Daisy Irani

Daisy Irani Shukla is an Indian actress in Hindi language films. She was a popular child actor in the 1950s and 1960s. She is most known for films such as Bandish, Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Naya Daur (1957), Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke (1957), Jailor (1958), Qaidi No. 911 (1959) and Do Ustad (1959). As a supporting actress, she acted in Kati Patang in 1971. She also worked in a TV show Shararat (2003–2006).

Background and personal life Irani was born into an Irani Zoroastrian family and her mother-tongue is Gujarati. She is the eldest of three sisters, the other two being Honey Irani and Menaka Irani. Her younger sister Honey, who was also a child-star, was married to script-writer Javed Akhtar and their children are Bollywood film-makers Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar. Irani's other sister, Menaka, was married to the stunt film-maker Kamran Khan, and was the mother of film-makers Sajid Khan and Farah Khan.

Daisy married screenwriter K. K. Shukla, on 21 January 1971 at age 21. He died in 1993.

In 2018, Daisy revealed that she had been raped at the age of 6 by her "guardian" during the making of Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke (1957).

Career During the Golden Age (1950s–70s) of Hindi cinema, some child stars had great visibility. The Irani sisters, Daisy and Honey, who generally played boys with curly hair, became household names. The films that had both of them fetched the biggest openings. Stories were re-written to include them in the cast or increase their footage, and they were prominently publicized in the promos of their movies. Their most-remembered movies, together or separate, include Bandish, Jagte Raho, Bhai Bhai, Naya Daur, Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke, Musafir, Sahara, Duniya Na Mane, Do Ustad, Dhool Ka Phool, Soorat Aur Seerat and Chandi Ki Diwar. Daisy, who was more popular than her younger sister as a child artiste, continued to act after growing up, though not in any significant roles.

She quit films after her marriage in 1971, with her last release being Kati Patang in 1971. In the 1980s, she worked in theatre for a while and started an acting school. After the death of her husband in the early 1990s, she returned to acting in the comedy TV series Dekh Bhai Dekh and films such as Aastha (1997), Kya Kehna and Shararat (2002).

She appeared in nephew Sajid Khan's 2010 Housefull and thereafter in niece Farah Khan's acting debut film Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (2012), directed by Bela Sehgal.

Filmography

Bandish (1955) Jagte Raho (1956) Ek Hi Raasta (1956) Raja Devta (1956) Bhai-Bhai (1956) Munna Suvarna Sundari (1957) Naya Daur (1957) Musafir (1957) Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke (1957) as Chatpat Bhabhi (1957) as Mithu Yaar Paiyyan (1957, Tamil) as Poori Talaaq (1958) Sahara (1958) Panchayat (1958) Jailor (1958) Detective (1958) Raj Tilak (1958) Qaidi No. 911 (1959) as Guddu Kangan (1959) Duniya Na Mane (1959) Do Ustad (1959) as Raja Dhool Ka Phool (1959) as Ramesh Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan (1959) Bhai Bahen (1959) Kaithi Kannayiram (1960), credited as Baby Savithri Kumkuma Rekha (1960) (Telugu) Sharabi (1964) Arzoo (1965) Kade Dhupp Kade Chhaan (1967, Punjabi movie) Nawab Sirazuddaula (1967) Ankhen (1968) as Lily Liludi Dharati (film) (1968, Gujarati Movie) Talash (1969) Pehchan (1970) as Rani Kati Patang (1970) as Ramaiah Geet (1970) as Laxminarayan's daughter Jwala (1971) Gomti Ke Kinare (1972) as Chandni Ahankaar (1995) a Naina's Mom Aastha: In the Prison of Spring (1997) as Reena Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachaao (2001) Sanjivani (2002) as Nurse Philo Shararat (2002) as Rani Devi San Ge Hao Ren (2005) Anjaane (2005) Housefull (2010) as Batook's mother Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011) as June's grandmother Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi (2012) as Nargis Pastakia Happy New Year (2014) as Namita Irani (Extended cameo appearance)