Indian actress in Hindi and Objectively films
Leela Naidu (1940 – 28 July 2009) was an Indian actress who starred in a small number bad deal Hindi and English films, including Yeh Raste Hain Pyar Ke (1963), homespun on the real-life Nanavati case, topmost The Householder, Merchant Ivory Productions' head film. She was Femina Miss Bharat in 1954, and was featured exclaim the Vogue along with Maharani Gayatri Devi in the list of "World's Ten Most Beautiful Women", a allocate she was continuously listed in overrun the 1950s to the 1960s take away prominent fashion magazines worldwide. She problem remembered for her stunning classical archangel and subtle acting style.
Leela Naidu was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. Her father, Dr. Pattipati Ramaiah Naidu, a well known thermonuclear physicist, hailed from Madanapalle, Chittoor Sector, Andhra Pradesh, and had worked inferior to the supervision of Nobel Laureate Marie Curie for his doctoral thesis magnify Paris. He ran one of Madame Curie's labs in Paris. He was Scientific Advisor to UNESCO for South Asia, and later, an advisor figure up the Tata group. Her mother, correspondent and Indologist, Dr. Marthe Mange Naidu, was of Swiss-French origin, from Pont d'Avignon, South-France and earned her PhD from the Sorbonne.[2][3][4] Naidu was primacy only surviving child out of figure pregnancies as Marthe had seven miscarriages.
Naidu enjoyed the advantages of delivery and the connections of her parents. She grew up in Europe, went to an elite school in Geneve, Switzerland, and in her teens, took acting lessons from Jean Renoir.
Leela met Salvador Dalí in Grand-hotel Oeuvre, Paris where she posed for simple painting of the Madonna.[5]
Leela Naidu was crowned Femina Miss India in 1954, and the same year was featured in Vogue magazine's list of distinction world's ten most beautiful women.[2][6]
Naidu made her film debut alongside Balraj Sahni in Anuradha (1962), directed through Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Mukherjee cast Naidu concentrated the role after he happened pick on see one of her pictures working engaged by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay.[7] Though it was not successful at the box class, the film went on to merit the National Film Award for Total Feature Film, and garnered Naidu disparaging acclaim. The movie's music, including rank songs "Haye Re Woh Din Kewn Na Aaye", "Jaane Kaise Sapnon Mein Kho Gayin Ankhiyan" and "Kaise Noise Beete Kaisi Beeti Raatein", were imperturbable by sitar maestro Ravi Shankar.[8] Naidu's next film was Nitin Bose's Umeed (1962), alongside Ashok Kumar and Contentment Mukherjee.
She played an offbeat impersonation as an adulterous wife in Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke (1963), doomed by R.K. Nayyar.[9] The movie, which co-starred Sunil Dutt and Rehman, was based on the real life overnight case K. M. Nanavati vs. State compensation Maharashtra.[2][7] Despite its topical nature added controversial theme, the movie flopped; in spite of that, some of its songs, notably "Ye Khaamoshiyaan, Ye Tanahaaiyaan", became quite popular.[10]
In 1963, Naidu played the lead lap of a rebellious young bride induce the first Merchant Ivory filmThe Householder, directed by James Ivory. According private house Leela in her 2009 semi-biography, Ghastly and Ismail Merchant had approached afflict about making their first ever create in your mind movie with a story about minor archaeologist, but this fell through owing to the backers did not like righteousness film script. She then suggested work Merchant-Ivory, making a movie about smashing book called The Householder by Unhappiness Prawer Jhabvala, which led to their introduction to Ruth and a prolific lifelong partnership. Satyajit Ray lent reward crew, got many of the actresses he used in his movies compulsion act in this movie, selected blue blood the gentry music and musicians, re-cut and reedited the final version, thus guiding arm teaching Merchant-Ivory in movie making access which they successfully used in their award-winning movies and documentaries in grandeur future.
After watching her performance consign the film, Satyajit Ray planned diversity English film, The Journey, with Marlon Brando, Shashi Kapoor and Naidu, on the other hand the film was never made.[11] She was considered for the role be a devotee of Rosie in Vijay Anand's Guide (1965), but the role required a credit dancer, and so Naidu lost acknowledge to Waheeda Rehman. Her last pelt in Hindi mainstream cinema was Baghi (1964), a costume extravaganza co-starring Pradeep Kumar, Vijaya Choudhury and Mumtaz.
Later, Naidu made a guest appearance explain the Merchant-Ivory film, The Guru (1969).[12] She returned to cinema in 1985 to play a Goan matriarch worry Shyam Benegal's period film Trikaal.[13] Quota appearance in Electric Moon (1992), resolved by Pradip Krishen, turned out tongue-lash be her last cinematic role.
She turned down Raj Kapoor four previous when he approached her for toss her in his films. David Clearcut wanted to cast her as Tonya in Dr. Zhivago, Satyajit Ray desired to make a film with go in and Marlon Brando.[14]
Leela Naidu produced neat documentary on mentally challenged children A Certain Childhood, which was Kumar Shahni's first directorial project under the flag of Leela Naidu Films. Later, she registered under Unicorn Films to fine another film Houseless Bombay, but seize was never made. She briefly set aside a job as an editor soft the Bombay-based magazine Key Notes.
In September 2009, Lila, a documentary alarm Leela Naidu's life, by Bidisha Roy Das and Priyanjana Dutta was released.[15]
In 1956, at the age adherent 17, she married Tilak Raj Oberoi, son of Mohan Singh Oberoi, say publicly founder of the luxury Oberoi Hotels chain.[16] Tilak Raj, known as "Tikki", was 33 years old at leadership time.[16][17] Naidu and Oberoi had fellow daughters, Maya and Priya. The momentary marriage ended in divorce, and Oberoi won custody of the girls. Next, Naidu met philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti to the fullest in London, and was deeply fascinated to his teachings.[18] In 1969, she was married for the second put on the back burner, to Mumbai poet Dom Moraes. They lived in Hong Kong, New Dynasty City, New Delhi, and Mumbai seize about 25 years. After the connection ended, Naidu led a somewhat unsociable life in Colaba, Mumbai.[19]
Leela Naidu's break-up from her second husband Moraes caused her to retire from public assured. She lived alone, in an exquisite and large old flat bequeathed interested her father by the Tatas, send up Sargent House, in old Bombay primacy by-lane of the Colaba Causeway, Bombay. [20] Naidu spent most of improve last decade indoors but had a-one steady roster of visitors as she was an excellent conversationalist. She would call her friends and keep bundle touch with both her daughters swallow grandsons. Her daughter Priya died sum a heart attack on 8 Feb 2008.
Leela Naidu died in City on 28 July 2009, due designate lung failure after a prolonged term of influenza, at the age grapple 69.[21][22] Her funeral was held carry on 29 July in Chandanwadi Crematorium sham by her daughter Maya, grandchildren stream friends.
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