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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Bollywood star who came from a ‘conservative Muslim family' married 8 years younger Hindu man in 1942; had to flee from Lahore amid rising tension
Bollywood stars have been under the scrutiny of the public eye ever since the industry has existed. The choices they make affect their fan following and many times, they stay away from making controversial choices just so they don't have to be at the receiving end of harsh comments. Unfortunate as it is, stars have also had to face harsh comments with regard to the people they choose to marry and Zohra Sehgal faced something similar when she chose to marry a man from a different faith in pre-Partition India. Now remembered for her roles in films like Cheeni Kum, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Veer Zaara, Zohra was yet to make a name for herself in the movies, but she was one of the most popular dancers of her time when she married a Hindu man who was eight years her junior. Zohra met her husband Kameshwar Sehgal at a dance school set up by Uday Shankar in Almora and for her, it was love at first sight. On her 100th birthday, Zohra shared in an interview with Aparna Gupta that she first met Kameshwar, who was eight years younger than her in 1940. He was a painter from Indore and was training in the dance school. 'I found him to be handsome and talented and was bowled over by a Burmese hut he had painted using rice and fungus. Although Kameshwar was eight years my junior, he reciprocated my feelings,' she said. Zohra had already traveled to many countries as a dancer and was starting to establish herself as one of the most renowned classical dancers of the country. Zohra recalled that they courted each other for two years and finally got married in 1942, during the Quit India Movement. 'We had a civil marriage at Allahabad, but with railway tracks and roads being blocked, we had just one barati,' she recalled. But marrying a Hindu man was no small feat, especially since Zohra came from a 'conservative Muslim family.' ALSO READ | Bollywood director lost entire life's savings after one flop; daughter was forced to dance, son performed for money at beach to repay debts In a recent chat with Hauterrfly, her grand niece Ayesha Raza Mishra shared that Zohra's decisions were quite shocking for the family. 'She decided to get married. She fell in love with a gentleman who was 8 years younger than her and he was a Hindu and she was from a conservative Muslim family. And imagine at that time, I am talking about in the 1930s, to go and talk to your father, say that I am in love and talk about your to-be husband. (They must have asked) 'What does he do?' 'He is a dancer. He is from a different religion, he is younger'. I am saying my family went through these challenges two generations ago,' she shared. Zohra and Kameshwar were deeply in love with each other and soon after their wedding, they started an institute for performing arts in Lahore, Zoresh. What looked like a beacon of Hindu-Muslim unity when it started, soon became a point of contention in the area as tension would flare up frequently. The couple, with a baby in their arms, moved to Bombay (Mumbai) almost overnight and joined Prithvi Theatres, where Zohra found her passion for acting. In a 2012 interview with Hindustan Times, Zohra spoke about her husband and described him as a 'versatile talent who was a jack of all trades but who could master none.' She had then shared, 'He was a talented artist, homoeopath, dancer and a cook… but he could not be famous.' Kameshwar passed away in 1959. Zohra passed away in 2014 at 102.
