By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On her Birth Anniversary
आओ बैठो हमारे पहलू में पनाह ले लो
मेरी जलती हुई आँखों पे ये आँखे रख दो
ऐ मेरे प्यार के ख्वाबो की हसी शहज़ादी
होठ क्यों काँप रहे है कुछ तो बोलो
तुमने पुकारा और हम चले आए
जान हथेली पर ले आए रे
Sadhana Shivdasani, known for her lively nature and her remarkable hair style called ‘Sadhna cut’, was born in 1941 at Karachi. Married to producer, director R .K. Nayyar directed her in producer Sashadhar Mukherjee’s “Love in Shimla”, her debut film as heroine, opposite Joy Mukherjee. Mukherjee repeated her in Raj Khosla directed “Ek Musafir Ek Haseena” 1962 again opposite Joy. It proved a box office bonanza with many hits like ‘Aap Yun Hi Agar Humse Milte Rahe’ ( Rafi-Asha), ‘Humko Tumhare Ishq Ne’ ( Rafi) & ‘Bahut Shukriya , Badi Meharbaani’ to mention few.
Interestingly, Raj Khosla later directed her in his three hits “Woh Kaun Thi” opposite Manoj, “Mera Saaya” opposite Sunil Dutt & ” Anita”. ‘Naino Waali Ne Haye Mera Dil’ ( lata) ‘Jhumka Gira Re Bareilly ke Bazaar Mein’ ( Asha) were two hit numbers from “Mera Saaya”. ‘Lag Ja Gale Ke Phir Ye Haseen Raat Ho Na Ho’ was another soulful & too popular song from “Woh Kaun Thi”.
Playfulness and coquettishness were hallmarks of her acting though she looked too shy and serene in the beginning. She later turned glamorously enchanting, pert, & dazzling as an actress. After Ramanand Sagar,s “Aarzoo” “Chalke Teri Aankhon Se Sharaab Aur Zyaada” ( 1965)) & Devendra Goel’s “Ek Phool Do Maali” ( 1969) & “Mera Saaya”( 1966), the actress danced straightway into the hearts of millions of her fans who adored her like a princess or a heart-throb so to say. She was at her exotic best in “Dev Anand’s ” Hum Dono” (1961) & H. S. Rawail’s ” Mere Mehboob”. Hrishikesh Mukherjees’s ” Asli Naqli” was another masterpiece with hits like’Tera Mera Pyaar Amar’ & ‘Tujhe Jeewan Ki Dor Se Baandh Liya Hai'( Rafi-Lata) were simply remarkable.
Sadhna directed “Geeta Mera Naam” in 1974. She was cast opposite Sunil Dutt & Firoz Khan. It was Saroj Khan’s debut film as choreographer. Her other notable films include “Waqt”, ” Dulha Dulhan”, “Rajkumar”,” Intaqam” & “Aap Aaye Bahaar Aayee”.
