Latest news with #FilmalayaSchoolofActing
Economic Times
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
She was a Bollywood hit machine and national trendsetter, but fought allegations and lawsuits in final years
Sadhana Shivdasani, once one of Bollywood's most celebrated actresses, rose to fame in the 1960s with hit films and a style that defined an era. Known for her iconic "Sadhana cut" and memorable roles opposite top stars, she dominated the silver screen before health issues forced her into early retirement. Despite her success, Sadhana's later years were marked by financial hardship, legal disputes, and isolation following the death of her husband, filmmaker RK Nayyar. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Early Life and Ambitions A Decade of Dominance Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Health Struggles and Career Slowdown Personal Loss and Isolation Legal Disputes and Final Years Bollywood has always been a world of glitz, glamour, and adoration — but behind the shimmering façade lies a history of forgotten stars. One such name is Sadhana Shivdasani, remembered not just for her cinematic success but also for the tragic solitude of her later years. Once among the most sought-after actresses of her time, Sadhana's life unfolded like a film script — filled with ambition, love, success, heartbreak, and eventual on September 2, 1941, in Karachi, Sadhana and her family moved to India during the Partition. Her childhood was spent across Delhi, Benaras, and Calcutta before finally settling in Mumbai in 1950. She joined the Auxilium Convent School in Wadala and had already decided to become an actress while still in school. Her journey into films began with a brief appearance in Shree 420 (1955) and a lead role in the Sindhi film Abaana (1958), for which she was reportedly paid just Rs later trained at the Filmalaya School of Acting, where she met filmmaker RK Nayyar. Their professional bond during Love in Simla (1960), her breakout film, eventually led to marriage. The movie's success catapulted her into stardom and gave rise to the iconic "Sadhana fringe" that became a national the 1960s, Sadhana ruled the silver screen. She delivered hit after hit, starring in acclaimed films like Parakh (1960), Hum Dono (1961), Ek Musafir Ek Haseena (1962), and Mere Mehboob (1963). She worked with leading actors including Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar, and Shammi Kapoor. Out of the 19 films she headlined during the decade, 11 turned out to be major box-office her stardom, she remained grounded. She once spoke about her camaraderie with male co-stars, preferring their company at social gatherings over female colleagues. Her bond with Rajendra Kumar was particularly close — a friendship her mother had once hoped would blossom into something more. But Sadhana was already committed to RK Nayyar, whom she married at just flourishing career was derailed in the late 1960s when she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, affecting both her health and vision. This forced her to take a break and seek treatment in Boston. The illness came at a cost — she lost out on key roles and felt deeply hurt when filmmakers replaced her without informing her. One such instance involved being dropped from Sunghursh (1968) despite initial she returned with successful films like Intaqam (1969) and Ek Phool Do Mali (1969), the momentum had shifted. She later tried directing with Geetaa Mera Naam (1974) but gradually faded from the passing of her husband in 1995 marked a devastating chapter in her life. The couple had no children, and she once shared that losing her unborn baby remained one of her deepest regrets. With RK Nayyar gone, Sadhana found herself increasingly later years, she relied on a close circle of contemporaries — including Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Helen, and Nanda — for emotional support. They would meet monthly for lunch, offering her a rare sense of belonging during a difficult last years of Sadhana's life were plagued by legal troubles. She was involved in multiple cases with the landlord of her Santacruz residence, which included allegations of harassment and a defamation lawsuit. Financial constraints and declining health added to her woes. Despite her once-iconic status, she received little to no help from the industry she had once passed away on December 25, 2015, at the age of 74, following a brief illness. As per accounts, only a handful from the film fraternity attended her funeral, marking a somber end to a life that once sparkled on her final years were marred by loneliness and neglect, Sadhana's legacy in Indian cinema remains untarnished. From defining fashion trends to delivering memorable performances, she carved a niche that continues to be celebrated.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
She was a Bollywood hit machine and national trendsetter, but fought allegations and lawsuits in final years
Bollywood has always been a world of glitz, glamour, and adoration — but behind the shimmering façade lies a history of forgotten stars. One such name is Sadhana Shivdasani, remembered not just for her cinematic success but also for the tragic solitude of her later years. Once among the most sought-after actresses of her time, Sadhana's life unfolded like a film script — filled with ambition, love, success, heartbreak, and eventual isolation. Early Life and Ambitions Born on September 2, 1941, in Karachi, Sadhana and her family moved to India during the Partition. Her childhood was spent across Delhi, Benaras, and Calcutta before finally settling in Mumbai in 1950. She joined the Auxilium Convent School in Wadala and had already decided to become an actress while still in school. Her journey into films began with a brief appearance in Shree 420 (1955) and a lead role in the Sindhi film Abaana (1958), for which she was reportedly paid just Rs 1. