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A STAR IS BORN
It is hard to describe Dimple's beauty. As was the vogue in the 70s she wasnt the 'typical Indian Beauty' like Hema Malini or Meena Kumari. She was like a more indianised Zeenat. She had none of the sophisticated western-ness that Zeenat had. She was merely an Urban Indian Girl.
She was Bobby. It was one of the most smashing debuts ever. It is said that the Kapadias were friends of the Kapoors and Raj Kapoor spotted this pretty Gujju girl and screen-tested her for the role of Bobby. She was perfect but for a certain chubbiness. Dimple had to diet to rid the puppy-fat, and it shows in the movie, in some scenes, she is svelte and slim and in some, she is plump.
LUMINESCENCE
Her first scene in Bobby was this evanescent shot where Raj (Rishi) spots her standing by the entrance of his house, her gorgeous smile, her warm eyes and beautiful hair, inspires him in an instant to turn into a poet. Later, Raj Kapoor played out his real life meeting with Nargis when she had opened the door to him the first time, her hand smeared in besan, and clad in everyday clothes. This is how Raj discovers the girl who charmed him at his birthday party. The movie was a feast for young lovers. India fell madly in love with Dimple and Rishi.
Rishi Kapoor went ahead to pursue an illustrious career as an actor, deservedly. Dimple fell for a marriage proposal by Rajesh Khanna, the reigning superstar and married him. The viewers were heartbroken. The magazines of mid-70s tried to feature as many pics of Dimple as possible. One magazine also had a feature that screamed 'Dimple's back in films' The feature was about duh duh.. pictures of Dimple's back.
FADE OUT FADE IN
Dimple had two girls in quick succession. Rajesh Khanna's stars sank, from a handsome charmer, he morphed into an overweight, pimply ham. Within a decade, her fairytale marriage had broken up. She was just 26 when she returned to the screen to work in films again.
Her comeback film was the awful Zakhmi Sher. The next was Manzil Manzil that threw her in the company of the macho Sunny Deol. The movie had an indifferent run, but Dimple hooked up for a long long association with Sunny.
Her next movie was worthy of her. It was based on Agatha Christies Dial M For Murder. In Aetbar, her co-stars were the immensely talented Suresh Oberoi, Danny Denzongpa and Raj Babbar. It was a very well made thriller with lovely evergreen songs like 'Kisi nazar ko tera intezaar aaj bhi hai'. Dimple's wavy hair fell down her back, and she wore beautiful sarees and personified grace under fire. For a girl who wore only mini dresses in Bobby, she looked amazingly comfortable in a saree, and till date, it is hard to find an actress who wears a saree with the same elegance.
SAGAAR KINARE
In 1985 nearly 12 years after Bobby, came the young adult meeting between Rishi and Dimple. Ramesh Sippy came up with Saagar, a story of a rich young heir who does not get along too well with his mother. He falls in love with a girl from the fishing village, and also makes friends with a fisherman. He finds he has to take on his tyrannical mother and fight for his love and the rights of the poor people. Of course, Dimple was now a svelte, sophisticated and breathtakingly beautiful woman. She rises out of the ocean to win Rishi's heart once again. The couple were able to recreate the magic of Bobby all over again. The songs were timeless, once again. 'Sagaar Kinare','Paas aao na, jaane do na' and the magnificent 'Chehra hai ya chand khila hai'. Ravi and Mona brought the story of young adult love to life, quite like Bobby and Raj did in their teens.
BRAVE NEW WORLD
In Jaanbaaz Dimple teamed up with Anil Kapoor to play a sexy Reshma. 'Tera saath hai kitna pyaara' they sang as they rolled unabashedly in hay. In Allah Rakha she teamed up with Jackie Shroff with whom she made a good pair in many films to come. Insaaf was the successful comeback vehicle of Vinod Khanna, and Dimple co-starred with him.
Mahesh Bhatt's Kaash was the story of a married couple who have to face strained times thanks to the sudden turn of luck in the fortunes of the family. Dimple starred with Jackie Shroff here. Dimple put in a great performance as the wronged wife.
MASALA TRAIN
The late 80s continued the hallowed tradition of the masala movies. Hero trying to live a normal life, thwarted by the machinations of the dirty villian who is a blot on society, hero stuck in a bad patch, hero has to shoot,kill his way out of the scrape. The heroine usually stood in the sidelines and wept or cheered, or played a helpmeet, doctor or lawyer to aid the hero.
Saazish, Mera Shikar, Gunahon Ka Faisla, Aakhri Adalat, Kabzaa, Mahaveera. Dimple starred in all these masala movies as a decoration.
