girl  Sadhana in the Film : WOH KAUN THI (1964)
Sadhana subconsciously styled her acting after her idol Nutan. Her simplistic looks and acting style in Hrishikesh Mukherjee directed Film “Asli Naqli” opposite chocolate hero Dev Anand reminded the audience of  Nutan. Although Nutan was a much superior actress of the time.

Sadhana looked extremely beautiful in Navketan Films “Hum Dono” (1961) which was a big hit of the time. “Hum Dono” had very melodious music by Jaidev who deserved a Filmfare award for best music direction for the year 1961. Of course, Jaidev did not win the award. Sadhana was a close personal friend of Dev Anand and Dev Saab always made it a point to invite Sadhana at his birthday party year after year at his Juhu residence in Mumbai.

Another Film in which Sadhana looked very beautiful was “Ek Musafir Ek Hasina” (1962) which had lilting melody in every songs composed (mostly based on Raga Kedar) by none other than Maestro O.P.Nayyar Saab who is my favorite Music Director.O.P.Nayyar deserved to win Filmfare award for best music direction for the Film “Ek Musafir Ek Hasina”, but never got one, very similar to the situation when S.D.Burman did not win Filmfare award for best music direction for the Film “Guide” (1966) although it was SD’s best music score of his lifetime. In those years of 1960's, when it came to bagging Best Music Director Filmfare Award, Shankar-Jaikishen proved to be nemesis for most of their competitors. Film “Ek Musafir Ek Hasina” saw an enigmatic and mysterious side of Sadhana.


Not so Beautiful Sadhana as portrayed in the begining of her Debut Film : LOVE IN SIMLA of 1960
 

 Film “Arzoo” (1966) opposite Rajendar Kumar had a very romantic plot and very melodious music by Maestro Shankar-Jaikishen. Now who can forget that Raga Desh based song “Aji Rooth Kar Ab”. This song comes out very beautiful when played on Flute. This is one of my favorite songs which I play on my Flute whenever I happen to sit on the bench of Flushing Botanical Gardens. And everyone loves to listen to it being played on Flute.

 
Sadhana looked most beautiful in the movie “Mere Mehboob” (1963) opposite Rajendra Kumar where some of her close-ups were simply brilliant to look at while watching that unforgettable colored movie which had a very good story based on Muslim Social theme.

                       "Abhi Na Javo Chodkar":  Dev Anand and Sadhana in Hum Dono 

"Ek Boot Banavoonga" : Dev Anand and Sadhana in Asli Naqli

In her acting career, Sadhana worked with many leading heroes of the time such as Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and also Kishore Kumar in the Film "Manmauji". Now who can forget that Kishore's funny song "Zaroorat Hai, Zaroorat Hai" composed by maestro Madan Mohan.
 
In mid-1960's, it was Raj Kapoor who had introduced Sadhana to director R.K.Nayyar with whom she got married in 1966.The marriage lasted until R.K.Nayyar’s death in 1990’s. They were bad times for Sadhana. She had no children because of her miscarriages. During late 1960’s, Sadhana had health problems due to thyroid and went to Boston for treatment and recovered and delivered more hits through the Films “Inteqam” (1969), “Ek Phool Do Maali” (1969), “Ishq Par Jor Nahin” (1970) etc. But her looks in these films after thyroid treatment was completely spoiled since thyroid treatment affected her eyes which became evident to cinegoers and she soon started loosing fan following. Film “Geeta Mera Naam” (1974) was her last significant film although she did act beyond 1974. As a lead heroine, Sadhana acted in 33 Hindi Films.

One point I want to bring out here is that whenever today's Top Actress Kareena Kapoor smiles, her smiles show up features of smiling Sadhana. And do not forget this similarity in their features is due to Kareena Kapoor being niece of Sadhana since Kareena's mother Babita happens to be icousin sister of Sadhana.
  

In 1970’s, after realizing that her days were over, Sadhana decided to quit Film Industry as she was not interested to act in supporting roles of elder sister or a Bhabhi or a mother etc. Sadhana wanted her fans to remember her as a young beautiful heroine of her heydays of 1960’s.

Sadhana did several films with famous director Raj Khosla such as “Ek Musafir Ek Hasina” (1962), “Who Kaun Thi” ((1964), “Mera Saaya” (1966) and “Anita” 1967 and unfinished Film “Sajan Ki Galiyaan” (1968) opposite Dev Anand which was never completed. Director Raj Khosla always said that he had become a sort of family friend to Sadhana and he knew her strengths and weaknesses as an actress very well and he always felt very comfortable to direct her and vibed very well with her.

Sadhana who is at the time of this writing is 67 years old and lives alone in Mumbai and does not like to be photographed. However, another Film Actress of her time Asha Parekh and Sadhana are very close friends. Asha Parekh, Sadhana, Mala Sinha, Nanda (all of them are now lonely) get together and enjoy each other’s company while remembering their Great Times of 1960’s when they ruled Bollywood.

Please CLICK below You Tube LINK to listen to very melodious song “O Sajana Barkha Bahar Aayi” composed by Maestro Salil Choudhary for Bimal Roy Film “Parakh” of 1960.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX05R9ui7s0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX05R9ui7s0

Also CLICK below YouTube LINK to watch another Melodious Duet composed by Maestro Shankar-Jaikishen for the Film Asli Naqli with Dev Anand and Sadhana. In this song Sadhana looks very Graceful as well as very beautiful. A rare combination.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8uSoX18tJs