Dilip Kumar's 'mother' was India’s first graduate actress, lucky charm for Ashok Kumar, worked as teacher, then became first heroine to endorse..., her name is..

During India's independence struggle, women's education was not widely encouraged. But despite this, one woman emerged as India's first educated actress who impressed audiences with films that sent out a social message, and also became the first Indian film star to endorse the popular Lux soap brand, which was previously only done by Hollywood heroines. We are talking about none other than Leela Chitnis, who was active from the 1930s to the 1980s. Leela Chitnis began her career as a romantic lead opposite leading stars, but she is best remembered for playing roles of a righteous and exemplary mother onscreen.

Born in September 1909, Leela Chitnis' father was an English literature professor. With a B.A. degree, Leela Chitnis was also one of the first educated film actresses. After she graduated, Leela Chitnis joined a theatre group called Natyamanwantar.

Leela Chitnis was just 15 or 16 when she married Dr Gajanan Yeshwant Chitnis in an arranged marriage. The couple had four children, but soon differences started to arise in their relationship. After Leela Chitnis divorced her husband, she worked as a school teacher before turning to acting.

 In 1935, Leela Chitnis got her silver screen break for her role in Gentleman Daku (1937). 

Leela Chitnis slowly but surely made her mark in the film industry and went on to replace Bombay Talkies' then-leading lady Devika Rani. Leela Chitnis' pairing with Ashok Kumar was one of the most popular ones. The duo worked in several box-office hits such as Azad (1940), Bandhan (1940), and Jhoola (1941).

In 1941, when Leela Chitnis was at the peak of her career, she became the first Indian film star to endorse the popular Lux soap brand. Not only this, she played the role of Dilip Kumar's mother in the film Shaheed. She was also most renowned for playing the role of a mother onscreen, later in her career.

After working in the industry for many years, Leela Chitnis finally quit acting and emigrated to the United States in the late 1980s to join her children. She died in Danbury, Connecticut, at a nursing home at the age of 94.