Devika Rani Death Anniversary: Lesser-known facts about the 'First Lady' of Indian cinema

Devika Rani Chaudhuri, commonly known as Devika Rani, was an Indian actress in the 1930s. She is regarded as the 'First Lady' of Indian cinema.

Devika Rani marked her acting debut in 1933 with the film 'Karma'. The talkie is credited to be the first English language talkie made by an Indian.

At a time when Indian cinema was just a budding industry and women were not given an equal status as men, Devika Rani shattered many stereotypes and paved her way to success in her own style.

She was one of the first women in India to pursue a career in acting, when women stepping out to work was a concept frowned upon in the country.

In a career spanning only 10 years, Devika achieved immense success and fame. She retired from films at the peak of her career to lead a life of solitude with her second husband Svetoslav Roerich.

Here are some lesser-known facts about Devika Rani, the actress who defined 'bold' in Indian cinema:

- Devika Rani was related to Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. She was born in an illustrious Bengali family in Visakhapatnam.

- She held the record for the longest onscreen lip lock till 2014. She was the first actor to ever have a four-minute long liplock onscreen.

- She also sang a song in the film 'Karma', which is said to be Bollywood's first English song.

- She was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in 1958 and the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1970.

- Following her first husband Himanshu Rai's death, Devika Rani took control of his studio Bombay Talkies, which became the launchpad for many legendary actors including Dilip Kumar, Mumtaz, Raj Kapoor, Madhubala and Ashok Kumar.

Published on: Tuesday, March 08, 2022, 03:28 PM IST