Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai, in 1933, then worked in a film called 'Karma' which also marked her acting debut. 'Karma' grabbed headlines as soon as it was released for featuring a kissing scene that lasted for about four minutes.
There are many actors and actresses in the film industry who have changed the course of thinking with their art and the way they conducted themselves throughout their lives. Today, we will tell you about one such actress who was awarded the title of 'Dream Girl' before Hema Malini. This actress changed the course of cinema with her modern outlook and also started the trend of onscreen kissing about ninety years ago. The scene was about four minutes long.
The actress we are talking about today is none other than Devika Rani. Born in 1908, Devika Rani belonged to an affluent and well-educated family. Her paternal grandmother, Sukumari Devi, was a sister of the Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Devika's mother, Leela Devi Choudhury, was also a niece of Rabindranath Tagore.
Devika Rani was brought up with wealth and a strong background of achievers. At a time when women were not allowed to leave their houses, she was sent to a boarding school in England when she was 9 years old so that she could complete her studies. After finishing her schooling and further studies in acting, music, architecture, textile, and decor design, Devika Rani took up a job in textile design.
In 1928, Devika Rani met Himanshu Rai. He was an Indian barrister-turned-filmmaker who was in London when he met Devika Rani. The couple soon fell in love and got married in 1929.
Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai, in 1933, then worked in a film called 'Karma' which also marked her acting debut. 'Karma' grabbed headlines as soon as it was released for featuring a kissing scene that lasted for about four minutes.
After 'Karma', Devika Rani and Himanshu Rai moved to India and founded Bombay Talkies. Under this banner, they gave a hit film like 'Jawani Ki Hawa'. After Himanshu Rai died in 1940, Devika Rani ran Bombay Talkies singlehandedly. But, things did not work out for her thanks to many controversies associated with her. In 1945, she retired from films for good and got married to a Russian painter named Svetoslav Roerich. After marriage, she moved to his estate on the outskirts of Bangalore and led a very reclusive life for the next five decades after that. She died of bronchitis in March 1994, one year after her husband's death, in Bangalore. At her funeral, Devika Rani was given full state honors.
Many are unaware that Devika Rani was the first-ever recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, and was also awarded the Padma Shri. She is known as the First Lady of Indian cinema and the original 'Dream Girl', a title that is now synonymous with Hema Malini.
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