Zohra Sehgal
Encyclopedia
Zohra Segal is an India
n stage and film actress, who started her career as dancer with dancer Uday Shankar
in 1935 and worked with him for the next eight years. She has appeared in many Bollywood
films as well as English language
films and television series. She is most known for her appearances in Bhaji on the Beach
(1992), The Mystic Masseur
(2001), Bend It Like Beckham
(2002), Dil Se
(1998) and Cheeni Kum
(2007); and the TV series, The Jewel in the Crown (1984), Tandoori Nights
(1985–87), Amma and Family (1996). Considered the doyenne of Indian theatre, she acted with Indian People's Theatre Association
(IPTA
) and Prithviraj Kapoor
's Prithvi Theatre
for fourteen years, during the period traveled over India, with the troupe.
She was awarded the Padma Shri
in 1998, Kalidas Samman
in 2001, and in 2004, the Sangeet Natak Akademi
, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama, presented her with its highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
for lifetime achievement. She received the Padma Vibhushan
, India's second-highest civilian honor, in 2010.
, Uttar Pradesh
, India
, one of seven children of a land-owning family of Rohilla
Pathan
s, of Mumtazullah Khan and Natiqua Begum, belonging to Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
. She was third of her seven siblings — Zakullah, Hajrah, Ikramullah, Uzra (Uzra Butt
), Anna and Sabira — and grew up in Chakrata
, now in Uttarakhand
(near Dehradun
). Like other families of the same class she was brought up in Sunni Muslim traditions — five prayers a day and fasting during Ramadan
. As a girl she was a tomboy
fond of climbing trees and playing games.
Zohra, lost vision in her left eye as she contracted glaucoma at the age of 1. She was referred to a hospital in Birmingham where she was treated at a cost of £300,000.
She lost her mother while still young. As per their mother's wishes, she and her sister were sent to Queen Mary's Girls College, Lahore
, attended by the daughters of aristocratic families, and with all English staff. Strict purdah
was observed in the institution and the few males invited to speak there had to do so from behind a screen. As a result of seeing her sister's failed marriage, she decided to pursue a career, rather than get married.
Upon graduating, her maternal uncle, Sahebzada Saeeduzzafar Khan, who was based in Edinburgh
to study medicine, arranged for her to apprentice under a British actor. So they started from Lahore by car and, en route, crossed Iran
, Palestine
, before reaching Damascus
, Syria
, where she met her cousin. Then they traveled into Egypt
and caught a boat to Europe
in Alexandria
.
Once in Europe she did two things: First she discarded her burqa
forever, and second she changed her mind about her career path; she decided to become a dancer instead. Her aunt Dicta took her to try in the Mary Wigman
’s ballet school in Dresden
, Germany, but she had not ever danced, having lived in purdah for so long. Nevertheless she got admission and became the first Indian to study at the institution. She stayed in Dresden for the next three years studying modern dance
, while living in the house of Countess Liebenstein. Then she happened to watch the Shiv-Parvati ballet by Uday Shankar
, who was touring Europe. This was to change her life forever as, impressed by the performance, she went back stage to meet Uday Shankar, who promised her a job on her return to India, at the completion of her course.
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While still in Europe, she received a telegram from Uday Shankar: "Leaving for Japan tour. Can you join immediately?" Thus on 8 August 1935, she joined his troupe and danced across Japan, Egypt, Europe and the US, as a leading lady, along with French dancer, Simkie. When Uday Shankar moved back to India in 1940, she became a teacher at the Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre at Almora
. It was here that she met Kameshwar Segal, a young scientist, painter and dancer from Indore
, eight years her junior, belonging to the Radha Swami
sect. There was initial opposition from her parents, but they eventually gave their approval to marry. Although Kameshwar was willing to convert to Islam
to marry Zohra, neither she nor her parents insisted on it. They married on 14 August 1942. Jawaharlal Nehru
was to attend the wedding reception, but he was arrested a couple of days earlier for supporting Gandhi's Quit India Movement
.
Zohra and Kameshwar Segal had two children, Kiran (b. 1944) and Pavan. For a while the couple worked in Uday Shankar
’s dance institute at Almora
. Both became accomplished dancers and choreographers. Kameshwar composed a noted ballet for human puppets and choreographed the ballet Lotus Dance. When it shut down later, they migrated to Lahore and set up their own Zohresh Dance Institute. The growing communal tension preceding the Partition of India
made them feel unwelcome. They migrated to Bombay, with one-year-old daughter, Kiran. By now, her sister Uzra Butt was already a leading lady with Prithviraj Kapoor
's Prithvi Theatre
. Ultimately, she too joined Prithvi Theatre in 1945, as an actress with a monthly salary of Rs 400, and toured every across India with the group, for the next 14 years.
