Seeta Devi

Seeta Devi (born Renee Smith; 15 October 1912 – 1983) was an Indian actress and a prominent star of the silent film era.

Seeta was known as The Brightest Star In The Indian Cinema World. Along with Ermeline, Ruby Myers, Sabita Devi and Patience Cooper, she is credited as a "leading star" of the 1920s and 1930s who had more mass appeal than their male counterparts.

She is stated to be one of the "prominent" leading ladies of the "pioneering era" of Indian cinema along with Mehtab, Bibbo, Durga Khote, Gohar, Devika Rani, Susan Solomon and Indira Devi.

Early life Devi was born Renee Smith in 1912 to an Anglo-Indian family. This unique trilogy were connected to three different religions and based on three different stories of Indian history/mythology: The Light of Asia was based on the life of Buddha, Shiraz was based on construction of the Taj Mahal and Prapancha Pash, better known by its English title A Throw of Dice, was based on a story from the Mahabharata. Seeta Devi was the leading actress in all these three films, though the role in Shiraz was that of 'the other woman'.

Madan Theatres and later silent films Beyond her work with Rai and Osten, Devi was a star for Madan Theatres in Calcutta.

Later she directed a film Bharat Ramani (also known as The Enchantress of India) in 1930 and she acted in the lead role.

Death She died in 1983 at the age of 71 in India.

Filmography Film Silent Movies Year Film Role Notes 1922 Indrajit Debut film 1922 Bemata 1923 Yayati 1923 Step Mother 1925 Prem Sanyas Princess Gopa 1926 Krishnakanter Will (1926 film) Bhramar 1926 Light of Asia 1926 Durgesh Nandini One Tilottama 1927 Durgesh Nandini Two Tilottama Produced by Madan Theatres 1928 Sarla 1928 Sarala Sarala 1928 Shiraz Selima 1928 The Loves of a Moghul Prince Anarkali Also titled Rajmahal Ni Ramni 1928 Bhrantri (Mistake) 1929 Kapal Kundala 1929 A Throw of Dice Sunita (Prapancha Pash) 1930 Bharat Ramani (The Enchantress of India) 1930 Kal Parinaya Kishori (Fatal Marriage)

Talkie Movies Year Film Role Notes 1931 Rose of Kashmir 1931 Nasih Ni Balihart 1932 Shikari 1933 Raja Gopichand Shehzadi

Director Year Film Role Notes 1930 Bharat Ramani Director (The Enchantress of India) 1930 Kal Parinaya Director (Fatal Marriage)

Producer Year Film Role Notes 1930 Kal Parinaya Producer Producer and director

Playback singer Year Film Role Notes 1956 Badal Aur Bijli Singer Playback singer