Nanda- The Journey of Baby Nanda to the Leading Actress

 

Nanda(8 January 1939 – 25 March 2014) started her career in films as a child artist. It was her father who took her in his film Mandir (1948). While making the film her father expired, the film was completed by Dinakar Patil. After her father's untimely death, she decided to do films besides attending the school. First, she did Jaggu (1952) as a child artist in which Shyama was playing the heroine. In 1954 she did Jagadguru Shankaracharya. In the same year, she did Angaray directed by K.B. Lal that starred Nargis and Nasir Khan 

V Shantaram was her uncle, who gave her break as a leading actress in the 1956 film 'Toofan Aur Diya'. She played the role of sister in this film. After that, she was offered roles of sister or side roles in many films. Kala Bazar was one such film in which she played the role of a sister of the hero Dev Anand.

Bhabhi(1957) was a significant film for her, she was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress for this film. In this film also she played the role of a sister. Again in 1958, she played the sister of the hero Raj Kumar in Dulhan. She once again plays sister in 1959 film 'Chhoti Behan', recall the immortal 'Rakhi' song "Bhaiya Mere Rakhi Ke Bandhan Ko Nibhana".

In 'Dhool Ka Phool'(1959), she was the second lead actress to Mala Sinha, she didn't play the sister here but was not the leading actress. She won the Best Supporting Actress award for the 1960 film 'Aanchal'. In 1961 she was taken as one of the leading actresses for Dev Anand in Hum Dono, the success of this film made her a leading actress. She became the heroine of Shashi Kapoor in 'Char Diwari', Raj Kapoor in 'Aashiq'(1962), Sunil Dutt in 'Nartaki' and 'Aaj Aur Kal'.

Her most remarkable year was 1965 when 6 of her films as leading actress released. Teen Deviyan.Gumnam and Jab Jab Phool Khile were memorable.

In 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', Nanda played her career's first westernized role and paired up with Shashi Kapoor with whom she went on to do eight films. She worked with Rajesh Khanna in 'The Train' when he was just starting out as an actor. She also worked with him in 'Ittefaq' and 'Joru Ka Gulam'.
Manoj Kumar took her in Shor released in 1972. She made a brief return to acting in 1982 as a character actress where she played the onscreen mother of Padmini Kolhapure in 'Ahista Ahista', 'Mazdoor' R K Films Prem Rog 

'Mazdoor' (1983) was her last film, she played the wife of Dilip Kumar in this film. She died in Mumbai on 25 March 2014 at her Versova residence, aged 75, following a heart attack.

Song of Toofan aur Diya 1956

Song of Chhoti Bahen 1959

Song of Usne Kaha Tha 1960

Song of Hum Dono 1961

Song of  Aaj Aur Kal 1964

Song of  Jab Jab Phool Khile 1965

Song of Teen Deviyan 1965

Song of Gumnaam 1965

Song of The Train 1970

Song of Shor 1972

Nanda: Her popular songs

Nanda(8 January 1939 – 25 March 2014) started her career in films as a child artist. It was her father who took her in his film Mandir (1948). While making the film her father expired, the film was completed by Dinakar Patil. After her father's untimely death, she decided to do films besides attending the school. First, she did Jaggu (1952) as a child artist in which Shyama was playing the heroine. In 1954 she did Jagadguru Shankaracharya. In the same year, she did Angaray directed by K.B. Lal that starred Nargis and Nasir Khan 
V Shantaram took her as a leading actress in her film Toofan Aur Diya released in 1956. But after that, she was offered roles of sister or side roles in many films. Dev Anand took her in his sister's role in Navketan's Kala Bazarin 1960 with a promise he would cast her heroine in his next film. It was in Hum Dono released in 1961, she was one of the heroines in that film.
After Hum Donobig banners started approaching her with good offers. Nanda went on to rule the screen space from 1960 till 1973 with Nutan, Waheeda Rehman, and Sadhna. Some of her most memorable roles were in 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', 'Gumnaam' and 'Hum Dono'.She was once again one of the heroines in Dev Anand's Teen Deviyan.
In 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', Nanda played her career's first westernized role and paired up with Shashi Kapoor with whom she went on to do eight films.
She worked with Rajesh Khanna in 'The Train' when he was just starting out as an actor. She also worked with him in Ittefaq and Joru Ka Gulam.
Manoj Kumar took her in Shor released in 1972. She made a brief return to acting in 1982 as a character actress where she played the onscreen mother of Padmini Kolhapure in 'Ahista Ahista', 'Mazdoor' R K Films Prem Rog 
Nanda was nominated for Filmfare Award five times for her performance in Bhabhi (1957), Aanchal (1960), Ittefaq (1969), Ahista Ahista (1981) and Prem Rog (1982). 
She won Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for 'Aanchal' 

Song of Toofan aur Diya 1956

Song of Chhoti Bahen 1959

Song of Dhool Ka Phool 1959

Song of Usne Kaha Tha 1960

Song of Hum Dono 1961

Song of  Mehndi Lagi Mere Haath 1962

Song of  Nartakee 1963

Song of  Aaj Aur Kal 1964

 Song of  Jab Jab Phool Khile 1965 

Song of Teen Deviyan 1965

Song of Gumnaam 1965

Song of Parivar 1967

Song of The Train 1970

Song of Shor 1972

Song of Joroo Ka Ghulam' 1972

Teen Deviyan - A Film way ahead of its time.

