#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors | Photogallery

01 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms01#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryZohra Sehgal is one of the first female Indian actors to achieve a truly international profile, with roles in movies such as ‘Bhaji on the Beach’ (1993) and ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ (2002). Apart from the legendary actor, she was a dancer and choreographer. Sehgal was awarded the Padma Shri in 1998 and Kalidas Samman in 2001. In 2004, she was presented with the highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement by the Sangeet Natak Akademi (India’s National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama). She received India’s second-highest civilian honour—the Padma Vibhushan in 2010. ()Zohra Sehgal is one of the first female Indian actors to achieve a truly international profile, with roles in movies such as ‘Bhaji on the Beach’ (1993) and ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ (2002). Apart from the legendary actor, she was a dancer and choreographer. Sehgal was awarded the Padma Shri in 1998 and Kalidas Samman in 2001. In 2004, she was presented with the highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement by the Sangeet Natak Akademi (India’s National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama). She received India’s second-highest civilian honour—the Padma Vibhushan in 2010. Read MoreRead Less02 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098245602#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryZohra Sehgal was born on April 27, 1912, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India to mother Natiqua Begum and father Mumtazullah Khan. She was born and raised in a traditional Muslim family. Sehgal went to Queen Mary College, Lahore. Zohra’s parents had seven children and Zohra was their third child. Reportedly, she was a tomboy in her childhood days and had also lost vision in her left eye at the age of one.  ()Zohra Sehgal was born on April 27, 1912, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India to mother Natiqua Begum and father Mumtazullah Khan. She was born and raised in a traditional Muslim family. Sehgal went to Queen Mary College, Lahore. Zohra’s parents had seven children and Zohra was their third child. Reportedly, she was a tomboy in her childhood days and had also lost vision in her left eye at the age of one.  Read MoreRead Less03 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098245503#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryAfter she graduated, Sehgal took a fascinating journey from Lahore to Europe. Her aunt convinced her to enter Mary Wigman’s ballet school in Dresden, Germany, during her visit to Europe. She was the first Indian woman to enter that school. During her stay, she met Uday Shankar, who promised her a job when she completed her course and returned to India. ()After she graduated, Sehgal took a fascinating journey from Lahore to Europe. Her aunt convinced her to enter Mary Wigman’s ballet school in Dresden, Germany, during her visit to Europe. She was the first Indian woman to enter that school. During her stay, she met Uday Shankar, who promised her a job when she completed her course and returned to India. Read MoreRead Less04 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098245304#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryZohra Sehgal later toured several countries with the dancer Uday Shankar, the elder brother of Ravi Shankar, who was then a small-part dancer in his company.  ()Zohra Sehgal later toured several countries with the dancer Uday Shankar, the elder brother of Ravi Shankar, who was then a small-part dancer in his company.  Read MoreRead Less05 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098245005#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryZohra Sehgal met her husband, the painter Kameshwar Sehgal, in an art centre founded by Uday Shankar in the Himalayan foothills. Kameshwar was a Hindu and eight years younger than Zohra. They married in 1942. ()Zohra Sehgal met her husband, the painter Kameshwar Sehgal, in an art centre founded by Uday Shankar in the Himalayan foothills. Kameshwar was a Hindu and eight years younger than Zohra. They married in 1942. Read MoreRead Less06 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098244806#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryWhen Sehgal arrived in the United Kingdom in 1962, to take up a British Drama League scholarship. She worked as a dresser at the Old Vic before playing bit parts in the theatre. She became the face of the serial ‘Padosi’ (1977). This led to roles in ‘Courtesans of Bombay’ (1983), a docudrama directed by Ismail Merchant. However, ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ brought her wider recognition and made her a reliable feature of many subsequent British Asian productions, including the first Asian comedy series, ‘Tandoori Nights’ (1985-87).  ()When Sehgal arrived in the United Kingdom in 1962, to take up a British Drama League scholarship. She worked as a dresser at the Old Vic before playing bit parts in the theatre. She became the face of the serial ‘Padosi’ (1977). This led to roles in ‘Courtesans of Bombay’ (1983), a docudrama directed by Ismail Merchant. However, ‘The Jewel in the Crown’ brought her wider recognition and made her a reliable feature of many subsequent British Asian productions, including the first Asian comedy series, ‘Tandoori Nights’ (1985-87).  Read MoreRead Less07 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098244607#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryThe couple set up their own dance academy, the Zohresh Dance Institute. Zohra and her husband felt disconnected and unwelcomed during the partition in Lahore, and thus they came back to Mumbai.  ()The couple set up their own dance academy, the Zohresh Dance Institute. Zohra and her husband felt disconnected and unwelcomed during the partition in Lahore, and thus they came back to Mumbai.  Read MoreRead Less08 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098243708#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryZohra joined Prithviraj Kapoor’s theatre as a stage artist and continued working there for the next fourteen years.  ()Zohra joined Prithviraj Kapoor’s theatre as a stage artist and continued working there for the next fourteen years.  Read MoreRead Less09 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098243509#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogalleryThe couple had two children—Kiran and Pavan. Sehgal was an atheist, and her husband Kameshwar was a non-religious man throughout his life. Their children never considered them either Hindi or Muslim. ()The couple had two children—Kiran and Pavan. Sehgal was an atheist, and her husband Kameshwar was a non-religious man throughout his life. Their children never considered them either Hindi or Muslim. Read MoreRead Less10 / 15/celebs/goldenframes/goldenframes-zohra-sehgal-one-of-the-countrys-first-female-actors/eventshow/90982390.cms?picid=9098244510#GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Photos | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Portfolio Pics | #GoldenFrames: Zohra Sehgal, one of the country’s first female actors Personal Photos – ETimes PhotogallerySehgal was in her 80s by the time she moved back to India but went on to appear in a string of movies such as ‘Cheeni Kum’ (2007), in which she played the mother of the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. ()Sehgal was in her 80s by the time she moved back to India but went on to appear in a string of movies such as ‘Cheeni Kum’ (2007), in which she played the mother of the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Read MoreRead Less