Remembering Dulari (aka Ambika Gautam) 1928-2013

Dulari (real name Ambika Gautam) was born on 18 April 1928 and died on 18 January 2013
Dulari made her first appearance way back in 1943 in Bombay Talkies’ “Hamari Baat”. It was a small role. Her father’s sudden illness forced her to give up her studies and work to contribute towards the family income. Through a sound recordist friend of her father; she managed to land a few assignments with Bombay Talkies. Soon she was moving towards success.
It was at one of the numerous outdoor shootings that she met her husband, the late Jagtap. He was a sound recordist. They were married on February 23rd 1952.
Immediately after her marriage to Jagtap, she gave up films to settle down restlessly to domestic life. Ten years later, however, not being able to bear it any longer, she rejoined films.
Somehow the thought of romance with strange men did not appeal to her fastidious nature, making her go in for character roles exclusively. She went to appear as a character actor in over 135 films in the following six decades. Her last screen appearance was in Ziddi (1997) directed by Guddu Dhanoa.
She only performed 2 song and dance sequences in the film Shehnai, 1947

aana meri jaan meri jaan sunday ke sunday

jawani ke rail chali jaaye re

She has played a wide range of roles. From the mischievous young sister to the sensitive, loving mother; from the bold, selfish vamp to the self-sacrificing best friend. Her most memorable role was in “Jeevan Jyoti” (1953). Her other important roles were in “Pati Seva”, “Rangeen Kahani” (1945) and some Gujarati films, — “Chundi ane Chokha” (1957), “Mangal Bhera” (1948) to mention a few.
Her husband’s death after many years of happiness came as a rude shock. 

She died in an old age home in Pune, Maharashtra at the age of 86. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and was bedridden for over two years. Through the last years of her life Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) had started providing her financial assistance after veteran actress Waheeda Rehman brought up her case. She was survived by her daughter Charulata Jagtap and grandsons who have settled in Australia.