Lalita Pawar

Lalita Pawar (née Amba Laxmanrao Shagun; 18 April 1916 – 24 February 1998) was a prolific Indian actress, who later became famous as a character actress, appearing in over 700 films in Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati cinema. She holds a Guinness world record of longest acting career spanning over 70 years. Pawar won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the comedy-drama Anari. She featured in hit films such as Netaji Palkar, made by Bhalji Pendharkar, New Hana Pictures' Sant Damaji, Navyug Chitrapat's Amrit, written by VS Khandekar, and Chhaya Films' Gora Kumbhar. Her other memorable roles were in the films Anari (1959), Shri 420 and Mr & Mrs 55, and the role of Manthara, in Ramanand Sagar's television epic serial Ramayan.

Biography Pawar was born as Amba Laxman Rao Sagun on 18 April 1916, into an orthodox family in Yeola in Nashik. Her father Laxman Rao Shagun was a rich silk and cotton piecegoods merchant. She started her acting career at age nine in the film Raja Harishchandra (1928), and later went on to play lead roles in the silent era and 1940s films, in a career that lasted until the end of her life, spanning seven decades.

She co-produced and acted in a silent film Kailash (1932), and later produced another film Duniya Kya Hai in 1938, a talkie.

In 1942, as a part of a scene in the movie Jung-e-Azadi, actor Master Bhagwan was to slap her hard. Being a new actor, he accidentally slapped her very hard, which resulted in facial paralysis and a burst left eye vein. Three years of treatment later, she was left with a defective left eye; thus she had to abandon lead roles, and switch to character roles, which won her much of her fame later in life. She also played the leading lady with the top heroes of the era like Paidi Jairaj, Trilok Kapoor, Gajanan Jagirdar etc.

She was known particularly for playing maternal figures, especially wicked matriarchs or mothers-in-law. She also notably played the strict but kind Mrs. L. D'Sa in Anari (1959) with Raj Kapoor. Under Hrishikesh Mukherjee's direction, she gave the performance of a lifetime, for which she received the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Also, as the tough matriarch who falls in love in Professor (1962), and the devious hunchback Manthara in Ramanand Sagar's television series Ramayan. She was honored by the Government of India as the first lady of Indian cinema in 1961.

Personal life Her first marriage was to Ganpatrao Pawar, which ended after he slept with her younger sister. She later married film producer Rajprakash Gupta, of Ambika studios, Bombay. Her son Jai Pawar become a producer and worked with her in movies like Manzil. Jai Pawar had 2 sons Sanjay Pawar and Manoj Pawar. She and her husband lived in Juhu, Mumbai with her grandson Sanjay Pawar and great-grand daughters Anushka and Aanya Pawar. She died on 24 February 1998 in Aundh, Pune, where she had been staying for a while, due to mouth cancer.

Selected filmography Year Film Character Notes 1941 Amrit Seeta 1944 Ram Shastri Anandibai (wife of Peshwa Raghunathrao) 1950 Dahej Mrs. Biharilal (Suraj's mother) 1951 The Immortal Song Vitabai 1952 Daag Shankar (Dilip Kumar)'s mother Parchhain Badi Rani 1955 Shri 420 Ganga Mai Mr & Mrs 55 Seeta Devi, Anita's aunt 1957 Nau Do Gyarah 1958 Parvarish Thakurain Rukmani Singh Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 1959 Anari Mrs. L. D'Sa Won – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress Sujata Giribala, Buaji/aunt 1960 Jhumroo Jhumroo's Mother Jis desh me ganga behti hai (1960) Aanchal Ramu's mother Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 1961 Junglee Shekhar's mother Hum Dono Major's Mother Sampoorna Ramayana Manthara Memdidi 1962 Professor Sita Devi Verma Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress Banarsi Thug 1963 Bluff Master Sehra Angara's mother Grahasti Harish Khanna's sister Ghar Basake Dekho Mrs. Shanta Mehra 1964 Sharabi Kohra Dai Maa Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress 1966 Phool Aur Patthar Mrs. Jeevan Ram Love in Tokyo Gayatri Devi Khandan Fufi 1967 Boond Jo Ban Gayee Moti Shefali's mother Noor Jehan 1968 Ankhen Madam/Fake Aunt Neel Kamal Thakurain Aabroo Mrs. Verma Teen Bahuraniyan Sita's mother 1969 Meri Bhabhi Gangajali 1970 Anand Matron Pushpanjali Rani Sahiba Gopi Lilawati devi Darpan Dadima 1971 Jwala 1972 Gaon Hamara Shaher Tumhara Lajwanti Pandey Bombay to Goa Kashibai 1974 Hamrahi Naya Din Nai Raat Mental Hospital Patient (Special appearance) Doosri Sita 1976 Aaj Ka Ye Ghar Mrs. Shanti Dinanath Tapasya Mrs. Varma 1977 Jay Vejay Nandini Prayashchit Aaina Janki 1979 Manzil Mrs. Chandra (Ajay's mother) 1980 Yaarana mother Kali Ghata Ambu, House keeper Phir Wohi Raat Hostel Warden Sau Din Saas Ke Bhavani Devi (Prakash's mother) 1981 Naseeb Mrs. Gomes Sannata Ms. Rosie 1982 Apna Bana Lo Mausi 1983 Ek Din Bahu Ka Kalavati 1986 Pyar Ke Do Pal Ghar Sansar Satyanarayan's mother 1987 Watan Ke Rakhwale Radha's Maternal Grandma Uttar Dakshin 1988 Zalzala Shila's mom Sherni Old lady searching for her son Pyasi Aatma 1989 Bahurani 1992 Muskurahat Laundry lady 1997 Bhai

Television Year Show Role Channel References 1987 Ramayan Manthara DD National

Awards 1960: Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress – Anari 1961: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award – Acting 1996: V. Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award