Whatever happened to…

Rehana Sultan? She’s absolutely gorgeous, but I don’t think she did very well in films.

I’ve never seen any of her movies, but in the early 70’s magazines I have she is written about a lot as an up-and-coming star.

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20 Comments to “Whatever happened to…”

  1. Banno's avatar

    I really don’t know. I think what did her in were the ‘adult’ films she worked in, and hence, never became that ‘good, clean heroine’ that Indian cinegoers loved at that time. I just remember being fascinated by her as a child, more so because I couldn’t watch the films she worked in.

  2. Unknown's avatar

    I remember her from the movie Chetna, wherein she did a bold role of a sex worker (even by today’s standards) which probably dented her career. There was lot of buzz about this film not only because of its bold theme but also its provocative billboard ad…She later married her director B.R. Ishaara and virtually disappeared from the film scene.

  3. memsaab's avatar

    So she might have done better had she been more in step with the parallel or art cinema of the later seventies? Or did she just do bad, smutty films? BR Ishaara is a familiar name…Didn’t he “discover” Parveen Babi or something?

  4. Unknown's avatar

    I wudnt describe the movies she made exactly bad or smutty, more in line with exploring female sexuality something which is still a tabboo

    Yes, BR Ishaara did introduce Parveen Babi in Charitra.

  5. memsaab's avatar

    Well, good for her, then! :-) She was a few years too ahead of her time, I guess. Or maybe in the wrong place at the wrong time…I will see if I can track down any of her films!

  6. Unknown's avatar

    Then watch both Chetna and Dastak (the bonus is Sanjeev Kumar in the latter of course)

  7. bawa's avatar

    wasn’t she in Dastak with Sanjeev Kumar? A favourite and very bold film for the time.

  8. Unknown's avatar

    One more suggestion, please feature Parveen Babi too, here was another one far ahead of her times..not only the movies that she did but the way she lived…and boy was she BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. bawa's avatar

    And what beautiful songs Dastak had; they really churn up emotions.

  10. bawa's avatar

    in fact, go and get Dastak right away! Looking forward to your review of it.

  11. memsaab's avatar

    Thanks for the recommendations Shaila and Bawa :-) I will look for those particularly.

    I did a search of my blog, Shaila, and am shocked—SHOCKED—to discover I’ve only written about one film she is in (Bullet, 1976). This is very bad, thanks for pointing out this glaring omission. I love and adore Parveen Babi; she was incredibly gorgeous. And so sad, too :-(

  12. Unknown's avatar

    bawa is absolutely right, u can watch Dastak for its songs only, based on purely Indian classical…one of my favorites…Bayan na dharo sajna….

  13. Unknown's avatar

    well u can make up for that now…I used to have poster of Parveen when I was a kid, hoping that I grew up to be looking just like her…sigh….

    Yeah it was tragic the way she died…all alone….it was rather disturbing for me as I was an ardent admirer of hers…she was something else M…she had eyes that could bewitch you for life…

  14. memsaab's avatar

    Mental illness is of course tragic for anyone, but she was so full of life and beauty it seemed even worse. It does make me v.v. sad to think about it.

  15. madhu's avatar

    I also read somewhere that Bob Christo came to Bombay wanting to join the Hindi film industry because he’d seen a photo of Parveen Babi in an Aussie magazine… I’m not surprised! ;-) She was so absolutely wow.

  16. memsaab's avatar

    She really was. There is an interesting post about her last years here.

  17. Sumanth's avatar

    Bold role in ”Chetna” damaged my career, says Rehana Sultan

    http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/interview/6482.html

  18. memsaab's avatar

    Thanks Sumanth, great to know that she’s doing well! :-) Interesting to hear her views on her career also.

  19. bawa's avatar

    Some wonderful souls has recently added my favourite Dastak songs with Rehana, Sanjeev Kumar to that-video-site. You can see th lovely Rehana for yourself!
    watch
    Mai ri
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dW6ioA9TWIM
    tumse

    hum hain
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i4WF0BGNJ4
    unfortunately Baiyan na dharo is only available as..
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvgaCJ2iOuo

  20. memsaab's avatar

    Thanks Bawa! She is just stunning. I’ve got Dastak on my list of DVDs to buy :-)

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