Balraj Sahni

 ( Recipients Of The Padma Shri In Arts ) 

He followed it up with an encore in the 1961 classic Kabuliwala penned by Tagore.

Sahni's wife Damayanti, who was the heroine of his 1947 film Gudia, died at a young age that same year. Two years later, he married his first cousin, Santosh Chandhok, later known as an author and television writer.

He acted opposite heroines such as Padmini, Nutan, Meena Kumari, Vyjayanthimala and Nargis in films such as Bindya, Seema (1955), Sone Ki Chidiya (1958), Satta Bazaar (1959), Bhabhi Ki Chudiyaan (1961), Kathputli (1957), Lajwanti (1958) and Ghar Sansaar (1958). His Character actor in films such as Neelkamal (1968), Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani (1970), Do Raaste (1969) and Ek Phool Do Mali (1969) were well received. However, he is perhaps best remembered by the current generation for his picturisation of the legendary song "Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen" from the movie Waqt (1965). Sahni appeared opposite Achala Sachdev in the number.

He also starred in the classic Punjabi film Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar (1970) as well as the critically acclaimed Satluj De Kande.

His role as the angst-ridden, but stoic Muslim man who refuses to go to Pakistan during partition, in his last film Garam Hawa, has often been called his best performance by critics. Balraj, however, could not see the completed film to rate his own performance, as he died the day after he finished dubbing work. The last line he recorded for the film, and hence his last recorded line is Hindustani: "Insaan Kab Tak Akela Jee Sakta Hai?" which can be translated to English as: "How long can a man live alone?"

He and P. K. Vasudevan Nair worked on the idea of All India Youth Federation with firebrand Delhi communist, Comrade Guru Radha Kishan to organise the first national conference of AIYF in Delhi. Their wholehearted efforts were visible as more than 250 delegates and observers representing several youth organisations of various states of India attended this session. Balraj Sahni was elected as the first president of All India Youth Federation, the youth wing of Communist Party of India. The organisation was a huge success and strong presence of the organisation was noticed by other political groups and the senior communist leaders everywhere.

Sahni also dabbled in screenwriting; he wrote the 1951 film Baazi which starred Dev Anand and was directed by Guru Dutt. He was also a recipient of the Padma Shri Award (1969). Balraj Sahni also wrote in Punjabi and contributed to the Punjabi magazine Preetlari. In the 1950s he inaugurated the Library and Study Centre for the underprivileged in Delhi.

His acting in Do Bigha Zameen (1953) and Garam Hawa (1973) were the highlights of his career. He believed in what is known as neo-realistic cinema.

Balraj's brother Bhisham Sahni was a well-known writer who wrote the novel Tamas. His son Parikshit Sahni is also an actor. Balraj Sahni died on 13 April 1973 of a massive cardiac arrest, at age 59. He had been depressed for some time by the untimely death of his young daughter, Shabnam; she died a year earlier.

Punjabi Kala Kender, founded in 1973 at Bombay by Balraj Sahni, gives away the annual Balraj Sahni Award, Balraj Sahni awards announced Indian Express, 25 November 2003. also given by the All India Artists Association. Prem Chopra, Bollywood's good old bad man talks about his nomination for the prestigious Balraj Sahni Award The Times of India, 10 July 2006.

• Balraj Sahni: An Autobiography, by Balraj Sahni. Published by Hind Pocket Books. ''Meri
• Mera Pakistani Safarnama (Punjabi language), 1960.
• Mera Russi Safarnama (Punjabi), 1969.
• Kamey (Labourers) (Punjabi)
• Ek Safar Ek Daastaan (Punjabi)
• Gair Jazbaati Diary (Punjabi)

• Balraj Sahni: An Intimate Portrait , by Puran Chandra Joshi. Published by Vikas Publishing, 1974.
• Balraj, My Brother (National biography series) , by Bhisham Sahni. National Book Trust, India, 1981.
• The Non-Conformist – Memories of My Father Balraj Sahni, by Parikshit Sahni. Penguin India, 2019

• at Jawaharlal Nehru University in 1972