Birthday Wishes to former actress Kalpana Kartik

Kalpana Kartik (born Mona Singha) is a former Hindi film actress.

Mona Singha, aka Kalpana Kartik, was born on 19 Sep 1931 in a Punjabi Christian family in Lahore. Her father was a Tehsildar of Batala in Gurdaspur District, and she was the youngest of five brothers and two sisters. After the partition, her family moved to Shimla. She was a student of the prestigious St. Bede's College, Shimla. In her graduation year, she won the Ms. Shimla contest and was noticed by Chetan Anand, a film-maker from Bombay. He was there with his wife Uma Anand, whose mother is Mona's cousin. He convinced her family to allow her to join his fledgling film company, Navketan Films, as a leading lady. Thus, Mona Singha was re-christened Kalpana Kartik and she moved to Bombay (now known as Mumbai). Her first film Baazi was a huge success and went on to become a landmark in Indian cinema. Baazi was a gamble that defined the destinies of many luminaries all of whom got a career boost from the film.

Kalpana Kartik became a part of Navketan when it was beginning to spread its wings. She was associated with the film company during its most momentous years. She started with Baazi, the debut of Guru Dutt and ended with Nau Do Gyarah, the debut film of Vijay Anand. Between these two films came Taxi Driver, which was the 'coming of age' film of the Navketan banner.

It was Navketan's first super-success and also the film on whose sets Dev Anand secretly married Kalpana Kartik during a lunch break. Kalpana's time in Navketan saw four different directors take reign - Guru Dutt, Chetan Anand, Mandi Burman and Vijay Anand.

On the sets of the film Taxi Driver, love blossomed between superstar Dev Anand and shy Kalpana. Madly in love, the two decided to get married secretly. "My midnight marriage with Dev Anand took place on the sets of the movie as we were shooting in full swing. It was the most spontaneous event to have occurred in my life," she said. She looks back only to recall the dialogue from the film, "Kyun Jane Diya?" as she remembers all her beloved Anands.

(http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kalpana-kartik-dev-anand/1/350823.html)

Her other films were Aandhiyan (1952), Humsafar (1953), and House No. 44 (1954)

Kalpana Kartik worked as an associate producer for Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963), Jewel Thief (1967), Prem Pujari (1970), Shareef Budmaash (1973), Heera Panna (1973), and Jaaneman (1976). Dev Anand played the lead role in these movies.

In 1954, Mona and Dev Anand got married secretly while on a break during the shooting of Taxi Driver. They became parents in 1956 when Suneil Anand was born. They also have a daughter named Devine. After Nau Do Gyarah, Kalpana quit films to become a home maker. Suneil has also acted in films.

The only living member of Navketan family Kalpana Kartik now 85+ carries on with her life quietly but confidently.