Also in 1945, soon after her arrival, she joined the leftist theatre group, IPTA
, acted in several plays, and made her film debut in IPTA's first film production, directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
, Dharti Ke Lal
in 1946; she followed it up with another IPTA-supported film, Chetan Anand
's Neecha Nagar
. In the same year, it became the first Indian film to gain critical international recognition and won the Palme d'Or
at the Cannes Film Festival
.
Her involvement remained mostly with the theatre, though she did do a few films in between. During their stay in Bombay, the couple came to know many celebrities, including Ebrahim Alkazi
, in whose play, Din Ke Andhere, Zohra played the role of Begum Qudsia; K.A. Abbas, in whose plays she acted for IPTA; Chetan and Uma Anand
in whose house the couple stayed when they first moved to Bombay; and Dev Anand
his brother. She did choreography of a few Hindi films as well, including Guru Dutt
's Baazi
(1951) and the dream sequence song in Raj Kapoor
's film Awaara
. Kameshwar, on the other hand, became art director in Hindi films and later tried his hand at film direction.
Zohra Segal had been acting on the stage in different parts of India and putting up plays for jails inmates, including at Ferozepore jail. After staging a play, she stayed on to watch an execution.
After her husband's death in 1959, Zohra first moved to Delhi
and became director of the newly founded Natya Academy. She then moved London on a drama scholarship in 1962. Here she met Ram Gopal
, a India-born Bharatnatyam dancer, and starting 1963, worked as a teacher in 'Uday Shankar style' of dance at his school in Chelsea
, during the short period of its existence. Her first role for British television was in a BBC adaptation of a Kipling story, The Rescue of Pluffles
, in 1964. She also anchored 26 episodes of BBC
TV series, Padosi (Neighbours), made in 1976-77. Her career in the next almost two decades remained sporadic, despite several small appearances in many films.
In London
, Zohra got her first break in the films and was signed by Merchant Ivory Productions
. She appeared in The Courtesans of Bombay directed by James Ivory
in 1982. This paved way for a important role as Lady Chatterjee in the television adaptation The Jewel in the Crown
(ITV, 1984). Thus starting the second phase of her career, as she went on to appear in The Raj Quartet, The Jewel in the Crown, Tandoori Nights
, My Beautiful Laundrette
and others.
in 1983, and soon took it in big way; she started getting invited to perform poetry at various occasions. She even traveled to Pakistan to recite verses for "An Evening With Zohra". Over time even her impromptu performances of Punjabi
and Urdu
verses have become a norm, as after the stage performances she is often requested by the audience to recite Hafeez Jullundhri's famous nazm
, Abhi To Main Jawan Hoon.
In 1993, a critically acclaimed play, Ek Thi Nani, was staged in Lahore for the first time, featuring Zohra and her sister Uzra Butt now staying in Pakistan. The play is based on the lives of Zohra and Uzra, who were separated by the Partition of India
in 1947 and re-united only in the late 1980s, after a gap of 40 years. This was performed several times in India and Pakistan. A performance reading of its English version, A Granny for All Seasons, was held at UCLA in 2001. In 2008, at the United Nations Population Fund
(UNPF)-Laadli Media Awards in New Delhi, she was felicitated as the 'Laadli of the century'; the award was handed over by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit
.
Known for her sense of humour and wit, Zohra's all-time favourite quote remains:
She is based in Delhi, India, where she stays with her daughter, Kiran Segal, an Odissi
danseuse. Her son Pavan, who works for the WHO
, married Seema Rai, the granddaughter of Munshi Premchand
, and the couple have three children Rohan, Taamra and Anushka.
She is an agnostic having been an atheist in her youth.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n stage and film actress, who started her career as dancer with dancer Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
in 1935 and worked with him for the next eight years. She has appeared in many Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
films as well as English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
films and television series. She is most known for her appearances in Bhaji on the Beach
Bhaji on the Beach
Bhaji on the Beach is a 1993 film by director Gurinder Chadha with a screenplay by Meera Syal.-Plot synopsis:A diverse group of British women of South Asian descent go on a day trip to the beach in Blackpool; despite their differences—the older women are more traditional and conservative,...
(1992), The Mystic Masseur
The Mystic Masseur
The Mystic Masseur is a Merchant Ivory film based on the novel of the same title by V. S. Naipaul.It is one of relatively few films directed by Ismail Merchant who is better known as the producer in the Merchant Ivory partnership....