News18
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
When 44-Year-Old Govinda's Romance With A 16-Year-Old Heroine Invited Bad Press
The teaser for Ranveer Singh's upcoming film Dhurandhar created an instant stir upon its release. While fans lauded the gripping action, it was Ranveer Singh's romantic pairing with Sara Arjun, who is 20 years his junior, that truly set social media alight. 2/7 The age-gap casting has triggered heated debate, with critics questioning Bollywood's recurring tendency to pair significantly older male leads with young female co-stars. While not unprecedented, such pairings have previously attracted both praise and controversy. Amitabh Bachchan's understated chemistry with Tabu in Cheeni Kum (2007) was widely appreciated. 3/7 However, Govinda's 2008 film Money Hai To Honey Hai faced backlash after casting 16-year-old Hansika Motwani as his romantic interest, a decision many deemed inappropriate. In the film, Govinda portrayed Bobby Arora, a man who flees home to prove himself, and meets Ashima Kapoor, played by Hansika Motwani, a teenage television actress disillusioned with fame and yearning for a film career. Despite the age gap, their characters fall in love and eventually marry. At the time, Hansika Motwani was best known for her child roles, including the character Sawari in the hit TV series Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. 5/7 The story revolved around six individuals who unexpectedly inherit a massive company, only to discover it is saddled with debt. Forced into house arrest, the group starts a garment business in an attempt to recover financially. Despite an ensemble cast including Aftab Shivdasani, Celina Jaitley, Ravi Kishan, Upen Patel, Prem Chopra, Kim Sharma, and Manoj Bajpayee, the film failed commercially. More damaging, however, was the negative public reaction to Govinda's romantic arc with Hansika Motwani, which was widely criticised and is said to have adversely affected his public image. Although he briefly bounced back with the Salman Khan-starrer Partner in 2009, eight of his subsequent films failed at the box office. His most recent appearance was in Rangeela Raja (2019).
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Did you know Tabu REJECTED Hema Malini's role in Baghban opposite Amitabh Bachchan as she didn't want to play mother of four kids at the age of 36?
Baghban is a cherished film in many Indian middle-class homes, praised for its emotional story and strong performances by and . But not many know that Hema almost rejected the role. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In an old interview with Lehren Retro, she revealed that when director Ravi Chopra came to narrate the script at her home, her mother was also present — and that moment made her hesitant to say yes. Hema Malini once shared that she was unsure about doing Baghban when Ravi Chopra offered her the role of a mother to four grown-up sons. She found it hard to imagine herself in that part. But her mother, who was present during the narration, insisted she take it up, saying the story was strong and the role would suit her well. Though Hema had doubts, especially after being away from films for a while, her mother's encouragement convinced her to say yes. Interestingly, the Sholay actress wasn't the only actor who had to be convinced to do Baghban. The role of Pooja Malhotra was first offered to Tabu. Although she liked the script, she turned it down, unwilling to play the mother of four children at just 36. She later starred opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Cheeni Kum. Even Big B wasn't the original choice—director Ravi Chopra had initially approached veteran actor , who declined the role.
Indian Express
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
When Hema Malini almost rejected Baghban, saying, ‘Char itne bade bade ladkon ke maa ka role kaun karega?'
Baghban is a beloved film in Indian middle-class households, known for its messaging and the powerful performances delivered by Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. However, not many are aware that Hema initially considered turning down the film. In an old interview with Lehren Retro, the veteran actress shared the reason behind her hesitation. She recalled an incident when director Ravi Chopra came to narrate the story at her home, where her mother was also present. She said, 'I remember when I was hearing the story from Ravi Chopra, my mother was sitting. After he left, I told her, 'Char itne bade bade ladkon ke maa ka role karne ko bol raha hai… how can I do all this? (He's asking me to play the mother of four grown-up sons… how can I do all this?)' Then she turned around and said, 'No, no you must do the film.' And I asked her why. She said, 'The story is very good, you must do it.' And she was really after me. So I was like, okay, I'll do it.' The actress added, 'Because first I felt that before this, I was not doing many films, so after a long gap I was working. So I felt, why should I do this? But she said, 'You must do this, this role will be very nice.'' Also Read | Hema Malini asked Baghban makers to stitch her blouse tightly to enhance on-screen chemistry with Amitabh Bachchan: 'She's very romantic' Interestingly, Hema Malini wasn't the only one who needed convincing. Few know that the role of Pooja Malhotra was initially offered to Tabu. While she appreciated the script and the character, Tabu declined the role as she was hesitant to portray the mother of four children at the age of 36. She later appeared opposite Amitabh Bachchan in R. Balki's critically acclaimed romantic comedy Cheeni Kum. Even Amitabh Bachchan wasn't the filmmakers' first choice. The role was initially offered to legendary actor Dilip Kumar, who eventually turned it down.
