Remembering Geeta Bali 1930-65

Geeta Bali (1930 - January 21, 1965) was born in pre-partition Punjab as Harkirtan Kaur, a Sikh. Her family moved to Bombay and was living in near poverty when she started to get breaks in films.

She became a star in the 1950s. Geeta Bali was liked by everyone she interacted with in the film industry of Bombay. She acted in not too many films, but all her roles became immortal. According to an acknowledged expert on Indian films of the yore Shiraz Sharief, Geeta Bali could give the run for the money to the most well established male actors of her time. She had a role opposite an acclaimed actor Raj Kapoor in film “Bawre Nain” in 1950 and she ended up giving a sterling performance, which the cine critics still remember fondly. In the very next year 1951, she acted opposite the most handsome hero of the time, Dev Anand in film “Baazi”. This film is remembered more for the role of Geeta Bali than even the hero’s role. In 1951 again she acted in film “Albela” opposite a great comedian Bhagwan and matched him move by move and wit by wit. In 1952, Geeta Bali did film “Jaal” with two promising heroes Guru Dutt and Dev Anand and she gave run for the money to both. In 1953, she did film “Baaz” with distinction opposite Guru Dutt. 

1955 was a great year for Geeta Bali. She did film “Vachan” opposite two great stars Balraj Sahni and Rajinder Kumar and came up with flying colors. She was nominated for the award of best actress. Within the same year, she acted in film “Kavi” and was nominated as the best supporting actress. In 1955, she worked with actor Shammi Kapoor too in “Rangeen Raatein” and that became the harbinger of one of the most romantic phases in the lives of both. 

In fact film acting assignment in “Rangeen Raatein” turned out to be an extremely romantic and enjoyable experience in the lives of both Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali. According to Shammi Kapoor’s own narration, this film was shot in tidy, cool, calm and serene environments of a small place called Ranikhet near Nainital in the then state of U.P. (now Uttarakhand). The hill station weather was beautiful. Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali enjoyed several days in each other’s company. Both being typical Punjabis, they enjoyed a unique common chemistry. Shammi Kapoor said that during this month they both fell in love. On his return to Bombay, he proposed marriage to Geeta Bali. Geeta Bali liked the person and said she too loves him, but did not commit to marriage citing commitments at home and other responsibilities. They both started meeting more often and on every occasion Shammi Kapoor kept renewing the marital proposal and each time he received a broad smile but also a mischievous no to a marriage from Geeta Bali. After several months Shammi Kapoor received a surprise call from Geeta Bali in August of 1955, agreeing to get married and that too right there and then. 

Shammi Kapoor was thoroughly surprised. He was of course overjoyed, but he had no time to prepare for the elaborate wedding. But, true to her nature, Geeta Bali was unprepared to give him any more time. Only a week back, their common friend comedian Johnny Walker had married all of a sudden and that too in a court of law. So they went to his house to find out a way to get married immediately. Johnny Walker told them that he was a Muslim, who never attended a Mosque and he had difficulty getting married in a “Nikkah”, so he got married in a court, but he advised the would be couple to get married in a Hindu Temple. So they both went to a “Temple” at night and woke the priest up from his slumber. The priest told them that the temple is closed for the night, it will reopen at 4am the next morning and he will certainly perform the wedding ceremony at that time. Next morning, they got dressed up and went to the temple and the wedding ceremony was performed. After that Shammi Kapoor got blessings from his father, who was wonderstruck and from his elder brother Raj Kapoor. 

Geeta Bali did a few movies afterwards including “Jailor” with Sohrab Modi (1958). For her role in “Jailor” she certainly deserved a national award. She did great roles in “Aji Bas Shukriya” (1958), “Anand Math” and “Mr. India” (1961). But she preferred to spend more time in bringing up her children and giving comfort and a pleasant company to her husband. 

Some of her hit films are "Bawre Nain" with future brother-in-law Raj Kapoor, "Baazi" with Dev Anand, Baazi with Guru Dutt, and "Albela" with Bhagwan Dada.

Early in 1965, she got smallpox infection and that unfortunately consumed her precious life. She passed away on January 21, 1965 leaving all her friends and admirers saddened and flabbergasted. Geeta Bali had a short and sweet life span, but she gave a lot of happiness to millions of cine goers and critics of art.