(2001), Bend It Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham
Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis, and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha...
(2002), Dil Se
Dil Se
Dil Se is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta. Mani Ratnam also co-wrote the screenplay for the film...
(1998) and Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum
Cheeni Kum is an 2007 Bollywood romance film directed by R. Balki, starring Amitabh Bachchan as an 64 year-old man, opposite Tabu, who plays an 34-year old who falls in love with Bachchan. Produced by Sunil Manchanda, the film releasd on 25 May 2007.-Plot:Cheeni Kum focuses on Buddhadev Gupta...
(2007); and the TV series, The Jewel in the Crown (1984), Tandoori Nights
Tandoori Nights
Tandoori Nights was a television sitcom broadcast on Channel 4 between 1985 and 1987. It consisted of two series of six episodes each. The series was directed by Jon Amiel and written by Farrukh Dhondy. It is the story of two rival restaurants in London, and starred Saeed Jaffery, Tariq Yunus, Rita...
(1985–87), Amma and Family (1996). Considered the doyenne of Indian theatre, she acted with Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People’s Theatre Association was an association of leftist theatre-artists and others mostly based in Kolkata, West Bengal, Mumbai and Assam, India. Its goal was to bring cultural awakening among the people of India. It was the cultural wing of the Communist Party of India...
(IPTA
Ipta
IPTA can refer to:* Indian People's Theatre Association* International Pulsar Timing Array...
) and Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor , 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was a pioneer of Indian theatre and of the Hindi film industry, who started his career as an actor, in the silent era of Hindi cinema, associated with IPTA and who founded Prithvi Theatres, a travelling theatre company based in Mumbai, in...
's Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre is one of Mumbai's best known theatres. It belongs to the Kapoor family, one of the most influential actor/director families in Bollywood. The theatre is named after Prithviraj Kapoor who first founded 'Prithvi Theatres', a travelling theatre company in 1944. The company ran for...
for fourteen years, during the period traveled over India, with the troupe.
She was awarded the Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
in 1998, Kalidas Samman
Kalidas samman
The Kalidas Samman is a prestigious arts award presented annually by the government of Madhya Pradesh in India. The award is named after Kālidāsa, a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer of ancient India, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language.The Kalidas Samman...
in 2001, and in 2004, the Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi
Sangeet Natak Akademi is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India.-History:...
, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama, presented her with its highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship
The Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, also, Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna Sadasya is an honour for the performing arts in India...
for lifetime achievement. She received the Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
, India's second-highest civilian honor, in 2010.
Early life and education
She was born Zohra Mumtaz (Sahibzadi Zohra Begum Mumtaz-ullah Khan') on 27 April 1912, in SaharanpurSaharanpur
Saharanpur is a city and a Municipal Corporation in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. It is the administrative headquarters of Saharanpur District as well as Saharanpur Division...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, one of seven children of a land-owning family of Rohilla
Rohilla
The Rohilla are a community of Hindi-speaking Pashtun also known as Pathan, historically found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in North India. Most are now also found in Pakistan where they are now part of the Mohajir community. At one time, they form one of the largest Pashtun diaspora community...
Pathan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
s, of Mumtazullah Khan and Natiqua Begum, belonging to Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Rampur is a city and a municipality located in Rampur District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Rampur district is located at Longitude 78-0-54 to 69-0-28 East and Latitude 28-25 to 29-10 North and spans an area of 2,367 km².It also gave its name to a former princely state of British...
. She was third of her seven siblings — Zakullah, Hajrah, Ikramullah, Uzra (Uzra Butt
Uzra Butt
Uzra Butt was a theatre personality of the Indian sub-continent, who moved to Pakistan in 1964. She was the sister of theatre and Bollywood film actress Zohra Segal, who, unlike her, lived in India....
), Anna and Sabira — and grew up in Chakrata
Chakrata
Chakrata or Chakrauta is a cantonment town in Dehradun district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.It is situated between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 7000–7250 feet, 92 km from state capital, Dehradun, it was originally a cantonment of British Indian Army...
, now in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
(near Dehradun
Dehradun
- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
). Like other families of the same class she was brought up in Sunni Muslim traditions — five prayers a day and fasting during Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. As a girl she was a tomboy
Tomboy
A tomboy is a girl who exhibits characteristics or behaviors considered typical of the gender role of a boy, including the wearing of typically masculine-oriented clothes and engaging in games and activities that are often physical in nature, and which are considered in many cultures to be the...
fond of climbing trees and playing games.
