Kajal Kiran

Kajal Kiran (born October 1958 as Sunita Kulkarni,[1] also credited as Kaajal Kiran) is a former Indian actress and model, who is known for her work in Hindi films. Kiran made her debut starring in the film Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977) and promptly established herself as a stable actress in Hindi cinema, appearing in over 40 films over a career spanning 13 years.

Kajal Kiran
Born
Sunita Kulkarni

October 1958 (1958-10) (age 65)
NationalityIndian
Other namesKaajal Kiran
EducationSt. Joseph’s High School, Mumbai, India
OccupationActress
Years active1977–1990
RelativesRavi Kulkarni (brother)

Early life

Kiran was born and raised in Mumbai, to a middle class Marathi family. She did her schooling at St. Joseph's High School, where she mainly studied physics and biology, following her original dream to become a doctor.[2]

Career

Kiran made her film debut in 1977, when she was chosen by director Nasir Hussain to play the lead in his romantic comedy Hum Kisise Kum Naheen as Kajal Kisharina, the heroine of Rishi Kapoor (later in the film, as the heroine of Tariq).[3] She also worked with actors and actresses Amjad Khan and Zeenat Aman. The film ended up to be a major box-office success, hitting the third highest-grossing movie of the year.[4] It was marked as a classic film, and gained a cult following. The role shot Kiran to stardom, marking her official debut in the film industry, with her receiving much fame.

Following the success of the film, Kiran had then pursued her career and continued acting. She'd soon began to get more movie offers, and in 1980 starred as the lead role in Maang Bharo Sajana as Geeta Sinha, the heroine to Jeetendra, who played a double role, and starred alongside Rekha and Moushumi Chatterjee. The film turned to be a commercial success,[5] turning to be the eighth highest-grossing film of its year. She also appeared in the Ramsay Brothers horror film Saboot in the same year, as Kaajal. In contrast to the success of her previous films, Saboot turned to underperform at the box-office, grossing merely ₹1.2 crore.[6] She also made her first guest appearance as a dancer in the film Morchha, in the popular song "Ab Ki Baras." In 1981, Kiran then played the heroine to Mithun Chakraborty in the spy-thriller film Wardaat, and in the Bollywood-film Hum Se Badkar Kaun. The films were reported both as successful hits at the box-office, further boosting Kiran's credibility and career.

Kiran later starred in the Bollywood-action film Hum Se Hai Zamana in 1983 as Chutki, the heroine to Amjad Khan. She'd once again worked with Mithun Chakraborty and Zeenat Aman, and worked with the actress Kim and the actor Danny Denzongpa. In spite of the credible cast, the film was a box-office bomb, but became popular later for its songs. In the same year, she had also starred in the feature-film Karate as Geeta, working again alongside Mithun, and in the feature-film Lalach. Both films were box-office failures. The year before, she'd starred in Kannada-film Sahasa Simha, her first movie to be in a language other than Hindi.

Kiran continued to work in films, hitting mainly average grossers and failures. However, Kiran was able to bounce back. In 1984, she starred in the Malayalam film Uyarangalil as Devi Menon, starring alongside Mohanlal, Nedumudi Venu, and Rahman. The film was her second time she starred in a Malayalam film, with her starring in the film Chakkarayumma earlier that year. With Chakkarayumma being a commercial disappointment along with a number of her films previously flopping, Kiran's career began to fluctuate. Uryangalil turned to be a critical box-office hit, and was declared a cult classic and a superhit film.[7]

In the next year, Kiran had made guest and cameo appearances in a few films, including Andar Baahar, in which she'd worked with Danny Denzongpa and Kim once again. She was cast in the lead role in the Tamil language film Bandham, along Sivaji Ganesan. In spite of the film being a box-office failure, it helped Kiran show her versatility. Later that year, she then was cast as Banu in the film Aandhi-Toofan, along Hema Malini and the late Shashi Kapoor. The film had turned to be one of the highest-grossing films of the year, and was a commercial hit at the box-office, further helping Kiran's career.

In 1986, Kiran's first role of the year was in the supporting character Savitri, starring with the late actress Sridevi and once again starring with Jeetendra in the film Ghar Sansar. The film was a success at the box-office, and turned to be one of the highest-grossing films of that year. She starred in two other films that year, Daku Bijlee and as Shobha in Inteqam Ki Aag, in which both turned out to be commercial disappointments.

