Zubeida

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Zubeida Begum Dhanrajgir (1911-1990) was an Indian actress from Surat. She is the daughter of Fatma Begum, notable fim actress and India's first woman film director ^[1] and the sister of actressess Shahzadi and Sultana. Her credits include Alam Ara (1931) and Devdas (1937).

In the presence of seasoned actors like Prithviraj Kapoor and Master Vithal, Zubeida blossomed and wowed everyone with her singing, dancing and her speech. She also played the lead in Sagar Movietone's first talkie, Meri Jaan.

Zubeida was one of Indian cinema's earliest superstars and among the few girls who entered films at a time when it wasn't considered an appropriate profession for girls from respectable families let alone Royalty. Born in Surat, Zubeida was a stunningly beautiful princess, the daughter of the Nawab of Sachin and Fatima Begum. Zubeida and her two sisters, Sultana and Shehzadi, egged on by their actress mother who was to become India's first woman director, entered films at a very young age.

Zubeida was only 12 when she made her debut in Kohinoor. Through the 20s she made infrequent appearances on screen along with Sultana who by then had become one of our cinema's loveliest leading ladies. One of the films to star the two sisters was 'Kalyan Khajina' in 1924. They had also shared the screen in Zubeida's first blockbuster, 'Veer Abhimanyu' released two years earlier, that also had their mother, Fatima Begum playing an important role.

In 1925 Zubeida had nine releases amongst them 'Kala Chor', 'Devdasi' and 'Desh Ka Dushman'. A year later she starred in her mother's film, 'Bulbul-e-Parista'. 1927 was memorable for her with 'Laila Majnu', 'Nanand Bhojai' and Naval Gandhi's 'Sacrifice' setting the cash counters jingling . The latter based on Rabindranath Tagore's 'Balidaan' starred Zubeida, Sulochana, Master Vithal and Jal Khambatta. It condemned the age-old custom of animal sacrifice in certain Kali temples in Bengal. The Members of the Indian Cinematograph Committee were wowed by this "excellent and truly Indian film". Its European members recommended that it be sent abroad for screening.

Zubeida starred in a string of silent films before India's first talkie 'Alam Ara' proved to be the turning point in her career and was her biggest hit. Along with 'Alam Ara' came 'Meri Jaan' and 'Veer Abhimanyu' and Zubeida was suddenly hot property and one of the highest paid leading ladies around.

Through the 30s and early 40s she made a hit team with Jal Merchant and starred in several successful mythologicals playing characters like Subhadra, Uttara and Draupadi. She also made heads turn and hearts flutters with films like Ezra Mir's Zarina which had her playing a vibrant, volatile circus girl whose kisses steamed up the screen and sparked off heated debate on censorship. Zubeida was one of the few actresses to make a successful transition from the silent era to the talkies.

In 1934 she set up Mahalakshmi Movietone with Nanubhai Vakil and had another couple of box-office bonanzas in 'Gul-e-Sonobar' and 'Rasik-e-Laila'. She continued to appear in one or two films a year till 1949. 'Nirdosh Abla' was her last film.

Zubeida married Maharaj Narsingir Dhanrajgir Gyan Bahadur of Hyderabad state. She is also the mother of eminent corporate figure Humayun Dhanrajgir Zubeida spent her last years in Dhanraj Mahal Palace in Bombay amongst her children and grandchildren. She died in 1988. She is survived by her son Humayun Dhanrajgir and grandchildren Nikhil Dhanrajgir, Ashok Dhanrajgir, Rhea Pillai and Karen Nina