Yesteryear actors had a grace and style that is rare to find in films today. Indrani Mukherjee, a lead heroine of the 1960s and 1970s, exemplifies this. When we meet her at her son, Dipankar’s residence in Bengaluru, the poised Indrani, whose beauty has been untouched by the passage of time, warmly greets us. She made her first appearance in films with the Moni Bhattacharjee-directed and Bimal Roy-produced Usne Kaha Tha . “If I have to talk about my days, I would have to go quite a while back,” says the actor, who left the film industry more than two decades ago.
As she reminisces about her acting days, her eyes sparkle with nostalgia. “I was only 15 when I entered the industry. I had seen an advertisement that Bimal Roy productions was looking for a newcomer and there will be auditions. Many auditions had happened before mine. Since I had seen the ad late, I was the last to audition. Bimal da liked my photograph and said that my Hindi was good, but that I would need a screen test. I had to tie a band on the hand of the hero who was to leave for war. At that moment, I felt a surge of emotions. I started crying and fell down. Everyone was stunned. They began applauding my performance. Bimal da didn’t say anything about how I did, he only told me that I would be informed of the results. I received a telegram within a week’s time that I had been selected for the film.” Indrani went onto star in Dharmputra , directed by Yash Chopra. “My first hero was Shashi Kapoor,” she recalls, and she was the first heroine of Rajesh Khanna, who debuted in the Chetan Anand-directed Aakhri Khat, India’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards, in which Indrani played the role of a young woman. Anand had earlier cast Indrani in Haqeeqat. She speaks with admiration on Chetan Anand. “It was a joy working with him. He always appreciated my work. ” Satyen Bose, director of Mere Laal , says Indrani, had a similar directorial style as Chetan Anand. “They never instructed actors on how to act,” she says.
Karnataka : Bengaluru : 11/11/20017 : Yesteryear actor Indrani Mukherjee interacitng The Hindu Metro Plus in Bengaluru on November 11, 2017. Photo: V Sreenivasa Murthy
She acted in Grahasti , Heer Ranjha , Dharam Veer, Shaadi, Des Pardesh , among others. I acted with Amitabh Bachchan in Parvarish , Mr. Natwarlal , Zameer , and Naseeb. ” But she was always enamoured by Dilip Kumar. “I used to be madly in love with him!” she laughs and recalls how when she met Dilip Kumar, in the hopes she could play his wife, he exclaimed, “Oh my God! tu toh bachchi hai ! You can’t be my wife. That immediately broke my heart, but he blessed me.” But Dilip Kumar was full of praise for Indrani’s stellar performance in the Marathi film, Apradh . Famous songs picturised on her were Tumhari Zulf Ke Saaye, Bhool Sakta Hai Bhala Kaun Yeh Pyaari Aankhen Rang. But among the most well-known is arguably Baharon mera jeevan bhi sawaro of Aakhri Khat with the music composition by Khayyam and lyrics by Kaifi Azmi that is evergreen. “There was a special music competition for singers aged 55 and above in my hometown Nasik. I was invited as the chief guest. It was raining heavily but the auditorium was packed! I remember how all 23 participants and the audience sang Baharon... all together,” ,” Indrani tears up at this, “It was a special moment for me.” Indrani also acted in Ritwik Ghatak’s unfinished film Bagalar Banga Darshan , for which it is believed efforts are being made to complete it. “I retired from the industry to take care of my children. but I wouldn’t call it a sacrifice. I am blessed to have such a beautiful family,” concludes Indrani, who now devotes her time to social causes.