Zohra, lost vision in her left eye as she contracted glaucoma at the age of 1. She was referred to a hospital in Birmingham where she was treated at a cost of £300,000.
She lost her mother while still young. As per their mother's wishes, she and her sister were sent to Queen Mary's Girls College, Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, attended by the daughters of aristocratic families, and with all English staff. Strict purdah
Purdah
Purdah or pardeh is the practice of concealing women from men. According to one definition:This takes two forms: physical segregation of the sexes, and the requirement for women to cover their bodies and conceal their form....
was observed in the institution and the few males invited to speak there had to do so from behind a screen. As a result of seeing her sister's failed marriage, she decided to pursue a career, rather than get married.
Upon graduating, her maternal uncle, Sahebzada Saeeduzzafar Khan, who was based in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
to study medicine, arranged for her to apprentice under a British actor. So they started from Lahore by car and, en route, crossed Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, before reaching Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, where she met her cousin. Then they traveled into Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and caught a boat to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
.
Once in Europe she did two things: First she discarded her burqa
Burqa
A burqa is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic religion to cover their bodies in public places. The burqa is usually understood to be the woman's loose body-covering , plus the head-covering , plus the face-veil .-Etymology:A speculative and unattested etymology...
forever, and second she changed her mind about her career path; she decided to become a dancer instead. Her aunt Dicta took her to try in the Mary Wigman
Mary Wigman
Mary Wigman was a German dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor.A pioneer of expressionist dance, her work was hailed for bringing the deepest of existential experiences to the stage...
’s ballet school in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Germany, but she had not ever danced, having lived in purdah for so long. Nevertheless she got admission and became the first Indian to study at the institution. She stayed in Dresden for the next three years studying modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
, while living in the house of Countess Liebenstein. Then she happened to watch the Shiv-Parvati ballet by Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
, who was touring Europe. This was to change her life forever as, impressed by the performance, she went back stage to meet Uday Shankar, who promised her a job on her return to India, at the completion of her course.
Career
Almora
Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...
. It was here that she met Kameshwar Segal, a young scientist, painter and dancer from Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
, eight years her junior, belonging to the Radha Swami
Radha Soami
Radhasoami is a philosophical organization originating in 19th century India, and considered by adherents as a true way to attain God realization...
sect. There was initial opposition from her parents, but they eventually gave their approval to marry. Although Kameshwar was willing to convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to marry Zohra, neither she nor her parents insisted on it. They married on 14 August 1942. Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
was to attend the wedding reception, but he was arrested a couple of days earlier for supporting Gandhi's Quit India Movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
.
Zohra and Kameshwar Segal had two children, Kiran (b. 1944) and Pavan. For a while the couple worked in Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar , the pioneer of modern dance in India, and a world renowned Indian dancer and choreographer, was most known for adapting Western theatrical techniques to traditional Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian classical, folk, and tribal dance, thus laying the roots of...
’s dance institute at Almora
Almora
Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...
. Both became accomplished dancers and choreographers. Kameshwar composed a noted ballet for human puppets and choreographed the ballet Lotus Dance. When it shut down later, they migrated to Lahore and set up their own Zohresh Dance Institute. The growing communal tension preceding the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
made them feel unwelcome. They migrated to Bombay, with one-year-old daughter, Kiran. By now, her sister Uzra Butt was already a leading lady with Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor
Prithviraj Kapoor , 3 November 1906 – 29 May 1972) was a pioneer of Indian theatre and of the Hindi film industry, who started his career as an actor, in the silent era of Hindi cinema, associated with IPTA and who founded Prithvi Theatres, a travelling theatre company based in Mumbai, in...
's Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre
Prithvi Theatre is one of Mumbai's best known theatres. It belongs to the Kapoor family, one of the most influential actor/director families in Bollywood. The theatre is named after Prithviraj Kapoor who first founded 'Prithvi Theatres', a travelling theatre company in 1944. The company ran for...
. Ultimately, she too joined Prithvi Theatre in 1945, as an actress with a monthly salary of Rs 400, and toured every across India with the group, for the next 14 years.
Also in 1945, soon after her arrival, she joined the leftist theatre group, IPTA
Ipta
IPTA can refer to:* Indian People's Theatre Association* International Pulsar Timing Array...
, acted in several plays, and made her film debut in IPTA's first film production, directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas , popularly known as K. A. Abbas, was an Indian film director, novelist, screenwriter, and a journalist in the Urdu, Hindi and English languages...
