The Beloved Bollywood Dadi

With acting at the core of her being, Dina Pathak lost her heart over fashion and films right from the beginning. While she was known for her motherly roles in movies, she also knew how to live on her own terms.

One who lived many lives; Image Source: Cinestaan

Indian movies typically revolve around a hero, heroine, and villain who complete the plot of the story. Nevertheless, the least talked about parts are those of the supporting cast, whose relatable characters complete the storylines perfectly. Among them, one actress was particularly well known for playing motherly roles and supporting characters in both Hindi and Gujarati films, spanning many genres and possessing a single passion. Through the golden era of cinema, it was none other than Dina Pathak who was the most beloved dadi of Bollywood and whose performances set the tone for every movie.

Having remained in the field of acting for more than half of her life, Dina Pathak is a name that Bollywood possesses fond memories of for she has dedicated over six decades in the industry and gave us 120 films throughout her career. The roles that she played in her films were motherly and nurturing, but her life was also revolutionary, which was meant to be chosen for the unconventional path.

Even during her college years, there are reports that she had to drop out of studies due to her involvement in politics pertaining to the Independence movement. Furthermore, she was a prominent activist and a member of the National Federation of India Women. As for Dina Pathak, she certainly possessed courage like no other and held the driving seat in her life with the utmost power. It is no surprise that after choosing a career in acting, Dina Pathak contributed to the transformation of Gujarati theatre and cinema in many ways.

Despite beginning in theatre right when she was in her teens, she received high accolades for her top-notch performances and became more and more devoted to becoming an actor in subsequent years. With popular stage shows under her belt, she eventually became a known artist.

Dina Pathak further developed her love and passion for cinema after joining the Indian National Theatre. Through her shows, she vividly demonstrated the impact of British rule on Indian nationalism and left a lasting impression on the audience beyond what she had planned. With fellow Gujarati actors, she even became closely associated with the Indian People's Theatre Association in 1940, helping to revive Gujarati theatre.

Mena Gurjari had achieved that feat as the only Gujarati play until 1961 when Dina Pathak performed it at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in Delhi for the then-President Rajendra Prasad.

In Gujrati cinema, she was at the height of her career. It was a queue for people to watch Dina Pathak perform on stage. During the same period, she formed her own theatrical group called Natmandal in Ahmedabad. With Uski Kahani (1966), she made her debut on the big screen and won the Bengal Journalist Association Award. In addition to her countless performances on screen, she even made some of the finest films of that era, such as Satyakam, Saat Hindustani, and The Guru.

Her motherly and grandmotherly roles made her a big hit both in commercial films and art films when she became a phenomenon in the 1970s. As a result of these films, she was recognized as a leading Grand-Old-Mother of Hindi films.

Dina Pathak has acted in some of the most beloved films of all time including Mausam (1975), Kinara (1977) and Golmaal (1979). Additionally, she also starred in the popular television series Malgudi Day and the historical drama, A Passage to India. Certainly, her best work in Bollywood is endless, and that cannot be denied.

Her daughters Ratna Pathak and Supriya Pathak carry her legacy forward as active, well-established and glamorous talents, with a particular affinity among millennials for the role they played in Sarabhai vs Sarabhai and Khichdi, respectively. A well-known tailor in the film industry, Baldev Pathak was her husband. What's surprising is that despite such an eventful life, she never owned a home but rented it during her last phase.

Dina Pathak worked on screen until the end of her life and died from a heart attack at the age of 80 which was not long before Bollywood/Hollywood (2002) and Pinjar (2003) came out. There is no doubt that her contribution to the cinema industry is inspirational and supportive in several ways.