Sadhana Shivdasani

Sadhana Shivdasani (2 September 1941 – 25 December 2015),

Born in Karachi, Sadhana and her family migrated to Bombay during the partition of India when she was 7 years old. After making an uncredited appearance in Shree 420 (1955), Sadhana became the protégée of the director Sashadhar Mukherjee, who cast her in Love In Simla (1960), where her distinctive hairstyle became a rage and came to be known as "Sadhana Cut". Following this success, Sadhana went on to establish herself as a leading actress with films like - Parakh (1960), Hum Dono (1961), Asli-Naqli (1962), Ek Musafir Ek Haseena (1962), Mere Mehboob (1963), Woh Kaun Thi? (1964), Arzoo (1965), Waqt (1965) and Mera Saaya (1966).

Sadhana's health deteriorated in the latter half of 1960s due to hyperthyroidism, which forced her to take a brief break from work. She went to Boston for her treatment and returned to acting in 1969, starring in two consecutive box-office hits — Ek Phool Do Mali and Intaqam. In 1974, the actress made her directorial debut with the crime thriller Geetaa Mera Naam, and later withdrew from acting. Her final screen appearance was in the delayed release Ulfat Ki Nayi Manzilein (1994). In 2002, she received the IIFA Lifetime Achievement Award. Sadhana was married to her Love in Simla director R. K. Nayyar on 7 March 1966.

Career Early career Sadhana aspired to be an actress since childhood. In 1955, she played a chorus girl in the song "Mud mud ke na dekh mud mud ke" in Raj Kapoor's Shree 420. When she was 15 years old, she was approached by some producers who had seen her act in a college play. They cast her in India's first Sindhi film titled Abaana (1958), where she played the role of Sheila Ramani's younger sister. She was paid Re 1 for this movie.

A photograph of her taken during the promotional shoot for the film Abaana (1958) appeared in the movie magazine Screen. It was then that Sashadhar Mukherjee, one of Hindi cinema's leading producers at that time, noticed her. She joined Mukherjee's acting school along with her debutant co-star Joy Mukherjee, Sashadhar's son. Ram Krishna Nayyar (R. K. Nayyar), who had previously worked as assistant director on a few films, directed this film. He also created her trademark look, called the Sadhana cut, inspired by Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn. The Filmalaya Production banner thus introduced Joy, Sadhana and her iconic hairstyle in their 1960 romantic film Love in Simla. The film was declared a hit at the box office and was listed in the top 10 films of 1960. During this period she would again work under the same banner opposite Joy in Ek Musafir Ek Haseena.

Stardom Besides Love in Simla, Sadhana was signed by acclaimed director Bimal Roy for his satirical film on Indian democracy; Parakh. She portrayed a simple village girl in this multi-award-winning film. The film was a semi hit at box office and is known for the song "O Sajna Barkha Bahar Aai" sung by Lata Mangeshkar. In 1961's other hit, Hum Dono, she played the love interest of Dev Anand. This black-and-white film was colourized and re-released in 2011. Rediff.com in the film's review writes about Sadhana: "Her eyes, expressive and captivating, do most of the work, while she balances out her submissiveness with a firm tongue." The duet "Abhi na jaao chhodkar" from the film Hum Dono is regarded as "the most romantic song" by actor Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Author Amit Chaudhuri in an essay comparing cultures, says that Sadhana's curious expressions in the song denote listener's peculiar ecstasy while in other cinemas it would mean sex or love. In 1962, she was again paired with Dev Anand in Asli-Naqli by director Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The same year saw director-screenwriter Raj Khosla cast her opposite Joy in Ek Musafir Ek Hasina. Khosla would again work with Sadhana to make a suspense thriller trilogy. and ranked in the top 5 films of the 1960s.

In 1964, she played a double role in the first of the suspense-thriller trilogy; Woh Kaun Thi? This white-sari-clad performance opposite Manoj Kumar earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. Through this role she got to be part of Lata Mangeshkar – Madan Mohan’s songs "Naina barse" and "Lag ja gale". Rediff.com called her a show-stopper "with an intriguing Mona Lisa-like smile". The film was a box office hit. Raj Khosla cast her in two more successful mystery films; Mera Saaya (1966) and Anita (1967) thus making her famous as the "Mystery girl". Mera Saaya, a box office Superhit, a courtroom drama film, again saw her playing a double role, now opposite Sunil Dutt. The song "Jhumka gira re" sung by Asha Bhosle and composed by Madan Mohan saw Sadhana perform dance steps choreographed by Saroj Khan. Khan was then an assistant to dance director B. Sohanlal. The song became so popular that excited audience in cinema halls used to throw coins at the screen, and is one of the most requested songs on the radio.

Sadhana got her second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress for the role of Meena, in Yash Chopra's directorial saga Waqt (1965). She stood out in Bollywood’s first ever ensemble cast by bringing out the fashion of tight churidar-kurtas. The film proved to be 1965's "blockbuster hit". Her other notable works in the 1960s include performances in Rajkumar (1964), Dulha Dulhan (1964), Gaban (1966) and Budtameez (1966).

