Leena Chandavarkar, one of the most well-known actresses of Hindi cinema in the 1970s and 1980s, is remembered for her work in a series of successful films and for a personal life marked by both achievement and tragedy.
Born on August 29, 1950, in Dharwad, Karnataka, Chandavarkar grew up in a Konkani Marathi family. Her father served in the Indian Army, and she developed an early interest in performing arts, taking part in school plays before pursuing a career in films.
She made her debut opposite Vinod Khanna in Sunil Dutt's Man Ka Meet (1968), a film that marked her entry into the industry.
Over the following years, she went on to act in several successful films, including Humjoli, Honeymoon, Mehboob Ki Mehndi, Manchali, Dil Ka Raja, Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka, Bidaai, Pritam, Bairaag, Kaid, and Yaaron Ka Yaar.
She was often cast opposite leading actors of the time, such as Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, and Vinod Khanna, becoming a familiar face on the big screen.
Away from her acting career, her personal life saw difficult turns. At the age of 25, she married Siddharth Bandodkar, the son of Dayanand Bandodkar, the first Chief Minister of Goa. Siddharth died not long after their marriage. In 1980, at the age of 30, she married playback singer Kishore Kumar.
In a throwback interview with Cineplot, she recalled that she was seven months pregnant during their wedding, which was conducted both as a registered marriage and a Hindu ceremony. Kishore Kumar died in 1987 when Chandavarkar was 37, leaving her widowed for the second time.
Following her acting career, Chandavarkar largely stayed away from films but occasionally made public appearances, especially in connection with Kishore Kumar's legacy.