Dina Pathak

Dina Pathak (née Gandhi; 4 March 1922 – 11 October 2002) was an Indian actress and director of Gujarati theatre and also a film actor. She was an activist and President of the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW).
A doyenne of Hindi and Gujarati films as well as theatre, Dina Pathak acted in over 120 films in a career spanning over six decades. Her production Mena Gurjari in Bhavai folk theatre style, ran successfully for many years, and is now a part of its repertoire.
She is best known for her memorable roles in the Hindi films Gol Maal and Khubsoorat. She was a favourite of the Art Cinema in India where she played powerful roles in films like Koshish, Umrao Jaan, Mirch Masala and Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho!.
Her notable Gujarati films were Moti Ba, Malela Jeev and Bhavni Bhavai, while her well-known plays include Dinglegar, Doll's House, Vijan Sheni and Girish Karnad's Hayavadana, directed by Satyadev Dubey.
Early life
Dina Pathak was born in Amreli, Gujarat on 4 March 1922. She was enamoured of fashion and films, and while a teenager, started acting in plays and won acclaim from critics. She attended and graduated from a college affiliated to the University of Bombay (Mumbai). Rasiklal Parikh trained her in acting while Shanti Bardhan taught her dancing.
At a young age, she joined the Indian National Theatre as an actress. She became known for her student activism, where Bhavai theatre, a folk theatre form from Gujarat, was used extensively to create awareness about the British rule, in the pre-independence era; this led to her close association with Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), along with her elder sister Shanta Gandhi and younger sister Tarla Mehta; while in Mumbai, she had an important hand in reviving the Gujarati theatre there, along with fellow Gujarati actors like Kailash Pandya and Damini Mehta.
Career
She created quite a stir with her plays in Gujarat in the 1940s. The audience queued up to watch her play the lead in Mena Gurjari, which is still one of the most popular Bhavais along with sister Shanta Gandhi's Jasma Odhan. In 1957, when she performed Mena Gurjari in front of then-President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi, it became the first and the only Gujarati play to have achieved the feat so far.
Although she made her film debut with a Gujarati film, Kariyawar (1948), she returned to theatre after acting in just one film. She continued playing to packed audience in plays by Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and Shanti Bardhan's Ballet troupe. Later she formed her own theatre group in Ahmedabad called "Natmandal", even today, she is remembered as a stalwart performer and a theatre activist at IPTA.
In her mid-40's, she made a comeback to films, two decades after her debut, with Basu Bhattacharya's Uski Kahani (1966), for which she won the Bengal Journalists Association Award. She made four films in the 1960s, including Hrishikesh Mukherjee's classic Satyakam (1969), Saat Hindustani (1969), starring Amitabh Bachchan in his debut role and the Merchant Ivory Productions, The Guru (1969). By the 1970s, she had become a favourite of art and commercial films alike, playing powerful motherly and grandmotherly roles. It was in these films that she became recognised as the Grand-Old-Mother of Hindi films.
Films that stand out in this era are Gulzar's Mausam (1975), for which she earned her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress, Kinara (1977) and Kitaab (1977), and sweet comedies like Basu Chatterjee's Chitchor (1976), Gharaonda (1977) and also in an art cinema classic, Shyam Benegal's Bhumika (1977), which saw her standing tall alongside another acting legend, Smita Patil, in her career's best performance.
Just as the 1970s ended, she was seen in the comedy classic, Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Gol Maal (1979), where she essayed the role of Kamala Shrivastava, a middle-aged woman who sportingly plays mother to Amol Palekar, who went on to direct her in his 1985 film, Ankahee. The next decade began with another career-best performance, as a stern disciplinarian matriarch in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Khoobsurat in (1980), closely followed by Bhavni Bhavai (1980). She earned two nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the former two films. In 1980, she was also awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. During the '80s, she also appeared on the popular TV series, Malgudi Days. In 1984, she appeared in A Passage to India. She gave powerful performances in Ketan Mehta's Mirch Masala (1985), Govind Nihalani's Tamas (1986) and once again she worked with Gulzar in Ijaazat (1987).
Perhaps her career's best came in another comedy when she appeared in Deepa Mehta's Bollywood/Hollywood (2002) for which she was nominated for Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 23rd Genie Awards. She was also portraying the role of Badi Maa in the cult show Khichadi (2002).
Personal life
She married Baldev Pathak and had two daughters, acclaimed actresses Ratna Pathak (b. 1957), and Supriya Pathak (b. 1961).
