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Sulakshana Pandit

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Sulakshana Pandit
Also known asSulakshna
GenresPlayback singing, performing artist
Occupation(s)Singer, actress

Sulakshana Pandit is an Indian playback singer and former Bollywood leading lady belonging to the Mewati Gharana.

Career

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Sulakshana's career as an actress spanned the 1970s and early '80s. As a leading lady she has worked with most of the top actors of the 1970s like Jeetendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor and Shatrughan Sinha. Her acting career began with the suspense thriller Uljhan in 1975, opposite Sanjeev Kumar. In Anil Ganguly's Sankoch (1976), which was based on the novel Parineeta, she portrayed Lolita. Her other popular films include Hera Pheri, Apnapan, Khandaan, Chehre Pe Chehra, Dharam Kanta and Waqt Ki Deewar.

She acted in a Bengali movie Bandie 1978, where she was paired opposite Uttam Kumar.

Sulakshana had a singing career alongside her acting one. She began her singing career as a child singer singing the popular song "Saat Samundar Paar se" with Lata Mangeshkar in the 1967 film Taqdeer. Thereafter, she recorded with famed musicians such as Kishore Kumar and Hemant Kumar. She sang in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Oriya and Gujarati. In 1980, she released an album titled Jazbaat (HMV), wherein she rendered ghazals. She sang duets with accomplished singers such as Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Shailender Singh, Yesudas, Mahendra Kapoor and Udit Narayan. She sang under music directors such as Shankar Jaikishan, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Kalyanji Anandji, Kanu Roy, Bappi Lahiri, Usha Khanna, Rajesh Roshan, Khayyam, Rajkamal and several others. In 1986, Sulakshana was one of the singers to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London to celebrate the "Festival of Indian Music" Concert along with acclaimed Music Directors Laxmikant Pyarelal and singers Manhar, Shabbir Kumar, Nitin Mukesh and Anuradha Paudwal.

Her voice was last heard in an alaap in the song "Saagar Kinare Bhi Do Dil" from the movie Khamoshi the musical (1996), which was composed by her brothers Jatin and Lalit.

Personal life

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Sulakshana comes from a musical family originating from Pilimandori Village in Hissar (now Fatehabad) district of Haryana state. The famous classical vocalist and legendary Pandit Jasraj was her uncle. Ex Rajgarh MP & Jan Sangh leader Vasant Kumar Pandit was also her uncle. She started singing at the age of nine. Her elder brother Mandheer Pandit (who was earlier a music composer in the 1980s with Jatin Pandit as the duo Mandheer–Jatin) was her constant companion in Mumbai; they performed and sang on stage until Sulakshana became a leading playback singer through many of their live concerts with legends such as Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi.

She has three brothers (Mandheer, Jatin and Lalit Pandit) and three sisters (Late Maya Anderson, Late Sandhya Singh and Vijayta Pandit). Her father Pratap Narain Pandit was an accomplished classical vocalist. Her nephew Yash Pandit is an Indian television actor. Nieces Shraddha Pandit and Shweta Pandit are playback singers. Her cousin is playback singer Hemlata.

Sulakshana has never been married, after actor Sanjeev Kumar turned down her marriage proposal.[1] She fell on hard times after she stopped getting work. Her sister Vijayta Pandit and brother-in-law, music composer Aadesh Shrivastava, had plans to compose a devotional album for her, but Aadesh died before he could.[2] She broke her hip bone when she fell in the bathroom. Sulakshana makes rare public appearances after her four surgeries that left her impaired. She has given a full length radio interview wherein she spoke about her acting & singing career to RJ Vijay Akela in July 2017.

