This actress swept floors and worked as a domestic help despite being from a very rich family
Many actors enter the film industry to escape a life of poverty. The film world is treated by many as a method of ensuring riches for a comfortable life. But not all those who enter films come from impoverished background. This one particular actress, for instance, came from a rich family with a millionaire father. Yet, at one point, times became so hard that she was forced to work as domestic help.
The actress who worked as domestic help despite coming from rich family
Shashikala was born in a Marathi family in 1932. Her father was a prominent businessman in Maharashtra’s Solapur and young Shashikala had a privileged upbringing. But when she was in her teens, her father went bankrupt and the family fell on hard times. At this point, Shashikala worked in odd jobs, even working as domestic help for prominent families in Bombay. It was here that she met the reigning box office queen Noor Jehan, who arranged for young Shashikala to get a break in Bollywood.
Shashikala’s bold image and villainous roles
After beginning her career with Jugnu in 1947, Shashikala established herself as a supporting actress. But important roles eluded her for her first decade as an actress. It was only after her negative role in Aarti (1962) that Shashikala broke through. She was then flooded with roles of vamp in several films, and she did many in memorable films. Off screen too, Shashikala was noted for her modern and bold image, different from contemporary actresses. That combined with her on-screen portrayals of feisty and evil women typecast her further. Shashikala worked in over 100 films during a career that stretched till 2006.
Shashikala’s connection with KL Saigal
In the 50s, when Shashikala was working hard to establish herself in Bollywood, she met her future husband Om Prakash Saigal. The two tied the knot and had two daughters. Om Prakash was a distant relative of the legendary Kundan Lal Saigal, widely called India’s first superstar. Shashikala passed away in 2021 at the age of 88.
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 "Shashikala in her heydays")
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