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Chand Usmani
Chand Usmani
Born	3 January 1933; Agra, United Provinces, British India; (now in Uttar Pradesh, India)
Died	26 November 1989 (aged 56); Mahim, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1953–1987
Spouse	Mukul Dutt
Awards	Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Pehchaan (1971)

Chand Usmani (3 January 1933 – 26 November 1989) was an Indian actress in Hindi films from the 1950s to the late 1980s. She won the 1971 Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. She is best remembered for playing self-sacrificing wives and mothers.^[2]

Biography

Chandbibi Khanam Usmani was born on 3 January 1933 in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, into a Pashtun family.^[3] She married Mukul Dutt (director of Aan Milo Sajna),^[3] with whom she had a son, Roshan.^[1] She ran a halfway house at her home in Mahim for runaway girls who had come to Mumbai seeking a career in films.^[4] She died in Mumbai on 26 November 1989.^[5]

Career

Chand Usmani came to notice by participating in a talent contest called 'Kardar-Kolynos-Teresa Contest' in 1949, winning second place.^[6]^{[non-primary source needed]} In 1953, she debuted as the heroine in Jeewan Jyoti opposite Shammi Kapoor (his debut too).^[3] She also starred in Barati, Baap Re Baap and Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, and had major roles in several other films, including Rangeen Raten, Naya Daur, Prem Patra and Pehchan.
She received much critical acclaim: a review of Rangeen Raten (1956) said that she "gives a brilliant performance; hers is also the best developed character, and as a result she becomes the life and soul of the film."^[7] In Baap Re Baap, a key scene is noted for "the joy exhibited by Usmani on screen".^[8] The Film Heritage Foundation of India describes her as the "effervescent Chand Usmani, with her heart-warming smile".^[6] She won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1971, for her portrayal of the character Champa, a prostitute, in the 1970 film Pehchan.^[9] Writing nearly 40 years later, The Hindu's film reviewer considered that "Chand Usmani does justice to Champa's role displaying restraint, poise and grace in a role which provided ample opportunity to easily go over the top."^[10] Despite having a long career, she said in an interview with Tabassum that she regretted not having an agent/manager, which led to her not getting diverse roles and not having more success.^[3] In many of her roles, she played a self-sacrificing wife, mother, girlfriend or sister, as summed up by Mahasweta Devi in her 1986 short story 'The Wet-Nurse':

"Jashoda was a true example of Indian womanhood. She was typical of a chaste and loving wife and devoted mother, ideals which defy intelligence and rational explanation, which involve sacrifice and dedication stretching the limits of imagination, and which have been kept alive in the popular Indian psyche through the ages, beginning with Sati-Savitri-Sita right down to Nirupa Roy and Chand Usmani in our times."^[11]^[12]

