NEW DELHI: Former Indian movie star Sadhana, who was a fashion icon for women across South Asia in the 1960s, passed away at a Mumbai hospital on Friday following a short illness. She was 74.

Sadhana Shivdasani made her Bollywood debut at the age of 14 as a chorus girl in the song ‘Mud mud ke...’ in Raj Kapoor’s hit film Shree 420. She then featured in India’s first Sindhi film, Abaana, for which she was paid a token amount of one rupee. Her biggest hits include films like Parakh, Hum Dono, Asli-Naqli, Ek Musafir Ek Hasina, Mere Mehboob, Woh Kaun Thi? and Ek Phool Do Mali.

Her superhit numbers ‘Jhumka gira re,’ ‘Abhi na jaao’ and ‘Lag ja gale’ are still counted among evergreen Bollywood numbers which will always be favourites.

Sadhana was also famous for her hairstyle known as the ‘Sadhana Cut.’ The hairstyle was the idea of ‘Love In Shimla’ director, R. K. Nayyar, who later married her. He passed away in 1995. Nayyar was not too happy with Sadhana’s look as she had a broad forehead. He brought a picture of Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn and gave it to her hairstylist who gave her the famous look. The hairdo is still very popular among South Asian women.

She also brought the tight churidaar kurtas in vogue after donning them in Waqt.

Named after her father’s favourite dancer, Sadhana Bose, the actress was born in karachi of British India but left with her family to Mumbai during the partition.

She fell in love with the Love In Shimla director Ram Krishna Nayyar. The 1960 film turned out to be a big hit and established her as a star in Bollywood. While her parents were reportedly against the marriage as she was too young, the two eventually tied the knot in 1966. The diva, who was known for her expressive eyes, suffered heavily from an eye

disorder due to hyperthyroidism. Saddened by the change in her eyes, the actress refused to be photographed at all after she summed up her film career.

This was because she wanted to be remembered in her onscreen avatar. Her burqa-clad look in the 1963 blockbuster film, Mere Mehboob, with only her eyes visible, was a hit with the audience and was one of the most talked-about scenes of the film. Actor Danny Danny Denzongpa even called her eyes in that burqa ‘unforgettable.’ Sadhana was the cousin sister of actress Babita, and aunt of Kareena and Karisma Kapoor. Sadhana was close to her Mumbai friends — Asha Parekh, Waheeda Rehman, Helen and the late Nanda.

She was also spotted at some public events. Her last memorable public outing was her ramp-walk in May, 2014, where she donned a pink sari for her friends to support the cause of cancer and Aids patients. She was accompanied by Ranbir Kapoor who supported her on the ramp.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2015