In the year following, Kiran only starred in one film. She starred as Saroj in the film Muqaddar Ka Faisla with Raaj Kumar and Rakhee. The film was a failure at the box office. The majority of her films in this period turned to be box-office bombs, which led to Kiran's career begin to heavily fluctuate. Eventually, Kiran retired the film industry in 1990, in order to focus on her marriage with her spouse. Kiran's last five films, Deewane, Qurbani Rang Layegi, Rajoo Dada, and Aakhri Sanghursh, were released in the years following her retirement.[8] She maintained her popularity by being part of Vikram Aur Betaal serial from 1985 to 1988.

Contract misconception

While Kiran was shooting for Hum Kisise Kum Naheen, the director, Nasir Hussain, had told her not to sign any further films until after the film was released, and the results were seen. Due to this, other directors and producers had not approached her for films due to them being under the belief that a contract had been in place between Kiran and Hussain.[2] She'd lost chances for films such as Balika Badhu and Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se, which went on to be critically and commercially successful.[2] Kiran never commented or discussed on the misunderstandings.

Personal life

Kiran kept a low profile throughout her career, and never revealed much of her private life.

Kiran later married to a spouse whose identity she did not disclose,[3] and promptly moved to the Netherlands following her retirement in 1990.[1] Since her retirement, she has not been seen in public. It has been reported that Kiran now has two children.

Filmography

Kiran appeared in a total of 44 films from 1977 to 1990.

Year Film Role Notes
1977 Hum Kisise Kum Naheen Kajal Kisharina
1980 Maang Bharo Sajana Geeta Sinha
1980 Morchha Guest Dancer
1980 Saajan Mere Main Saajan Ki
1980 Saboot Kaajal
1981 Hum Se Badkar Kaun Kajri
1981 Bhula Na Dena
1981 Wardat Kajal Malhotra
1981 Dahshat Sunita Uncredited
1982 Sahasa Simha Rekha Kannada debut
1982 Hum Paagal Premee
1982 Geet Ganga
1982 Doosra Roop
1982 Maine Jeena Seekh Liya Lajjo
1982 Jeeo Aur Jeene Do
1983 Lalach
1983 Karate Geeta
1983 Greed
1983 Ek Baar Chale Aao Priya
1983 Dharti Aakash
1983 Hum Se Hai Zamana Chutki
1984 Chakkarayumma Vineetha Mathews
1984 Uyarangalil Devi Menon
1984 Mohabbat Ka Masiha
1984 Ram Tera Desh Guest Dancer
1985 Star Ten
1985 Maujaan Dubai Diyaan Guest Dancer
1985 Andar Baahar Herself
1985 Bhago Bhut Aaya Manorama's niece
1985 Bandham Tamil Movie
1985 Ee Lokam Evide Kure Manushyar Jameela
1985 Do Dilan Ki Dastaan Aarti Verma
1985 Aandhi-Toofan Bhanu
1985 Mujhe Kasam Hai Rita
1985 Main Khilona Nahin
1986 Ghar Sansar Savitri
1986 Daku Bijlee
1986 Inteqam Ki Aag Shobha
1987 Muqaddar Ka Faisla Saroj
1988 7 Bijliyaan Bevdi
1989 Saaya Ruby
1989 Aurat Aur Patthar
1991 Deewane Released after her retirement
1991 Qurbani Rang Layegi Chutki Released after her retirement
1992 Rajoo Dada Released after her retirement
1997 Aakhri Sanghursh Released after her retirement

See also

References

  1. "Who is Kajal Kiran's Husband? Lovelife about Kajal Kiran". MIJ Miner8. 18 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  2. Kajal Kiran - Biography, archived from the original on 12 October 2020, retrieved 4 December 2019
  3. "Bollywoodpapa". Archived from the original on 5 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  4. "Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977)". The Hindu. 7 March 2013. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 30 June 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  5. "Maang Bharo Sajana - Lifetime Box Office Collection, Budget, Reviews, Cast, etc". BOTY. Archived from the original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  6. "Saboot (1980) - Lifetime Box Office Collection, Budget & Reviews". BOTY. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  7. C, Sharika (31 August 2013). "Fans wait with bated breath for latest offering from M.T.-Hariharan stable". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  8. "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
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