Sulakshana Pandit, Star And Singer Of ’70s Cinema, Dies At 71

MUMBAI- Bollywood veteran actress and accomplished playback singer Sulakshana Pandit passed away on  November 6, at the age of 71. According to reports, the actress had been suffering from a long illness and took her last breath in a Mumbai hospital. Her funeral was held in Mumbai on the afternoon of November 7.

Veteran actress Poonam Dhillon, a friend of the late star, expressed her grief, stating, “She was a fine actress and a wonderful singer. She has faced a lot in her life. Initially everything was hunky-dory, but soon after things became worse for her.” Dhillon added that Pandit deserved greater recognition, noting, “She deserved a lot more credit and fame for sure.” She also praised the family’s care, saying, “Vijayta Pandit, Jatin-Lalit, and all of them took care of her very well till the very end.”

Many industry figures attended the funeral to pay their last respects.

Sulakshana Pandit, born July 12, 1954, in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, was a notable star of 1970s Bollywood, celebrated for both her acting and exceptional singing. She was the sister of actress Vijayta Pandit and the music composer duo Jatin-Lalit, and the niece of legendary classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj.

Pandit began singing at age nine. She achieved singing fame with her hit track ‘Saat Samandar Paar Se’ alongside Lata Mangeshkar from the 1967 movie ‘Taqdeer’. She also earned a Filmfare Award for the song ‘Tu Hi Sagar Tu Hi Kinara’ from the 1976 film ‘Sankalp’.

Her acting debut came in 1975 with the movie ‘Uljhan’. Her filmography includes hits like ‘Hera Pheri’, ‘Waqt Ki Deewar’, ‘Apnapan’, and ‘Khandaan’, having shared the screen with superstars such as Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, and Shatrughan Sinha. It was widely reported that the actress had been in love with superstar Sanjeev Kumar, and after he rejected her proposal, she chose never to marry. Her final playback recording was for the 1996 film ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’, composed by her brothers. (IANS)