Leela Chitnis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Leela Nagarkar 9 September 1909 |
| Died | 14 July 2003 (aged 93)[1] |
| Occupation | Film actor, theatre actor |
| Years active | 1930s-1980s[2] |
| Spouse(s) | Gajanan Yashwant Chitnis |
Leela Chitnis (née Nagarkar; 9 September 1909 – 14 July 2003) was an actress in the Indian film industry, active from 1930s to 1980s. In her early years she starred as a romantic lead, but she is best remembered for her later roles playing a virtuous and upright mother to leading stars. She was born in a Marathi-speaking Brahmin family,[3] in Dharwad, Karnataka. Her father was an English literature professor. She was one of the first educated film actresses. After graduation she joined Natyamanwantar (नाट्य मन्वंतर), a progressive theater group that produced plays in her native Marathi language. The group's works were greatly influenced by Ibsen, Shaw and Stanislavsky. With the theatre group, Leela played the lead role in a series of comedies and tragedies and even founded her own repertory. Chitnis belonged to the Brahmin caste.[5] However, her father adhered to Brahmo Samaj, a religious movement that rejected caste.
She married a much older man named Dr. Gajanan Yeshwant Chitnis at the age of 15 or 16, and quickly had four children. The couple supported India's struggle for independence from Britain and once risked arrest by harbouring Manabendra Nath Roy, a Marxist freedom fighter. After she divorced her husband, she worked as a school teacher and began acting on stage in melodramas typical of the time. She appeared in several movies, and went through a Bombay university to be hired by a major studio, Bombay Talkies; it hired only college graduates.
She had four sons Manavendra (Meena), Vijaykumar, Ajitkumar and Raj. She lived with her eldest son in Connecticut in United States, until her death. She had three grandchildren then.
Leela Chitnis Movies List
Actress:
- Shri Satyanarayan (1935)
- Dhuwandhar (1935)
- Chhaya (1936) - Chhaya
- Wahan (1937) - Princess Jayanti
- Insaaf (1937)
- Gentleman Daku (1937)
- Master Man (1938)
- Raja Gopichand (1938)
- Jailor (1938) as Kanwal
- Chhote Sarkar (1938)
- Sant Tulsidas (1939) - Ratnavali
- Kangan (1939) - Radha
- Chhotisi Duniya (1939)
- Ghar Ki Rani (1940) - Arundhati
- Bandhan (1940) - Beena
- Azad (1940)
- Ardhangi (1940) - Arundhati
- Kanchan (1941)
- Jhoola (1941) - Gata
- Kisise Na Kehna (1942)
- Rekha (1943)
- Manorama (1944)
- Kiran (1944)
- Char Aankhen (1944)
- Shatranj (1946) - Shobharani
- Dev Kanya (1946)
- Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani (1947)
- Andhon Ki Duniya (1947) - Sushila
- Shaheed (1948)
- Namoona (1949)
- Saudamini (1950)
- Awaara (1951) - Leela Raghunath
- Saiyan (1951) - Rani Sahiba
- Sangdil (1952) - Dhaayi Maa
- Maa (1952) - Bhanu's & Raju's mother
- Naya Ghar (1953)
- Hari Darshan (1953)
- Baadbaan (1954)
- Aaj Ki Baat (1955)
- Funtoosh (1956)
- Basant Bahar (1956) - Gopal's mother
- Aawaz (1956) - Mrs. Bhatnagar
- Naya Daur (1957) - Shankar's Mother
- Sadhna (1958) - Mohan's Mother
- Post Box 999 (1958) - Mrs. Gangadevi (as Lila Chitnis)
- Phil Subha Hogi (1958) - Sohni's Mother (uncredited)
- Dhool Ka Phool (1959) - Gangu Dai
- Ujala (1959) - Ramu's Mother (as Leela Chitnes)
- Main Nashe Mein Hoon (1959) - Mrs. Rajni Khanna
- Kal Hamara Hai (1959) - Hiralal's wife
- Barkha (1959) - Mrs. Haridas
- Maa Baap (1960) - Raju's Mother
- Kanoon (1960) - Kalidash's Wife
- Bewaqoof (1960) - Mrs. Leela Rai Bahadur
- Parakh (1960) - Mrs. Nivaran
- Kohinoor (1960)
- Kala Bazar (1960) - Raghuvir's Mother
- Hum Hindustani (1960) - Savitri Nath
- Ghunghat (1960) - Laxmi's Mother
- Dharmputra (1961) - Meena's mother
- Aas Ka Panchhi (1961) - Mrs. Nihalchand Khanna
- Ram Lila (1961)
- Kanch Ki Gudiya (1961) - Raju's Mother
- Hum Dono (1961) - Anand's Mother
- Gunga Jumna (1961) - Govindi
- Char Diwari (1961) - Sunil's mother
- Batwara (1961) - Suhagan / Suhagi
- Naag Devata (1962)
- Man-Mauji (1962) - Bhagwanti
- Dr. Vidya (1962)
- Asli-Naqli (1962) - Renu's mother
- Aashiq (1962) - Mrs. Amar Singh
- Dil Hi To Hai (1963) - Nanny / Yusuf's foster mother
- Suhagan (1964) - Uma & Vijay Kumar's mother
- Dosti (1964) - Mrs. Gupta
- Zindagi (1964) - Beena's mother
- Shehnai (1964) - Grandmother
- Punar Milan (1964) - Sonal's mother
- Pooja Ke Phool (1964) - Mrs. Singh (Balam's Mother)
- Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964) - Mrs. Dinanath Chopra
- Guide (1965) - Raju's Mother
- Johar-Mehmood in Goa (1965) - Pandit's Wife
- Waqt (1965) - Mrs. Mittal
- Nai Umar Ki Nai Fasal (1965)
- Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain (1965) - Leela
- Faraar (1965) - Mrs. Choudhry
- Phool Aur Patthar (1966) - Blind Beggar
- Aurat (1967) - Parvati's Mom
- Majhli Didi (1967) - Kishan's Mother
- Gunahon Ka Devta (1967)
- Dulhan Ek Raat Ki (1967) - Nirmala's mother
- The Killers (1969)
- Rambhakta Hunuman (1969)
- Prince (1969) - Mrs. Shanti Singh
- Intaquam (1969) - Mrs. Mehra
- Badi Didi (1969) - Mother
- Man Ki Aankhen (1970) - Mrs. Dinanath
- Jeevan Mrityu (1970) - Ashok's Mother
- Bhai-Bhai (1970) - Radha
- Mehmaan (1973) - Rajesh's mother
- Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein (1977)
- Satyam Shivam Sundaram: Love Sublime (1978) - Bade Babu's Wife
- Janta Hawaldar (1979) - Naani
- Aangan Ki Kali (1979)
- Bin Maa Ke Bachche (1980)
- Dil Tujhko Diya (1987) - Mrs. Sahni (final film role)
Director:
- Aaj ki Baat (1955)
Producer:
- Aaj ki Baat (1955)
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