‘I saw Bimal Roy’s Devdas again a few years ago, almost 50 years after it had been made.’
‘I found it very intelligently made; the scenes flowed so beautifully.’
‘There is just one scene with both Suchitra Sen and me in the film, and it’s beautiful.’
IMAGE: Vyjayanthimala in Amrapali.
Vyjayanthimala is not only an immensely talented danseuse (Hothon Pe Aisi Baat, Main Kya Karoon Ram, Man Dole Mera Tan Dole are emulated till date) but also a hugely popular star-actress in the 1950s and 1960s, thanks to a long string of hits like Nagin, Naya Daur, Madhumati, Ganga Jamuna, Sangam, Sooraj and Jewel Thief
We revisit a 2003 interview of Vyjayanthimala with Rediff Senior Contributor Dinesh Raheja where the movie legend reveals, “I didn’t befriend my contemporaries. What was the point?”
You started your career with South Indian films. Did you shift to Hindi films only after Nagin (1954) became a blockbuster?
S Mukherjee of Mumbai’s Filmistan Studio sent Director Nandlal Jaswantlalji (who had just helmed the hit film Anarkali) to my hometown Madras to sign me for Nagin.
This was after my debut film, AVM’s Bahar (1951), had become successful in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.
Though I was brought up and educated in Madras, I had come to Bombay a few times for my dancing programmes and had found it a pleasant city.
After the shooting of Nagin wrapped, I went back to Madras. But Nagin became a blockbuster, and film offers poured in.
My contract with AVM forbade me from doing films with other Madras producers but didn’t restrict me from working in films made in Bombay.
Nagin‘s success made you a major star in the Hindi film industry and turned your life around. What do you remember of the shoot?
Nagin‘s director Nandlal Jaswantlal had been making films from Bollywood’s silent era and he was fond of close-ups.
He would tell me not to open my eyes wide because ‘you already have big eyes.’
In the struggle to keep my eyes half-closed, my eyelashes would begin to flatter. But he was happy as he wanted a dreamy look.
IMAGE: Vyjayanthimala in Nagin.
What recollections come to mind when you look back at those early days of your career?
The famous (lawyer) Nana Palkhivala stayed in the same building as us at Commonwealth (Nariman Point). He was fond of playing the piano. I would listen with fascination as I had learned to play the piano at school.
My family purchased the Station Wagon because we needed a big car.
An entourage of eight people always accompany me to the studios. Since it was a long drive from Nariman Point to the studios which were largely in the suburbs I would do my makeup in the car.
Did you adjust quickly to working in Hindi films?
Working in Bombay was different from working with AVM in Madras.
There, I was treated like a child. I’m affectionately called ‘Pappu Kutty’ whereas in Bombay nobody knew me by that name.
IMAGE: Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar in Devdas.
Devdas (1955) was what got you critical recognition as an actress.
I must credit Bimalda (Roy) with expanding my histrionic image and making people realise my acting potential.
Before Devdas, I was called Twinkle Toes as dancing was the most important aspect of my films.
In Devdas too, I did do a lot of dancing (in songs like Jise Tu Kabool Kar Le, O Aanewwale, Ab Aage Teri Marzi). After all, I was playing the courtesan Chandramukhi. At the same time, there were also a lot of shades to my character.
My dance training helped me tremendously while portraying Chandramukhi’s unrequited love for Devdas as well as all those subtle emotions that were Bimalda‘s forte.
As Natyashastra says, ‘The tear should be in the eyes of the beholder, not in the eyes of the dancer.’ I tried to live up to that.
What was it like to be directed by Bimal Roy in two classics?
Being directed by a creative person like Bimalda was wonderful. He was in total tandem with his cameraman Dilip Gupta and people still talk about the wonderful top-angle shot of me swirling whilst dancing to the song O Aanewale.
What an eye Bimalda had for framing shots!
I saw Bimal Roy’s Devdas again a few years ago, almost 50 years after it had been made! I found it very intelligently made; the scenes flowed so beautifully.
There is just one scene with both Suchitra Sen and me in the film, and it’s beautiful.
Bimalda showed me walking down a village road and Paro passes by in a palanquin which he shot separately.
Bimalda made us just look at each other in the scene.
He was a gentle person who would answer my queries most softly. With all his greatness, he was simplicity personified.
He explained the Devdas shot, saying that neither woman knew of the other’s connection to Devdas, but some unknown, uncanny instinct made them look in the other’s direction.
This shot has a tremendous impact when seen in the context of the story.
Did you interact with Suchitra Sen?
Since we didn’t have a scene together, Suchitra Sen and I didn’t meet each other.
I would have loved to meet Suchitra Sen as I admired her a lot as an actress.
IMAGE: Vyjayanthimala in Madhumati.
Immediately after Devdas, Bimal Roy cast you in the title role in Madhumati (1958). What was your reaction?
I was thrilled. Madhumati‘s song Aaja Re Pardesi Main Toh Kab Se Khadi Iss Paar was hauntingly sung by Lata Mangeshkar and I find it is still popular.
The song was originally shot in Nainital but had to be reshot near Bombay because of some technical glitch. Bimalda was a perfectionist.
Bimalda also gave us a lot of creative liberty. Madhumati had several song-and-dance numbers and for one of them, Ghadi Ghadi Mera Dil Dhadke, instead of employing a choreographer, he just asked me to do the song my way.
I thought long and hard about it and devised some exuberant, running movements.
I decided to run like a deer in a jungle to capture my rustic character’s essence. It wasn’t a dance in the true sense, yet I thought the end result was very graceful.
In both the Roy films, you starred opposite Dilip Kumar with whom you made one of the golden era’s most famous screen pairs.
This was a definite high for me.
Dilip Kumar and I eventually starred in as many as seven films together.
IMAGE: Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar in Ganga Jumna.
Throughout the 1950s and the 1960s, you were one of the most popular heroines on the Hindi screen.
Besides my Bimalda movies, I’ve done some wonderful films like Ganga Jumna, Sadhana and Sangam.
I worked with directors of the calibre of B R Chopra in Sadhana, Amiya Chakraborty in Kathputli and Raj Kapoor in Sangam.
You were also known for being rather aloof and keeping to yourself.
I didn’t socialise at all.
So what would you do when not shooting?
I would practise my dance. My outings were limited to award functions or special occasions.
I remember a benefit cricket match in which Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Suraiya, Nimmi and Pran participated.
I didn’t befriend my contemporaries. What was the point?
IMAGE: Vyjayanthimala and Rajendra Kumar in Ganwar.
You chose to draw the curtains on your film career when you are still a successful star. In fact, your last film Ganwar (1970) was a box office success. Was it difficult for you to make this decision?
I said goodbye to films in 1968 after I got married to Dr Bali.
In 1974, after my son Suchhindra was born, I moved to Madras.
When I shifted, I had to close down my dancing academy in the Bombay locations of Matunga and Peddar Road even though they were flourishing.
Parting from my dance students was the most painful aspect of leaving Bombay.
You remained devoted to dance.
Just as my film Madhumati was a reincarnation subject, I too believe in reincarnation.
Of course, we take new births till we attain moksha. In fact, my dancing is a way of attaining moksha, by surrendering completely to the Lord.
