MUMBAI: Kanan Devi was the name synonymous with beauty and talent. She was one of the first singers and actresses of the Hindi film industry. The actress who passed away about 30 years ago, used to charge a whopping Rs 5 lakhs per film and Rs 1 lakh per song. This was a huge amount for that time as a film was made on a budget of Rs 15-20,000.
If you compare Kanan Devi’s fees to this generation she can easily be called a crorepati of India. Born in Howrah, West Bengal on 22nd April 1916, Kanan was raised by foster parents Ratan Chandra Das and Rajobala. The former trained her in music but died a few years later.
Ratan being the sole breadwinner of the family left a huge financial crisis for Rajobala and Kanan after his demise. The two then started working in wealthy people’s houses. Kanan became a maid at a very tender age. Seeing their plight, a relative took them home but sadly mistreated them and made them slog. Kanan who was 7 at the time decided to earn her living respectively and moved to Howrah with her foster mother. They started living near a brothel. A family friend then introduced Kanan to theatre at the age of 10.
Madan Movie Studio was impressed by Kanan’s talent and beauty and signed for a film named Jaidev and paid her Rs 5 per month. She acted in a couple of movies between 1928–31. At 21 years of age, Kanan became popular for her beautiful looks and brilliant performance, She became a superstar while working with Radha Film Company and became the highest paid actress of her time charging Rs 1 lakh for a song and Rs 5 lakh for a film.
Kanan worked in 57 films and sang 40 songs. She married Ashok Maitra in 1940 but the marriage didnt last. She then married Haridas Bhattacharjee, who was then ADC to the Governor of Bengal. The latter walked out on her in 1987 but never divorced her. Kanan died a lonely death in 1992 at the age of 76 and Haridas didn’t attend her funeral.
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Credit-DNA
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