Lalita Pawar
Encyclopedia
Lalita Pawar was a prolific India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n actress, who later became famous as character actress, appearing in over 700 films in Hindi
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

 and Marathi cinema
Marathi cinema
Marathi cinema refers to films produced in the Marathi language in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is the oldest and pioneer film industry in India...

, where she gave hits like, Netaji Palkar (1938), made by Bhalji Pendharkar, New Hana Pictures’ Sant Damaji, Navyug Chitrapat’s Amrit, written by VS Khandekar, and Chhaya Films’ Gora Kumbhar. Her other memorable roles were in film, Anari
Anari
Anari is a 1959 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Motilal and Lalita Pawar. The music was by Shankar Jaikishan and the lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri as well as Shailendra...

(1959), Shri 420
Shri 420
Shree 420 is a 1955 Bollywood film directed, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor.The film centers on Raj, a poor, but educated orphan who comes to Bombay with dreams of success...

and Mr & Mrs 55, and the role of Manthara
Manthara
Manthara , in the Hindu epic Ramayana, is a servant who convinced Kaikeyi that the throne of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata and that Rama should be exiled from the kingdom....

, in Ramanand Sagar's television epic serial, Ramayan
Ramayan (TV series)
Ramayan is a highly successful Indian television series created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The 78-episode series originally aired weekly on Doordarshan from January 25, 1987, to July 31, 1988, on Sundays at 9:30 a.m...

.

Biography

Born Amba Laxman Rao Shagun, on 18 April 1916, into an orthodox family in Yevle in Nashik, where her father Laxman Rao Shagun was a rich silk and cotton piecegoods merchant, she started her acting career at age nine in the film, Raja Harishchandra (1928), and later went on to play lead roles in silent era and 1940's films, in a career that lasted until the end of her life, spanning seven decade
Decade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....

s.

She co-produced and acted in a silent film, Kailash (1932), and later produced another film, Duniya Kya Hai in 1938, a talkie.

In 1942, as a part of a scene actor Bhagwan Dada
Bhagwan Dada
Bhagwan Dada was an Indian actor and film director. He is best known for his social film Albela.-Early life:...

 was to slap her hard. Being a new actor, he accidentally slapped her very hard, which resulted in facial paralysis and a burst left eye vein. Three years of treatment later, she was left with a defective left eye; thus she had to abandon lead roles, and switch to character roles, which won her much of her fame later in life

She was known particularly for playing maternal figures, especially wicked matriarchs or mothers-in-law. She also notably played the role of the strict but kind Mrs. L. D'Sa in Anari
Anari
Anari is a 1959 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Motilal and Lalita Pawar. The music was by Shankar Jaikishan and the lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri as well as Shailendra...

(1959) with Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor
Known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor Rāj Kapūr, 14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards, while his films Awaara and Boot Polish were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the...

, under Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee ) was a famous Indian film director known for a number of films, including Satyakam, Chupke Chupke, Anupama, Anand, Abhimaan, Guddi, Gol Maal, Aashirwad, Bawarchi, and Namak Haraam.Popularly known as Hrishi-da, he directed 42 films during his career spanning over four decades,...

's direction, she gave the performance of a lifetime, for which she received Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
The Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Awards is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role...

; as the tough matriarch who falls in love in Professor
Professor (film)
Professor is a 1962 Hindi movie, produced by F. C. Mehra and directed by Lekh Tandon. The film stars Shammi Kapoor, Kalpana, Bela Bose, Lalita Pawar, Tun Tun, and Iftekhar. The film's music is by Shankar Jaikishan. The film became a box office hit.-Plot:...

(1962), and the devious hunchback Manthara
Manthara
Manthara , in the Hindu epic Ramayana, is a servant who convinced Kaikeyi that the throne of Ayodhya belonged to her son Bharata and that Rama should be exiled from the kingdom....

 in Ramanand Sagar
Ramanand Sagar
Ramanand Sagar was an Indian film director. He is most famous for making the extremely popular Ramayan television series, a television adaptation of the ancient Indian epic of the same name, starring Arun Govil as Lord Ram and Deepika Chikhalia as Sita.Sagar was born at Asal Guru-Ke near Lahore...

's television series Ramayan
Ramayan (TV series)
Ramayan is a highly successful Indian television series created, written, and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The 78-episode series originally aired weekly on Doordarshan from January 25, 1987, to July 31, 1988, on Sundays at 9:30 a.m...

.

Personal life

Her first marriage was to Ganpatrao Pawar, which went sour after his affair with her younger sister. She later married film producer Rajprakash Gupta, of Ambika studios, Mumbai. Pawar died on 24 February 1998 in Aundh, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...

, where she had been staying, for a while. She was survived by her husband, a son and daughter-in-law, who live in Mumbai.

Filmography

Year Film Character
1951
Bollywood films of 1951
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1951:-Highest grossing:The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1951:-1951:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...

The Immortal Song
The Immortal Song
The Immortal Song is a 1951 Indian film directed by Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram. It was entered into the 1952 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Grand Prize of the Festival....

1955
Bollywood films of 1955
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1955:-Highest grossing:The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1955:-1955:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...

Shri 420
Shri 420
Shree 420 is a 1955 Bollywood film directed, produced by and starring Raj Kapoor.The film centers on Raj, a poor, but educated orphan who comes to Bombay with dreams of success...