, Dharti Ke Lal
Dharti Ke Lal
Dharti Ke Lal is a 1946 Hindi film and the first directorial venture of the noted film director Khwaja Ahmad Abbas...
in 1946; she followed it up with another IPTA-supported film, Chetan Anand
Chetan Anand (producer & director)
Chetan Anand was an acclaimed Hindi film producer, screenwriter and director from India, whose debut film, Neecha Nagar, bagged the Palme d'Or award, at the Cannes Film Festival in 1946....
's Neecha Nagar
Neecha Nagar
Neecha Nagar is a 1946 Hindi film directed by Chetan Anand. Written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, this film was a pioneering effort in social realism in Indian cinema, and paved the way for many such 'Parallel Cinema' films by other directors and many of them written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas...
. In the same year, it became the first Indian film to gain critical international recognition and won the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
Her involvement remained mostly with the theatre, though she did do a few films in between. During their stay in Bombay, the couple came to know many celebrities, including Ebrahim Alkazi
Ebrahim Alkazi
Ebrahim Alkazi is one of the most influential Indian theatre directors and Drama teachers in 20th century Indian theatre. He also remained the Director of National School of Drama, New Delhi He has also been a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and found Art Heritage Gallery in...
, in whose play, Din Ke Andhere, Zohra played the role of Begum Qudsia; K.A. Abbas, in whose plays she acted for IPTA; Chetan and Uma Anand
Chetan Anand (producer & director)
Chetan Anand was an acclaimed Hindi film producer, screenwriter and director from India, whose debut film, Neecha Nagar, bagged the Palme d'Or award, at the Cannes Film Festival in 1946....
in whose house the couple stayed when they first moved to Bombay; and Dev Anand
Dev Anand
Dharam Dev Anand , better known as Dev Anand , is an Indian Hindi Cinema actor, director and film producer. Dev is the second of three brothers who were active in Hindi Cinema. His brothers are Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand. Their sister, Sheel Kanta Kapur, is the mother of renowned Hindi and...
his brother. She did choreography of a few Hindi films as well, including Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
's Baazi
Baazi
Baazi is a 1951 Indian Hindi film directed by Guru Dutt. Dev Anand's Navketan production house produced the movie, and as per a commitment given by Dev Anand to Guru Dutt in their days of struggle, the movie was directed by Dutt....
(1951) and the dream sequence song in Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor
Known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor Rāj Kapūr, 14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards, while his films Awaara and Boot Polish were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the...
's film Awaara
Awaara
Awaara is a 1951 Hindi film directed and produced by Raj Kapoor who also plays the leading role. His real-life father Prithviraj Kapoor stars as his on-screen father Judge Raghunath. Kapoor's youngest real-life brother Shashi Kapoor plays the younger version of his character...
. Kameshwar, on the other hand, became art director in Hindi films and later tried his hand at film direction.
Zohra Segal had been acting on the stage in different parts of India and putting up plays for jails inmates, including at Ferozepore jail. After staging a play, she stayed on to watch an execution.
After her husband's death in 1959, Zohra first moved to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and became director of the newly founded Natya Academy. She then moved London on a drama scholarship in 1962. Here she met Ram Gopal
Ram Gopal (dancer)
Bissano Ram Gopal OBE was an Indian dancer who performed and toured extensively throughout his lengthy career. The Polish critic Tadeus Zelinski called him "the Nijinsky of India"....
, a India-born Bharatnatyam dancer, and starting 1963, worked as a teacher in 'Uday Shankar style' of dance at his school in Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, during the short period of its existence. Her first role for British television was in a BBC adaptation of a Kipling story, The Rescue of Pluffles
The Rescue of Pluffles
The Rescue of Pluffles is a short story by Rudyard Kipling. Its first appearance in book form was in Kipling's first collection of short stories, Plain Tales from the Hills ; it was first published in the Civil and Military Gazette on November 20, 1886. It centres on Mrs Hauksbee, and beginsMrs....
, in 1964. She also anchored 26 episodes of BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV series, Padosi (Neighbours), made in 1976-77. Her career in the next almost two decades remained sporadic, despite several small appearances in many films.
In London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Zohra got her first break in the films and was signed by Merchant Ivory Productions
Merchant Ivory Productions
Merchant Ivory Productions is a film company founded in 1961 by producer Ismail Merchant and director James Ivory. Their films were for the most part produced by the former, directed by the latter, and scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, with the noted exception of a few films. The films were often...
