Bindu

Bindu (Hindi: बिन्दु; born 17 January 1951) is an actress in Indian cinema who was popular in the 1970s, receiving several award nominations. She has acted in over 160 movies in a career that spanned four decades, ^[1] and is most remembered for her role as Shabnam in Kati Patang (1970).

Early life

Bindu was born to film producer Nanubhai Desai and his wife Jyotsna at a small village called Hanuman Bhagda in the district of Valsad in the Western Indian state of Gujarat. Bindu's road to success was not an easy one. Her father died when she was 3. Being the eldest daughter, the burden of earning money fell on her shoulders.^[3]

Bindu is credited in Anpadh (1962), playing a young college graduate. She would have been about 11 at the time, which places her birth date in dispute.

Career

Bindu had early successes with Ittefaq and Do Raaste in 1969. From here she went on to write her success story with Shakti Samanta's Kati Patang (1970), where she had a sizzling cabaret dance, "Mera Naam Shabnam" to her credit; a number which is even today remembered as one of the highlights of the film.^[4]

Bindu's mesmerizing performances in 1974 as a seductress in Imtihan, and as a nymphomaniac in Hawas, left audiences asking for more. With a string of hits behind her, she successfully managed to break out of the myth that married actresses usually do not go to become sex symbols, especially in the Hindi film industry. She is the third point in the 'holy trinity' of item number queens. Along with Helen and Aruna Irani, Bindu defined the Bollywood 'cabaret' dance number and the role of the 'Vamp'.^[4]

Bindu was much more than just a sex symbol. Her acting ability was seen in films like Hrishikesh Mukherjee's films Arjun Pandit and Abhimaan, where she won raves for playing a very sympathetic character. She proved to be just as convincing as the crippled woman in Chaitali and as the deglamourised role of wife to Ashok Kumar, in Arjun Pandit. She played the villain's moll in Zanjeer and became famous as Mona Darling.

Bindu was never offered roles as the leading lady. Her being married perhaps came in the way of her being offered roles as the main female lead. Thus, she lost out on the chance of being the leading lady in her films.

An impending pregnancy, followed by an unfortunate miscarriage, brought about a lull in her career and on the advice of her doctors she had to end her stint as the glamourous 'vamp' – dancing and all. However, she did not stay away for long and returned to the silver screen with character roles - Hero, Biwi Ho To Aisi and Kishen Kanhaiya and with many other such movies she managed to re-establish herself as the unmerciful and cruel mother-in-law, or the cynical aunt.

In the later stages of her career, she made fewer on-screen appearances, like the ones in Shola Aur Shabnam, which highlighted her comic side, and followed with other light and funny performances in Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Main Hoon Na, and Om Shanti Om.

Personal life

Bindu married her childhood sweetheart and next door neighbor Champaklal Zaveri. She has no children. She currently resides in Koregaon Park, Pune. She's a member of Derby and often spotted at the race course at Pune.

Awards and nominations

• Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Ittefaq (1969)
• Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Do Raaste (1970)
• Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Dastaan (1972)
• Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Abhimaan (1973)
• Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Hawas (1974)
• Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Imtihan (1974)
• Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress - Arjun Pandit (1976)

Partial filmography

• Anpadh (1962) ... Kiran
• Aurat (1967)
• Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969)
• Doli (1969)
• Do Raaste (1969)
• Ittefaq (1969)
• Nateeja (1969)
• Kati Patang (1970)
• Amar Prem (1971)
• Preet Ki Dori (1971)
• Dushman (1971) ... Special Appearance
• Haseeno Ka Devta (1971)
• Dil Ka Raaja (1972)
• Ek Bechara (1972)
• Garam Masala (1972)
• Raja Jani (1972) ... Special Appearance
• Mere Jeevan Saathi... (1972)
• Abhimaan (1973)
• Gaai Aur Gori (1973)
• Dharma (1973)
• Joshila (1973)
• Zanjeer (1973)
• Hawas (1974)
• Free Love (1974)
• Imtihan (1974)
• Pagli (1974)
• Prem Nagar (1974)
• Chaitali (1975)
• Dafa 302 (1975)
• Jaggu (1975)
• Sewak (1975)
• Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty (1975)... Dancer
• Arjun Pandit (1976)
• Shankar Shanbhu (1976)... Munni Bai
• Shankar Dada (1976)... Bindya
• Shaque (1976)... Rosita
• Dus Numbri (1976)
• Nehle Pe Dehla (1976)
• Chakkar Pe Chakkar (1977)
• Chala Murari Hero Banne (1977)
• Chalta Purza (1977)
• Maha Badmaas (1977)
• Bandie (1978)
• Chor Ho To Aisa (1978)
• Des Pardes (1978) ... Sylvia
• Ganga Ki Saugandh (1978)
• Besharam (1978) ... Manju
• Jalan (1978)
• Trishna (1978)
• Phandebaaz (1978)
• Rahu Ketu (1978)
• Ram Kasam (1978)
• Amar Deep (1979) ... Asha
• Nallathoru Kudumbam(1979 Tamil film)... Dancer in One and two cha cha song
• Inspector Eagal (1979)
• Allaudinaum Arputha Vilakkum (1979; Tamil–Malayalam bilingual)... Dancer in a song
• Khandaan (1979) ... Nanda V. Srivastav
• Sarkari Mehmaan (1979)
• Agreement (1980)
• Jwalamukhi (1980)
• Shaan (1980) ... Special Appearance
• Laawaris (1981)
• Naseeb (1981) ... Special Appearance
• Prem Rog (1982)
• Paisa Yeh Paisa (1985)
• Karma (1986)
• Hifazat (1987)
• Biwi Ho To Aisi(1988)
• Kishen Kanhaiya (1990)
• Shola Aur Shabnam (1992)
• Aankhen (1993)
• Aasoo Bane Angaarey (1993)
• Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993)
• Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!(1994)
• Judwaa (1997)
• Ehsaas is Tarah (1998)
• Aunty No.1 (1998)
• Banarasi Babu (1998)
• Jaanam Samjha Karo (1999)
• Sooryavansham (1999)
• Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2002)
• Main Hoon Na (2004)
• Om Shanti Om (2007)
• Mehbooba (2008)