imported>Mohd Kaif Mewati at 15:43, 25 July 2021

2021-07-25T15:43:39Z

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{{Use Indian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Sulakshana Pandit
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| background = Singer
| alias = Sulakshna
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1954|07|12}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| instrument =
| genre = [[Playback singer|Playback singing]], performing artist
| occupation = Singer, actress
| years_active =
}}
'''''Sulakshana Pandit''''' is an Indian playback singer and former Bollywood leading lady. Belonging From [[Mewati Gharana]]

==Career==
Sulakshana's career as an actress spanned the 1970s and early '80s. As a leading lady she has worked with most of the top actors of the 1970s like [[Jeetendra]], [[Sanjeev Kumar]], [[Rajesh Khanna]], [[Vinod Khanna]], [[Shashi Kapoor]] and [[Shatrughan Sinha]]. Her acting career began with the suspense thriller ''[[Uljhan]]'' in 1975, opposite Sanjeev Kumar. In [[Anil Ganguly]]'s ''[[Sankoch]]'' (1976), which was based on the novel ''Parineeta'', she portrayed Lolita. Her other popular films include ''[[Hera Pheri (1976 film)|Hera Pheri]]'', ''[[Apnapan]]'', ''Khandaan'', ''Chehre Pe Chehra'', ''Dharam Kanta'' and ''Waqt Ki Deewar''.

She acted in a Bengali movie ''Bandie'' 1978, where she was paired opposite [[Uttam Kumar]].

Sulakshana had a singing career alongside her acting one. She began her singing career as a child singer singing the popular song "Saat Samundar Paar se" with [[Lata Mangeshkar]] in the 1967 film ''[[Taqdeer (1966 film)|Taqdeer]]''. Thereafter, she recorded with famed musicians such as [[Hemant Kumar]] and [[Kishore Kumar]]. She sang in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Oriya and Gujarati. In 1980, she released an album titled ''Jazbaat'' (HMV), wherein she rendered [[ghazal]]s. She sang duets with accomplished singers such as [[Lata Mangeshkar]], [[Mohammed Rafi]], [[Kishore Kumar]], [[Shailender Singh]], [[Yesudas]], [[Mahendra Kapoor]] and [[Udit Narayan]]. She sang under music directors such as [[Shankar Jaikishan]], [[Laxmikant Pyarelal]], [[Kalyanji Anandji]], [[Kanu Roy]], [[Bappi Lahiri]], [[Usha Khanna]], [[Rajesh Roshan]], [[Khayyam (composer)|Khayyam]], [[Rajkamal]] and several others. In 1986, Sulakshana was one of the singers to perform at the Royal Albert Hall in London to celebrate the "Festival of Indian Music" Concert along with acclaimed Music Directors Laxmikant Pyarelal and singers Manhar, Shabbir Kumar, Nitin Mukesh and Anuradha Paudwal.

Her voice was last heard in an alaap in the song "Saagar Kinare Bhi Do Dil" from the movie ''Khamoshi the musical'' (1996), which was composed by her brothers Jatin and Lalit.

==Personal life==
Sulakshana comes from a musical family originating from Pilimandori Village in [[Fatehabad district|Hissar (now Fatehabad)]] district of [[Haryana]] state. The famous classical vocalist and legendary [[Pandit Jasraj]] was her uncle. Ex [[Rajgarh (Lok Sabha constituency)|Rajgarh]] MP & [[Jan Sangh]] leader [[Vasant Kumar Pandit]] was also her uncle. She started singing at the age of nine. Her elder brother Mandheer Pandit (who was earlier a music composer in the 1980s with Jatin Pandit as the duo Mandheer–Jatin) was her constant companion in Mumbai; they performed and sang on stage until Sulakshana became a leading playback singer through many of their live concerts with legends such as Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar.

She has three brothers (Mandheer, [[Jatin–Lalit|Jatin and Lalit Pandit]]) and three sisters (Late Maya Anderson, Late Sandhya Singh and [[Vijayta Pandit]]). Her father Pratap Narain Pandit was an accomplished classical vocalist. Her nephew [[Yash Pandit]] is an Indian television actor. Nieces [[Shraddha Pandit]] and [[Shweta Pandit]] are playback singers. Her cousin is playback singer [[Hemlata (singer)|Hemlata]].

Sulakshana has never been married, after actor [[Sanjeev Kumar]] turned down her marriage proposal.<ref>{{cite web|last1=D|first1=Johnny|title=Star couples search for love|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/star-couples-search-for-love/story-T7ea003jeYw3bXolKDbzlJ.html|work=Hindustan Times|date=31 January 2006|access-date=25 December 2016}}</ref> She fell on hard times after she stopped getting work. Her sister [[Vijayta Pandit]] and brother-in-law, music composer [[Aadesh Shrivastava]], had plans to compose a devotional album for her, but Aadesh died before he could.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220625/http://www.screenindia.com/fullstory.php?content_id=12320 Quality Matters (Archived link)]</ref> She broke her hip bone when she fell in the bathroom. Sulakshana makes rare public appearances after her four surgeries that left her impaired. She has given a full length radio interview wherein she spoke about her acting & singing career to RJ Vijay Akela in July 2017.

