This actor fought in freedom movement with Mahatma Gandhi, was jailed, tragically lost his wife and daughter in.., once challenged Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, his name was…

There is no denying the fact that whenever we talk about the legendary Indian actors, Balraj Sahni‘s name always appears in the list. As per a large section of cinematic enthusiasts, he was a tough competition to superstars like Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand during his time. While discussing about his achievements below, we will also delve into the personal life of this veteran actor, his filmographies, and more.

Born on May 1, 1913, into a wealthy family in Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India, Balraj’s didn’t hail from a filmy background. He completed his education from prestigious institutes like Government College Lahore, Gordon College, and Visva-Bharati University. After completing his studies, he went on to join his family business in Rawalpindi.

Well, after his marriage with Damayanti Sahni, the actor decided to quit the business, and do something needful for his country. He then collaborated with Mahatma Gandhi and fought in freedom movements. On Gandhi’s advice, he went to London and joined BBC Hindi. After working there for some time, he moved back to India, Mumbai, with his wife in order to pursue his career in films

Balraj Sahni made his acting debut in 1946 with Insaaf. However, it was his work in Dharti Ke Lal, that earned him recognition. Soon, he made his mark in the industry with films like Do Bigha Zameen, Neelkamal, Do Raaste, Ek Phool Do Maali, Chhoti Bahen, Kabuliwala, Waqt, and Garam Hawa.

In between, a tragedy stuck in Sahni’s life when his wife, actress Damayanti, passed away during the shooting of one of her films. Not just that, but another shocking news emerged when his daughter died after her marriage. The sudden deaths of his wife and daughter deeply shocked him, due to which he suffered a heart disease. On April 13, 1973, the legendary actor passed away at the age of 59. He was told by his closed ones to follow the route of Marxism, instead of bringing any pandit or reciting shlokas at his funeral.

Even today, Balraj Sahni is remembered for his brilliant craft and revolutionary ideas. He was an active member of the Indian Progressive Theatre Association in 1946 and was imprisoned back then. Despite being in a challenging spot, he used to act in movies and go back to jail after completing his work. It was a rare thing back than for an actor to do so, and Balraj Sahni’s commitment truly deserves all the respect.

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