This actress, who once worked as maid, eloped with another man despite being married, ended up sleeping on the streets due to...; She was...
If you're a Bollywood buff, you'll recognise the scene in the photo above from the popular movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham , where Ashfaque's family comes to see Ruksar, and Ashfaque's grandmother mistakenly thinks the bride is Sayeeda Begum (Daijaan). Actress Shashikala Saigal, who played Ashfaque's grandmother in K3G, is also well-known for portraying Fruity's grandmother in the beloved TV show Sonpari.
With over 100 films to her credit and numerous prestigious awards throughout her illustrious career, some of Shashikala's most iconic films include Anupama, Daku, Waqt, Gumrah, Khubsoorat, Bimla, and many others.
Despite spending many years in the industry, she had a troubled personal life. Let's begin with her life before entering the film world, she worked as a maid, sweeping and mopping houses to earn a living. She would often go from one studio to another, searching for work. One day, she met Noor Jehan, who gave her a small opportunity by including her in a qawwali scene for the film Zeenat. In 1947, she landed a side role in Jugnu, alongside Noor Jehan and Dilip Kumar.
Shashikala made headlines throughout her illustrious career. At the age of 19, she married Om Prakash Saigal, who belonged to the family of Indian cinema's first superstar, K.L. Saigal. However, after a few years, differences began to grow between them. In an old interview, she shared: 'You can call it infatuation or whatever. I was besotted with O.P. Saigal and married him. I thought I'd settle down, but destiny kept me fettered to the camera as his business failed. Despite the money I made, I was frustrated and angry at how actresses like Shyama had graduated to lead roles while I was stuck with second leads and bit roles, even doing double shifts to keep my kitchen fires burning. The regular fights with my husband saw me send my daughters to a boarding school in Panchgani.' When Shashikala Eloped with Her Boyfriend
Despite being married to O.P. Saigal, Shashikala was in a relationship with another man. She later admitted that her boyfriend had misled her at the time, calling it the biggest mistake of her life. With nowhere to live, she ended up sleeping on pavements. In an emotional interview, she recalled, 'Yes, destiny wasn't done playing me a bad hand. Differences between my husband and me worsened when the kids were in boarding school. That's when, in a misguided moment straight out of my film Gumrah, I eloped with another man abroad—leaving behind my husband, kids, and career. It was the biggest mistake of my life, for which I paid dearly. I was humiliated and tortured for days until I returned—crazy and broken. For days, I roamed the streets like a madwoman, sleeping on pavements, eating whatever I could find, and touring ashrams and temples in search of peace.'
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