New Delhi: Rakhee Gulzar, a name coherent in the Bengali and Bollywood industry, was born on 15 August 1947. A career spanning more than four decades, the yesteryear actress, gave some of the best performances in the industry. Today, on the occasion of her 75th birth anniversary, let us look at her lifelong journey.
Rakhee’s early life
Rakhee Majumdar was born in a Bengali family where her father was a businessman. Without any connection to cinema, it was always a difficult task to make it big in the movie industry. She received her early education in a local girls’ school. At the age of 20, Rakhee had an arranged marriage to Bengali journalist/film director Ajay Biswas, which ended shortly afterwards.
At the start of her film career, she dropped her surname and was mentioned in film credits only as “Rakhee.”
Rakhee Gulzar’s career
She paved the way for her debut Bengali film “Badhu Baran” in 1967. Rakhee eventually got her big break with the movie Jeevan Mrityu 1970 along with Dharmendra. Thereafter, the actress went onto give hits after hits that included Sharmilee 1971, Lal Pathhar 1971, Daag1973, Heera Panna 1973.
One of the stand-out movies was Kabhie Kabhie 1976 with Amitabh Bachchan and the successful pair worked in other hits like Muqaddar Ka Sikander 1977, Kaala Pathhar 1979, Lawaaris 1981. Other memorable movies include Tapasya, Daag, Kasme Vaade, Trishul.
In 1973, she tied the knot with a famous poet, lyricist, and movie director Gulzar.
Rakhee received various awards, accolades, and appreciation. She won multiple Filmfare Awards, National Film Awards, and a Padma Shri Award in 2003.
Rakhee, without any hesitancy, played the role of a mother in many movies, which was unusual for actresses in 1990s.
