NAKARAJAN: KALPANA ,HINDI ACTRESS BIOGRAPHY 1946 JULY 18 -2012 JANUARY 4

KALPANA ,HINDI ACTRESS BIOGRAPHY

1946 JULY 18 -2012 JANUARY 4

Kalpana (18 July 1946 – 4 January 2012), born Archana Mohan, was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi cinema in the 1960s. She appeared with Shammi Kapoor in the 1962 film Professor, with Shashi Kapoor and Kishore Kumar in Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966), with Dev Anand in Teen Devian, with Pradeep Kumar in Saheli and with Feroz Khan in Tasveer and Teesra Kaun. Daughter of revolutionary Avani Mohan, she was also an accomplished Kathak dancer trained under Pandit Shambhu Maharaj. She lived in Pune with her family.^[1]She lived for some time in Ambala Cantt. For some years she went to a school in Ambala Cantt. Her father was working in Khadi and village Industries Commission in the state office situated on Nicklson road in a/cantt. Her father was my colleage in this office during 1962-63.

Early life[edit]

Kalpana Mohan was born as Archana Mohan in Srinagar on 18 July 1946. She is of Panjabi and Dogra descent. Her father, Avani Mohan, a freedom fighter and an active member of the All India Congress Committee, was close to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and other top Congress stalwarts.^[2] She was trained in Kathak and often invited by Nehru to dance at the Rashtrapati Bhavan whenever dignitaries visited.^[3]

Career[edit]

Kalpana was spotted by actor Balraj Sahani and Urdu writer Ismat Chughtai, who encouraged her to come to Mumbai. Kalpana's first film, Pyaar Ki Jeet, lasted a week in theatres. Her second film was Naughty Boy (1962). Her third film, Professor, released in 1962 was a rare entertainer, which left the viewers delighted and satisfied.^[2] It starred Shammi Kapoor, who earned a Filmfare nomination as Best Actor. In 1965, she had another successful film, Teen Devian, with Dev Anand. Her next film, the comedy Pyar Kiye Jaa came out in 1966. Kalpana also starred in Biwi aur Makan opposite Biswajit in 1966. ^[4] She had a brief but successful stint in Bollywood in the 60's and 70's but stopped after she got married. Some of her last films were Saheli (1965), Picnic (1966), Tasveer (1966) and Nawab Sirajuddawala in 1967.^[3]^[2]^[

Personal life[edit]

Kalpana was married twice. In the mid-1960s, she married and quickly divorced screenwriter and film director Sachin Bhowmick. In 1967, she married an Indian Navy officer, with whom she had her only daughter. She divorced him in 1972.^[4] Despite raising her daughter alone, she made sure to give her best education as possible. She continued to live in Mumbai for a while but stopped acting to take care of her daughter. She moved to Kalyani Nagar in the eastern region of Pune in the early 1990s and spent her remaining life there after doctors advised a cleaner climate for her health. Her daughter married and moved to the United States with her husband. Kalpana lived by herself in Pune and her health started deteriorating.^[3]

Death[edit]

In 2011, she had lodged a complaint at a Khadak police station in Pune stating three people had allegedly made a fake memorandum of understanding by forging her signature. She alleged that they then sold her 56.18 hectare plot of land she owned in Mauje Visagar village to Sahara City builders in 2007 with her forged signature. The stress over this matter weakened her health even more.

Her daughter and son-in-law came from the US to take care of her as she was in treatment for cancer and suffered from a bout of pneumonia. She died at the age of 65 in the early hours of 4 January 2012 at the Pune Hospital and Research Centre due to cancer. She is survived by her daughter Preeti Mansukhani, son-in-law Harish and grandchildren Yash and Khushi. Her final rites were performed at the Vaikunth crematorium amidst family and close friends. The news of her death was brought to public several days later as her family knew that many people had their eye on her property.^[3]^[2]

Yesteryear Bollywood actress Kalpana who had worked with Shammi Kapoor in 'Professor' and Dev Anand in 'Teen Deviyaan'. Despite her looks and talent, she only did a handful of films.

The year 1962, was a bad one for India. The Chinese marched into the North East, people lost faith in Jawaharlal Nehru and his slogan of ‘Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai' and morale was low.

But there were compensations. One was witnessing F. C. Mehra's musical hit ‘Professor,' which completed a golden jubilee run at most of the theatres. Shammi Kapoor was gradually nearing his peak and ‘Professor' played a key role. The film remained one of his favourite ones. Two senior actors helped the film to win laurels,

Shammi and Lalita Pawar. Its heroine was a young girl, Kalpana, who had acted in just one film, ‘Naughty Boy'. But in the company of veterans, she too rose to the occasion.

Kalpana was just 19 then. She streaked across the silver screen like a meteor. Of the few films, ‘Teen Deviyaan' with Dev Anand in the male lead, was a major hit. No one remembers ‘Saheli', ‘Tasveer' and ‘Nawab Sirajuddawala' in 1967, after which she stopped acting.

Kalpana learnt Kathak and was discovered by actor Balraj Sahni and writer Ismat Chugtai, who brought her to Bombay. She was heroine material as was proved in her debut film, ‘Naughty Boy'. Impressed, F C Mehra cast her in his ‘Professor'.

‘Professor' was a rare entertainer, which left the viewers delighted and satisfied. It needed a fresh-faced, lively, beauty in awe of her grandmother, played superbly by Lalita Pawar, who guarded the young girl like a hawk, particularly from young men. Along came young graduate Shammi Kapoor, poor and in need of money to treat his ailing mother.