Ganga Mai
1955
Bollywood films of 1955
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1955:-Highest grossing:The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1955:-1955:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...

Mr & Mrs 55 Seeta Devi, Anita's Aunt
1959
Bollywood films of 1959
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1959:-Highest grossing:The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1959:-1959:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...

Anari
Anari
Anari is a 1959 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Motilal and Lalita Pawar. The music was by Shankar Jaikishan and the lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri as well as Shailendra...

Mrs. L. D'Sa
1959
Bollywood films of 1959
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1959:-Highest grossing:The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1959:-1959:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...

Sujata
Sujata (1959 film)
Sujata is a 1959 Hindi language Bimal Roy film. The film starred Sunil Dutt and Nutan supported by Lalita Pawar and Shashikala. Based on a Bengali short story by the same name by writer, Subodh Ghosh , , the film explored the situation of caste in India. The music is by S. D. Burman and the lyrics...

Giribala, Buaji/aunt
1961
Bollywood films of 1961
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1961:-Highest grossing:The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1961:-1961:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...

Hum Dono
Hum Dono (1961 film)
Hum Dono is a 1961 Hindi film produced by Dev Anand and Navketan films. Written by Vijay Anand, the film is directed by Amarjeet. The film stars Dev Anand in a double role, and also has Nanda, Sadhana and Leela Chitnis....

Major's Mother
1962
Bollywood films of 1962
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1962:-Highest grossing:The top ten grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1962:-1962:-External links:* at the Internet Movie Database...

Professor
Professor (film)
Professor is a 1962 Hindi movie, produced by F. C. Mehra and directed by Lekh Tandon. The film stars Shammi Kapoor, Kalpana, Bela Bose, Lalita Pawar, Tun Tun, and Iftekhar. The film's music is by Shankar Jaikishan. The film became a box office hit.-Plot:...

Sita Devi Verma
1974
Bollywood films of 1974
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1974:-Highest grossing:The top forty grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1974:Box office verdict of the last ten films in above list was flop-1974:-External links:...

Doosri Sita
Doosri Sita
Doosri Sita is a 1974 Bollywood drama film directed by Gogi Anand.-Cast:*Ramesh Sharma*Jaya Bhaduri*Raza Murad*A. K. Hangal*Satyendra Kapoor*Mohan Choti*Lalita Pawar-Crew:*Director - Gogi Anand*Producer - B. K. Khanna...

1976
Bollywood films of 1976
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1976:-Highest grossing:The top twenty five grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1976:...

Aaj Ka Ye Ghar
Aaj Ka Ye Ghar
Aaj Ka Ye Ghar is a 1976 Bollywood film directed by Surendra Shailaj. The film stars Helen.-Cast:*Shreeram Lagoo - Sajjan*Jaymala*Romesh Sharma - Vijay*Helen - Miss Ruhi*A. K. Hangal - Dinanath*Lalita Pawar - Mrs. Shanti Dinanath...

Mrs. Shanti Dinanath
1976
Bollywood films of 1976
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1976:-Highest grossing:The top twenty five grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1976:...

Tapasya
Tapasya (1976 film)
Tapasya is a 1976 Hindi movie produced by Tarachand Barjatya for Rajshree Productions. The film is directed by Anil Ganguly. The film stars Rakhee, Parikshat Sahni, Lalita Pawar, A. K. Hangal, and Asrani. The film's music is by Ravindra Jain...

Mrs. Varma
1977
Bollywood films of 1977
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1977:-Highest grossing:The top forty grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1977:-1977:-External links:* - A look back at 1977 with a focus on the Hindi film song...

Aaina
Aaina (1977 film)
Aaina is a 1974 Indian Bollywood film starring Mumtaz in the lead roles and A. K. Hangal, Nirupa Roy, Lalita Pawar, Jayasudha and Madan Puri in support roles. The music is given by Naushad.This film has a special appearance by Rajesh Khanna...

Janki
1980
Bollywood films of 1980
-Highest grossing:The top forty box office hits of the year 1980-1980 releases:...

Kali Ghata Ambu, House keeper
1980
Bollywood films of 1980
-Highest grossing:The top forty box office hits of the year 1980-1980 releases:...

Phir Wohi Raat
Phir Wohi Raat
Phir Wohi Raat is a 1980 suspense film of horror genre starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role as a psychologist doctor opposite Kim Yashpal. Danny later on married Kim Yashpal. The music is by R.D.Burman. This is the first and the only film directed by Danny Denzongpa. It fetched 1.2 crore...

Hostel Warden

|1980
Bollywood films of 1980
-Highest grossing:The top forty box office hits of the year 1980-1980 releases:...


|Sau Din Saas Ke
|}

Awards

  • 1959: Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
    Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
    The Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Awards is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role...

     for her role in Anari
    Anari
    Anari is a 1959 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Raj Kapoor, Nutan, Motilal and Lalita Pawar. The music was by Shankar Jaikishan and the lyrics by Hasrat Jaipuri as well as Shailendra...

    (1959)
  • 1961: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
    Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
    Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...

     - Acting

External links

  • Tribute to Laita Pawar at Screen
    Screen (magazine)
    Screen is a film magazine, published every week in India. It is owned by The Indian Express publishing group. The content focuses on the Bollywood, India's Hindi movie industry located in Mumbai. Screen organizes and sponsors the Star Screen Awards for movies in Hindi....

    .
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