Biography
Due to her poor Hindi she missed the opportunity to act opposite Noor Jehan Blessed with charming looks Shashikala’s father decided to try luck in Bollywood. Hence they came to Mumbai but life was difficult. They wandered from studios to studios in search of role and faced rejection. Many a times they survived on left over foods. One day legendary singer and actress Noor Jehan noticed young Shashikala and was impressed by her beautiful features. She called her near and offered her a role in her film Zeenat which was made by Noor Jehan’s husband Shaukat Hussain. Shashikala, who was 11 year old than was signed to play Noor Jehan’s daughter in the film. But alas in the screen test Shashikala failed as she hailed from Marathi family hence her Hindi had Marathi accent. Nevertheless, Shaukat Hussain was impressed by Shashikala and gave her a small role in a qawwali sequence, which Shashikala did with full sincerity. Shaukat Hussain recommends Shashikala to other filmmakers Shaukat Hussain was so overwhelmed by her hard work that he recommended Shashikala to other filmmakers like P.N. Arora, Amiya Chakravarti and several others. Soon Shashikala was made heroine opposite stars like Ashok Kumar, Karan Dewan and Agha and was paid Rs 400 per month! But alas with Indo-Pak partition, Noor Jehan and Saukat Hussai left India. Meena Kumari became her instant fan in the film Aarti The more desperate Shashikala was to seek fame, the more stardom eluded her. A time came after her role in Vijay Anand's first doctorial film, Nau Do Gyarah, failed, Shashikala decided to quit Bollywood. When she had almost made up her mind to quit, Tarachand Barjatya of Rajshri Pictures approached her to play a cruel Bhabhi in his first film production Aarti. The film had Meena Kumari, Pradeep Kumar and Ashok Kumar. It was a lucrative offer hence she agreed. Recalling the film, Shashikala recalls, “When I gave my first shot opposite Meena Kumari, it was ok in first take and Meenaji was so overwhelmed that she hugged me and became my fan.” Aarti was a huge hit and it opened doors of stardom for Shashikala. She was flooded with similar vamp roles in films like Phool Aur Pathar, Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Gumrah, Waqt which came back-to-back and were all super hit! Her second inning in Bollywood was as successful as first Though as an actress Shashikala became celebrity but her personnel life was a hell and fed up with constant quarrels with husband, she run away from Mumbai and eloped with another man abroad! Later she realized her folly and came back to Mumbai. But her bank balance had declined hence to make a living she joined films. Yet again her competent performance in films like Swami (1977), Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye (1977), Khubsoorat (1980), Sargam (1979) , Kranti (1981), Ahista Ahista (1981), Souten (1983) paid off and she survived.
Career & Achievements
With Gumrah Shashikala established her image a Vamp No 1 Though Shashikala won the hearts of audience and even filmmaker but the movie with which she really established herself as Bollywood’s Vamp No. 1 was B.R. Chopra ’s love triangle Gumrah . It was in this picture she really got a role of a glamorous lady who is astute, stylish and a con-lady. She blackmails film’s heroine Mala Sinha . What made Shashikala unique in Gumrah was her body language. The way she walks, she talks and stares at the film heroine Mala Sinha , sends chill down her spin. Not only Mala Sinha is frightened at her arrival on screen but the audience sitting in the theatre too, experienced the terror that Shashikala display in her chilling performance. She deservedly won the best supporting actress Filmfare award and became the most sought after vamp in the 60’s. In fact with Gumrah , Shashikala won what she was desperately seeking – stardom! Also the role immortalized her in the annals of Indian cinema!