Disguising himself as an old man, he entered the Pawar household and was appointed the young girl's tutor. Then comes the shocker, when the matriarch of the house, falls in love with him! Lalita Pawar ‘in love' was a sight to behold! The Shammi-Kalpana jodi looked fresh with the hero courting his sweetheart with such outstanding numbers such as ‘O Gulbadan…' and ‘Khuli Palak Mein Jhota Gussa…' The other reason for the film's success was Shammi Kapoor's ability to put young heroines at ease and get the best out of them. Asha Parekh, Sharmila Tagore and Rajashri among others are cases in point. These pairings clicked in a big way and Kalpana was no exception.

Although ‘Teen Deviyaan,' was also a hit, in Dev Anand movies the focus had to be on Dev Anand.

Kalpana was married to a naval officer but the marriage ended in divorce. Her talent and beauty deserved better results but that was not to be!

In 2012, Kalpana died at 65, of cancer. She died at a Pune clinic, looked after by her daughter and son-in-law. She was involved in a long standing property dispute over a plot of 56 hectares, which some people allegedly sold to a builder forging her signature. They were caught and are now facing trial.

For years, fearing reprisals, the family was lying low and even the news of Kalpana's death came to be known after several days. A sad end for a bright, beautiful star, whose father, a freedom fighter, was close to Jawaharlal Nehru and other top Congress stalwarts.

(Courtesy: 'A beauty's successful Bollywood stint', a printed article by Shri.V.Gangadhar @www.thehindu.com)

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Death of Kalpana ; A ” Gul Badan ” Ceases to Exist

Posted on January 12, 2012 by VIDUR [ Kamal Nayan Chaturvedi ]

10 Votes

Kalpana

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA JANUARY 12 , 2012 07.10 P. M.

On January 04 , 2012 Kalpana , yesteryear actor a.k.a. Kalpana Mohan , died in a Pune hospital at the age of 65 . She was battling cancer for 5 years . I do know , the name Kalpana does not ring a familiar bell . Today’s generation is oblivious of her name and ignorant of her work . It is sad state of affair that news of her death appeared in national news papers 6 days later . Even a film news paper like Screen failed to report her death in the latest issue .,

But cine – goers of my generation will always remember her fondly . She did two super hit films like ; ” Professor ” and ” Teen Devian ” in 1962 and 1965 respectively .

Born in Srinagar in a family of freedom fighters , Kalpana was a trained Kathak dancer . At the insistence of Balraj Sahani and Ismat Chughtai she moved to Bombay [ now Mumbai ] and made debut in ” Professor ” [ 1962 ] , a Shammi Kapoor starrer .

A Poster of Professor

Another Poster of Professor

Later on she worked in another super hit film ” Teen Devian ” [ 1965 ] , a Dev Anand starrer .

A Poster of Teen Devian

Another Poster of Teen Devian

One More Poster of Teen Devian

I remember Shammi Kapoor serenading her with super hit songs ; Ai Gul Badan ….. Ai Gul Badan and Khuli Palak Me Jhootha Ghussa , Band Palak Men Pyar ……… Jeena Bhi Mushkil ….. Who can forget these immortals songs ; Aawaz De Ke Hamen Tum Bulao ……… or Koi Aayega …. Aayega ….. Aayega …… and Main Chali Main Chali ……. Peechhe Peechhe Jahan …… ?

Shankar Jaikishan‘s super hit music and interesting story plot made this film ” Professor ” a rage in the 60s . Kalpana arrived with a bang .

She then did ” Teen Devian ” in 1965 with Dev Anand . Sachin Dev Burman‘s melodious music added ethereal quality to Kalpana’s beauty . Can any Hindi movie buff forget Dev Anand entreating Kalpana with Kishore Kumar , Asha Bhosle duet , Are Yaar Meri Tum Bhi Ho Ghazab , Ghoonghat To Zara Odho …… ?

Are Yaar Meri .... Song

I still remember another gem from the same movie , Khwab Ho Yaa Tum Koi Haqueeqat ….. Kaun Ho Tum Batlao ….. Mr. Dev Anand singing this song on piano and Kalpana and Simi sharing screen space with him .

Khwab Ho Ya Tum .....Song

In ” Professor ” , she was in solo lead . In ” Teen Devian “ , she shared screen with much senior Nanda and another beauty Simi Gerewal . Still she got top billing .

Kalpana

She just did only couple of films . ” Professor ” [ 1962 ] , ” Naughty Boy ” [ 1962 ] , ” Teen Devian ” [ 1965 ] , ” Saheli ” [ 1965 ] , ” Pyar Kiye Ja ” [ 1966 ] , ” Biwi Aur Makan ” [ 1966 ] , ” Tasveer ” [ 1966 ] and ” Nawab Sirajuddaula ” [ 1967 ] .

She quit films after her marriage with story – screenplay writer Sachin Bhowmick . They both were as different as the chalk is from cheese . So marriage failed . She got married again in 1967 , got divorced again in 1972 and then moved to Pune , where she lived till her death .

I was saddened when I saw a recent photo of Kalpana , which was published in Times of India . Age had dimmed her beauty . An aging and lonely Kalpana Mohan caught my fancy once again . I was not a huge fan of hers but I did like her in films like ; ” Professor ” , ” Teen Devian ” , ” Pyar Kiye Ja “ and ” Biwi Aur Makaan ” . In the conservative India of 1965 , ” Teen Devian “ got A Certificate from censors , so the film got famous and the craze was enormous . And I , like other youngsters of my age , was charmed by Kalpana and this film .

I did not like her recent photo and I was pained but I am posting it for the record and for the posterity . This photograph of Kalpana is a sad reminder of the ephemeral world we are living in ; real and reel , both .