. She appeared in The Courtesans of Bombay directed by James Ivory
James Ivory (director)
James Francis Ivory is an American film director, best known for the results of his long collaboration with Merchant Ivory Productions, which included both Indian-born film producer Ismail Merchant, and screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala...
in 1982. This paved way for a important role as Lady Chatterjee in the television adaptation The Jewel in the Crown
The Jewel in the Crown
The Jewel in the Crown is a British television serial about the final days of the British Raj in India during World War II, based upon the Raj Quartet novels by Paul Scott...
(ITV, 1984). Thus starting the second phase of her career, as she went on to appear in The Raj Quartet, The Jewel in the Crown, Tandoori Nights
Tandoori Nights
Tandoori Nights was a television sitcom broadcast on Channel 4 between 1985 and 1987. It consisted of two series of six episodes each. The series was directed by Jon Amiel and written by Farrukh Dhondy. It is the story of two rival restaurants in London, and starred Saeed Jaffery, Tariq Yunus, Rita...
, My Beautiful Laundrette
My Beautiful Laundrette
My Beautiful Laundrette is a 1985 British comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears from a screenplay by Hanif Kureishi. The story is set in London during the period when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, as shown through the complex—and often comical—relationships...
and others.
Return to India
Zohra came back to India, in the mid-1990s, and acted in several films, plays and TV series since. She first performed poetry at a memorial to Uday Shankar organised by his brother, Ravi ShankarRavi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
in 1983, and soon took it in big way; she started getting invited to perform poetry at various occasions. She even traveled to Pakistan to recite verses for "An Evening With Zohra". Over time even her impromptu performances of Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
and Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
verses have become a norm, as after the stage performances she is often requested by the audience to recite Hafeez Jullundhri's famous nazm
Nazm
Urdu Nazm is a major part of the Urdu poetry, that is normally written in rhymed verse and also in modern prose style poems. Nazm has many different forms as,* Doha * Geet * Hamd * Hazal * Hijv...
, Abhi To Main Jawan Hoon.
In 1993, a critically acclaimed play, Ek Thi Nani, was staged in Lahore for the first time, featuring Zohra and her sister Uzra Butt now staying in Pakistan. The play is based on the lives of Zohra and Uzra, who were separated by the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947 and re-united only in the late 1980s, after a gap of 40 years. This was performed several times in India and Pakistan. A performance reading of its English version, A Granny for All Seasons, was held at UCLA in 2001. In 2008, at the United Nations Population Fund
United Nations Population Fund
The United Nations Population Fund is a UN organization. The work of the UNFPA involves promotion of the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. This is done through major national and demographic surveys and with population censuses...
(UNPF)-Laadli Media Awards in New Delhi, she was felicitated as the 'Laadli of the century'; the award was handed over by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit
Sheila Dikshit is the Chief Minister of Delhi. She is from the Indian National Congress. Dikshit was sworn in as the Chief Minister for a third consecutive term of the Government of Delhi state in January 2009 after pulling a victory in November 2008 state elections...
.
Known for her sense of humour and wit, Zohra's all-time favourite quote remains:
"You are seeing me now, when I am old and ugly. You should have seen me then, when I was young and ugly."
Personal life
She was married to Kameshwar Nath Segal.She is based in Delhi, India, where she stays with her daughter, Kiran Segal, an Odissi
Odissi
Odissi, also spelled Orissi , is one of the eight classical dance forms of India. It originates from the state of Orissa, in eastern India. It is the oldest surviving dance form of India on the basis of archaeological evidences. The classic treatise of Indian dance, Natya Shastra, refers to it as...
danseuse. Her son Pavan, who works for the WHO
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, married Seema Rai, the granddaughter of Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand , was a famous writer of modern Hindi-Urdu literature. He is generally recognized in India as the foremost Hindi-Urdu writer of the early twentieth century...
, and the couple have three children Rohan, Taamra and Anushka.
She is an agnostic having been an atheist in her youth.
