ESTEEMED ACTRESS..JAYA BHADURI-BACHCHAN..70.!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Jaya Bachchan in Karan Johar's film 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham' (2001).

Today is 70th Birthday of veteran esteemed Indian Actress & MP..Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan!

Jaya Bhaduri (Bachchan) as & in 'Guddi' (1971).

Known for naturalistic acting..Jaya Bhaduri was fortunate to start her acting career at the age of 15 with great filmmaker Satyajit Ray's Bengali 'Mahanagar' (1963). She was in supporting role with it's main lead Anil Chatterjee & Madhabi Mukherjee!

Jaya Bhaduri (Bachchan) in Tagore's story base 'Uphaar' (1971).

She studied acting in that time 'Film Institute of India', Pune. Few years back I got opportunity to see her teenage appearance in short film 'Suman' at FTII. That was her real screen debut which happened during her institute days! After that in 1971 she professionally started acting in cinema with famous 'Guddi' directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee!

Jaya Bhaduri (Bachchan) & Randhir Kapoor in 'Jawani Diwani's (1972) song!

Her look was like a girl-next-door..with her own style of shy smile! Observed & admired her early roles in films like..Tagore's story base 'Uphaar' (1971). Even the films she did in 1972...Gulzar's (inspired from Robert Wise's Hollywood classic 'The Sound of Music') 'Parichay' and Basu Chatterjee's (remake of Raja Thakur's Marathi film 'Mumbaicha Jawai') 'Piya ka Ghar'..established her in that image!

Jaya Bhaduri (Bachchan) & Sanjeev Kumar in 'Koshish' (1972).

Then she deliberately came in glamorous role with hit romantic musical 'Jawani Diwani' (1972)..in this film Randhir Kapoor was hero who sung for her "Samne yeh koun aaya dil mein hui halchal.." that was a success of her in Bollywood! But she did not stay in that glorious image for a long!

She immediately turned to off-beat roles like in 'Koshish'..She & Sanjeev Kumar portrayed deaf & mute couple who struggle for happy life!..This was a remake of classic Japanese film 'Happiness of Us Alone' (1961). With Sanjeev Kumar her portrait of 'Anamika' (1973) was also notable!

Jaya Bhaduri-Amitabh Bachchan in 'Ek Nazar's (1972) song "Patta patta"

By that time Jaya Bhaduri became a star! On that stage she acted with newcomer Amitabh Bachchan who was struggling in film industry & famous actresses refused to work with him. But she came with him in 'Bansi Birju' (1972).

Then they intensely acted in B. R. Ishara's film 'Ek Nazar' which showed growing love between them..especially in the song which Mohammed Rafi & Lata Mangeshkar nicely sung "Patta patta boota boota haal hamara jane hain.."..one of my most favourite romantic songs!

Amitabh & Jaya Bachchan in romantic scene of 'Abhiman' (1973).

And came their hit film with Salim-Javed's powerful script..Prakash Mehra's 'Zanjeer' (1973) which made Amitabh Bachchan superstar! Same year she married with him! After that they worked together in films came by 1975..includes sensitive 'Mili', light romantic 'Chupke Chupke' & Bollywood's blockbuster Western 'Sholay'(1975). But after the birth of their children she restricted her work in cinema. May be because of the 'situation of star couple' they shared in film 'Abhimaan'!

Jaya Bachchan as & in 'Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa' (1998)
wrote by Bengali writer Mahasweta Devi!

But in 1981 on the sensitive (reel & real) situation Bollywood's romantic filmmaker Yash Chopra showed the courage to cast Amitabh Bachchan & Rekha with Jaya Bachchan..in most discussed movie 'Silsila'! After that she disappeared from screen; but few knows that she wrote a story of Amitabh Bachchan's hit film 'Shahenshah' (1988).

Hrithik Roshan & Jaya Bachchan in Khalid Mohamed's 'Fiza' (2000).

After a decade from that in 1998 Jaya Bachchan returned to screen as (Jnanpith winner) Bengali writer Mahasweta Devi's 'Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa'! Govind Nihalani made this film was premiered in 'MAMI's Film Festival, Mumbai..and I still remember meeting her with Mahasweta Devi in it!

Jaya Bachchan & Victor Banerjee in Bangladeshi film
'Meherjaan' (2011) directed by Rubaiyat Hossain!

Then her roles in films like..Khalid Mohamed's social 'Fiza' (2000) & Karan Johar's family drama 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham' (2001) were notable! She also acted in Rubaiyat Hossain's Bangladeshi film 'Meherjaan' (2001) with Victor Banerjee & Humayun Faridi!

Happy Family of Jaya-Amitabh Bachchan..daughter Shweta Nanda, son actor Abhishek,
daughter-in-law actress Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan..and grand children!

She won many awards like..nine 'Filmfare' and of 'BFJA' & 'IIFA' for her outstanding performances. And honoured with 'Padmashri' from our Government of India'!

She is now active in politics. Since 2004 she is a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha from the Samajwadi Party!

Wishing her all the very best!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune]