40 Facts About Hansa Wadkar

Hansa Wadkar was a Marathi and Hindi film and stage actress of Indian cinema.

Hansa Wadkar started her acting career at the age of thirteen years, as a heroine in the bilingual film Vijaychi Lagne.

Hansa Wadkar's career defining role was in Vishnupant Damle's Sant Sakhu where she enacted the role of the female saint Sakhu.

Hansa Wadkar thus acted in two of Marathi cinema's biggest hits Lokshahir Ramjoshi and Sangtye Aika.

Hansa Wadkar has been referred to as "one of the most sought after and bohemian actresses of her time".

Hansa Wadkar's marriage ended in a separation and her daughter was kept away from her.

Hansa Wadkar was born Ratan Bhalachander Salgaokar, on 24 January 1923 at Dr Bhalerao Hospital in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.

Jiji divided the vast property she had and Hansa Wadkar's father was given the house in Sawantwadi.

The mother, father, brother and young Hansa Wadkar shifted there and she joined a Marathi medium school where she studied till class IV.

Hansa Wadkar studied vocal music under Bhagwatbuwa but was not interested in singing.

The family returned to Bombay and Hansa Wadkar attended an English medium school for two years at Aryan Education Society School.

The mother insisted that Mohan being a boy should continue his studies, hence it was left on Hansa Wadkar to find work.

The elder sister as well as Indira Hansa Wadkar were acting in films and Indira was a classical singer as well.

Indira used the surname Hansa Wadkar to avoid using the family name Salgaokar, for fear of reprisal from society against women acting in films.

In 1936, Hansa Wadkar acted in her first role as a heroine in Bapubhai Pendharkar's Vijayche Lagane.

When her brother objected to the family name being used in films, her name was changed from Ratan to Hansa, and the surname Wadkar was borrowed from her actress aunt, Indira Wadkar.

Hansa Wadkar worked in a few films after this for different companies, which remained incomplete.

Hansa Wadkar then joined Golden Eagle Movietone and learned Hindi from a Hindi scholar appointed for her by the company.

Hansa Wadkar acted in two stunt films in Bhagwan Palav, having joined Harishchandrarao's company.

Hansa Wadkar joined Bombay Talkies, signing a contract for six years.

Hansa Wadkar enjoyed the efficiency and camaraderie of Bombay Talkies.

Hansa Wadkar signed a temporary contract with Prabhat Film Company and later wrote that the years she spent at Prabhat "were the most memorable ones of my life".

Hansa Wadkar was not happy with Wadkar's voice, so Vinodini Dixit's voice was used as a playback singer for her.

Hansa Wadkar was three months pregnant while shooting for the film.

Hansa Wadkar was eight months pregnant when the film's shooting ended.

Hansa Wadkar went on to deliver a normal, healthy daughter, her "first living child" after several miscarriages.

Hansa Wadkar meets a Tamasha dancer who is only interested in money.

Hansa Wadkar acted in the film as her husband, Bandarkar, had signed the contract for her.

Hansa Wadkar considered her role as a tamasha dancer in the film as the best.

The four films Hansa Wadkar esteemed were Sant Sakhu, Lokshahir Ram Joshi Pudhache Paool and Mee Tulas Tuzya Angani as they "marked four important stages" in her film career.

Hansa Wadkar's family was deemed of a "lower caste" than the Wadkars.

Hansa Wadkar writes of assuming this defiant and oppositional attitude later on too, when wrongly accused.

Soon she was three months pregnant at age fifteen and Bandarkar and Hansa Wadkar were married on 6 September 1937, at Kittebhandari Marriage Hall in Bombay.

Hansa Wadkar started drinking and describes one drinking session in her autobiography where she was unconscious of what took place.

Hansa Wadkar found herself in a village where Joshi, one of the men she had been drinking with brought her as his third wife.

Hansa Wadkar stayed virtually imprisoned there for three years, till she was able to smuggle a letter out to her husband.

Hansa Wadkar arrived with the police, and took her to the magistrate's office in the neighbouring town, where she had to testify.

Hansa Wadkar maintained a good relationship with all the female workers.

Hansa Wadkar died on 23 August 1971 in Bombay Maharashtra, India.

Hansa Wadkar's autobiography started off as a series of interviews conducted by journalist Arun Sadhu, for the Marathi magazine Manoos.