Filmography


Title	Year	Role	Notes
Jeewan Jyoti	1953	Kishori
Barati	1954
Baap Re Baap	1955	Kokila
Amanat	1955	Meena
Rangeen Raten	1956	Kamla
Abhimaan	1957	Kiran
Duniya Rang Rangeeli	1957	Radha
Naya Daur	1957	Manju
Sanskar	1958
Naya Paisa	1958
Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan	1959	Samyukta
Do Behnen	1959	Rekha
Aangan	1959
Ramu Dada	1961
Zamana Badal Gaya	1961
Zindagi Aur Hum	1962
Banke Sanwaria	1962
Prem Patra	1962	Sumitra
Laakho Vanzaro	1963
His Highness	1964
Shehnai	1964
Shagoon	1964	Mrs. Rai
Haqeeqat	1964	Ram Singh's Girlfriend
Aprilfool	1964	Mrs. Brijlal Sinha
Kohraa	1964
Shehnai	1964	Salma
Azmat-e-Islam	1965
Mohabbat Zindagi Hai	1966	Lajjo
Daadi Maa	1966
Milan Ki Raat	1967	Savitri Singh
Ghar Ka Chirag	1967
Anita	1967	Bela
Aman	1967	Hiroka
Baazi	1968	Maya
Jawab Ayega	1968
Aanchal Ke Phool	1968	Rani
Mr. Murder	1969
Jiyo Aur Jeene Do	1969
Do Bhai	1969	Ranjana Singh / Ranjana Verma
Balak	1969	Rekha's Mother
Khilona	1970	Laxmi Singh
Pehchan	1970	Champa	Won - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nanhi Kaliyan	1971
Seema	1971
Hulchul	1971	Shekhar's Wife
Raaste Kaa Patthar	1972	Mrs. Choudhary
Zindagi Zindagi	1972	Leela
Agni Rekha	1973	Maya
Dost	1974		Guest Appearance
Resham Ki Dori	1974	Shanti	Uncredited
Ujala hi Ujala	1974	Anuradha's Mother
Faslah	1974	Radha Chandra
Khel Khel Mein	1975	Mrs. Anand
Raakhi Aur Rifle	1976
Meera Shyam	1976
Kadambari	1976	Amit's Mother
Jai Mahalaxmi Maa	1976
Bhala Manus	1976	Anand's Real Mother
Bhagwan Samaye Sansar Mein	1976	Eknath's Mother
Parvarish	1977	Radha Singh
Darinda	1977
Zamaanat	1977	Parvati
Videsh	1977	Palanpur's Maharani
Tinku	1977	Mrs. Jwala Prasad
Dharam Veer	1977	Mrs. Roopmati Singh
Ab Kya Hoga	1977	Rajesh's Mother
Hatyara	1977	Shanta D. Singh
Parmatma	1978
Nawab Sahib	1978	Begum
Apna Khoon	1978
Pehredaar	1979
Ahsaas	1979
Lakhan	1979	Maharani
Chambal Ki Raani	1979
Jal Mahal	1980	Shanti
Phir Wohi Raat	1980	Asha's Mother
Lahu Pukarega	1980	Sarla's Mother
Oh Bewafa	1980	Radha's Aunty
Ganga Aur Suraj	1980
Kasam Bhawani Ki	1981
Saajan Ki Saheli	1981	Chanda
Mangalsutra	1981	Satyavati Prasad
Dahshat	1981	Sameer's Mother
Sannata	1981
Yaarana	1981
Khoon Ki Takkar	1981	Shakuntala
Prohari	1982
Arth	1982	School Administrator
Khush Naseeb	1982	Mrs. Geeta D. Sharma
Daulat	1982	Mrs. Choudhary
Pukar	1983	Saraswati
Lal Chunariya	1983	Ratnabai
Bekaraar	1983	Laxmi
Senurwa Bhail Mohaal	1984
Raja Aur Rana	1984	Vijay & Shakti's mother
Ganga Ke Paar	1985
Dil Ek Musafir	1985
Aandhi-Toofan	1985	Mrs. Singh
Ulta Seedha	1985	Mrs. Roy
Mehak	1985
Awara Baap	1985
Yaar Kasam	1985
Vairi-Jatt	1985	Reshma's Mother
Patthar Dil	1985	Devki
Swarthi	1986
Adhikar (1986 film)	1986	Doctor
Dilruba Tangewali	1987
Anjaam	1987	Malti
Sitapur Ki Geeta	1987	Mrs. Yashoda Singh
Hamari Jung	1987
Insaaf Ki Manzil	1988
Jatt Soormay	1988	as mother ( in Punjabi movie)
Zakhmi Aurat	1988	Mrs. Prakash
Mar Mitenge	1988	Akbar's Grandmother
Nishane Bazi	1989
Elaan-E-Jung	1989	Villager
Naqab	1989
Indira	1989	Mrs. Pratap Rai
Aakhri Muqabla	1989	Tripti's Mother
Aag Aur Angaray	1990
Maula Jatt	1990	as a Taro In punjabi movie
Lohe Ke Haath	1990		Posthumously Released
Amiri Garibi	1990	Radha	Posthumously Released
Rajoo Dada	1992		Posthumously Released
Waqt Ka Badshah	1992	Aunty	Posthumously Released
Yaar Meri Zindagi	2008		Posthumously Released

References

^ ^a ^b Mohamed, Khalid (2002). To Be Or Not To Be: Amitabh Bachchan. Saraswati Creations. p. 91. ISBN 978-81-901517-0-2.
^ Biddle, Arthur W.; Bien, Gloria; Dharwadker, Vinay, eds. (1996). Contemporary Literature of Asia (Blair Press titles in contemporary world literature). Prentice Hall. p. 58. ISBN 9780133732597. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "The Untold Story of Chand Usmani – Bollywood Stories: Tabassum Talkies". Archived from the original on 5 February 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
^ Merchant, Hoshang (2009). Forbidden Sex, Forbidden Texts: New India's Gay Poets. Routledge. p. 53. ISBN 9780415484510. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ India. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Research and Reference Division (1991). Mass Media in India 1991. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
^ ^a ^b Film Heritage Foundation, India. "Character Artists of Indian Cinema – Chand Usmani". Facebook.
^ "Review of Rangeen Raten". Swatantra. 11: 38. 1956. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
^ Sharma, Devesh (8 September 2016). "Happy Birthday Asha Bhosle!". Filmfare. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
^ The Times of India Directory and Year Book Including Who's who. 1982. p. 310. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
^ Malhotra, APS (10 March 2016). "Blast from the past Friday Review Pehchan (1970)". The Hindu. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
^ Devi, Mahasweta (1986). "The Wet-Nurse". In Butalia, Urvashi (ed.). Inner Line: The Zubaan Book of Stories by Indian Women. Zubaan, 2006. p. 33. ISBN 9788189013776. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
^ Yarrow, Ralph (2012). Indian Theatre: Theatre of Origin, Theatre of Freedom. Routledge. p. 44. ISBN 9781136778759. Retrieved 2 February 2019.