1. Kanan Devi was among the early singing stars of Indian cinema, and is credited popularly as the first star of Bengali cinema.
18 Facts About Kanan Devi
1. 2.
Kanan Devi's singing style, usually in rapid tempo, was used instrumentally in some of the biggest hits of New Theatres, Kolkata.
3.
Kanan Devi's life story is a true tale of rags to riches.
4.
Kanan Devi then worked with Radha Films from 1933 to 1936, then with New Theatres from 1937 to 1941, with MP Productions 1942 to 1948 and finally set up her own label Shrimati Pictures, 1949 to 1965.
5.
Kanan Devi starred in the 1932 film Char Darvesh which was the debut film for Trilok Kapoor, younger brother of Prithviraj Kapoor.
6.
From silent film roles as a child artist, Kanan Devi made the successful transition into talkie films and was noticed with Jorebarat, Manomoyee Girls School, Khooni Kaun and Maa.
7.
Kanan Devi had to travel under constant protection, given her huge fan following.
8.
Kanan Devi became known as Kanan Devi from this point.
9.
Kanan Devi came in contact with the music maestro Rai Chand Boral, who not only coached and familiarized her in the Hindi accent, but experimented with many classical Western and Indian forms in his music.
10.
Kanan Devi received her initial musical training under Alla Rakha.
11.
Kanan Devi was employed as a singer at the Megaphone Gramaphone Company, receiving further training under Bhishmadev Chatterjee.
12.
Kanan Devi remained the top star of New Theatres until she resigned her contract in 1941 and began to freelance in Bengali and Hindi films.
13.
Kanan Devi repeated the same feat in Hospital, Banphool and Rajlakshmi.
14.
Kanan Devi turned producer with Shrimati Pictures in 1949 and later launched the Sabyasachi Collective with the film Ananya.
15.
Kanan Devi was the son of the staunch Brahmo Samaj educationist Heramba Chandra Maitra.
16.
The main issue was that Kanan Devi was not expected to be working in films after her marriage.
17.
Kanan Devi eventually left the naval service to join Kanan in her filmmaking venture and became a competent director.
18.
Kanan Devi died on 17 July 1992 in Bellevue Clinic, Calcutta when she was around seventy-six years of age.