Veteran actor Rohini Hattangadi needs no introduction and is a well-known face in both — Hindi and Marathi acting circuits. Although her screen appearances are scarce nowadays, she was a very popular actor in her heyday, playing many memorable characters that are still talked about. She celebrated her 67th birthday on April 11. As she turns 67, let us take a look at her intriguing and inspiring journey of hers.
Rohini Hattangadi was born on April 11, 1955, in Pune. From the very beginning, she wanted to be an actor. After completing her schooling, Rohini entered the National School of Drama (NSD) and also learned classical Kathakali and Bharatanatyam.
Rohini began her acting career on the Marathi stage. While still at NSD, Rohini and her husband Jayadev founded Awishkar, a Marathi theatre company, in Mumbai that went on to create over 150 plays. She earned the Maharashtra State Drama Festival’s Best Actress Award in 1975 for her portrayal in Changuna, a Marathi adaptation of Federico Garca Lorca’s Spanish classic Yerma. She is the first woman in Asia to participate in a Japanese Kabuki play, Ibaragi, directed by Shozo Sato, and the first woman in Kannada to act in Yakshagana, a folk play directed by K. Shivaram Karanth.
Eventually, Rohini made her film debut in 1978 with Arvind Desai’s Ajib Dastan. Released in 1982, Gandhi was her first international film. Rohini Hattangadi is the first Indian female actor to have acted in international films. She was also the first and the only leading lady to win a Bafta Award at that time. Speaking of awards, Rohini Hattangadi has won two Filmfare and one National Award in her career. She has acted in many films, including Gandhi, Saransh, Party, Agneepath, Artha and Pukar. She also played the role of Sanjay Dutt’s mother in Munnabhai MBBS.
Rohini’s husband Jayadev passed away from cancer in 2008. They have a son named Asim Hattangadi who also works in the Bollywood Industry.
