Balraj Sahni
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| Balraj Sahni | |
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| Born | May 1, 1913 Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India |
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| Died | April 13, 1973 (aged 59) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Actor |
Balraj Sahni (May 1, 1913–April 13, 1973) was a famous Hindi film actor. His real name was Yudhishthir Sahni. He belonged to a Punjabi Khokhran family from Bhera now in Pakistan Punjab .
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[edit] Early life
Sahni went from his native Rawalpindi to study in the University of Harvard. He completed his Masters degree in English Literature from Lahore and then went back to Rawalpindi and joined his family business. He also held a Bachelor's degree in Hindi. Soon after, he married Damayanti Sahni.
In the late 1930s, Sahni and his wife left Rawalpindi to join Tagore's Shantiniketan in Bengal as an English and Hindi teacher. He also went to work with Mahatma Gandhi for a year in 1938. The next year, Sahni, with Gandhi's blessings, went to England to join the BBC-London's Hindi service as a radio announcer. He returned to India in 1943.
[edit] Career
Sahni was always interested in acting. He started his film career in Mumbai with the film Dharti Ke Lal in 1946. It was followed by Door Chalen 1946, and other films. But it was in 1953, with Bimal Roy's classic Do Bigha Zameen, that his true forte as an actor was first recognised. The film won the international prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
He followed it up with an encore in the 1911 classic Kabuliwala penned by Tagore. His character depicting the relationship between a Kabuliwala, who had left his daughter back home in Kabul about a 1 mile away, and a 5 year old bengali girl in whom he sees his daughter, was one of the greatest performances in Hindi cinema. The last scene where he brings the red bangles for the girl's wedding has to be seen to be believed.
Sahni's wife Damayanti passed away at a young age in 1947 and two years later he married his first cousin, Santosh Chandhok, later known as an author and television writer.
Sahni's acting was very well liked and appreciated in all his films. He acted opposite top heroines like Nutan, Meena Kumari, Vyjayantimala, and Nargis in films like Seema (1955), Sone Ki Chidiya (1958), and Kathputli (1957). However, he is perhaps best remembered by the current generation for the picturization of the legendary song Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen from the movie Waqt (1995) on him. Sahni appeared opposite Achala Sachdev in the number.
He also starred in the classic Punjabi film Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar (1970).
[edit] Later life
Sahni was a gifted writer. In 1960, after a visit to Pakistan, he wrote Mera Pakistani Safar. His book Mera Rusi Safarnama, which he had written after a tour of the erstwhile Soviet Union in 1969, earned him the 'Soviet Land Nehru Award'. He contributed many poems and short stories in magazines and also penned his autobiography, Meri Filmi Aatmakatha. Sahni was an extremely well read and politically conscious person. He was one of the founding fathers of the IPTA (Indian People's Theatre Association) movement and known for his leftist leanings. Sahni also dabbled in screenwriting; he wrote the 1951 movie Baazi which starred Dev Anand and was directed by Guru Dutt. He was also a recipient of the Padma Shri Award. Balraj Sahni also wrote in Punjabi and contributed to the Punjabi magzine Preetlari .
Sahni was undoubtedly one of the greatest actors ever to come on the Indian screen: a highly natural actor who reminded the audience of the actors like Motilal because of his simple persona and a sophisticated style of acting. He was looked up to as a role model as he was never involved in any scandal. His acting in Do Bigha Zameen and Garam Hawa were the highlights of his career. He believed in what is known as 'Neo-Realistic' cinema.
Balraj's brother Bhisham Sahni was a well-known writer who wrote the book Tamas. His son Parikshat Sahni is also an actor.
Balraj Sahni died on April 13, 1973, of a massive cardiac arrest at the age of 60. He had been depressed for some time by the untimely death of his young daughter, Shabnam.
[edit] Filmography
| Year | Film | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Door Chalen | |
| Dharti Ke Lal | ||
| Badnami | ||
| 1947 | Gudia | |
| 1951 | Maldar | |
| Humlog | Raj | |
| Hulchul | The jailer | |
| 1952 | Badnam | |
| 1953 | Rahi | Doctor |
| Do Bigha Zamin | Shambu Maheto | |
| Bhagyawan | ||
| Akash | ||
| 1954 | Naukari | |
| Majboori | ||
| Aulad | ||
| 1955 | Tangewali | |
| Seema | Ashok 'Babuji' | |
| Garam Coat | Giridhari | |
| Taksaal | Jatin Mukherjee | |
| 1957 | Pardesi (1957 film) | |
| Mai Baap | ||
| Lal Batti | ||
| Kath Putli | Loknath | |
| Bhabhi | Ratan | |
| 1958 | Sone Ki Chidiya | Shrikant |
| Lajwanti | Mr. Nirmal | |
| Khazanchi | Radhe Mohan | |
| Ghar Sansar | Kailash | |
| Ghar Grihasti | ||
| 1959 | Satta Bazaar | Ramesh |
| Heera Moti | ||
| Chhoti Bahen | Rajendra | |
| Black Cat | Agent Rajan | |
| 1960 | Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere | Panchu Dada |
| Bindya | Devraj | |
| Anuradha | Dr. Nirmal Chaudhary | |
| 1961 | Suhag Sindoor | Ramu |
| Sapne Suhane | ||
| Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan | Shyam | |
| Batwara | ||
| Kabuliwala | Abdul Rehman Khan | |
| 1962 | Shaadi | Ratau |
| Anpadh | Choudhary Shambhunath | |
| 1964 | Punar Milan | Dr. Mohan/Ram |
| Haqeeqat | Major Ranjit Singh | |
| 1965 | Waqt | Lala Kedarnath |
| Faraar | Detective Officer | |
| 1966 | Pinjre Ke Panchhi | Yaseen Khan |
| Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare | Khan Bahadur | |
| Aasra | Surendra Nath Kumar | |
| Aaye Din Bahar Ke | Shukla | |
| 1967 | Naunihaal | |
| Ghar Ka Chirag | ||
| Aman | Gautamdas' dad | |
| Hamraaz | Police Inspector Ashok | |
| 1968 | Sunghursh | Ganeshi Prasad |
| Neel Kamal | Mr. Raichand | |
| Izzat | ||
| Duniya | Public Prosecutor Ramnath Sharma | |
| 1969 | Talash | Ranjit Rai |
| Nanha Farishta | Dr. Ramnath | |
| Ek Phool Do Mali | Kailash Nath Kaushal | |
| Do Raaste | Navendru Gupta | |
| 1970 | Pehchan | Ex-Firefighter |
| Pavitra Paapi | Pannalal | |
| Naya Raasta | Bansi | |
| Nanak Dukhiya Sab Sansar | ||
| Mere Humsafar | Ashok | |
| Holi Ayee Re | ||
| Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani | ||
| Dharti | Bharat's dad | |
| 1971 | Paraya Dhan | Govindram |
| Jawan Mohabbat | Dr. Sarin | |
| 1972 | Shayar-e-Kashmir Mahjoor | Ghulam Ahmed Mahjoor |
| Jawani Diwani | Ravi Anand | |
| Jangal Mein Mangal | Thomas | |
| 1973 | Pyaar Ka Rishta | |
| Hindustan Ki Kasam | ||
| Hanste Zakhm | SP Dinanath Mahendru | |
| Garam Hawa | Salim Mirza | |
| 1977 | Jallian Wala Bagh | Udham Singh |
| Amaanat | Suresh |
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