Suhasini Mulay (born 20 November 1950) is an Indian actress in Assamese, Bollywood and Marathi films as well as television. She won five National Film Awards.[1][2][3][4]

Suhasini Mulay
Mulay in April 2017
Born (1950-11-20) 20 November 1950 (age 74)
Years active1969–present
Spouse
(m. 2011)

Early life and education

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Suhasini was born in a Marathi-speaking family in Patna where she spent the early part of her childhood. She lost her father when she was only three and was brought up by her mother, noted documentary filmmaker and film historian Vijaya Mulay. Suhasini was attracted to film because of her mother.[5]

Personal life

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Mulay was in an extended live-in relationship that ended in 1990. On 16 January 2011 she got married at Arya Samaj to a physicist, Prof. Atul Gurtu.[6]

Career

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In 1965 she was chosen by Pears Soap to be its model. It was this ad film which caught Mrinal Sen's attention and he signed her for Bhuvan Shome (1969).[7]

Though Bhuvan Shome proved to be a milestone in Indian cinema, Suhasini did not pursue acting as a career. Instead she enrolled at the McGill University in Montreal, Canada for a course in agricultural technology with specialization in soil chemistry and microbiology. She also obtained a degree in mass communication, and majored in film, radio, TV, journalism and print from the same university.

Suhasini returned to India in 1975 and worked as an assistant to Satyajit Ray in the Bengali film Jana Aranya.[8] Later she joined Mrinal Sen as an assistant director in Mrigaya.[9] Since then, she has been actively producing films and has made over 60 documentaries. She achieved national awards for four of them.

Almost 30 years after Bhuvan Shome, she made a great comeback to mainstream Bollywood cinema, through Gulzar's Hu Tu Tu for which she received a national award as the best supporting actress.[10] She has been playing mother roles in Bollywood since then. She has worked on Jaane Kya Baat Hui, a television serial. She then completed the film Peeda, directed by Hemant Verma. Peeda won the best feature film award at FOG Film Festival in USA.

Filmography

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Films

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Year Film Role Notes
1969 Bhuvan Shome Gauri Bollywood debut
1972 Grahan
1980 Bhavni Bhavai
1982 Ramnagari Ram Nagarkar's wife
1982 Aparoopa Aparoopa Titular character in an Assamese film
1984 Apeksha Hindi remake of Assamese film Aparoopa
1987 Sadak Chhap
1993 Shatranj Mrs. Usha D. Verma
1999 Hu Tu Tu Malti Bai Won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress
2001 Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India Yashodamai
2001 Dil Chahta Hai Sid's Mother
2001 Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar Paresh Rawal's Sister
2002 Filhaal
2002 Humraaz Dadima (Raj's Grandmother)
2002 Deewangee Judge
2003 Baaz: A Bird in Danger
2003 Kuch Naa Kaho Dr. Malhotra (Raj's Mother)
2003 Khel Dadi
2004 Hum Kaun Hai? Anita
2005 Hanan
2005 Page 3
2005 Sehar Prabha Kumar
2005 Sitam
2005 Vaah! Life Ho Toh Aisi Dadi
2006 Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai Durga's Mother
2006 Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota Namrata
2006 Naksha
2006 Hope and a Little Sugar Mrs. Oberoi
2007 Big Brother
2007 Dhamaal Landlord
2007 Speed
2008 Mithya
2008 Jodhaa Akbar Rani Padmawati
2008 My Friend Ganesha 2
2008 Chamku
2009 13B Mother in Serial
2009 Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye
2009 The White Land
2009 Tumhare Liye
2009 Bits And Pieces
2009 Rang Rasiya
2013 Club 60 Mrs. Mansukhani
2014 Gandhi of the Month Mrs. Kurien
2015 Prem Ratan Dhan Payo Savitri Devi, Grandmother of Rajkumari Maithili
2015 Hamari Adhuri Kahani Hari's Mother
2016 Rocky Handsome Carla Aunty
2016 Mohenjo Daro Laashi, Maham's wife
2016 Peeda Mrs. Malik
2017 Basmati Blues Mrs. Patel
2024 Sur Lagu De

Television

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Year Show Role Notes
2007 Chaldi Da Naam Gaddi
2001 Maan
2006 Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Kaushalya Malhotra (Tanya's Mother)
2006 Jabb Love Hua
2006 Kulvaddhu
Piya Ka Ghar
Mamta
Jaane Kya Baat Hui
Tithir Atithi
Ek Tha Rusty Miss Bean
Virasaat
Princess Dollie Aur Uska Magic Bag
Geet – Hui Sabse Parayi Maan's grandmother Star One
Dil Se Diya Vachan
Kya Mast Hai Life TV show on Disney Channel
Hum- Ek Chote Gaon Ki Badi Kahani Retelecasting and remake of Hum Log
Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev Parvati's grandmother
2012 Hongey Judaa Na Hum Aniruddh's grandmother
2013-14 Desh Ki Beti Nandini Rajveer's grandmother
2014 Udaan Shakuntala Singh
2014 Everest Shikha maa
2020 Mismatched Rishi's Grandmother(Dadi)
2022 The Fame Game Kalyani TV Show on Netflix
2024 Dil Dosti Dilemma Akhtar Begum TV Show on Prime Video

Accolades

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Year Award Category Film Result Ref.
1983 National Film Awards National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film An Indian Story Won [11]
1988 Bhopal: Beyond Genocide Won [12]
1989 National Film Award for Best Educational/Motivational/Instructional Film Chitthi Won [13]
1998 National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film The Official Art Form Won [14]
2000 Filmfare Awards Best Supporting Actress Hu Tu Tu Nominated [15]
2000 National Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Won [16]

References

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  1. ^ "Quest for creativity". The Tribune. 24 November 2002.
  2. ^ Interview with actor Suhasini Mulay indiantelevision.com, 20 March 2003.
  3. ^ SUHASINI MULAY ... just begun' South Asian, 20 February 2003.
  4. ^ "RISEUP campaign: Women Who Rise up and Walk Away from Social Stereotypes".
  5. ^ Chatterji, Shoma A (25 May 2019). "Akka Vijaya Mulay - Mother, Activist, Filmmaker, Author (1921-2019)". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  6. ^ Shah, Kunal M (11 March 2011). "Suhasini Mulay ties the knot at 60". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  7. ^ Sengupta, Aditi (25 January 2019). "The man who found Gauri". @businessline. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  8. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Suhasini Mulay donates Louis Malle's camera for preservation: He gave it to my mother for me". PINKVILLA. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  9. ^ "What I Learnt From Mrinal Sen About Filmmaking, and Being a Good Human". The Wire. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Streaming Guide: Gulzar movies". The Indian Express. 5 May 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  11. ^ "30th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  12. ^ "35th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  13. ^ "36th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  14. ^ "45th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  15. ^ "45th Filmfare Awards winner". Archived from the original on 25 March 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  16. ^ "46th National Film Awards" (PDF). Directorate of Film Festivals. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
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