Devika Rani is often addressed as the First Lady of Indian cinema. If you read about her life, you will admit it’s almost true. Rani along with her husband Himanshu Rai was perhaps the only two people who managed to put a system in place in this vastly unequal industry. Everyone working at Bombay Talkies was on the payroll. Yes, they were paid salaries and that included and Dilip Kumar as well. The couple wanted to make movies in India which had great technical finesse. In fact, Rani joined the makeup team of Marlene Dietrich as an assistant. Devika Rani Birth Anniversary: Dilip Kumar, Madhubala – The Actors Who Owe Their Debut To The First Lady Of Indian Cinema.
Speaking to Filmfare back in 1958, Rani recalled, “I underwent training not to be a specialist but because Rai wished me to have an all-round knowledge to help me as an artiste. Training at UFA was a thorough and strenuous business. I first entered as an ordinary worker and was an apprentice in the make-up, costume and sets departments. I worked under their most famous make-up man and there were no other apprentices under him.” Kiss Day 2023: From Karma to Raja Hindustani, 7 Bollywood Liplocks That Created Quite the Headlines (Watch Videos).
Guess it was this all-round training that helped Devika Rani tide over the stakeholder crisis Bombay Talkies went through post the demise of Himanshu Rai.
(The above story first appeared on Today News 24 on Mar 30, 2023 09:10 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website todaynews24.top).