Ruchira reviews a heartfelt tribute to the legendary Zohra Sehgal at Triveni Kala Sangam on DifferentTruths.com.
Key Takeaways
- Iconic Legacy: Zohra Sehgal transitioned from Uday Shankar’s dance troupe and IPTA to global cinematic fame across Bollywood and international films.
- Tribute Event: Triveni Kala Sangam hosted a vibrant platinum jubilee celebration featuring rare archival footage and classical dance performances.
- Family Insights: Daughter Kiran Sehgal emotionally narrated intimate vignettes of her mother’s resilience, fame, and life lived entirely on her own terms.
Who among avid cine-goers hasn’t heard of Zohra Sehgal, the Grand Old Lady of the Indian tinsel world who carved a niche for herself in Hindi, English, and multilingual films?
Her unmistakable appearance—the narrow, twinkling eyes, impish grin, prominent cheekbones, and bulky figure—has become iconic.
Despite coming from a traditional Muslim family, she was fortunate to travel to Europe for her studies and training in acting and the performing arts. She enrolled in Mary Wigman’s Ballet School in Dresden, Germany, where she focused on learning contemporary dance.
However, the most significant turning point in her life was her encounter with the legendary dancer Uday Shankar (during her sojourn in Dresden) and getting an opportunity to watch his epic dance drama, Shiv Parvati.
Once back in India, Zohra (as agreed with the Maestro) joined Uday Shankar’s dance troupe, crisscrossing the world myriad times, besides a substantial stint as a faculty member of Uday Shankar’s Almora-based academy.
Her next destinations were Lahore and finally Mumbai, where, in association with the doyen of Indian cinema, Prithviraj Kapoor, and his celebrated Prithvi Studios, she gradually drifted into acting. Her notable films include Neecha Nagar and Dharti k Laal. She was also intricately associated with the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA).
In a career spanning more than four decades, she was an excellent choreographer and also a successful actress. Her acting acumen helped her to emerge as a globally acclaimed actress. Her multilingual flicks include Bhaaji on the Beach, Bend It Like Beckham, Chini Kam (in which she played Big B’s mommy), and popular SRK starrers like Kal Ho Na Ho, Veer-Zaara, The Mysterious Masseur, and more. She appeared in several soap operas which were a hit with viewers’ families.
In a richly deserved tribute to the versatile personality of Indian cinema, Triveni Kala Sangam, a fountainhead of culture and performing arts in the national capital, recently organised an event in her honour as part of its ongoing Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The programme was conceptualised under the aegis of Zohra Sehgal Trust. The compering was done by daughter Kiran Sehgal, whose narration was gripping and highly impressive, to say the least.
The first segment comprised a mega, well-orchestrated audio-visual presentation, comprising a treasure trove of Sehgal’s rare photographs with eminent personalities and celebrities, excerpts from some of her important interviews, and video clips from films she acted in or choreographed for.
For the octogenarian Kiran Sehgal, it was virtually a journey down memory lane as she highlighted vignettes from her childhood and personal (read: family) life with her illustrious parents: fame, glory, and global recognition after a phase of silent struggle and years of living in self-imposed exile in the UK, personal bereavements, and so forth.
Indeed, Zohra Sehgal lived life on her own terms; her joie de vivre was infectious. Garrulous, with a mischievous streak, bubbly, effusive humour, perpetually seeking attention and brimming with confidence- that’s Zohra Sehgal in a nutshell for you!!
In the second segment, fitting the theme, director Gurinder Chadha’s Bend It Like Beckham was screened at the venue.
In the third and final segment, renowned danseuses residing in the capital – Shobhana Narayan (Kathak), Bharati Shivaji (Mohiniyattam), Jayalakshmi Eshwar (Bharatanatyam), and many others – showcased their respective dance forms through group performances of their pupils.
Summing up, it was a gala celebration of the life of a vivacious human being who, had she lived, would have been 114 years young this year!
Visuals sourced from Instagram
Ruchira Adhikari Ghosh brings a liberal, wide-ranging outlook shaped by extensive travel across India and abroad. Educated at Holy Child School, New Delhi, Sacred Heart Convent, Ludhiana, and Panjab University, Chandigarh, she holds a Master’s in English Literature and a postgraduate diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication. With three decades in media, she writes on travel, books, music, performing arts, women’s issues, and especially food, drawing inspiration from rich life experiences. She is our Features Editor.
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