Two quivering leaves, two feathers, two beaks. Is that what comes to your mind when you think of a mainstream Indian cinema kiss from the 1930s? Think again!
Don’t get flabbergasted as I introduce you to Devika Rani as the first Indian actress who shot a four-minute long passionate on-screen kiss for the movie Karma which was followed by 35 more kisses. Of course, there is no point of asking you not to get shocked as nowadays movies like Befikre garner negative attention for having 23 kissing scenes.
Devika Rani along with her husband Himanshu Rai established Bombay Talkies in 1943 which was one of India’s first well-equipped studios. Devika was a woman of many talents, and as she owned her own studio, she readily molded herself into diverse roles. Art direction, costume design or acting, you say it, she did it.
Devika was quite a phenomenon in her times. She became the talk of the town and in fact the entire world as she debuted in the movie Karma. The movie was first-ever English language talkie of Indian cinema but it was the 4-minute kissing scene that garnered the most attention. Her acting prowess also made headlines even in the newspapers of London.
Before you dismiss her bold move as an act of senseless titillation, let me stop you right there. Devika was on a mission to smash the narrowmindedness and the stereotypical attitudes of Indian society and that long passionate kiss was just the starting of a long odyssey.
She next starred in Achhut Kanya by Bombay Talkies. The movie was based on the love story of a Brahmin boy and an untouchable girl and boldly challenged the caste system of the society. Achhut Kanya was followed by Nirmala where the blind faith and the tendency to headlessly follow the astrologers were questioned.
If you think about it, Devika would strike you as a revolutionary who didn’t just posited revolutionary ideas in her time but what she did back then holds relevance even today. She was a woman unabashed and uninhibited and that is why was rightly referred to as the ‘Dragon Lady’ of Indian cinema.
Despite being already married to Himanshu, she fell in love with her co-star, Najm-ul-Hassan and divorced her husband at a time when the label of a divorce was looked down at. She got full control over the studio after Himanshu Rai’s death and it is because of her that we could witness the talents of Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and even Raj Kapoor. She was also honored with the first Dadasaheb Phalke Award for her immense contribution to the cinema.
Devika lived her life on her own terms and was truly a feminist at a time when the world did not even know the word. Today at her birth anniversary, IWB pays its tribute to the fierce woman and the gifted artist that she was.
H/T: ScoopWoop