As an actor
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1946 | Dharti Ke Lal Dharti Ke Lal Dharti Ke Lal is a 1946 Hindi film and the first directorial venture of the noted film director Khwaja Ahmad Abbas... |
| 1946 | Neecha Nagar Neecha Nagar Neecha Nagar is a 1946 Hindi film directed by Chetan Anand. Written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, this film was a pioneering effort in social realism in Indian cinema, and paved the way for many such 'Parallel Cinema' films by other directors and many of them written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas... |
| 1950 | Afsar Afsar Afsar is a 1950 Bollywood romantic comedy film directed by Chetan Anand. It was produced by and starred Dev Anand. It co-starred Suraiya, who also recorded the playback singing for the film.-Cast:*Dev Anand ... Kapur*Suraiya ... Bimala*Rashid Khan... |
| 1956 | Heer |
| 1964 | The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling |
| 1964–1965 | Doctor Who Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... (TV series) |
| 1967 | The Long Duel The Long Duel The Long Duel is a 1967 British adventure film directed by Ken Annakin and starring Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard, Charlotte Rampling and Harry Andrews... |
| 1967 | Theatre 625 (TV series) |
| 1968 | The Vengeance of She The Vengeance of She The Vengeance of She is a 1968 British fantasy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring John Richardson, Olga Schoberová, Edward Judd and Colin Blakely. It bears little in common with the novel Ayesha: The Return of She by H. Rider Haggard... |
| 1968 | The Expert (TV series) |
| 1969 | The Guru The Guru (1969 film) The Guru is a film by Merchant Ivory Productions, with a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and James Ivory.-Plot synopsis:A rock star, Tom Pickle , travels to India to learn to play the sitar with the great musician Ustad Zafar Khan... |
| 1973 | The Regiment (TV series) |
| 1973 | Tales That Witness Madness Tales That Witness Madness Tales That Witness Madness is a 1973 British horror film produced by Norman Priggen, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, and written by actress Jennifer Jayne.... |
| 1974 | It Ain't Half Hot Mum It Ain't Half Hot Mum It Ain't Half Hot Mum was a British sitcom about the adventures of a Royal Artillery Concert Party, broadcast on the BBC between 1974 and 1981, and written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, the creators of Dad's Army... (TV series) |
| 1978 | Mind Your Language Mind Your Language Mind Your Language is a British comedy television series, that premiered on ITV in late 1977. Produced by LWT and directed by Stuart Allen, it is set in an adult education college in London and focuses on the English as a Foreign Language class taught by Mr. Jeremy Brown, portrayed by Barry Evans,... (TV series) |
| 1983 | The Courtesans of Bombay The Courtesans of Bombay The Courtesans of Bombay is a 1983 British docudrama directed by Ismail Merchant. A collaboration by Merchant, James Ivory, and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, the film focuses on a Bombay compound known as Pavan Pool, where women aspiring to work in the entertainment industry dance for donations from a male... |
| 1984 | The Jewel in the Crown (TV series) |
| 1985 | Tandoori Nights Tandoori Nights Tandoori Nights was a television sitcom broadcast on Channel 4 between 1985 and 1987. It consisted of two series of six episodes each. The series was directed by Jon Amiel and written by Farrukh Dhondy. It is the story of two rival restaurants in London, and starred Saeed Jaffery, Tariq Yunus, Rita... (TV series) |
| 1985 | Harem |
| 1986 | Caravaggio Caravaggio (film) Caravaggio is a British film directed by Derek Jarman. The film is a fictionalized re-telling of the life of Baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.-Plot:... |
| 1987 | Partition |
| 1987 | Never Say Die |
| 1989 | Manika, une vie plus tard |
| 1989 | The Bill The Bill The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work... |
| 1991 | Masala Masala Masala or massala is a term used in South Asian cuisines to mostly describe a mixture of spices. A masala can either be a combination of dried spices, or a paste made from a mixture of spices and other ingredients—often garlic, ginger, onions and chilli paste... |
| 1992 | Firm Friends |
| 1993 | Bhaji on the Beach Bhaji on the Beach Bhaji on the Beach is a 1993 film by director Gurinder Chadha with a screenplay by Meera Syal.-Plot synopsis:A diverse group of British women of South Asian descent go on a day trip to the beach in Blackpool; despite their differences—the older women are more traditional and conservative,... |
| 1994 | Little Napoleons |
| 1995 | Amma and Family (TV series) |
| 1997 | Tamanna |
| 1998 | Not a Nice Man to Know |
| 1998 | Dil Se Dil Se Dil Se is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Mani Ratnam. The film stars Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, and Preity Zinta. Mani Ratnam also co-wrote the screenplay for the film... |
| 1999 | Khwaish |