End of acting career Sadhana had health issues due to her thyroid, which she got treated in Boston.

In Intaquam she played the role of a woman who revengefully lures the son of her own boss who cheated her, to be put behind the bars for a crime he did not commit. In 1974, her directorial venture Geeta Mera Naam was released. Produced by her husband, the film had herself playing the lead actress along with Sunil Dutt and Feroz Khan. It was also Saroj Khan's first film as an independent dance director. The film did "above average" business at the box office. A non-lexical vocable from the song "Mujhe maar daalo" of this film appears in the song "People" which features in American rapper J Dilla's album Donuts (2006).

After that, she retired from acting, as she did not want to be cast as a side-actress or do character roles.

Personal life Sadhana married her Love in Simla director Ram Krishna Nayyar on 7 March 1966. Their love blossomed on the film set. But as she was very young then, her parents opposed it. They were married for nearly thirty years, until his death in 1995 from asthma. The couple had no children. In 2013, she stated that she doesn't keep in touch with her first cousin Babita but does keep in touch with actresses such as Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman, Nanda, Shammi and Helen.

She suffered from eye problems due to hyperthyroidism. After her retirement from acting, she refused to be photographed.

Legacy

Sadhana is regarded as one of the remarkable actors of Hindi cinema. In 2011, Rediff.com listed her as the eighth-greatest actress of all-time. In 2022, she was placed in Outlook Indias "75 Best Bollywood Actresses" list. One of the highest paid actress of the 1960s, Sadhana appeared in Box Office Indias "Top Actresses" list five times from 1962 to 1966 and topped twice (1965-1966).

Fashion icon Sadhana introduced the fringe hairstyle in the Indian film industry in her first film Love in Simla. R. K. Nayyar, director of the film and her future husband, suggested the fringe style in order to make her forehead look narrower. Sadhana says: "They tried to stick a strip near the hair-line, but it didn’t work out." The style was copied by girls in India and is still known by the same name. The look suited the role of naughty, pretty, glamorous Sonia that she played. But when Sadhana went on the shoot for Bimal Roy's Parakh, Roy was disappointed to see her modern look. She had to stick her fringe back in order to match the simple village girl she played here. Many years later, the Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone sported the same fringe in her films Om Shanti Om (2007) and Chandni Chowk To China (2009). Sadhana is also credited with bringing into fashion the tight churidar-kurta.

In a song sequence of "Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte" for Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), actress Bipasha Basu dressed herself in a white churidar-kurta and also frolicked with the famous fringe as a tribute to Sadhana. In 2014, Sadhana made a rare public appearance walking the ramp in a pink sari at a fashion show to support the cause for cancer and AIDS patients. She was escorted by her relative, actor Ranbir Kapoor.

Death During her later years, Sadhana was involved in court cases and suffered from illness. She had undergone an emergency surgery due to a bleeding oral lesion in December 2014 at the K J Somaiya Medical College.

Sadhana died on 25 December 2015 in Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai after being hospitalised with high fever. However, India Today reported she died of cancer.

Sadhana was cremated at Oshiwara crematorium in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Bollywood stars such Anushka Sharma, Karan Johar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Lata Mangeshkar and several others expressed their sorrow at the loss.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1955 Shree 420 Chorus girl Uncredited brief appearance in song "Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh" 1958TalaqShepherd dancer-singer girlUncredited brief appearance in song "Mere Jeevan Mein Kiran Banake" lip-syncing to Asha Bhosle's vocals Abana Sindhi film 1960 Love in Simla Sonia Debut as lead Parakh Seema 1961 Hum Dono Mita 1962 Prem Patra Kavita Kapoor Man Mauji Rani Ek Musafir Ek Hasina Asha Asli-Naqli Renu 1963 Mere Mehboob Husna Banu Changezi 1964 Woh Kaun Thi? Sandhya and Sandhya's twin Double role Rajkumar Princess Sangeeta Picnic Unreleased Dulha Dulhan Rekha alias Chanda 1965 Waqt Meena Mittal Arzoo Usha 1966 Mera Saaya Geeta and Raina alias Nisha Double role Gaban Jalpa Budtameez Shanta 1967 Anita Anita alias Maya 1969 Sachaai Shobha Dayal Intaquam Reeta Mehra Ek Phool Do Mali Somna 1970 Ishq Par Zor Nahin Sushma Rai 1971 Aap Aye Bahaar Ayee Neena Bakshi 1972 Dil Daulat Duniya Roopa 1973 Hum Sub Chor Hain Special appearance 1974 Geeta Mera Naam Kavita / Neeta / Geeta Double role; also director Chhote Sarkar Radhika 1975 Vandana Rekha 1977 Amaanat Suchitra 1981 Mehfil Shalini and Ratnabai Double role 1994 Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzeelein Sadhana Final film / Delayed release

Accolades Year Award Category Film Result Ref. 1965Filmfare AwardsBest Actress Woh Kaun Thi? 1966 Waqt 2002 IIFA Awards Lifetime Achievement Award