Usha Kiran (22 April 1929 – 9 March 2000) was an Indian actress. In a career spanning over four decades, she acted in over 50 Hindi and Marathi films, notably Daag (1952), Patita (1953), Baadbaan (1954), Chupke Chupke (1975), Mili (1975) and Bawarchi (1972). She was also the Sheriff of Mumbai during 1996 and 1997.
Early life
Usha Kiran was born Usha Bapu Marathe on 22 April 1929, into a middle-class family in Vasai. She was the daughter of Bapu Marathe and Radha Marathe. Despite facing limited financial circumstances, her father encouraged her interest in the performing arts from a young age and provided her with training in dance.
At the age of twelve, she made her acting debut on stage in M. G. Rangnekar’s play Aashirwad. Her dancing skills caught the attention of the noted dancer and filmmaker Uday Shankar, who cast her in his 1948 Hindi-language dance film Kalpana, which was produced in Madras. After completing the filming and returning to Mumbai, Rangnekar cast her in his film Kuber, where she performed under her birth name, Usha Marathe.
Career She began her acting career on stage with M.G. Rangnekar's Marathi play Ashirwad.Mass media 2001. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Research, Reference, and Training Division. Government of India, 2001. . p. 152. She entered the Hindi film industry with a small role in Uday Shankar's dance-drama film Kalpana (1948). She went on to act in numerous popular Hindi films such as Nazrana (1961), Daag (1952), and Baadbaan (1954), (for which she won the very first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1955), Kabuliwala (1961), Patita (1953), Mili, Bawarchi (1972) and Chupke Chupke (1975).
Her famous Marathi films include Shikleli Bayko, Jasach Tase, Postatli Mulgi, Dudh Bhakar, Stree Janma Hi Tuzi Kahani, Kanyadaan (for which she received the Maharashtra Government's award for best actress), Gariba Gharchi Lek, and Kanchanganga.
She starred opposite Hindi film actors such as Kishore Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan.
She died in Nashik at the age of 70.
Personal life Usha was born into a Marathi-speaking family as Usha Balkrishna Marathe, daughter of Balkrishna Vishnu Marathe and his wife Radhabai Marathe. She was the second among five daughters. She was married to Dr. Manohar Kher, who became Dean of Sion Hospital in Mumbai. They were the parents of two children, a son, Advait Kher and a daughter, Tanvi Azmi. Usha Kiran's son Advait is a former model, now settled in Nashik with his wife Uttara (who was Femina Miss India of 1982) and his two daughters Saunskruti Kher and Saiyami Kher. Usha Kiran's daughter Tanvi Azmi is a well known television and film actress, married to cinematographer Baba Azmi, brother of Shabana Azmi.THE DYNAMIC DYNASTIES: What would the world of films be without them? Screen, 22 September 2000.
Filmography YearFilmRoleLanguageNotes1947KuberUshaMarathiDebut film1948Sita SwayamwarSitaKalpanaUshaHindiSmall role1949GaribiKiranSmall role Maya BaazarMayaMarathiVevishalUshakumariGujarati1950Chalitil ShejariChawl VendorMarathiKrantiveer Vasudev BalwantGopikabaiShri Krishna DarshanRadhaRaj RaniRaniHindiGaunaGaunaBhagwan Shri KrishnaRadha1951Bala Jo Jo ReAaiMarathiJashas TaseMadhaviVitthal RakhumaiRukminiShri Vishnu BhagwanLakshmiHindiSarkarMaya MacchindraMayaMarathiMadhoshRainaHindi1952Mard MarathaSaiMarathiBel BhandaraDoodh BhatStree Janma Hi Tuzi KahaniUshaLal KunwarLal KunwarHindiDhobi DoctorUmaDaagPushpa (Pushpi)1953PatitaRadhaDhuaanRani1954DostUshaAuladMaaHusn Ka ChorHusnShobhaShobhaSamajUshaKanchangangaKanchanMarathiPostatil MulgiPostgirlBadshahRaniHindiBaadbaanMohniaFilmfare Award for Best Supporting ActressAdhikarUsha1955Kalgi Tura KalgiMarathiPunvechi RaatOot PatangHindiBahuBahurani1956Guru GhantalParivarAyodhyapatiSitaAnuraagAawazBelaPriti SangamPreetiMarathi1957DushmanSheilaHindiJeevan SathiMusafirUma1958Trolley Driver1959Shikleli BaykoKamaliniMarathiSaata Janmachi SobatiPramila1960Mendi Rang LagyoAlkaGujaratiChaal Majhya PaayatAshaMarathiKanyadaanSumitraSakhya Savra MalaDil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi TerePremaHindi1961KabuliwalaRamaTanhaiNazranaGeetaMansala Pankh AstatNurseMarathiEk Dhaaga Sukhacha1962Amrit ManthanSumitraHindiSaptapadiUshabaiMarathiSunbaiSunbaiGariba Gharchi LekMangalMaharashtra State Film Award for Best Actress1963Gharni ShobhaHindiGehra DaagUsha1972BawarchiShobha SharmaBadi MaaBadi Maa1975Chupke ChupkeSumitra SharmaMiliSharda Khanna1979Lage Bandhe1980FatakdiLakshmi NarayanMarathiChambal Ki KasamJamunaHindi1982SamraatMrs. Chawla1983MehndiGautam's Mom1989BahuraniLakshmi Chaudhary
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