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Sujata Mehta

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Sujata Mehta (born 11 March 1959)[1] is an Indian actress of Gujarati origin who has acted in plays and Bollywood films, mostly known for her lead role in Pratighaat (1987) and supporting roles in Yateem (1988) and Gunaah (1993).[2][3] She also played the lead role in the critically acclaimed and National Award winning Malayalam movie Purushartham (1987).

Early career

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Sujata was born on 11 March 1959 in Navsari in Shrimali family to Rekha and Prahlad Rai, an Indian independence activist. She is a graduate in Psychology.[1]

Theatre career

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Her uncle Hasu Mehta and aunt Devyani Mehta were theatre actors in Bombay (now Mumbai). Under their influence, she was attracted to the theatre. She started her career as a child actor at the age of 13 as a lead actress in a role of blind girl in English play Wait Until Dark. She acted in children's play and Hindi video film Siyahi produced by INT.[1]

She learned from her experience and became a leading actress despite not having any formal training in the theatre.[4][1] She played a young lady with cancer in Kanti Madia's play Ame Barafna Pankhi. She had a leading role in Paralysis opposite Upendra Trivedi. She acted in several TV plays broadcast by Doordarshan. She also acted in Pravin Joshi's Thank You Mister Glad. Her acclaimed performance as a woman suffering from mental illness in the Gujarati play Chitkar had over 600 shows across the world.[1]

Film career

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Her first big break came with N. Chandra's social film Pratighaat (1987) with Nana Patekar where she played a college teacher who is humiliated in public by gangsters. The role was originally played by Vijayashanti in the Telugu film Pratighatna (1986). Sujata was appreciated for her stellar performance in the film.[1]

In Yateem (1988),[1] directed by J. P. Dutta, she played the role of step-mother who tries to seduce her step-son (Sunny Deol). Her performance won her accolades and critical acclaim and a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination. She played the role of a lawyer in Kanwarlal (1988) and was seen in a prominent role in Mahesh Bhatt’s Gunaah opposite Sunny Deol. She did not confine herself to a certain image and played a wide variety of roles in movies like Gunahon Ka Devta (1990), Gunehgar Kaun (1991), Pratigyabadh (1991),[1] Tyaagi (1992), Aaj ki Aurat (1993), Dhartiputra (1993), Hulchul (1995), Judge Mujrim (1997), Meri Mohabbat Mera Nasiba (1995) and Jung (1996).[1]

TV career

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Mehta played the role of a proud daughter-in-law in the dynastic drama Khandaan (1985) and the emotional role of Raj Lakshmi in Shrikant (1987); both broadcast on Doordarshan. She play a college girl in Yes Sir (1987). She played Draupadi in Shyam Benegal's Bharat Ek Khoj (1988). She has also acted Andaz (1995) and played Gunsundari in Saraswatichandra (2013).[1] She was a part of several Indian TV soap operas, playing the roles of a mother in Ye Meri Life Hai (2004) and Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa (2006).[citation needed] She had also modeled in many commercials.[1]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Language Role Note
1987 Pratighaat Hindi
1987 Rajlakshmi Hindi Rajlakshmi
1988 Yateem Hindi
1988 Kanwarlal Hindi
1990 Gunahon Ka Devta Hindi
1991 Gunehgar Kaun Hindi
1991 Pratigyabadh Hindi
1992 Tyagi Hindi
1992 Rishta To Ho Aisa Hindi
1993 Sadhna Hindi
1993 Anmol Hindi
1993 Aaj Kie Aurat Hindi
1993 Gunaah Hindi
1993 Dhartiputra Hindi
1993 Krishan Avtaar Hindi
1994 Udhaar Ki Zindagi Hindi
1994 Maha Shaktishaali Hindi
1995 Hum Sab Chor Hain Hindi
1995 Hulchul Hindi
1995 Meri Mohabbat Mera Naseeba Hindi
1996 Jung Hindi Sita
1997 Judge Mujrim Hindi
2000 Aaj Ka Nanha Farishta Hindi
2018 Dhaad Gujarati, Hindi
2018 Chitkar Gujarati
2019 Dhara 370 Hindi

Television

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Year Serial Role Channel
1985 Khandaan DD National
1987 Shrikant Raj Lakshmi DD National
1988 Yes Sir DD National
1988 Bharat Ek Khoj Draupadi DD National
1995 Andaz
2004 Ye Meri Life Hai Ronit's mother Sony TV
2006 Kyaa Hoga Nimmo Kaa STAR One
2013 Saraswatichandra Gunsundari

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Raghuvanshi, Harish. "મહેતા, સુજાતા પ્રહલાદરાય". Gujarati Vishwakosh (in Gujarati). Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  2. ^ M.L. Dhawan (21 July 2002). "On the sands of time — 1987: Year of the invisible hero". The Sunday Tribune. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  3. ^ "Theatre actress Sujata Mehta spotted". MiD DAY. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Interview With Sujata Mehta". Mumbai Theatre Guide. Archived from the original on 23 April 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
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