In a career spanning over four decades, Usha Kiran acted in
over 300 Hindi, Marathi and Gujarati films.
Usha Kiran was born on 22 April 1929. Her father's name was
Balkrishna Vishnu Marathe and mother's name was Radha. She was second amongst
five daughters. She was married to Dr.Manohar Kher, who was Dean of LTMMG
(Sion) hospital, Mumbai. They were the parents of two children, a son Advait
Kher and a daughter, Tanvi Azmi. Usha Kiran's son Adwait is a former model, now
settled in Nashik with his wife Uttara (who was Femina Miss India - 1982) and
his two daughters Saunskruti Kher and Saiyami Kher. Usha Kiran's daughter Tanvi
Azmi is a well known television and film actress, married to cinematographer
Baba Azmi, brother of Shabana Azmi.
This Filmfare award Winner never wanted to be an actress in
the first place. She was a good student and, left to herself, Usha would have
been quite happy going through the everyday grind of school and studies.
However, destiny had some other plans for her and she ended up amongst the
arc-lights at a very early age.
At the age of 10, Usha was enrolled in a dance class and was
learning Kathak. Very soon, she started her acting career on stage with M.G.
Rangnekar’s Marathi play "Ashirward". At that time, Uday Shankar was
scouting for talent for his ambitious film fantasy Kalpana . Usha and her
sister were shortlisted and spent a few days at their dance academy. This
provided her the first break in Hindi Cinema. She went on to act in numerous
popular Hindi films are Nazrana (1961), Daag (1952), Baadbaan (1954), Kabuliwala (1961), Patita (1953), Mili,
Bawarchi (1972) and Chupke Chupke (1975).
Her famous Marathi films include, Shikleli Bayko, Jasach
Tase, Postatli Mulgi, Dudh Bhakar, Stree Janma Hi Tuzi Kahani, Kanyadaan (for
which she received the Maharashtra Government's award for best actress) Gariba
Gharchi Lek, and Kanchanganga.
She starred opposite Hindi film actors like Raj Kapoor, Dev
Anand, Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra and
Amitabh Bachchan.
Although, she continued to work even after marriage but quit
after her daughter's birth. She made a comeback to films with a character role
in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Bawarchi. She also acted in Hrishida's Mili and
Chupke Chupke. In 1955, Usha Kiran won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting
Actress for the role portrayed by her in Baadbaan (1954). She was recipient of
Maharashtra government award for best actress for her role in Kanyadaan.
Usha Kiran passed away on 9th March 2000 in Nashik due to
cancer. She was 71.
She was also the Sheriff of Mumbai during 1996–97. She
penned her autobiography, aptly named - Ush-kal.
With Dev Anand in film Patita 1953
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