Devika Rani
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Devika Rani ( Hindi देविका रानी Devikā Rānī ; born March 30, 1908 in Waltair , Andhra Pradesh ; † March 8, 1994 in Bangalore , Karnataka ; real name: Devika Rani Choudhuri Roerich ) was an Indian film actress and producer. She is one of Bollywood's film pioneers .
Life
In the 1920s, she went to London to there architecture study. There she met Himansu Rai and in 1925 designed the sets for his first film Prem Sanyas (The Light of Asia / The Light of Asia) by Franz Osten , and they married in 1929. Devika Rani took on the lead role in the film Karma (1933) and was henceforth seen as an actress in her husband's productions. The following year they went back to India and founded the production company Bombay Talkies in Mumbai .
From 1935 they produced Hindi films, often directed from the east and with a high technical level. Rani and Ashok Kumar have been the workhorse of Bombay Talkies since Achhut Kanya (1936). The film met with an overwhelming response from audiences and critics alike.
After Himansu Rai's death in 1940 she took over the management of the film production. She performed as an actress herself until 1943, after which she only performed organizational tasks. Her discoveries include actors Dilip Kumar , Dev Anand and Guru Dutt .
Devika Rani married the Russian painter Swjatoslaw Roerich , the son of Nicholas and Helena Roerich , for the second time in 1945 , and lived on her country estate near Bangalore until her death. She received the Padma Shri in 1958 for her achievements in Indian film and was awarded the very first Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1970.
Filmography
- 1933: Karma
- 1935: carelessness of the youth
- 1936: Jeevan Naya
- 1936: Janmabhoomi
- 1936: Miya Bibi
- 1936: Mamta
- 1936: Achhut Kanya
- 1937: Izzat
- 1937: Savitri
- 1937: Jeevan Prabhat
- 1939: Durga
- 1941: Anjaan
- 1943: Hamari Baat
Web links
- Devika Rani in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Biography and Photos (Engl.)
- Obituary: Devika Rani in The Independent, March 26, 1994
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Rani, Devika |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Choudhuri Roerich, Devika Rani (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Indian film actress and producer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 30, 1908 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Waltair , Andhra Pradesh |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 8, 1994 |
| Place of death | Bangalore , Karnataka |