Mena Gurjari and the woman behind it

Eminent Gujarati theatre actress, also known for her roles in popular Bollywood movies like Gol Maal and Umrao Jaan, Dina Pathak, is born today in 1922

Dina Pathak in a still; Source: Wikipedia

Born Dina Gandhi, on March 2, 1922, Dina Pathak was a cross-cultural icon, known for both her enterprising roles in Gujarati cinema, and her Bollywood fame. Graduating from the University of Bombay, her entry into the Indian National Theatre introduced her to student activism - where Bhavai theatre, a folk art from her native state of Gujarat, was used to generate common awareness about the hardships of British rule.

In the 1940s, she continued with her experiments with Bhavai theatre. Her magnum opus, Mena Gurjari, became one of the most popular Bhavais, even till date. She was even invited to give a performance of the play in 1957 at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Her association with the Indian People’s Theatre Association continued as she drew large crowds and packed halls for her plays. She also experimented with films in this period - often starring as a mother or grandmother-ly role in films like Mausam, Kinara, Kitaab, Chitchor, Gharaonda, Bhumika et cetera.

Perhaps her most recognisable role in Bollywood came with the 1979 classic, Gol Maal, where she played a middle-aged woman. While she continued her film career in the 1980s, she was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1980. She also started working for popular TV shows of the era like Malgudi Days and A Passage to India.

Her extensive filmography of over 120 films and a career over 6 decades has made her one of the most prolific actors on screen, not to speak of her Gujarati cinema career, where she starred in Moti Ba, Malela Jeev, Bhavni Bhavai, and plays like Hayavadana. She would continue filming till her death by a heart attack in 2002, at the ripe age of 80.