REENA ROY

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Reena Roy's career in films started off inauspiciously with B. R. Ishara's "Nayi Duniya Naye Log" with another newcomer Danny Denzongpa, but it was shelved temporarily. Undeterred, B. R. Ishara cast both actors again in "Zaroorat" (1972) along with another newcomer Vijay Arora, and the racy film got her some attention. She was now called the "Zaroorat Girl." Yet, she struggled for the next four years in B films that had feeble scripts and faltering leading men. The bright spot during this period came with her lively performance in Jaise Ko Taisa (1973), and her rain-soaked dance to the song "Ab ke Sawan" with Jeetendra raised temperatures.

Reena Roy - the beautiful and talented actress of the 1970s reigned amongst the Top Five heroines of Bollywood Cinema for more than a decade. She shot to fame in Raj Kumar Kohli's Nagin and reached the zenith of her stardom by the early 1980s with her heart-stirring performance in J Om Prakash's Aasha.
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She had to wait two more years for another break. At the outset "Kalicharan" (1975) didn't seem like it had the makings of a hit. Subhash Ghai, a failed actor, was making his directorial debut, and Shatrughan Sinha, an actor known for his villainous roles, was making his first mark as a hero. But the film defied everyone's expectations and became a surprise hit, and Reena as Shatrugan's love interest got attention from audiences and from Shatrughan himself. They became an off-screen pair as well, and they signed several films together.

Reena Roy also made several films with Sunil Dutt. The successes of "Zakhmee" (1975) and "Kalicharan" led to her star vehicle Nagin (1976). Playing the title role of "female snake with mythological powers", she avenges the death of her lover by ruthlessly murdering five men. The film became a huge hit, and Reena received her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. She was now one of the top heroines in Hindi films. Inspired by "Nagin"'s success, director, Rajkumar Kohli, cast Reena again in his next star-studded horror movie, Jaani Dushman (1979). Thereafter, the Kohli-Roy combination continued to give Bollywood cinema some its greatest multi-starrer blockbusters, including Muqabla (1979), Badle Ki Aag (1982), and Raaj Tilak (1984). Reena Roy-Shatrughan Sinha became a famous team after "Kalicharan," and had delivered yet another blockbuster thriller, Subhash Ghai's Vishwanath (1978). But it was Reena's chemistry with Jeetendra in marital dramas like Badaltey Rishtey (1978) and Pyaasa Sawan]] (1982) that set her career soaring. The duo produced three of their greatest classics together - Apnapan (1977), Aasha (1980) and Arpan (1983).

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quote:

Apnapan (1977), Aasha (1980) and Arpan (1983)

three big hits there bro

Reena Roy's poignant dance in Aasha to the melody of "Shisha Ho Yah Dil Ho" immortalized her as an icon of desire and tragedy. Her dark-shaded role in "Apnapan," as the selfish gold-digger who abandons her husband and child and later wanting them back, won her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award, beating out icons Nutan and Asha Parekh. (This was the precursor to the type of role that Meryl Streep played two years later in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)). As legend has it, Reena supposedly rejected the Award on basis that she is the heroine of the film, not the supporting actress! And finally, her screen image as a sacrificing symbol of Indian womanhood is glorified in the very popular, "Arpan."

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After the box office success of "Aasha," for which she received her second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress, Reena entered the 1980's as a leading lady in demand, securing herself critical roles with phenomenal superstars like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, and Vinod Khanna. She was the defiant widow who reforms the egotistical Rajesh Khanna of Dhanwan (1981); the beautiful actress who dies on stage performing her last 'mujra' for Dharmendra in Naukar Biwi Ka (1983); and the talented psychiatrist determined to cure Vinod Khanna in the comical, Jail Yatra (1981). Top directors like Prakash Mehra, Raj Khosla and Sultan Ahmad grabbed her for quality roles. Manmohan Desai's grand extravaganza, Naseeb (1981) gave her the chance to steal scenes from the legendary Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, and of course, Shatrughan Sinha. Her off-screen relationship with Shatrughan ended as he maarried a non-actress named Poonam in 1981.
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Reena Roy now concentrated on her career, as she was providing Hema Malini and Rekha stiff competition for the No. 1 position by the early 1980s. In 1982 alone, she had thirteen releases, by far more than any other star. She was now demanding equal footing with Hema, and effectively stealing the thunder from Rekha in emotional melodramas like Prem Tapasya (1983) and Asha Jyoti (1984). Her characters became more versatile, as did her dances. She effortlessly danced the classical 'natyam' in "Rocky" (1981)), just as easily as the "Disco Station" number in "Hathkadi" (1982). She was the sophisticated model in Karishmaa (1984) who was equally seductive as the village belle in Dharam Kanta (1982). She met the challenging demands of her extraordinary double role in the Muslim social, Ladies Tailor (1981), and held her own opposite the talented Sanjeev Kumar.