Death
She completed her last film, Pinjar (2003), but died before its release, of heart attack, following a prolonged illness, on 11 October 2002 in Bandra, Bombay.
Selected filmography
Kariyawar (1948) - Raju
Uski Kahani (1966)
The Guru (1969) - Jury member at U.P. Beauty Contest
Saat Hindustani (1969) - Mrs. J. Nath
Satyakam (1969) - Harbhajan's mother
Sara Akash (1969) - Mrs. Thakur
Holi Ayee Re (1970) - Jamuna
Sachaa Jhutha (1970) - Insp Pradhan's Mother
Devi (1970) - Dharam Das' Sister
Jal Bin Machhli Nritya Bin Bijli (1971) - Rajmata
Koshish (1972) - Durga (Aarti's Mother)
Ranakdevi (1973) - Special Appearance
Aap Ki Kasam (1974) - Sunita's Mother
Avishkaar (1974)
Charitraheen (1974)
Mrig Trishna (1975) - Sandhya's maid
Anari (1975)
Chaitali (1975) - Chaitali's Aunt
Mausam (1975) - Gangu Rani
Sangat (1976)
Lagaam (1976) - Bheema's mother
Chitchor (1976) - Mrs. P. Choudhry
Gher Gher Matina Chula (1977)
Dream Girl (1977) - Ratnabai
Bhumika (1977) - Mrs. Kale
Vishwasghaat (1977) - Saroj
Shankar Hussain (1977) - Gomti
Paheli (1977) - Masterji's wife
Kitaab (1977) - Babla's Mother
Kinara (1977)
Gharaonda (1977) - Guha's Mother
Anurodh (1977) - Sushma Choudhary
Aadmi Sadak Ka (1977) - Owner of Francis Hotel
Badalte Rishtey (1978) - Mrs. Thakur
Damaad (1978) - Mrs. Choudhary
Bhookh (1978) - Mausi
Nari Tu Narayani (1978)
Chakravyuha (1978)
Jeena Yahan (1979)
Do Ladke Dono Kadke (1979) - Shantu (Ramu & Rani's mom)
Gol Maal (1979) - Kamala Srivastav
Meera (1979) - Mrs. Virendev Rathod 'Kunwarbai'
Khandaan (1979) - Usha's mother
Ahsaas (1979)
Solva Sawan (1979)
Bebus (1979)
Khubsoorat (1980) - Nirmala Gupta
Thodisi Bewafaii (1980) - Dr. Karuna's mom
Humkadam (1980) - Mrs. Raghunath Gupta
The Naxalites (1980)
Saajan Mere Main Saajan Ki (1980)
Bhavni Bhavai (1980) - Bhagat's wife
Naram Garam (1981) - Bhavani's mother-in-law
Biwi-O-Biwi (1981) - Col. Mangal Singh's mother
Haqdaar (1981)
Shama (1981) - Mehrunisa 'Poofi'
Aapas Ki Baat (1981) - Mrs. Sinha
Umrao Jaan (1981) - Husseini
Sharada (1981) - Taradevi
Sansani: The Sensation (1981) - Wilma Vaz
Tumhare Bina (1982) - Nani (Seema's mom)
Dil-E-Nadaan (1982) - Vikram's Mother
Dil... Akhir Dil Hai (1982) - Shobha Desai
Prem Rog (1982) - Radha's Mother-In-Law (uncredited)
Lakshmi (1982) - Thakur-Vijay's Father
Star (1982) - Mrs. Verma
Yeh To Kamaal Ho Gaya (1982) - Durga Singh
Arth (1982) - Kavita's Mother
Vijeta (1982) - Angad's grandmother (Biji)
Bheegi Palkein (1982) - Mrs. Acharya
Arpan (1983) - Mrs. Verma
Prem Tapasya (1983) - Naniji (Grandmother)
Woh Saat Din (1983) - Savitri (Anand's Mom)
Achha Bura (1983) - Rosy
Sasural (1984)
Bindiya Chamkegi (1984) - Jeevan's wife
Asha Jyoti (1984) - Mangala
Yaadgaar (1984) - Suresh's mom
A Passage to India (1984) - Begum Hamidullah
Yahan Wahan (1984) - Rajesh's Mother
Sharara (1984)
Rakta Bandhan (1984) - Chandan's mom
Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho! (1984)
Meetha Zehar (1985)
Holi (1985)
Ramkali (1985) - Ramkali's foster mom
Balidaan (1985) - Vijay's Bua
Sur Sangam (1985) - Kannu's Grandmother
Jhoothi (1985) - Seema's mother
Ankahee (1985) - Savitri Chaturvedi
Shart (1986) - Jankibai
Andheri Raat Mein Diya Tere Haath Mein (1986) - Mai
Karamdaata (1986) - Govinda's mother
Ek Chadar Maili Si (1986) - Jindhi
