Biography for Reena Roy
Reena Roy (born January 7, 1957) was one of the top Hindi film actresses in India. She performed leading roles in many films from 1972 to 1985. Reena Roy''s career in films started off inauspiciously with B. R. Ishara''s "Nayi Duniya Naye Log" with another newcomer Danny Denzongpa, but it was shelved temporarily. Undeterred, B. R. Ishara cast both actors again in "Zaroorat" (1972), along with another newcomer Vijay Arora, and the racy film got her some attention.The film had all the hot scenes and thought-provoking bold lines Ishara was famous for, and Reena became known as the ''zaroorat'' girl. But she had to struggle for the next four years in B films that had feeble scripts and faltering leading men. The bright spot during this period came with her lively performance in "Jaise Ko Taisa"(1973), and her rain-soaked dance to the song "Ab ke Sawan" with Jeetendra raised temperatures. She had to wait two more years for another break. At the outset "Kalicharan" (1975) didn''t seem like it had the makings of a hit. Subhash Ghai, a failed actor, was making his directorial debut, and Shatrughan Sinha, an actor known for his villainous roles, was making his first mark as a hero. But the film defied everyone''s expectations and became a surprise hit, and Reena as Shatrugan''s love interest got attention from audiences and from Shatrughan himself. They became an off-screen pair as well, and they signed several films together.Reena Roy also made several films with Sunil Dutt.
The successes of "Zakhmee" (1975) and "Kalicharan" led to her star
vehicle "Nagin" (1976). Playing the title role of "female snake with
mythological powers", she avenges the death of her lover by ruthlessly
murdering five men. The film became a huge hit, and Reena received her
first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress.
She was now one of the top heroines in Hindi films. Inspired by
"Nagin"''s success, director, Rajkumar Kohli, cast Reena again in his
next star-studded horror movie, "Jaani Dushman" (1979).
Thereafter, the Kohli-Roy combination continued to give Bollywood cinema
some its greatest multi-starrer blockbusters, including "Muqabla"
(1979), "Badle Ki Aag" (1982), and "Raaj Tilak" (1984).
Shatru and Reena became the hottest pair (partly due to their
off-screen involvement) after "Kalicharan," and had delivered yet
another blockbuster thriller, Subhash Ghai''s "Vishwanath" (1978).
But it was Reena''s chemistry with Jeetendra in marital dramas like
"Badaltey Rishtey" (1978) and "Pyaasa Sawan" (1982) that set her career
soaring. The duo produced three of their greatest classics together -
"Apnapan" (1977), "Aasha" (1980) and "Arpan" (1983).
Reena Roy''s poignant dance in Aasha to the melody of "Shisha Ho Yah Dil
Ho" immortalized her as an icon of desire and tragedy. Her dark-shaded
role in "Apnapan," as the selfish gold-digger who abandons her husband
and child and later wanting them back, won her the Filmfare Best
Supporting Actress Award, beating out icons Nutan and Asha Parekh. (This
was the precursor to the type of role that Meryl Streep played two
years later in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)).
As legend has it, Reena supposedly rejected the Award on basis that she
is the heroine of the film, not the supporting actress! And finally, her
screen image as a sacrificing symbol of Indian womanhood is glorified
in the very popular, "Arpan."
After the box office success of "Aasha," for which she received her
second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress, Reena entered the 1980''s as
a leading lady in demand, securing herself critical roles with
phenomenal superstars like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, and Vinod Khanna.
She was the defiant widow who reforms the egotistical Rajesh Khanna of
"Dhanwan" (1981); the beautiful actress who dies on stage performing her
last ''mujra'' for Dharmendra in "Naukar Biwi Ka" (1983); and the
talented psychiatrist determined to cure Vinod Khanna in the comical,
"Jail Yatra" (1981).
Top directors like Prakash Mehra, Raj Khosla and Sultan Ahmad grabbed
her for quality roles. Manmohan Desai''s grand extravaganza, "Naseeb"
(1981) gave her the chance to steal scenes from the legendary Amitabh
Bachchan, Hema Malini, and of course, Shatrughan Sinha.
Her off-screen relationship with Shatrughan ended as he married a woman
named Poonam in 1981.Reena Roy now concentrated on her career, as she
was providing Hema Malini and Rekha stiff competition for the No. 1
position by the early 1980s. In 1982 alone, she had thirteen releases,
by far more than any other star.
She was now demanding equal footing with Hema, and effectively stealing
the thunder from Rekha in emotional melodramas like "Prem Tapasya"
(1983) and "Asha Jyoti"(1984). Her characters became more versatile, as
did her dances. She effortlessly danced the classical ''natyam'' in
"Rocky" (1981)), just as easily as the "Disco Station" number in
"Hathkadi" (1982). She was the sophisticated model in Karishmaa (1984)
who was equally seductive as the village belle in "Dharam Kanta" (1982).
She met the challenging demands of her extraordinary double role in the
Muslim social, "Ladies Tailor" (1981), and held her own opposite the
talented Sanjeev Kumar.
At the pinnacle of her popularity, Reena''s strong desire to prove
herself got her involved in a number of women-oriented films. Enacting
the role of a tormented daughter-in-law in "Sau Din Saas Ke" (1980), she
defies conventions to oppose her tyrant mother-in-law. With an
author-backed role in "Bezubaan" (1982), she gave a realistic portrayal
of a woman whose past returns to threaten her present married life.
But it was "Lakshmi" (1982) that glorified the presence of Reena Roy in
Bollywood cinema. Playing the role of a misfortunate tawaif, she dances
to her never-ending tragedies. However, the film failed at the box
office.
But she found comfort in the sensational success of her other home
production - the musical comedy, "Sanam Teri Kasam" (1982), opposite
Kamal Hassan and produced by her sister Barkha Roy.In 1983-at the height
of her fame-Reena Roy decided to quit films to marry Pakistani
cricketer, Mohsin Khan. Her last shooting was for a tragedy "Inteha"
(1984), in which she is raped and tormented by Raj Babbar. The film
didn''t do well.
One of Reena''s last releases was J.P. Dutta''s war-torn Ghulami (1985).
Her husband tried to become a film star in Bollywood but failed, as did
the marriage to Reena. She initially lost custody of her daughter Sanam
in the divorce. However, after her ex-husband remarried a younger woman
who didn''t want to raise a child, Reena regained custody.
Reena returned to Bollywood in 1992. In a supporting role as a
sister-in-law (''bhabhi''), "Aadmi Khilona Hai" (1993) greeted the
arrival of the mature Reena Roy. Her unhappiness showed in her
significant weight gain. And the insignificant roles that were to follow
proved even to her die-hard fans that Reena''s film career came to an
end.
Her last film appearance was in J.P Dutta''s Refugee (2000). She has
since turned to acting in television serials, such as "Eena Meena
Deeka," produced by her sister Barkha. After the serial ended, both
sisters opened an acting school together in 2004. Reena also has
campaigned for the Indian National Congress.
No comments:
Post a Comment