Sadhana lives on through her film legacy

Veteran Bollywood actress Sadhana Shivdasani died on Friday morning in Mumbai, a family friend said.

Popularly known as Sadhana, she was 74 and a widow, and is survived by her foster daughter.

“Sadhana breathed her last at her home this morning,” politician Shaina NC said.

She also denied that cancer was behind the veteran actress’ death.

“Many speculative stories are floating around, but let me clarify it. Sadhana ji did not have cancer. She had high fever yesterday [Thursday], and was taken to Raheja Hospital in Mahim. And today [Friday] morning, unfortunately she expired,” she said at a press conference at Sadhana’s residence.

“Her body is in the hospital and will be brought tomorrow [Saturday] morning to the residence and by 11am we will leave for the Santacruz crematorium. The only tribute [Mumbai residents] can give to... Sadhana ji is the message she spread, which was only a dignified life and peaceful death. May her soul rest in peace,” NC added.

Sadhana’s family lawyer said she was unwell for quite some time.

“She was well till 7am... she had her tea but later she started feeling restless and collapsed. We have notified all her relatives. They will reach Mumbai by tomorrow [Saturday] morning. Around noon we are planning the cremation,” the lawyer said.

Asha Parekh, Raza Murad, Waheeda Rahman, Ali Khan, Yash Johar, Helen, and many other celebrities turned up at late actress’ residence.

“Sadhana was not just an actress but a trendsetter, too. Her journey has been glorious. She had a very good career and she was very popular. But unfortunately she suffered measles, which had affected her eyesight. Due to this she stopped getting work,” said Murad.

Actress Zarina Wahab said Sadhana’s death is a great loss for the entire industry. “We were neighbours and she was really beautiful. She was really a good person and actress. Her death is a loss for the entire industry. Her place cannot be replaced by anyone and I am feeling sad about her passing away,” she said.

A top Bollywood star in the 1960s and 1970s, Sadhana was born in Karachi, now in Pakistan. After the partition of India in 1947, when she was just seven, her family migrated to India and settled in Bombay (now Mumbai).

She started out in films as a child artist in 1955 with a minor appearance in Raj Kapoor’s film, Shree 420.

Later, in 1958, she acted in India’s first Sindhi language film, Abaana, in a significant role, on a token payment of Rs1 (Dh0.05 in today’s currency).

When a promotional picture of the movie appeared on the cover of a film magazine, it was noticed by a producer Sashadhar Mukherjee, and she joined his acting school.

Sadhana’s classmate was her future co-star Joy Mukherjee. The duo starred in Love in Shimla, a musical hit from 1960 produced by Mukherjee for Filmalaya Productions. The film was directed by Mukherjee’s son R.K. Nayyar, whom she later married.

This was followed by the highly-acclaimed and awarded film Parakh the following year and another musical hit, Hum Dono, with the legendary Dev Anand.

Sadhana is credited with introducing the fringe haircut and body-hugging churidar-kurtas into popular culture in India.

Paired with the top heroes of that era, Sadhana continued her trailblazing career with notable films such as Ek Musafir, Ek Hasina, Asli Naqli, Mere Mehboob, Woh Kaun Thi and Rajkumar and many others until her retirement in 1994.

In one of her last major public appearances, Sadhana, along with her relative and actor Randhir Kapoor, walked the ramp at a fashion show in May 2014 to support the cause of cancer and Aids patients.