Kalpana Kartik was given her screen name by Chetan Anand. Mona Singha of St. Bede’s College, Shimla won a beauty contest in 1950 and was spotted by the ace director Chetan Anand. She made her debut as an actress in Guru Dutt’s “Baazi” in 1951 opposite Dev Anand.
After the stupendous success of “Baazi”, Kalpana Kartik carried on acting in memorable films like “Aandhiyan”, “Taxi Driver”, “House No. 44” and “Nau Do Gyarah”. Her midnight marriage to Dev Anand on the sets of “Taxi Driver” created sensation while her lip syncing to “Jaye To Jaye Kahan” still haunt countless viewers.
The doe-eyed natural actress on whom Guru Dutt pinned high hopes leads a life of complete recluse opening to a select few in whom she has confidence. Kalpana Kartik is half-Bengali and has fond memories of her salad days will be turning 85 next month.
Excerpts:
Your memories of “Baazi”…It was truly an experience to cherish. Guru Dutt guided us like a true leader. Though a dear friend of Dev Anand, he never compromised with his work. We shared a good rapport. Coming from the coveted Uday Shankar School of Performing Arts, Guru Dutt had an excellent sense of choreography. So he picturised the song, ‘Ye Kaun Aya’ on me artistically. I really enjoyed working with Geeta Bali. Discipline prevailed on the sets and Guru Dutt’s eye for detail was his asset as a director.
Your mother’s desperate cry, “Beti Na Ja” in “Aandhiyan” still gives goose pimples
It was an intense scene prior to the climax. The tyrant zamindar, played by K.N. Singh forcibly takes me with him with the intention of marrying. Chetan Anand wrote and directed the scene with rare sensitivity. He never made the situation melodramatic. A true actor’s director, Chetan Anand made sure I did not feel like a newcomer on the sets. The cry of my mother truly had an amalgamation of pathos and desperation. I feel Nimmi delivered one of her truly memorable performances in ‘Aandhiyan’ . It won laurels at the Venice, Moscow and Peking Film Festivals. ‘Aandhiyan’ reminds me sweet memories of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan who scored its music.
You were effortless in crying, “mere baal” after your hair is clipped off in “Taxi Driver”
(Laughs) Oh! You remember the scene so well. It was created with a sense of comic undercurrent. In order to make me appear a male Rajput taxi driver, Dev Anand truly cut my long hair with a car repairing tool in the scene. I originated from a village in the film. So in grief I cried, “Mere Baal.” It was spontaneous and natural. After my hair cut I moved like a tomboy dressed in a driver’s robe. How can I forget my duet with Dev anand, “Dekho Mane Nahin Ruthi Haseena” on a boat in the Arabian Sea in ‘Taxi Driver’. Your eyes conveyed volumes in “House No. 44” and “Nau Do Gyarah”?
After “Taxi Driver”, Dev Anand and I were the first husband-wife pair of Hindi cinema. Both “House No. 44” and “Nau Do Gyarah” were hits and critically acclaimed. I was never self-conscious as an actress. After going through my script I did exactly what directors Mandi Burman and Vijay Anand asked me to do. Both were mature directors. I cannot speak for myself. Songs like “Phaili Hui” and “Dhalti Jaye Chunariya” required multiple expressions which I delivered. Hats off to Dada Burman for composing such haunting melodies.
Your memories of Kolkata...
A vibrant city with a unique culture of its own. I remember walking with Dev Anand on Chowringhee Road. We were at the Oberoi Grand for the premier of “Nau Do Gyarah” in 1957. Dev and I took a stroll down the road and went to Firpos restaurant to enjoy snacks. It was neat and clean and the food served was delicious. I found that viewers of Kolkata had true understanding of cinema.
