One of the most recognisable faces of hindi cinema Dulari worked as a character actor in around 135 movies in a career spanning six decades. Some of her well known movies include “Shehnai,” “Devdas,” “Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai,” “Mujhe Jeene Do,” “Teesri Kasam,” “Deewar,” and many more.
In her later years, Dulari was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and was living in an old age home. When, Waheeda Rahman get to know about her condition, She helped her and also brought up her case to the Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA), which started providing her financial assistance through the last few years.
A sad story of a great actress
Dulari was born on April 18, 1928, as “Ambika Gautam” in the household of Vithalrao and Draupadi in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. When her father joined Faredoon Irani’s theatre company, the entire family shifted to Mumbai. Dulari also played a few roles in theater. Sadly, her family gets into despair due to her father’s illness. The family condition forced her to take her job as an actor full time.
Debut of Dulari
Dulari landed a small role as a young girl living in an ashram in “Jhoola (1941).” The following year, she got brief parts in “Roti (1941),” “Jawani (1942),” and “Apna Paraya (1942).” Dulari played a second lead opposite Mukesh in’ “Adaab Arz (1943).” She also played Jairaj’s younger sister in “Humari Baat (1943),” followed by “Amanat (1943),” “Ghar (1945),” and “Kul Kalank (1945).”
In 1950, she acted in “Shehnai,” opposite Mumtaz Ali. She was featured in the famous song “Ana Meri Jan Sunday ke Sunday,” with Ali. She also worked with Raj Kapoor in “Paapi (1953).”
Dulari married Jagannath Bhikji Jagatap, a sound recordist, in 1952 and took a 10-year break. During this time, she only did a few films, most notably Bimal Roy‘s Devdas (1955). In the film two songs, “Aan Milo Shyam Sanwre” and “Sajan Ki Ho Gayi Gori,” were filmed on her.
Dulari continued work in successful movies such as “Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961),” “Sautela Bhai (1962),” “Mujhe Jeene Do (1963),'” “Teesri Kasam’ (1966),” “Saraswatichandra (1968),” “Padosan (1968),” where she played the Mami of Bhola, “Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke (1969),” “Aradhana (1969),” “Seeta Aur Geeta (1972),” “Deewar (1975),” “Aasha (1980),” and many more. Dulari gets critical acclaim for her role in Sunil Dutt’s “Reshma Aur Shera (1971).”
Retirement and Later Years
She retired from acting after an accident on the set of the 1989 film “Surya.” Her last film role was in “Ziddi (1997),” directed by Guddu Dhanoa. After retirement, she lived in Mumbai but moved to Indore in 2002, where her daughter was living at the time. After some time, her daughter Charulata Jagtap and grandsons moved to Australia.
In her later years, Dulari was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease; she also had other age-related ailments. After her daughter moved to Australia, she started living in an old age home in Pune, Maharashtra. It was the time when veteran actress Waheeda Rahman got to know about her condition. She helped her and also brought up her case to the Cine & TV Artists Association (CINTAA), which started providing her financial assistance over the last few years.
Dulari passed away at eighty-six on January 18, 2013. She was bedridden for over two years.
Dulari on IMDB
