Kaajal Kiran

QAMYAB – THE FORGOTTEN GEMS OF BOLLYWOOD

Qamyab is our humble tribute to all those lesser-known actors, one hit wonders and junior artists who we see umpteen times but don’t know about; beyond their faces. These actors have been an integral part of Bollywood but didn’t get their due. This series is our sincere attempt to put a name to these faces, familiarize them to our readers and celebrate their achievements in life – however big or small. We believe that every artist contributes in his/her own way to the cinema’s success. Qamyab will explore the unknown lives of such actors and artists as we believe even these forgotten gems of Bollywood deserve their due recognition today.

Actors using a pseudonym or ‘filmy’ name is quite common in Bollywood right since its inception. Some do it for luck or numerology purpose while few are given a new name by their mentors. South Indian actors have commonly dropped their real names like Bhanurekha Ganesan became Rekha, Lalitha Rani took the name Jaya Prada while Shree Amma Yanger Ayyappan is famously known as Sridevi. One more actress of the late ’70s who changed her name is Kaajal Kiran (or Kajal Kiran as she is credited in some movies).

Kaajal Kiran may sound like a South Indian name but in reality, she was a Maharashtrian from aamchi Mumbai. Born in a middle-class Marathi family on 18th October 1958, her real name is Sunita Kulkarni. She did her schooling from St. Joseph High School and her family wanted her to become a doctor but since childhood, Kaajal was keenly interested in acting.

Initially, Kaajal Kiran did some modelling and circulated her photos in the film industry through her contacts. Luckily, some of her pictures landed in the office of veteran producer director Nasir Husain.

Nasir Saahab was known to cast his muse Asha Parekh as the heroine from the ’50s till the early ’70s but he broke this trend with Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) which had Zeenat Aman in the lead as the ageing Asha did not suit the youngster role anymore. While casting for his next movie, he decided to look for a new face and liking Kaajal’s photographs, signed her for Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977). He also changed her name from Sunita Kulkarni to Kaajal Kiran for films.

Thus, Kaajal Kiran made her big Bollywood debut with Hum Kisise Kum Naheen alongside the king of romance Rishi Kapoor and Nasir Husain’s nephew Tariq. Zeenat Aman also formed a part of the main cast. Kaajal must have never dreamt that her debut film would be such a big hit that its chartbuster songs (by R.D. Burman) are still played all over India. Kaajal Kiran won admiration for her cuteness and a decent performance in the movie.

After the film’s success, offers started flowing in her way but Kaajal couldn’t take up any of them as she was under contract with Nasir Husain for three years and couldn’t do any other film in this period. As a result, she lost big films like Balika Badhu (1976) and Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978). Nasir Husain was working on his next multistarrer Zabardast that time and he had cast Kaajal Kiran as one of the heroines. Unfortunately, the film was shelved in 1979. It was later revived by Husain in mid ’80s with an altogether different cast. In the bargain, Kaajal Kiran lost three precious years of her career.

Finally in 1980, Kaajal had her second release Maang Bharo Sajana opposite Jeetendra and Rekha. This film became a box office success. In the same year, she added her star value to a lesser-known film Morchha in which she danced to the popular number ‘Ab ke baras’. In 1981, Kaajal Kiran starred in Wardat opposite Mithun Chakraborty, which was directed by Ravikant Nagaich, who had earlier worked with her in Morchha. Wardat was an unofficial sequel of Surakksha (1979) and went on to become a reasonable hit.

Later, Kaajal Kiran worked with her Wardat co-star Mithun Chakraborty in several movies like Hum Se Badkar Kaun (1981), Hum Se Hai Zamaana (1983), Karate (1983), Aandhi Toofan (1985) and Rajoo Dada (1992). However, they were romantically paired together only in Karate and the much-delayed Rajoo Dada while in all the other films, they weren’t directly paired together.

Though Kaajal Kiran appeared in hit movies, she wasn’t able to capitalize on their success and gradually got relegated to supporting roles or second lead. Ramsay Brothers’ Dahshat (1981) was one of the first films where she played a secondary role. Kaajal was there in the film for just three minutes where the monster played by Om Shivpuri kills her. Her appearance in the film seemed extremely abrupt and her name doesn’t even feature in the film’s credits. Her subsequent movies had her in supporting roles or playing a dancer providing no acting scope.

Hum Se Badkar Kaun (1981) was her last hit in a lead role where she did well playing a fisherwoman but still got side lined as Vijayendra Ghatge was her hero while the main lead Mithun Chakraborty was cast opposite Ranjeeta.

Her subsequent filmography includes Hum Paagal Premee (1982), Geet Ganga (1982), Jeeo Aur Jeene Do (1982), Karate (1983), Lalach (1983), Hum Se Hai Zamana (1983), Ram Tera Desh (1984), Andar Baahar (1984), Do Dilon Ki Dastaan (1985), Aandhi Toofan (1985), Haveli (1985), Ghar Sansar (1986), Inteqam Ki Aag (1986), Muqaddar Ka Faisla (1987), Saaya (1989), 7 Bijliyaan (1988), Qurbani Rang Layegi (1991) and Rajoo Dada (1992).

Among all the above films she did in her declining phase, Kaajal got noticed for her cameo in Andar Baahar in which she played Anil Kapoor’s fantasy. The title song of the film was also picturised on her and Anil. She got to play a lead role again in the 1985 delayed film Bhago Bhoot Aaya which had comedian Deven Verma in lead role. Unfortunately, the movie became a box office disaster.

Kaajal Kiran also appeared in her mother tongue Marathi film Fatakadi (1980) where she danced to the lavani number ‘Ganpatichya Mhora Sari Nachu’ along with the film’s lead actress, writer and producer Sushma Shiromani (they had worked together in Hum Kisise Kum Naheen earlier). She also appeared in another Marathi movie called Savasher (1984).