Date of birth - March 30, 1908(1908-03-30)
Vishakhapatnam, India
Death - March 9, 1994(1994-03-09) (aged 85)
Bangalore, India
Spouse - Himanshu Rai (1929 - 1940 His Death)
Svetoslav Roerich (1945 - 1993 His Death)
Debut Film - Karma-1933
Devika Rani was an early actress of Indian cinema during 1930-1940. She was the icon of the Thirties and Forties, Devika Rani was the first Dream Girl and she is popular as first lady of Indian cinema. She was born on 30th of March in 1908 in Waltair, Andhra Pradesh (Vishakhapatnam). She came from a distinguished background, grand-niece of the Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, her father, Col. M.N. Chaudhuri, was the first Indian Surgeon-General of Madras. Her mother's name was Leela.
Education
She completed her early schooling in the early 1920s. She also interacted with Marlene Dietrich on the sets of The Blue Angel! She then studied drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the Royal Academy of Music in London where she won scholarships. She married Indian producer and actor Himansu Rai in 1929. Together they starred in Karma the first Hindi sound film.After her husband death she married with Svetoslav Roerich, the Russian artist settled in India in In 1945.
Carrer
Her career preference, architecture, led to her involvement with Himansu Rai`s film `A Throw of Dice` as set designer. she was perfect in acting, appearance, speech.In film Achhut Kanya expressed her skills and set standards of performance and costume.
Rai` and Rani set up Bombay Talkies in 1934 and she was the star as well as controller of productions.After Rai`s death, she took the reins of the studio into her hands, maintaining the standards that the audience now expected of their films. Devika Rani formed a successful team with Ashok Kumar. Achut Kanya (1936), which capitulated Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar to big time fame. The story is based on love story between an untouchable girl and a Brahmin boy. Her contribution to Indian Cinema, Devika Rani was the first ever recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1970.
Award
• She received the Padma Shri in 1958 from the President of the country.
• She was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1970 for her contribution to the Indian film industry.
• In 1978, Devika Rani was awarded the Bulgarian Medal of Honour;
• She got a special award in 1981 from the Indian Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
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