Actors - Asha Parekh

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	Actors - Asha Parekh

Asha Parekh (born October 2, 1942) was the top female star in Hindi films from 1959 to 1973 and continues to hold the record for starring in the maximum number of hit films.

Asha Parekh was born in Bangalore. As a child, she was trained in Indian classical dance forms and did stage shows. She started her career as a child artiste. She became popular with her debut film as a heroine was Nasir Hussain's Dil Deke Dekho (1959), opposite Shammi Kapoor. Before, she had been rejected for Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959), because the filmmaker didn't think that she was a good actress. Nassir Hussain went on to cast Asha Parekh as the heroine in six more of his films: Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Teesri Manzil (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne (1967), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), and Caravan (1971). She also did a cameo for his movie Manzil Manzil (1984). He also got her involved in distribution of films for 21 years, starting with Baharon ke Sapne (1967). She was primarily known as a glamour girl/excellent dancer/tomboy in most of her films, until director Raj Khosla gave her a serious image by casting her in three of her favorite films: Do Badan (1966), Chirag (1969), and Main Tulsi Tere Aanghan Ki (1978). Director Shakti Samanta gave her more dramatic roles in her other favorite films, Pagla Kahin Ka (1970), and Kati Patang (1970), the latter earned her the Filmfare award as Best Actress.

Asha Parekh came from a Gujarati family and her first Gujarati film was Akhand Saubhagyavati (1963) - a huge hit.

She turned a television director in the early 1990s with a Gujarati serial Jyoti. She formed a production company Akruti and produced serials like Palash ke Phool, Baaje Payal, Kora Kagaz and a comedy Dal Mein Kaala. She was the president of the Cine Artistes' Association from 1994 to 2000. She retired from Bollywood in 1995 to pursue her television career, but her acting accomplishments were not forgotten as she received the Filmfare's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Later, she became the treasurer of the Cine Artists' Welfare Association Trust (CINTA).

Asha Parekh was the first female chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (Censor Board) of India. She held the post from 1998 to 2001. She made many controversial decisions including not giving clearance to Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth.

The Asha Parekh Hospital in Santa Cruz, Mumbai is named after her.

She never married in her life, claiming that her reputation of being unapproachable made people hesitate in asking for her hand in marriage. But she did have a longtime boyfriend in her later years before the relationship ended.

Today, she concentrates on her dance academy "Kara Bhavan," which has produced many skilled dancers. Her considerable wealth provides for many of her social and charitable causes.

Filmography

A complete filmography is available at

Kaalia (1981)
Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978)
Zakhmee (1975)
Caravan (1971)
Mera Gaon Mera Desh (1971)
Aan Milo Sajna (1970)
Kati Patang (1970)
Chirag (1969)
Pyar Ka Mausam (1969)
Shikar (1968)
Baharon Ke Sapne (1967)
Upkar (1967)
Aaye Din Bahar Ke (1966)
Do Badan (1966)
Love in Tokyo (1966)
Teesri Manzil (1966)
Mere Sanam (1965)
Ziddi (1964)
Akhand Saubhagyavati (1963)
Meri Surat Teri Ankhen (1963)
Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon (1963)
Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai (1961)
Dil Deke Dekho (1959)
Ustad (1957) (as child artiste)
Aasmaan (1952) (as child artiste)

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