Nanda (actress) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nanda
Nanda at a party in Kenya, 1970
Born	Nanda Karnataki (1939-01-08)8 January 1939 Kolhapur, Kolhapur State, British India (now in Maharashtra, India)
Died	25 March 2014(2014-03-25) (aged 75) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1948–1983 1991–1995
Awards	Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Aanchal (1960)

Nanda Karnataki (born January 8, 1939 – died March 25, 2014) was a famous Indian actress. She was known by her single name, Nanda. She starred in many Hindi and Marathi films for over 30 years. Nanda was one of the most loved actresses in Hindi cinema. She is remembered for her roles in movies like Chhoti Bahen, Hum Dono, Jab Jab Phool Khile, and Prem Rog.

Early Life

Nanda was born into a family deeply involved in show business. Her father, Master Vinayak, was a successful Marathi actor, producer, and director. He was connected to many important people in the Indian film industry. For example, the famous director V. Shantaram was her maternal cousin. Master Vinayak was also a good friend of the Mangeshkar family. He helped introduce the legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar to the film world.

Sadly, Nanda's father passed away in 1947 when she was only seven years old. This was a very difficult time for her family. To help support them, Nanda started working as a child actress in the early 1950s. Because she was busy with films, she studied at home. A special teacher, Gokuldas V. Makhi, helped her with her lessons. Nanda worked hard to support and educate her six brothers and sisters. One of her brothers, Jaiprakash Karnataki, later became a Marathi film director.

Career

Starting as a Child Actress and Supporting Roles

Baby Nanda (aged 9) with actress Shanta Apte in the film Mandir.

Nanda began her acting journey in 1948 with the film Mandir. People first recognized her as "Baby Nanda" on screen. She acted as a child in films like Mandir, Jaggu, and Angaarey until 1956.

Her uncle, the well-known film producer-director V. Shantaram, gave Nanda a big opportunity. He cast her in the successful film Toofan Aur Diya (1956). This movie told the story of an orphaned brother and sister who face many sad challenges. Nanda played the sister who loses her sight. She was nominated for her first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Bhabhi (1957).

Early in her career, Nanda also acted in many Marathi films. She was even honored by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for her role in the film Shevgyachyaa Shenga. She also played supporting roles alongside big stars like Dev Anand in Kala Bazar.

Becoming a Leading Lady

Nanda became a star when she played the main role in L.V. Prasad's Chhoti Bahen (1959). This movie was a huge hit. In this film, Nanda played a blind younger sister who is cared for by her two older brothers.

After this, she took on many lead roles. She was one of Dev Anand's heroines in Hum Dono (1961) and Teen Deviyan. Both films were very successful. She also starred in B.R. Chopra's Kanoon (1960), which was unusual because it had no songs.

Nanda won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in Aanchal (1960). She worked with Raj Kapoor in Aashiq (1962) and with Rajendra Kumar in three films. Nanda once said that some of her best performances were in films that were not big hits.

Nanda was known for helping new actors. She signed eight films with Shashi Kapoor when he was still new to Hindi cinema. Their first two films together did not do well. However, their later films were very successful. These included Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain (1965) and Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965). In Jab Jab Phool Khile, Nanda played a modern, Western-style character for the first time. This helped change her image. Both Shashi Kapoor and Nanda said that the other was their favorite co-star.

In the early 1970s, Nanda suggested that Rajesh Khanna be cast as the main actor in the film The Train. She had another hit film in 1965 called Gumnaam. This helped her become one of the top actresses. She also worked with Dharmendra and Jeetendra. Nanda continued to play main female roles until 1973. She starred with the new leading man Rajesh Khanna in the thriller Ittefaq (1969). This film had no songs and was a success. She received a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for this role. After Rajesh Khanna became a superstar, they made two more successful films together: The Train (1970) and Joroo Ka Ghulam (1972).

Later Career and Supporting Roles

After 1973, Nanda's film offers became fewer. She had a small role in Manoj Kumar's Shor (1972). She also acted in a few other films that were praised by critics but did not do well at the box office. She then stopped acting for a while.

In 1982, Nanda returned to films with three successful movies. In all of them, she played the mother of actress Padmini Kolhapure. These films were Ahista Ahista, Mazdoor, and Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog. After these films, she retired from acting for good.

Earnings and Ranking

Nanda was one of the highest-paid actresses of her time. She did many memorable films in Bollywood. From 1960 to 1965, she was the second highest-paid Hindi actress, along with Nutan. From 1966 to 1969, she shared the second spot with Nutan and Waheeda. From 1970 to 1973, she was the third highest-paid Hindi actress, along with Sadhana.

Personal Life

Nanda (first from left) with Waheeda Rehman, Helen, and Sadhana, in 2010.

Nanda received many marriage proposals throughout her life, but she turned them all down. In 1992, when she was middle-aged, she got engaged to director Manmohan Desai. Sadly, he passed away about a year later. Nanda never married.

Nanda lived in her home in Mumbai. She mostly spent time with her family and close friends. Her close friends from the film industry included Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Helen, and Sadhana. She rarely made public appearances. One of her last public appearances was with Waheeda Rehman for a screening of the Marathi film Natarang in 2010.

Nanda passed away in Mumbai on March 25, 2014, at her home. She was 75 years old and died from a heart attack.

Selected Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Nanda (actriz) para niños