Naache Mayuri (1986) - Mayuri's Grandmother
Haathon Ki Lakeeren (1986) - Geeta's mom
Ek Pal (1986) - Priyam's mother
Angaaray (1986) - Vijay's mother
Mirch Masala (1987) - Maanki, factory worker
Raahee (1987) - Mrs. Kumar
Ijaazat (1987)
Mera Yaar Mera Dushman (1987) - Ashok's Mother
Aulad (1987) - Savithri
Anjaam khuda jaane (1988)
Mohabbat Ke Dushman (1988) - Amijaan
Yateem (1988) - Mrs. Yadav (uncredited)
Tamas (1988, TV Series)
Lathi (1988)
Clerk (1989) - Kaushalya
Hum Intezaar Karenge (1989) - Ravi's mother
Kasam Jhoot Ki (1990)
Sanam Bewafa (1991) - Fateh's Mom
Khilaaf (1991) - Mrs. Singh
Saudagar (1991) - Bir Singh's elder sister
Pita (1991)
Ghar Parivaar (1991)
Antarnaad (1991)
Kabhi Dhoop Kabhi Chhaon (1992)
Yaad Rakhegi Duniya (1992) - Naina's paternal grandmother
Aaj Ka Goonda Raaj (1992) - Grandmother
Sunday (1993)
Aaina (1993) - Grandmother
Chor Aur Chaand (1993) - Dinkar's mom
Phool (1993) - Dharamraaj's mom
Meharbaan (1993)
Jaagruti (1993) - Jugnu's Grandmother
Aankhen (1993) - Grandmother
Andaz (1994) - Dadi in Photo Frame
Raja Babu (1994) - Bansi's Mother (uncredited)
Eena Meena Deeka (1994) - Eena's mom
Maidan-E-Jung (1995) - Buaji
Zakhmi Sipahi (1995) - Shakti's Grandmother
Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995) - Jamna's mom
Yaraana (1995) - Durga
Tarpan (1995) - Rammo
Dushmani: A Violent Love Story (1995) - Buaji (Singh family)
Yash (1996) - Daadima
Aurat Aurat Aurat (1996) - Sita's chachi
Mere Sapno Ki Rani (1997) - Rajnath's mom
Pardes (1997) - Dadi Maa
Zor: Never Underestimate the Force (1998) - Mrs. Singh
Gharwali Baharwali (1998) - Dadi Maa
Zulm-O-Sitam (1998) - Meena's Grandfather
Himmatwala (1998)
Silsila Hai Pyar Ka (1999) - Abhay's Grandmother
Kartoos (1999) - Mini's Buaji
Pyaar Koi Khel Nahin (1999)
Badal (2000) - old lady
Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya (2000) - Dodima
Champion (2000) - Rajveer's Grandmother
Aashiq (2001) - Dai Maa
Tum Bin (2001) - Mrs. Shah
Lajja (2001) - Bua
Devdas (2002) - Badima
Bollywood/Hollywood (2002) - Grandma ji
Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2002)
Border Hindustan Ka (2003) - 'Dadi' - Nargis' grandmother
Pinjar (2003) - Rahim's aunt (final film role)
Television
Awards
1977 – Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Mausam
1980 – Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Gol Maal
1981 – Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Khubsoorat
2003 – Nominated – Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress for Bollywood/Hollywood
Notes
References
External links
Dina Pathal filmography at New York Times (archived 24 February 2008)
List of Filmfare Award Winners and Nominations, 1953–2005
1922 births
2002 deaths
People from Amreli district
Gujarati people
Actresses in Gujarati cinema
Indian women activists
Indian stage actresses
20th-century Indian actresses
Indian People's Theatre Association people
Actresses in Hindi cinema
Indian theatre directors
Gujarati theatre
21st-century Indian actresses
Indian women's rights activists
Activists from Gujarat
Indian women theatre directors
Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Communist Party of India politicians from Gujarat
Female politicians of the Communist Party of India