Tabassum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tabassum
Born	Kiran Bala Sachdev (1944-07-09)9 July 1944 Bombay, Bombay Province, British India
Died	18 November 2022(2022-11-18) (aged 78) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Baby Tabassum
Occupation	Actress, Talk show host
Years active	1947–2022
Known for	Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gushan (1972–1993)
Spouse(s)	Vijay Govil ​ (m. 1960)​
Children	Hoshang Govil (son)
Relatives	Arun Govil (brother-in-law)

Tabassum, born Kiran Bala Sachdev (July 9, 1944 – November 18, 2022), was a famous Indian actress and TV host. She began her career as a child star in 1947, known as Baby Tabassum. Later, she became well-known for hosting India's first TV talk show, Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan. This popular show aired on Doordarshan from 1972 to 1993. On her show, she interviewed many famous film and TV stars.

Early Life and Family

Tabassum was born in 1944 in Mumbai, which was then called Bombay. Her father, Ayodhyanath Sachdev, was an Indian freedom fighter. This means he worked hard to help India become independent. Her mother, Asghari Begum, was also a freedom fighter, a journalist, and a writer.

In an interview, Tabassum shared a cool story about her name. Her father named her 'Tabassum' to respect her mother's religious beliefs. Her mother named her 'Kiran Bala' to respect her father's beliefs. So, her official name was 'Kiran Bala Sachdev'. After she got married, it became 'Kiran Bala Govil'. 'Tabassum' was her special screen name, and it means smile!

Becoming a Star: Tabassum's Career

Tabassum started acting in movies when she was very young. Her first film was Nargis in 1947. She also appeared in other movies like Mera Suhaag and Manjhdhar in the same year.

Baby Tabassum (left) with Parikshit Sahni in the song "Bachpan Ke Din."

In the 1951 film Deedar, she played the childhood version of the actress Nargis. A famous song called Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena was filmed with her. The next year, she was in another important movie, Baiju Bawra (1952). In this film, she played the young Meena Kumari. After growing up, she returned to films in adult roles.

Hosting a Hit TV Show

Tabassum became famous for hosting Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan. This was the very first talk show on Indian television! It ran for 21 years, from 1972 to 1993. The show was made by Doordarshan Kendra Mumbai and featured interviews with many film stars. It became incredibly popular.

Besides TV, she also worked as a stage host. For 15 years, she was the editor of Grihalaxmi, a Hindi magazine for women. She also wrote many joke books!

Later Work and YouTube

In 1985, Tabassum directed, produced, and wrote her own film called Tum Par Hum Qurban. Later, in 2006, she returned to acting on TV in a show called Pyaar Ke Do Naam: Ek Raadha, Ek Shyaam. She also became a judge on a comedy show, Ladies Special, in 2009.

Tabassum in the 1960s

Tabassum continued to interview people for TV. She had a show in the USA and Canada called Abhi Toh Main Jawaan Hoon. This show was about the old days of Hindi Cinema and was directed by her son, Hoshang Govil.

In 2016, she started her own YouTube channel called "TabassumTalkies." Her son Hoshang Govil produced and directed it. The channel features nostalgic talks, interviews with celebrities, poems, and jokes. She also returned to TV with a show called "Tab Aur Ab" in 2020.

Tabassum in 1995

Personal Life

Tabassum was married to Vijay Govil. Vijay was the older brother of the TV actor Arun Govil. Tabassum and Vijay had a son named Hoshang Govil, born in 1961. Hoshang also acted in a few films. One of these films, Tum Par Hum Qurbaan (1985), was produced and directed by Tabassum herself. In 2009, her granddaughter Khushi, Hoshang's daughter, also started acting in films.

Remembering Tabassum

Tabassum passed away on November 18, 2022, at the age of 78. She had some health problems and suffered two heart attacks. Many famous people, like Amitabh Bachchan and Asha Parekh, shared their sadness about her passing. The milk brand Amul even made a special drawing to honor her.

Filmography

Films

Television

Web