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Sadhana later trained at the Filmalaya School of Acting, where she met filmmaker RK Nayyar. Their professional bond during Love in Simla (1960), her breakout film, eventually led to marriage. The movie's success catapulted her into stardom and gave rise to the iconic "Sadhana fringe" that became a national trend. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo A Decade of Dominance Throughout the 1960s, Sadhana ruled the silver screen. She delivered hit after hit, starring in acclaimed films like Parakh (1960), Hum Dono (1961), Ek Musafir Ek Haseena (1962), and Mere Mehboob (1963). She worked with leading actors including Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar, and Shammi Kapoor. Out of the 19 films she headlined during the decade, 11 turned out to be major box-office successes. Despite her stardom, she remained grounded. She once spoke about her camaraderie with male co-stars, preferring their company at social gatherings over female colleagues. Her bond with Rajendra Kumar was particularly close — a friendship her mother had once hoped would blossom into something more. But Sadhana was already committed to RK Nayyar, whom she married at just 17. Health Struggles and Career Slowdown Sadhana's flourishing career was derailed in the late 1960s when she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, affecting both her health and vision. This forced her to take a break and seek treatment in Boston. The illness came at a cost — she lost out on key roles and felt deeply hurt when filmmakers replaced her without informing her. One such instance involved being dropped from Sunghursh (1968) despite initial assurances. Though she returned with successful films like Intaqam (1969) and Ek Phool Do Mali (1969), the momentum had shifted. She later tried directing with Geetaa Mera Naam (1974) but gradually faded from the limelight. Personal Loss and Isolation The passing of her husband in 1995 marked a devastating chapter in her life. The couple had no children, and she once shared that losing her unborn baby remained one of her deepest regrets. With RK Nayyar gone, Sadhana found herself increasingly isolated. In later years, she relied on a close circle of contemporaries — including Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Helen, and Nanda — for emotional support. They would meet monthly for lunch, offering her a rare sense of belonging during a difficult period. Legal Disputes and Final Years The last years of Sadhana's life were plagued by legal troubles. She was involved in multiple cases with the landlord of her Santacruz residence, which included allegations of harassment and a defamation lawsuit. Financial constraints and declining health added to her woes. Despite her once-iconic status, she received little to no help from the industry she had once illuminated. Sadhana passed away on December 25, 2015, at the age of 74, following a brief illness. As per accounts, only a handful from the film fraternity attended her funeral, marking a somber end to a life that once sparkled on screen. Though her final years were marred by loneliness and neglect, Sadhana's legacy in Indian cinema remains untarnished. From defining fashion trends to delivering memorable performances, she carved a niche that continues to be celebrated.
India.com
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This man wanted to become a cricketer, became actor, worked in over 200 films, played only villain roles, is related to this famous Bollywood actress…, his name is…
Mac Mohan Birth Anniversary: Mac Mohan, whom we all know as 'Sambha' of 'Sholay', was a famous Bollywood actor. His real name is Mohan Makhijani. He worked in more than 200 films in his film career. Mac Mohan was born in Karachi, but after his father's transfer to Lucknow, he studied there. He also became friends with actor Sunil Dutt in Lucknow. His characters and dialogues are still alive in the hearts of people. Let's know some special things related to him. Mac Mohan was known for playing the role of a villain in films. Mac Mohan gained fame with the role of Sambha in Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra's film 'Sholay'. Even today, people jokingly say 'Hey O Sambha Kitne Aadmi The Re…'. His film was 'Haqiqat', in which he acted as the lead actor. Mac Mohan acted in Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Haryanvi, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, and Sindhi films apart from Hindi films in his entire career. He has spoken dialogues in almost all Indian languages except Odia as well as in English, Russian, and Spanish films. Mac wanted to become a cricketer from the very beginning, but then he made his career in theater. By the way, very few people know that Mac was the maternal uncle of Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon. Mac Mohan played many powerful characters in his film career. He played the character of Brij Mohan in the film 'Don'. He played the role of Rana in the film 'Kaala Patthar'. But he got the most fame from the character of Sambha in the film 'Sholay'. He wreaked havoc as Ranjit's man in the film 'Satte Pe Satta'. He wanted to become a cricketer and learnt the nuances of acting from Mumbai's Filmalaya School of Acting. Before this, he had worked as an assistant with director Chetan Anand. Mac Mohan loved playing cricket since childhood. He came to Mumbai from Karachi with a dream of becoming a cricketer and also played for the Uttar Pradesh cricket team. But fate made him an actor instead of a cricketer. His character 'Samba' in the 1975 film 'Sholay' became so famous that people started calling him Sambha in real life too. People still remember his dialogue 'Poore Pachaas Hazar'. When Mac Mohan saw the final trial of 'Sholay', his role was very small. Because of this, he cried. But director Ramesh Sippy said, 'If the film becomes a hit, everyone will know you as Sambha,' and that is what happened.
