Leela Mishra | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1908-01-01)1 January 1908 |
| Died | 17 January 1988(1988-01-17) (aged 80) |
| Other names | Leela Misra |
| Occupation | actress |
| Years active | 1936–1986 |
| Known for | Mausi inSholay (1975) |
| Spouse | Ram Prasad Misra |
| Children | 3 |
Leela Mishra (1 January 1908[1] – 17 January 1988) was an Indian actress. She worked as acharacter actor in over 200Hindi films for five decades, and is best remembered for playingstock characters such asaunts (Chachi orMausi). She is best known for her role of "mausi" in the blockbusterSholay (1975),Dil Se Mile Dil (1978),Baton Baton Mein (1979),Rajesh Khanna films such asPalkon Ki Chhaon Mein,Aanchal,Mehbooba,Amar Prem andRajshri Productions hits such asGeet Gaata Chal (1975),Nadiya Ke Paar (1982) andAbodh (1984).[2][3][4] Her career's best performance was inNaani Maa in 1981, for which she received Best Actress award at the age of 73.
Leela Mishra was married to Ram Prasad Mishra, who was a character artist, then working in silent films. She got married at the very young age of 12. By the time she was 17, she had two daughters. She hailed fromJais,Raebareli, and she and her husband were fromzamindar (landowners) families.[5]
Leela Mishra was discovered by a man called Mama Shinde, who was working forDadasaheb Phalke's Nasik Cinetone. He persuaded her husband to make her work in films. During those days there was a severe scarcity of women actors in films; this was evident in the paychecks that the Mishras received when they went toNasik for the shooting. While Ram Prasad Mishra was hired on a salary of Rs. 150 per month, Leela Mishra was offered Rs. 500 per month. However, as they fared poorly in front of the camera, their contracts were cancelled.[citation needed]
The next opportunity that came their way was an offer to work in the movieBhikarin, which was being produced by a company owned by theMaharaja ofKolhapur. However, Leela Mishra lost out on this opportunity too, as the role required her to put her arms round the actor (who was not her husband) while delivering a dialogue, which she point-blank refused to do.
She faced a similar problem while working in another film titledHonhaar. She was cast oppositeShahu Modak as a heroine, and was supposed to hug and embrace him, which she again refused steadfastly. Since the company was legally in a weak position, they couldn't turn her out of the film, which proved to be a blessing in disguise for her. She was offered Modak's mother's role in the film and it clicked instantly. This opened the doors for her to play mother roles at the young age of 18.[5]
Early on in her career she acted in films such as the musical hitAnmol Ghadi (1946),Raj Kapoor'sAwaara (1951) andNargis-Balraj Sahni starrerLajwanti (1958), which was nominated for thePalme d'Or for Best Film at1959 Cannes Film Festival.[6]
She acted in the firstBhojpuri film,Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1962), which also starredKumkum,Helen andNazir Hussain.[7][8]
Her roles varied from mothers, benign or evil aunts, to comic roles.
She died of a heart attack in Bombay on 17 January 1988 at the age of 80.[citation needed]
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