==Filmography==

===As singer===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!Year !!Film !!Song !!Co-singer
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1971|1971]] || ''[[Door Ka Raahi]]'' || "Beqarar-e-dil Tu Gaaye Ja" || [[Kishore Kumar]]
|-
| rowspan="3"|[[List of Bollywood films of 1975|1975]] || ''[[Chalte Chalte (1976 film)|Chalte Chalte]]'' || "Sapnon Ka Raja Koi"||[[Shailender Singh]]
|-
| ''[[Uljhan]]'' || "Aaj Pyare Pyare Se Lagte"||Kishore Kumar
|-
| ''[[Sankalp]]'' || "Tu Hi Saagar Hai Tu Hi Kinara"||
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1976|1976]] || ''[[Sankoch]]'' || "Bandhi Re Kahe Preet"||
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1977|1977]] || ''[[Apnapan]]'' || "Somwar Ko Hum Mile" || Kishore Kumar
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1978|1978]] || ''[[Ek Baap Chhe Bete]]'' || "Ghadi Milan Ki Aayee...Aayee Tu Chutti Lekar" || [[Mohammed Rafi]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1979|1979]] || ''[[Griha Pravesh]]'' || "Boliye Surili Boliyaan"||
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1979|1979]] || ''[[Saawan Ko Aane Do]]'' || "Kajare Ki Baati" ||[[Yesudas]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1979|1979]] || ''[[Garam Khoon]]'' || "Pardesia Tere Des Main" || [[Mohammed Rafi]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1980|1980]] || ''[[Thodisi Bewafaii]]'' || "Mausam Mausam Lovely Mausam" || [[Anwar (singer)|Anwar Hussain]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1980|1980]] || ''[[Sparsh (film)|Sparsh]]'' || "Khaali Pyala Dhundhla Darpan"||
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1981|1981]] || ''[[Ahista Ahista (1981 film)|Ahistaa Ahistaa]]'' || "Mana Teri Nazar"||
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1981|1981]] || ''[[Saajan Ki Saheli]]'' || "Jiske Liye Sab Ko Chhoda" || [[Mohammed Rafi]]
|-
|}

===As actress===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year !!Film !!Character/Role !!Costar
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1975|1975]] || ''[[Uljhan]]'' || Karuna || [[Sanjeev Kumar]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1975|1975]] || ''[[Sankalp]]'' || Poojaran ||
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1975|1975]] || ''[[Raaja]]'' || Rani || [[Rishi Kapoor]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1975|1975]] || ''[[Salaakhen (1975 film)|Salaakhen]]'' || Seema || [[Shashi Kapoor]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1976|1976]] || ''[[Hera Pheri (1976 film)|Hera Pheri]]'' || Asha || [[Vinod Khanna]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1976|1976]] || ''[[Shankar Shambhu]]'' || Pinky Singh / Sulakshana || [[Feroz Khan (actor)|Feroz Khan]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1976|1976]] || ''[[Bundal Baaz|Bundalbaaz]]'' || Nisha Sharma || [[Rajesh Khanna]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1976|1976]] || ''[[Sankoch]]'' || Lalita || [[Jeetendra]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1977|1977]] || ''[[Apnapan]]'' || Radhika || [[Jeetendra]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1977|1977]] || ''[[Kasam Khoon Ki]]'' || Radha || [[Jeetendra]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1977|1977]] || ''[[Thief of Bagdad (1977 film)|Thief of Bagdad]]'' || Shehzadi Rukhsana || [[Shatrughan Sinha]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1978|1978]] || ''[[Bandie (film)|Bandie]]'' || Princess Radha Singh || [[Uttam Kumar]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1978|1978]] || ''[[Phaansi]]'' || Chhaya || [[Shashi Kapoor]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1978|1978]] || ''[[Amar Shakti]]'' || Princess Sunita || [[Shashi Kapoor]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1979|1979]] || ''[[Khandaan (1979 film)|Khandaan]]'' || Usha || [[Jeetendra]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1980|1980]] || ''[[Ganga Aur Suraj]]'' || Sarita || [[Shashi Kapoor]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1980|1980]] || ''[[Garam Khoon]]'' || Rama || [[Vinod Khanna]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1981|1981]] || ''[[Waqt Ki Deewar]]'' || Priya || [[Sanjeev Kumar]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1981|1981]] || ''[[Chehre Pe Chehra]]'' || Diana || [[Sanjeev Kumar]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1981|1981]] || ''[[Raaz (1981 film)|Raaz]]'' || Seema || [[Raj Babbar]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1982|1982]] || ''[[Dharam Kanta]]'' || Chanda || [[Jeetendra]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1982|1982]] || ''[[Dil Hi Dil Mein (1982 film)|Dil Hi Dil Mein]]'' || Asha Singh || [[Navin Nischol]], [[Vinod Mehra]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1985|1985]] || ''[[Kala Suraj|Kaala Sooraj]]'' || Karuna || [[Shatrughan Sinha]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1987|1987]] || ''[[Goraa]]'' || Roopa || [[Rajesh Khanna]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1987|1987]] || ''[[Madadgaar]]'' || Sunita|| [[Jeetendra]]
|-
| [[List of Bollywood films of 1988|1988]] || ''[[Do Waqt Ki Roti]]'' || Ganga || [[Sanjeev Kumar]]
|-
|}

==Awards==
* [[Filmfare Best Female Playback Award]] in 1975 for the song "Tu Hi Saagar Hai Tu Hi Kinara" in ''Sankalp'' (1975).
* Miyan Tansen Award in 1975 for the song "Tu Hi Saagar Hai Tu Hi Kinara" in ''Sankalp''.
* Nominated as [[Filmfare Best Female Playback Award]] for rendering the classical "Bandhi Re Kahe Preet" in ''Sankoch'' (1976)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0659264}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071015075824/http://downloads.movies.indiatimes.com/site/aug2002/ivw9.html Whatever happened to... Sulakshana Pandit]

{{FilmfareAwardBestFemaleSinger}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pandit, Sulakshana}}
[[Category:Bollywood playback singers]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Indian female film singers]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian singers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women singers]]
[[Category:People from Raigarh]]
[[Category:Women musicians from Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Singers from Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Actresses from Chhattisgarh]]

Sulakshana Pandit - Revision history

imported>Mohd Kaif Mewati at 15:43, 25 July 2021