Looking back: Ex-Miss India actress Leela Naidu rejected Raj Kapoor 4 times
Looking back: Ex-Miss India actress Leela Naidu rejected Raj Kapoor 4 times
Ex-Miss India Leela Naidu rejected Raj Kapoor on four occasions.
She was ranked amongst beautiful women, married twice, worked with famous actors but died in poverty. She won a pageant at the age of 14 and got married at 17.
There are several actresses in the Industry who found their way into films after gaining recognition through beauty pageants or modelling. Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta are contemporary actors to name a few.
But this is not new to this age. In 1954, the woman who was crowned as Femina
Ms India in 1954 caught the attention of Raj Kapoor and finally started getting movie offers. Her striking beauty, sharp eyes left people admiring her.
She was remembered for her classic beauty and graceful acting. She was ranked in the list of ‘World’s Ten Most Beautiful women’ from 19502-1960s in different fashion and beauty magazines.
She was was more popular than many less heroines, rejected Hollywood film due to kissing scene.
This film was 15 years in the making.
Naidu made her acting debut in Hrishikesh Mukherjee’ s ‘Anuradha along side Balraj Sahni. While film was not a commercial success, her work was critically acclaimed. Later on she worked with Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor and got few role sin English films as well. Her last appearance on the silver screen was in Electric Moon (1992), directed by Pradip Krishen.
Leela Naidu got married to Tilak Raj Oberoi, son on of Mohan Singh Oberoi, the founder of the luxury Oberoi Hotels chain. She was 17 years old and Oberoi was 33. The couple became parents to twin daughters but in over two years the nuptials culminated in a divorce.
She later married a poet in Mumbai but that relationship also ended. Post the personal setbacks, Naidu started living a more private life in Colaba. It is said that during her last days she was dealing with financial struggles, had to ren out her home.
Later in 2009, the former beauty queen breathed her last owing to a lung failure and after battling a long bout of inluenza.
News Edit KV Raman
