In today’s era, when workloads and responsibilities exhaust us, let’s know about a well-known Bollywood figure who ruled the hearts of audiences for six decades with her humorous performances. We are talking about Dina Pathak, the renowned actress, who passed away on October 11, 2002, in Mumbai, due to a heart attack. 

At a time when Bollywood actresses avoided portraying mothers, grandmothers, or maternal grandmothers, Dina Pathak left an indelible mark on audiences with these roles. Raising two daughters while also participating in Indian theater, television and cinema is a living example of her passion, hard work, and talent.

Dina Pathak’s early life

Dina Pathak was born on March 4, 1922, in Gujarat. Dina, who hails from a Gujarati family, began her career in theater in 1942. One of her famous plays, ‘Mena Gurjari, ‘became so popular that a special performance was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan for the first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad. The acting she learned from Gujarati theater led her to Hindi cinema. From theater to Hindi cinema, Dina Pathak proved her talent in over 200 films and countless plays.

Dina Pathak stated in an interview that she began theater before independence. Her Gujarati theater audiences were raving about her. Although she never imagined she would enter Hindi cinema, she was destined to do so. She once explained that she decided to enter Hindi films because theater wasn’t enough to make a living at the time, but her love for acting never waned.

Dina Pathak’s memorable films

The renowned actress immortalised her roles in numerous theater plays throughout her career, while her portrayals of mothers, grandmothers, and grandmothers in Hindi films made her a household name. Audiences never forgot the roles she played in films like ‘Golmaal,’ ‘Khubsoorat,’ and ‘Mirch Masala.’

Dina Pathak was married to Rajesh Khanna and Dilip Kumar’s tailor

The actress, who entertained audiences with her diverse roles for six decades, worked with some of the biggest stars of her time. Dina Pathak married Baldev Pathak, a tailor near the Gateway of India. Baldev designed clothes for everyone from Rajesh Khanna to Dilip Kumar. 

However, when Rajesh Khanna’s films flopped at the box office, his business also collapsed. Later, Dina Pathak was deeply saddened by the death of her husband, but she didn’t shy away from acting. As a single mother, she raised two daughters, Ratna Pathak Shah and Supriya Pathak. Both of them followed in their mother’s footsteps and made a name for themselves in Bollywood. 

Ratna was married to renowned actor Naseeruddin Shah, while Supriya is the wife of actor Pankaj Kapur, who is the father of actor Shahid Kapoor. Both the daughters, like their mother, achieved considerable fame in cinema and carried forward Dina’s legacy. 

When Dina Pathak was once asked in an interview that God has blessed her with such a wealth of talent in her family, she laughingly replied that talent should be valued wherever it exists.

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