Kalpana Kartik

Kalpana Kartik (birth name Mona Singh ) was born on 19 September 1931 in a Punjabi Christian family in Lahore. Her father was a Tehsildar of Batala and she was the youngest of five brothers and two sisters. After the partition in 1947 , her family moved to Shimla where she was educated in St. Bede’s College and was crowned Miss Shimla while still in college.
This event got the attention of filmmaker Chetan Anand ( brother of Devanand) who was looking for a fresh face for his film company, Navketan Films. This led to his offering kalpana roles in films which she accepted and chetan renamed her as Kalpana Kartik and thus began kalpana’s short journey to Bombay’s hindi films .
She had worked in handful films, but she is equally well known as any other stars of the 1950s.
She performed as heroine in famous films like Baazi बाजी 1951 , Aandhiyan आँधीयां 1952 ,Humsafar हमसफ़र 1953 , Taxi Driver टैक्सी ड्राइवर 1954 and Nau Do Gyarah नौ दो ग्यारह 1957 all with Devanand in lead role ; and earned fame and stardom in a very short time and became a memorable figure .
Dueing those times , Devanand and Suraiyya ( a famous muslim actress ) were in deep love but couldn’t marry due to difference in religion.
The disgusted and highly disappointed suraiyya decided to remain unmarried till her life but equally shattered
Devanand decided that life should continue .
Thereafter while shooting together in films he and kalpana fell in love while shooting together in films and thus both decided to marry without informing anyone and the marriage took place during a lunch break on the sets of “Taxi Driver” in 1954 in the lunch Room where the registrar of marriage was already summoned.
This union was not just a marital alliance but also a professional one, as she took on the role of an associate producer in Dev Anand’s subsequent films like “Tere Ghar Ke Samne “ तेरे घर के सामने 1963) and “Jewel Thief” ज्वैल थीफ( 1967 ).
Kalpana’s most iconic role was in film Taxi Driver (1954) in which in her role of Mala, she delivered a captivating performance. The film was a significant milestone for Navketan Films and is remembered for its compelling story line and performances.
Devanand and kalpana had their first child, Suniel Anand in 1956 followed by a daughter named Devina. Kalpana decided to quit films after her film “Nau Do Gyarah” to become a homemaker and this speaks well about her commitment to her family.
Kalpna Kartik used to be a very private person even when she was working in films .
After retirement, she mostly kept away from limelight and especially from media.
She presently lives at Mumbai and her age is 94.

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Three stars