Leela Naidu was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful actresses to grace the silver screen, known for her otherworldly beauty, grace and charming personality. She appeared in some iconic films like “Anuradha,” “The Householder,” and “Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke.”
Leela Naidu, who was born in Bombay in 1940, Her father, Dr. Pattipati Ramaiah Naidu, a renowned nuclear physicist from Andhra Pradesh, worked under Nobel Laureate Marie Curie in Paris. He also worked as an adviser to UNESCO and later to the Tata Group. Her mother, Dr. Marthe Mange Naidu, was a journalist and indologist of Swiss-French origin.
As a teenager, she took acting lessons from Jean Renoir. In Paris, she met world famous Spanish surrealist artist “Salvador Dalí” at the Grand Hotel Opera and posed for his painting of the “Madonna.“
Willum Skeener
Leela Naidu grew up in Europe, attending an elite school in Geneva, Switzerland. As a teenager, she took acting lessons from Jean Renoir. In Paris, she met world famous Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí at the Grand Hotel Opera and posed for his painting of the Madonna.
Miss India
She was crowned Femina Miss India in 1954. The same year, she was featured in “Vogue,” along with Maharani Gayatri Devi, on the list of “World’s Ten Most Beautiful Women.” Despite receiving numerous acting offers, she declined them to focus on her studies. At 17, she married Tilak Oberoi, the son of the owner of Oberoi Hotels, who was 16 years older than her. Together they had two daughters, “Maya and Priya.” The marriage, however did not last long due to his abusive behaviour.
Naidu made her film debut in “Anuradha (1962),” directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who decided to cast her after seeing her pictures taken by Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film, and garnered Naidu critical acclaim. Naidu’s next film was Nitin Bose’s “Umeed (1962),” with Ashok Kumar and Joy Mukherjee.
She then starred in Merchant Ivory Productions’ first film, “The Householder (1963),” starring Shashi Kapoor and Durga Khote.
She starred with Sunil Dutt in his debut production, “Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke (1963),” based on the real-life Nanavati case and directed by R.K. Nayyar. The film featured Sunil Dutt, Leela Naidu, Rehman, Ashok Kumar, and Moti Lal in the lead roles.
Initially “Ye Raste hain pyar ke” was not a big success but overtime it gained cult status as a tense courtroom drama with a bold and unconventional story and for great memorable songs composed by Ravi and penned by Rajinder Krishan like “Yeh khamoshiyaan yeh tanhaaiyaan”, ‘Yeh raaste hai pyar ke”, “Tum jispe nazar daalo,” and more.
Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom
Leela Naidu’s last film in mainstream Hindi cinema was “Baghi,” in 1964, which also stars Pradeep Kumar, and Mumtaz. She made a guest appearance in the Merchant-Ivory film “The Guru,” in 1969. Naidu returned to cinema in 1985, portraying a Goan matriarch in Shyam Benegal’s period film Trikaal. Her final cinematic role was in Electric Moon (1992), directed by Pradip Krishen.
Leela Naidu is often remembered for the films she didn’t do rather than the ones she did. Satyajit Ray planned an international film with her and Marlon Brando. She was considered for the role of Rosie in Guide but lost to Waheeda Rehman. Famously, she turned down Raj Kapoor’s offers four times. Additionally, David Lean offered her the role of Tonya in Dr. Zhivago (1965), which never materialized.
Leela Naidu produced the documentary “A Certain Childhood,” on mentally challenged children, which was directed by Kumar Shahni.
A few years after her divorce from Tilak Raj Oberoi, Leela Naidu married Mumbai-based poet Dom Moraes in 1969. They lived in Hong Kong, New York City, New Delhi, and Mumbai for about 25 years. After their relationship ended, Naidu led a somewhat reclusive life and withdrew from the public eye.
In 1991, after her father’s death, she fought a legal battle for his property, nearly exhausting her savings. She lived alone in an elegant, large old flat bequeathed to her father by the Tatas. Despite spending most of her last decade indoors, she remained an excellent conversationalist with a steady stream of visitors. She kept in touch with her friends, daughters, and grandchildren. Her daughter, Priya, died of a heart attack on February 8, 2008.
Leela Naidu passed away in Mumbai on July 28, 2009, due to lung failure after a prolonged bout of influenza, at the age of 69. Her funeral was held on 29 July at Chandanwadi Crematorium, attended by her daughter Maya, grandchildren, and friends.
