Who was India's first female superstar? Was forced to work as a maid in relatives' house, lived in extreme poverty, married twice, her name is...

India.com

17-07-2025

Whenever there is talk of superstars in Indian cinema, the names of male actors are taken. But, among them, there was a woman who earned the title of the first superstar in Bengali cinema and was known as the 'Melody Queen'. This is the story of Kanan Devi, the great actress, singer, and filmmaker of Indian cinema. Her amazing talent, sweet voice, emotional acting, and courageous personality made her immortal in the hearts of the audience. Kanan Devi not only earned a name in acting and singing but also created a new path for women in filmmaking by establishing institutions like 'Shrimati Pictures' and 'Sabyasachi Collective'. The story of Kanan Devi, who was awarded the Padma Shri and Dada Saheb Phalke Award, is an example of courage, art, and dedication. Who was India's first female superstar?
Born on 22 April 1916 in Howrah, West Bengal, Kanan struggled with poverty and achieved fame in the cinema world on the basis of her talent. Her childhood was spent in extreme poverty. However, after the death of her father, she and her mother had to face difficulties. It is said that she worked as a maid in her relatives' house. When Kanan was 10 years old, she got a chance to work in silent films with the help of a friend. Her first film was Joydev (1926), in which she got only five rupees, and from here her film journey started.
Which films did Kanan Devi work in?
Kanan started with silent films and made a mark with her acting in talking films. In her film career, she did films like 'Jorbarat' (1931), 'Maa' (1934), and 'Manomayi Girls School' (1935), which brought her fame. The turning point in her life came when she joined Kolkata's 'New Theatres'. This further increased her fame. Her acting and singing in films like 'Mukti' (1937) and 'Vidyapati' (1937) made her a superstar. Her performance in films like 'Saathi' (1938), 'Sapera' (1939), 'Lagan' (1941), and 'Jawab' (1942) was highly appreciated. Her popularity was so much that she needed security to protect her from the crowd.
How did Kanan Devi establish a production unit?
Kanan Devi did not limit herself to just acting and singing. She started her own production company called 'Shrimati Pictures' and later formed 'Sabyasachi Collective', which made films based on Bengali literature. She became India's first female filmmaker, which was a revolutionary step at that time. In those times, it was a big deal for women to step into filmmaking, but Kanan Devi tried to strengthen the position of women in society through her work. How many different industries did Kanan Devi work?
In her three decade long film career, she did not only Bengali but also Hindi films. Kanan Devi moved to Mumbai (Bombay) in 1948 and her Hindi film 'Chandrashekhar' was released the same year. Kanan Devi was awarded the 'Padma Shri' in 1968 and the 'Dadasaheb Phalke' award in 1976 for her contribution to Indian cinema. Kanan Devi's married life
Kanan Devi achieved immense success in the glamorous world of cinema, but her married life had many ups and downs. She married twice. Her first marriage was in 1940 to Ashok Maitra, the son of the Brahmo Samaj's famous educationist, Haramba Chandra Maitra. However, in those days, it was unacceptable in society for an actress to work in films, which is why this marriage was strongly opposed.
When the great poet Rabindranath Tagore gave gifts and blessings to Kanan and Ashok, the Brahmo Samaj also strongly condemned him. This marriage broke up in 1945, which deeply saddened Kanan. After this, she married Harendranath Chakraborty for the second time, with whom she had a son. Kanan Devi, who tasted success in a three-decade-long film career, died on July 17, 1992 in Kolkata.