Anita Raj

Anita Raj Biography

Anita Raj is a former Bollywood actress, who has been one of the leading actresses during 1980’s. She has played lead role in many hit movies of 1980’s and her pairing with young actors like Govinda, Mithun Chakraborty and Anil Kapoor has been noticed most. She is the daughter of popular character artist of 1970’s known for cope roles - Jagdish Raj, who still holds the Guinness World Record record for being the most type-cast actor for portraying 144 Inspector roles in movies. She married Bollywood film director Sunil Hingorani in 1986 and bid farewell to the industry. ‘Thoda Life Thoda Magic’ was her comeback movie. Currently she appears in 24 (Indian TV series).

She made her Bollywood debut in the 1981 romantic film ‘Prem Geet’ opposite Raj Babbar. The movie is still remembered for its sweet and heart breaking story as well as the popular ghazal of Jagjit Singh – Hoto se jhoolo tum. She played the lead role of a tumour patient in this movie and its runaway success made her a Bollywood star. She and her sisters were trained in Kathak by legendary Gopi Krishna and she started doing stage performances. In one such occasion, Yash Chopra spotted her and offered her a role in his upcoming project. But it didn’t happen. Meanwhile, Hrishikesh Mukherji signed her for his film Acha Bura. The project got delayed and thus Prem Geet was her first released movie.

K. Balachander’s Jara Si Zindagi, Hrishikesh Mukherji’s Acha Bura, Narayan Rao’s Prem Tapasaya and Basu Chatterjee’s Lakhon Ki Baat just followed the success of her debut movie. Zameen Aasmaan, Dulha Bikta Hai and Ab Ayega Maja can be grouped under her light hearted movies. She played glamorous roles in movies like Karishma Kudrat Ka, Masterji and Iljaam, and de-glamorous roles in Ghulami, Satyamev Jayte, Kala Dhanda Gore Log and Pyar Kiya Hai Pyar Karenge. She was mostly paired with actors much older to her.

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Updated: March 28, 2014