| 1999 | Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam The music was composed by Ismail Darbar with lyrics by Mehboob. It received nine Filmfare Awards nominations in the music and singing categories and produced some winners as well.-Track listing:-2000 National Awards:* Best Music Direction - Ismail Darbar... |
| 1999 | Dillagi |
| 2000 | Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa, is a Bollywood movie released in 2000 starring Abhishek Bachchan and Kirti Reddy in leading roles.-Plot:... |
| 2001 | Landmark Landmark This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth... |
| 2001 | Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... is a Bollywood film released in India and countries with large NRI populations on 14 December 2001.... |
| 2001 | Zindagi Kitni Khoobsoorat Hai |
| 2001 | The Mystic Masseur The Mystic Masseur The Mystic Masseur is a Merchant Ivory film based on the novel of the same title by V. S. Naipaul.It is one of relatively few films directed by Ismail Merchant who is better known as the producer in the Merchant Ivory partnership.... |
| 2002 | Bend it Like Beckham Bend It Like Beckham Bend It Like Beckham is a 2002 comedy-drama film starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Anupam Kher, Shaznay Lewis, and Archie Panjabi first released in the United Kingdom. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha... |
| 2002 | Anita and Me Anita and Me Anita and Me is Meera Syal's debut novel, and was first published in 1996. It is a semi-autobiographical novel which won the Betty Trask Award.... |
| 2002 | Chalo Ishq Ladaaye Chalo Ishq Ladaaye Chalo Ishq Ladaaye ) is a 2002 Indian movie directed by Aziz Sejawal, starring Govinda and Rani Mukerji. The film is a comedy.- Synopsis :... |
| 2003 | Saaya Saaya Saaya may refer to:* Saaya, a 2003 Indian film.* Saaya , a 1990s television drama telecast on Sony Entertainment Television .* Saaya Irie, a Japanese actress, junior idol and singer.* Mera Saaya, a 1966 Indian film.... |
| 2004 | Kaun Hai Jo Sapno Mein Aaya? |
| 2004 | Veer-Zaara Veer-Zaara The soundtrack was released on CD and specially on Audio DVD. The music is based on old and untouched compositions by the late Madan Mohan, as revised by his son Sanjeev Kohli.... |
| 2005 | Chicken Tikka Masala |
| 2005 | Mistress of Spices Mistress of Spices The Mistress of Spices, , set in contemporary Oakland, California, is a novel by Indian American writer and University of Houston Creative Writing Program professor Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.-Plot summary:... |
| 2007 | Cheeni Kum Cheeni Kum Cheeni Kum is an 2007 Bollywood romance film directed by R. Balki, starring Amitabh Bachchan as an 64 year-old man, opposite Tabu, who plays an 34-year old who falls in love with Bachchan. Produced by Sunil Manchanda, the film releasd on 25 May 2007.-Plot:Cheeni Kum focuses on Buddhadev Gupta... |
| 2007 | Saawariya Saawariya Saawariya is a 2007 Hindi film based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's short story "White Nights".Co-produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment and released on 9 November 2007, it is the first Bollywood movie to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio, shortly preceding Walt Disney Pictures'... |
Awards
- 1963 Sangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi AwardSangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
- 1998: Padma ShriPadma ShriPadma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
- 2001: Kalidas SammanKalidas sammanThe Kalidas Samman is a prestigious arts award presented annually by the government of Madhya Pradesh in India. The award is named after Kālidāsa, a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer of ancient India, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language.The Kalidas Samman...
- 2002: Padma BhushanPadma BhushanThe Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
- 2004: Sangeet Natak Akademi FellowshipSangeet Natak Akademi FellowshipThe Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, also, Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna Sadasya is an honour for the performing arts in India...
- 2010: Padma VibhushanPadma VibhushanThe Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
Further reading
- Stages: The Art and Adventures of Zohra Segal, by Zohra Segal, Joan Landy Erdman. Published by Kali for Women, 1997. ISBN 8185107599. (autobiography)
- Theatre and Activism in the 1940s . Essay by Zohra Segal Crossing boundaries, by Geeti Sen. Orient Blackswan, 1998. pp 31–39. ISBN 8125013415.
- Shashi Kapoor presents the Prithviwallahs, by Shashi KapoorShashi KapoorShashi Kapoor , born Balbir-Raj Prithviraj Kapoor on 18 March 1938 in Calcutta , is an award-winning Indian film actor and film producer. He has also been film director and assistant director in Hindi Films. He is a member of the Kapoor family, a film dynasty in India's Bollywood cinema...
, Deepa Gahlot, Prithvi Theatre (Bombay, India). Roli Books, 2004. ISBN 8174363483.
External links
- Zohra Segal Filmography at New York Times
- Zohra Sehgal uncut: Of love, acting & Bloody Mary CNN IBNCNN IBNCable News Network-Indian Broadcasting Network is an English-language Indian television news channel. The network is a partnership between Global Broadcast News and Turner International in India . Rajdeep Sardesai is the Editor-in-Chief of the network...