Filmography

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As singer

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Year Movie Song Co-singer(s)
1971 Door Ka Raahi "Beqarar-e-dil Tu Gaaye Ja" Kishore Kumar
1975 Chalte Chalte "Sapnon Ka Raja Koi" Shailender Singh
Chalte Chalte "Jaana Kahan Hai" Bappi Lahiri
Uljhan "Aaj Pyare Pyare Se Lagte" Kishore Kumar
Sankalp "Tu Hi Saagar Hai Tu Hi Kinara"
Salaakhen "Chal Chal Kahin Akele Mein" Hemlata
Shankar Shambhu "Aa Pahunchi Hai, Aa Pahunchi Hai Is Mele Mein Saddi Aaj Sawaari" Kishore Kumar, Mahendra Kapoor,
1976 Sankoch "Bandhi Re Kahe Preet"
1977 Apnapan "Somwar Ko Hum Mile" Kishore Kumar
Kasam Khoon Ki "Aaj Loota Do" Mohammed Rafi, Kanchan
Thief of Baghdad Teri Khataon Ki Kya Doon Saza Asha Bhosle
1978 Ek Baap Chhe Bete "Ghadi Milan Ki Aayee Aayee Tu Chutti Lekar" Mohammed Rafi
Phaansi "Jab Aati Hogi Yaad Meri" Mohammed Rafi
"Mil Jaate Hain Milnewaale"
Amar Shakti "Mohabbat Mein Nigahon Se" Mohammed Rafi
1979 Griha Pravesh "Boliye Surili Boliyaan"
Saawan Ko Aane Do "Kajare Ki Baati" Yesudas
Garam Khoon "Pardesiya Tere Des Mein" Mohammed Rafi
Khandaan "Main Na Bataungi"
Khandaan "Mana Teri Nazar Mein"
1980 Thodisi Bewafaii "Mausam Mausam Lovely Mausam" Anwar Hussain
Thodisi Bewafaii "Suno Na Bhabhi" Jagjit Kaur
Sparsh "Khaali Pyala Dhundhla Darpan"
Sparsh "Geeton Ki Duniya Men Sargam"
Sparsh "Pyala Chhalka Ujla Darpan"
1981 Ahistaa Ahistaa "Mana Teri Nazar"
Saajan Ki Saheli "Jiske Liye Sab Ko Chhoda" Mohammed Rafi
Chehre Pe Chehra Tumse Kehna Hai Ki Dushwar
Raaz Tum Jo Hame Itni Pyari" Vijayata Pandit, Rashi Pandit, Suresh Wadkar
1982 Dil Hi Dil Mein Bheegi Bheegi Waadi Mein Mohammed Rafi
1985 Kaala Sooraj Apni Baahon Ka Haar De K. J. Yesudas
1986 Hasrat "Meri Hasrat Hai" Mohammad Aziz
1987 Goraa De Ragrha Ho Tagrha Mohammad Aziz
1996 Khamoshi: The Musical "Saagar Kinare Bhi Do Dil Hain Pyaase" Udit Narayan, Jatin Pandit

As actress

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Year Film Character/Role Costar
1975 Uljhan Karuna Sanjeev Kumar
1975 Sankalp Poojaran
1975 Raaja Rani Rishi Kapoor
1975 Salaakhen Seema Shashi Kapoor
1976 Hera Pheri Asha Vinod Khanna
1976 Shankar Shambhu Pinky Singh Feroz Khan
1976 Bundalbaaz Nisha Sharma Rajesh Khanna
1976 Sankoch Lalita Jeetendra
1977 Apnapan Radhika Jeetendra
1977 Kasam Khoon Ki Radha Jeetendra
1977 Thief of Bagdad Shehzadi Rukhsana Shatrughan Sinha
1978 Bandie Princess Radha Singh Uttam Kumar
1978 Phaansi Chhaya Shashi Kapoor
1978 Amar Shakti Princess Sunita Shashi Kapoor
1979 Khandaan Usha Jeetendra
1980 Ganga Aur Suraj Sarita Shashi Kapoor
1980 Garam Khoon Rama Vinod Khanna
1981 Waqt Ki Deewar Priya Sanjeev Kumar
1981 Chehre Pe Chehra Diana Sanjeev Kumar
1981 Raaz Seema Raj Babbar
1982 Dharam Kanta Chanda Jeetendra
1982 Dil Hi Dil Mein Asha Singh Navin Nischol, Vinod Mehra
1985 Kaala Sooraj Karuna Shatrughan Sinha
1987 Goraa Roopa Rajesh Khanna
1987 Madadgaar Sunita Jeetendra
1988 Do Waqt Ki Roti Ganga Sanjeev Kumar

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ D, Johnny (31 January 2006). "Star couples search for love". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
  2. ^ Quality Matters (Archived link)
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