Teen Deviyan was released in 1965. That was the era when ideal Hindi film heroes were largely variants of epic heroes Ram and Yudhishtir but here Dev Anand romancing with three heroines. The movie panders to the male ego as the three attractive women throwing themselves at Dev while he gently keeps stepping aside. The women want him but they were also willing to move on if it doesn't work.
Teen Devian starts off to a commentary by Ameen Sayani, as the camera moves through Calcutta's streets, the pretty Nanda (Nanda) finds herself, as she sees it, being followed. She even sees this man following her to the house where she visits. At this point, Nanda loses her temper and yells at Dev, threatening to call the police. The house owner clears the misunderstanding. After some time they fell in love.

Dev  Anand plays Dev Dutt who is a salesman in a music store in Calcutta. He also writes poems. One day he comes across a celebrated actress Kalpana (Kalpana) to whom he proves in their first confrontation that he is not overwhelmed by glamorous women and does not allow them to dominate him. In the course of a series of meetings, Kalpana also starts liking Dev.

The third Devi(heroine) comes to his life in the form of Radha Rani (Simmi), a socialite who is intelligent and an ardent music lover. Torn between his three beloveds, Dev has a tormented life which is a mixture of uncertainties, pathos and restlessness. He ultimately opts for the simple middle-class Nanda in whom he finds his real love and life partner.
Dev Anand as Dev Dutt is confident, smart and looks divine in his urban costumes many of which became trendsetters of that period. 

The highlight of the film is its music. The lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri tuned to immortality by S.D. Burman. All the six songs, “Aise To Na Dekho”, “Likha Hai Teri”, “Are Yaar Meri”, “Khwab Ho Ya”, “Kaye Be Khayal Hoke” and “Kitni Sardi” rendered by Mohammad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhonsle are super hits, well conceived and picturised. All the songs are listened and watched even now and create the same euphoria as at the time of its release. 

Teen Deviyan despite of great music and Dev Anand is at his peak was an average earner in Box Office. The reason being, it was given A certificate and was in Black & White, that time colour films were attraction The film was released on 1st Jan 1965

Song of Teen Deviyan 1965

Song of Teen Deviyan 1965

Song of Teen Deviyan 1965

Song of Teen Deviyan 1965

Song of Teen Deviyan 1965

Nanda- One of the highest paid actresses of her time.

Nanda, who has done some unforgettable work in Bollywood and has given films like like Hum Dono, ‘Dhool Ka Phool’, ‘Dulhan’, ‘Bhabhi’, ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’, ‘Gumnaam’, ‘Shor’, ‘Parineeta’, and ‘Prem Rog’ was one of the highest paid actresses of her time. She was the second highest paid Hindi actress along-with Nutan from 1960-1965 and second highest paid Hindi actress in 1966-1969 along-with Nutan and Waheeda 
She was born on 8th Jan1939 at Kolhapur. Maharashtra.She was eight years old when her father died.She became a child actress, helping her family by working in films.She made her debut with Mandir in 1948.she was a child actor from 1948 to 1956. She was first recognized as "Baby Nanda". In the films like Mandir, Jaggu, Angaarey, and Jagriti.

It was  the renowned film producer-director V. Shantaram who was her maternal uncle gave Nanda a big break by casting her in a successful brother-sister saga; Toofan Aur Diya (1956).She played supporting roles initially,  She received her first Filmfare Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress for Bhabhi(1957). She played second lead in Dhool Ka Phoo and was in Kala Bazar as Dev Anand'sister.

She became a lead heroine with the 1959 film Chhoti Behen,The movie was a big hit, making her a star.She then played lead roles, such as one of Dev Anand's heroines in Hum Dono (1961) and Teen Deviyan. Both films were acclaimed as hits. 

She was the heroine in B.R. Chopra's Kanoon (1960), She signed eight films with Shashi Kapoor at a time when he was yet to become successful in Hindi Cinema. Their earlier two films  Char Diwari (1961) and Mehndi Lagi Mere Haath (1962) were flop but she continued to work with him till Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965) released.The film was a hit,she played a westernised role for the first time and it helped her image.They became a successful screen pair.They gave many hit films like Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain (1965),Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966), Raja Saab (1969) and Rootha Na Karo (1970).

The year 1965 was lucky year for her,she gave hit films like Gumnam and Teen Deviyan beside  Jab Jab Phool Khile.
She signed with new leading man Rajesh Khanna in the songless suspense thriller Ittefaq (1969), for which she received a Filmfare nomination as Best Actress and which became successful at the box office. After Khanna became a super-star, he signed two more films with her; the thriller The Train (1970) and the comedy Joroo Ka Ghulam (1972) which became hits. Jeetendra, too, had some hit films with her such as Parivar and Dharti Kahe Pukar Ke, with Sanjay Khan, she had a hit in Beti and Abhilasha, 

She did a small role in Manoj Kumar's Shor (1972), Nanda did a few more critically acclaimed films such as Chhalia (1973) and Naya Nasha (1974), which flopped, and she then stopped acting. In 1982, she came back with three successful films, all coincidentally having her play Padmini Kolhapure's mother in Ahista Ahista, Mazdoor and Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog. Then she permanently retired.In 1992, a middle-aged Nanda became engaged to director Manmohan Desai at the urging of Rehman. But he died before they get married.
Nanda remained un married till she died.She died in Mumbai on 25 March 2014 at her Versova residence, aged 75, following a heart attack.

Song from Toofan Aur Diya 1956

Song from Bhabhi (1957)

Song from Chhoti Bahen (1959)

Song from Usne Kaha Tha (1960)

Song from Aanchal (1960)

Song from Nartakee 1963 

Song from Gumnaam (1965)

Song from Teen Devian (1965)

Song from Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965)

Song from Dharti Kahe Pukarke (1969)

Song from The Train 1970

Song from Woh Din Yaad Karo (1971)

Song from Shor (1972)