Then came Zakhmee Aurat. Well, it wasnt as if the movie was great. But for a change the revenge rampage here was created by the heroine. A raped woman uses a novel way of avenging herself, bobbit the criminals. It certainly created a stir because of its unique concept.
In Ram Lakhan, she paired up with Jackie Shroff to play the graceful fiance of the older brother, as opposed to the playful younger pair of Madhuri and Anil.
RUSH HOUR
Almost as if to compensate for ten years of time Dimple lost in films, she seemed to be signing anything that came along. She did a lot of indifferent projects. But it is not easy to hide talent like hers under mediocrity for long.
Lekin was a supernatural movie by Gulzaar. Dimple plays a woman trapped in time. Vinod Khanna played the man intrigued by a mysterious woman who keeps flitting into his life. This marvellous movie showcased Dimple as she should. 'Yaara sili sili birha ki raaton ka jalna' the haunting melody from the movie portrayed the angst of Reva (Dimple)
NICER NINETIES
Nineties brought a spate of better films to Dimple. After Lekin, she did Drishti which looked at the new-age relationships and marriage. It was movie by Govind Nihalani.
Then came Prahaar which starred Nana Patekar. Dimple played a single woman who has adopted a child. She helps Nana Patekar who has come to the city to investigate/avenge the death of his student. In this hard hitting movie, she had a good role, and did it full justice.
Then came Narsimha with Sunny Deol. Here again she was a brave young victim of the local ganglord, facing all sorts of hardships till Sunny steps in. He is part of the bad gang, but falls in love with her and switches sides to help her and fight with the ganglord.
Now she was playing roles of a young victim-activist who played a catalyst in the story. She was able to carry a story playing a woman charged by the circumstances to fight back opression. Ranbhoomi, Karm Yodha, Angaar, these movies followed the same theme.
Kalpana Lajmi's Rudali was a sad story about professional mourners and their sad personal story. It did bring Dimple a lot of critical acclaim.
Gunaah was a Mahesh Bhatt movie about murder and intrigue. It featured Sunny Deol and Dimple in an interesting role.
In Krantiveer Dimple again teamed up with Nana Patekar for another role where they awaken the conscience of the mohalla and fight opression by corrupt politicians.
OLD WINE
Dimple was not young any longer. She was into her forties now. Not that it made an iota of difference to her glamour.
As proof of that, Farhan Akhtar cast her in his debut movie as an alcaholic divorced woman trying to deal with a nasty ex who denies her custody of her daughter. On top of that the nice helpful young artist that she is friendly with, falls headlong into love with her. It was the classic tale of a young man falling for a glamourous older woman.
Tara Jaiswal of Dil Chahta Hai was a character any actress would love to play, and it is hard to think of any other actress who could have done that role.
A year after this Dimple played Leela, a teacher who finds herself in a Summer of 42 situation. She sleeps with her angst ridden student and is guilt stricken. Fortunately, the movie was more about the bringing up of Krishna, the boy and less about the sex-with-the-teacher. Marvellous performances by Dimple, Dipti Naval, Gulshan Grover and the boy Amol Mhatre added to the movie.
TWISTY TIMES
Pyaar Me Twist was the third outing of the Dimple-Rishi jodi. This time as the older, widowed couple who find succour with each other, and how their families, initially rebellious, finally make peace with the fact.
Dimple and Rishi looked good and acted well. It was a sad lack that the director Hriday Shetty did not exploit this magnificent bollywood jodi of all times in a way they deserved. The movie was more or less passionless collage of a few good episodes.
Homi Adjania pursued his dream of making a movie about a defunct Parsi family and wove in elements of greed, lust, sloth, envy and wrath to create this unique bollywood film - Being Cyrus. Dimple played the sluttish housewife Katy Sethna, who sleeps with Cyrus (Saif) to induce him to commit a crime. She won truckloads of accolades for this well-played role.
Dimple puts 100 percent of herself into any role that she takes up. Her acting is seemingly effortless and she looks her character. She is so good looking that she looks good with any hero. Even the non-glamourous ones like Nana Patekar. Here is another heroine (after Hema) who looks better as the years pass. May she get many great roles to prove her worth.
GOSSSSSIP
A beautiful girl, it was hard to keep Dimple away from the male gaze. Right after her debut, she was whisked away by Rajesh Khanna. After she walked out of the marriage, she was said to be seeing Sunny Deol who was her steady companion for many years.
