Best remembered as the sassy old woman with sarcastic comebacks, Leela Mishra was a legendary character actress who acted in over 300 films in her career of over five decades. Some of her most memorable films include Anmol Ghadi, Awara, Pyasa, Dosti, Pati Patni, Shoaly, Naani Maa, Prem Rog, and many more.
Early Life of Leela Mishra
Leela Mishra was born on January 1, 1908, in Jais, presently in Uttar Pradesh, into a conservative zamindar (landowner) family. She married Ram Prasad Mishra, a character artist working in silent films, when she was only 12 years old. By the time she was 17, she had two daughters. Mishra’s entry into the film industry was facilitated by Mama Shinde, who worked for Dadasaheb Phalke’s Nasik Cinetone. Due to the scarcity of women actors at the time, Mishra was gets the salary of Rs. 500 per month, significantly higher than her husband’s Rs. 150 per month.
Acting Journey
Leela Mishra made her acting debut in the 1937 film Dadasaheb Phalke’s “Gangavataran,” where she played the role of Parvati. A woman with traditional values, she refues to embrace or touch male actors besides her husband. This inetresting condistion, effected her work. Her offers of lead actress dwindled significantly, and she was cast in mother’s roles while in her twenties.
Some of her early films include Qaidi (1940), Chitralekha (1941), Prithvi Vallabh (1943), Mahakavi Kalidas (1944), Zeenat (1945), Pannadai (1945), Anmol Ghadi (1946), Elan (1947), Shehnai (1947), Rambaan (1948), Daulat (1949), Sheesh Mahal (1950), Aaram (1951), Awaara (1951), Daag (1952 film), Aandhiyan (1952), Shikast (1953), Ladki (1953), Barati (1955), Railway Platform (1955), Patrani (1956), Pyaasa (1957), and many more.
In 1958 she acted in Narendra Suri’s Lajwanti (1958). The film gets a nomination for the Palme d’Or for Best Film at the Cannes Film Festival in 1959. For many decades, Mishra assumed the successful screen persona of an aunt. Within the limitations of the persona, Mishra played the negative role as well as a comic one. In the 1960s she gets to act in many memorable films such as Ummed (1962), Ankh Micholi (1962), Leader (1964), Dosti (1964), Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Majhli Didi (1967), Bahu Begum (1967), Dharti Kahe Pukarke (1969), and Tumse Achha Kaun Hai (1969).
Iconic Mausi – Leela Mishra
Leela Mishra gets a rare, well-developed role in “Pati Patni (1966),” where she plays an over-the-top rich woman’s role. She gets widespread praise for this role due to her impeccable comic timing. She also acted in the first Bhojpuri film, Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1962).
Her most memorable role was as “mausi” in the blockbuster Sholay (1975), where she immortalised the marriage proposal scene with his wise comeback, “Mujh Budhiya ko Samjhate ho.” Her other memorable roles include Dushman (1971), Amar Prem (1971), Lal Patthar (1971), Jai Santoshi Maa (1975), Mehbooba (1976), Bairaag (1976), Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein (1977), Shatranj ke Khilari (1977), Dil Se Mile Dil (1978), Baton Baton Mein (1979), Katha (1983), Sadma (1983), Tan-Badan (1986), Veerana (1988), Zakhmi Aurat (1988), and many more.
Later Career
She has done many films with Gulzar, which include Mere Apne (1971), Parichay (1972), Khushboo (1975), and Kinara (1977). She was also a constant fixture in Rajshri Productions hits such as Saudagar (1973), Paheli (1977), Geet Gaata Chal (1975), Dulhan Wahi Jo Piya Man Bhaaye (1977), Sunayana (1979), Sawan Ko Aane Do (1979), Nadiya Ke Paar (1982), and Abodh (1984).
Her career’s best performance was in Naani Maa in 1981, for which she received the Best Actress award at the age of 73. She played Deepti Naval’s grandmother in the classic comedy—Chashme Buddoor (1981). Her cameo in Prem Rog (1982) is still remembered for her cruel intensity. Her last film was Mithun Chakraborty and Padmini Kolhapure’s Daata (1989).
Leela Mishra died of a heart attack in Bombay on 17 January 1988 at the age of 80. On her birth anniversary, Tasweermahal is paying its humble tribute to the great Leela Mausi.
Leela Mishra on IMDB