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At the pinnacle of her popularity, Reena's strong desire to prove herself got her involved in a number of women-oriented films. Enacting the role of a tormented daughter-in-law in "Sau Din Saas Ke" (1980), she defies conventions to oppose her tyrant mother-in-law. With an author-backed role in Bezubaan (1982), she gave a realistic portrayal of a woman whose past returns to threaten her present married life. But it was "Lakshmi" (1982) that glorified the presence of Reena Roy in Bollywood cinema. Playing the role of a misfortunate tawaif, she dances to her never-ending tragedies. However, the film failed at the box office. But she found comfort in the sensational success of her other home production - the musical comedy, Sanam Teri Kasam (1982), opposite Kamal Hassan and produced by her sister Barkha Roy.
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In 1983-at the height of her fame-Reena Roy decided to quit films to marry Pakistani cricketer, Mohsin Khan. Her last shooting was for a tragedy "Inteha" (1984), in which she is raped and tormented by Raj Babbar. The film didn't do well. One of Reena's last releases was J.P. Dutta's war-torn Ghulami (1985). Her husband tried to become a film star in Bollywood but failed, as did the marriage to Reena. She initially lost custody of her daughter Sanam[1] in the divorce. However, after her ex-husband remarried a younger woman who didn't want to raise a child, Reena regained custody
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Reena returned to Bollywood in 1992. In a supporting role as a sister-in-law ('bhabhi'), Aadmi Khilona Hai (1993) greeted the arrival of the mature Reena Roy. Her unhappiness showed in her significant weight gain. And the insignificant roles that were to follow proved even to her die-hard fans that Reena's film career came to an end[3]. Her last film appearance was in J.P Dutta's Refugee (2000). She has since turned to acting in television serials, such as "Eena Meena Deeka," produced by her sister Barkha. After the serial ended, both sisters opened an acting school together in 2004. Reena also has campaigned for the Indian National Congress.
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* Filmfare Nomination for Best Actress--Nagin (1976)
* Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award--Apnapan (1977)
* Filmfare Nomination for Best Actress--Aasha (1980)

INFO: Courtesy Wikipedia:
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Reena Roy: I'm tired of 'acting'

Reena's decision to quit films in 1983 to marry Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan is the cover story of film magazines.

"The Gods have a soft corner for her. There's no other reason why she should be where she is. During the making of her very first film, Zaroorat, the director, B Aar Ishara, considered dumping her every time she muffed a dialogue, which was very often. But when the film was released, she was still very much there. The heroine of Ishara's earlier film, Rehana Sultan, got stuck with the camera as Peeping-Tom movies, and gradually faded from the scene. But Reena thrived, and clambered up to be among the chart-toppers - where she is now. Rather, she was, because now she's decided to quit films, and marry Mohsin Khan, Pak cricketer of international fame, for whom she has a soft corner..."

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Savage Tale of Love...

The pain and the pleasure of the Reena-Shatrughan Sinha affair.

"My relationship with Reena was intense, pious and personal. People said after my marriage that Reena's feeling for me had changed. In fact, it grew more intense. I am grateful that she gave me her company for seven years." - Shatru

"I prayed and wished that Shatru would at least marry my daughter and make her his second wife. He did not love her and had been just fooling around with her. Reena told me it was love. I told her it was a mistake." - Reena's mother

"The truth is that I did step aside and gave Reena a clear field, but Shatru didn't want to marry a girl whose fidelity was in doubt. I was aware that they revived their old romance after our marriage." - Shatru's wife

THE REENA SHATRU CONNECTION:

Their affairs were juicy to the core:
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FILMS OF REENA ROY:

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