It is whispered that Dimple was actually a love child of Nargis and Raj Kapoor. The gossip was further fuelled by the uncanny resemblence she bore with Nargis, esp the beach scene in Awara just before Nargis and Raj sang, Dum bhar to udhar mooh phere. How ever, these rumors are unsubstantiated, no matter how romantic they sound.
Dimple's daughters Twinkle and Rinki also tried their hand at films. Twinkle was fairly successful until she married the bollywood hunk Akshay Kumar and is now settled in matrimonial bliss. Rinki too, is settled in London and is married.
A young grandma at 50, Dimple continues to look glamourous and deliver gutsy performances, when she gets a worthy role.
FILMOGRAPHY
- Untitled Zoya Akhtar Project (2008) (in production)
- Cowboys & Indians (2008) (pre-production) .... Manisha
- Ek Dhun Banaras Kee (2006) .... Gayatri M. Nath
- Being Cyrus (2005) .... Katy D. Sethna
- Pyaar Mein Twist (2005) .... Sheetal Arya
- Hum Kaun Hai? (2004) .... Sandra Williams
- Leela (2002) .... Leela
- Dil Chahta Hai (2001) .... Tara Jaiswal
- Hum Tum Pe Marte Hain (1999) .... Devyani
- Laawaris (1999) .... Mrs. Kavita Anand Saxena
- 2001: Do Hazaar Ek (1998) .... Mrs. Roshni Anil Sharma
- Agnichakra (1997) .... Rani
- Mrityudaata (1997) .... Mrs. Janki Ghayal
- Share Bazaar (1997) .... Special appearance
- Antareen (1994) .... The Woman
- Krantiveer (1994) .... Megha Dixit
- Pathreela Raasta (1994) .... Gayatri Sanyal
- Gardish (1993) .... Shanti
- Aaj Kie Aurat (1993) .... Inspector. Roshni Verma/Rajni
- Gunaah (1993) .... Kavita Sharma/Kavita Singh/Kavita A. Khanna
- Rudaali (1993) .... Shanichari
- Dil Aashna Hai (...The Heart Knows) (1992) .... Barkha
- English title)
- Karm Yodha (1992) .... Namita
- Angaar (1992) .... Milli
- Ranbhoomi (1991) .... Prostitute
- Ajooba (1991) .... Rukhsana Khan
- Russian title)
- Dushman Devta (1991) .... Gauri
- Khoon Ka Karz (1991) .... Tara Lele
- Haque (1991) .... Varsha B. Singh
- Mast Kalandar (1991) .... Prit Kaur
- Narasimha (1991) .... Anita V. Rastogi
- Prahaar: The Final Attack (1991) .... Kiran
- Drishti (1990/I) .... Sandhya
- Lekin... (1990) .... Reva
- Pyaar Ke Naam Qurban (1990) .... Gauri
- Aag Ka Gola (1990) .... Aarti
- Jai Shiv Shankar (1990)
- Kali Ganga (1990)
- Pati Parmeshwar (1990)
- Ladaai (1989) .... Billoo
- Shehzaade (1989) (uncredited) .... Aarti
- Sikka (1989) .... Shobha
- Batwara (1989) .... Jinna
- Touhean (1989) .... Deepika Srivastava
- Action (1989)
- Ram Lakhan (1989) .... Geeta Kashyap
- Ganga Tere Desh Mein (1988) .... Princess
- Zakhmi Aurat (1988) .... Kiran Dutt
- Mahaveera (1988) .... Dolly
- Kabzaa (1988) .... Doctor Smita
- Aakhri Adaalat (1988) .... Sub-Inspector Rima KapoorBees Saal Baad (1988) .... Nisha
- Gunahon Ka Faisla (1988) .... Shanu/Durga
- Mera Shikar (1988)
- Saazish (1988) .... Meena
- Vozvrashcheniye Bagdadskogo vora (1988)
- 'Kaash' (1987) .... Pooja
- Insaniyat Ke Dushman (1987) .... Shilpa
- Insaaf (1987) .... Kavita/Sonia/Dr. Sarita
- Janbaaz (1986) .... Reshma Rai
- Allah Rakha (1986) .... Julie
- Vikram (1986/I)
- Saagar (1985) .... Mona D'Silva
- Pataal Bhairavi (1985) .... Yaskankya
- Arjun (1985) .... Geeta Sahani
- Lava (1985) .... Rinku Dayal
- Aitbaar (1985) .... Neha Khanna
- Manzil Manzil (1984) .... Seema Malhotra
- Zakhmi Sher (1984) .... Advocate Anu Gupta
- Bobby (1973) .... Bobby J. Braganza
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