As and when Bollywood history is rewritten, the mute question shall raise it's head and be asked.Would things have been different if NUTAN had not slapped SANJEEV KUMAR on the sets of Devi to convince her husband that there was nothing fishy going on between them. Or If HEMA MALINI had not been pressurised by DHARMENDER would she have agreed to marry SANJIV KUMAR. In either case the life of SULAKSHANA PANDIT would have taken a different course but alas that was not to be and the end result was that once her career wrapped up and SANJIV KUMAR passed away in his youth the 'Uljhan' of her life could well be the screenplay from any of her several successful films.

Nothing went right for "SULU"(as she was fondly known) because she was too emotional and caring and thus not only taken for granted but even exploited by her loved ones. She wore her heart on her sleeve and had tears of compassion in her lovely eyes. So giving her a sob story and conning her was child's play and that is what eventually did her in when the curtain came down on her career.

At the peak of her career there was simply nothing that SULAKSHANA PANDIT was lacking in. She had loads of talents, an overflow of super-hits and was very much in demand at the box-office. At one point of time she was neck to neck with REKHA& REENA ROY. Off-screen she was a natural beauty who was soft-spoken, shy and demure and had a good upbringing with her moral values intact. So getting married into a decent family and settling down would not have been difficult task if only she had consented.

Alas that was not to be as she spent most of her youth pining for SANJIV KUMAR who she was sure would change his mind and take her for his dulhan and then they would lived happily ever-after.But alas that was not to be, Even when he passed away then too SULAKSHANA PANDIT was but in her late 30's and marriage could have happened if she wanted but she chose to be haunted by his memories to lead a lonely life believing her family would always be there for her when she needed them just like she had blown up all her earnings in making them secure and settled and then on their fancy marriages not keeping any savings for herself.

Sadly when her career wrapped up and she had no emotional anchor to fall back on SULAKSHANA PANDIT found herself absolutely isolated when her family also turned it's back on her with the exception of VIJAYETA PANDIT who was virtually her shadow in both good and bad times. Call it irony that she left absolutely no stone unturned to get her brothers JATIN-LALIT a foot-hold in films as music directors by using her contacts and when they got established they refused to give her any songs in their films as they felt she was out-dated and not in sync with their times.

Even then through the darkest phase of her life(she actually lived without electricity in her house for several months because of unpaid dues) she was too dignified to speak her heart and virtually lived from hand to mouth when she stopped getting even Jagrans after she was found too old for live performances. Infact had it not been for VIJAYETA, one shudders to think what would have been her fate as she would most certianly lost the roof on her head to her creditors and recovery agents who had started hounding her.

With absolutely no source of fixed income to fall back upon and her flat mortaged, still SULAKSHANA PANDIT is too self respecting to live as a burden on her younger sister so she shuttles between RASHI & VIJAYETA so that neither feels the pinch of their 'SULU didi' living of them. Even now she yearns to sing again.Just a few handful of songs that let the world know she is still alive and just enough to keep her under her own roof with dignity and self-respect.

SULAKSHANA PANDIT is well past 50 and sorrow and misery have left ugly scars on her priceless beauty of her youth but even today her voice is a charming sweet and intoxicating as it was when she first sang 'Bekaraar Dil Tu Gaye Ja' oppostie Kishore Kumar in Door Ka Rahi almost 35 years back when she was abubby and giggly teenager raring to go and become India's next singing star after Noor Jahen had left for Pakistan and Suraiya had gone into retirement. Salma Agha was then to arrive so SULAKSHANA PANDIT was the best available option but alas love and her joint family obligations made everything come crumbling down. She herself agrees she can never be a singing star but surely she can still sing for her living- if only Bollywood would look at her with fresh eyes and instead of having pity on her give her what she is actually worth. Bappi Lahiri, A.R. Rehman or Annu Malik harp about knowing the taste of despair and the pain of struggling if only they would look beyond the stars of today and look at this fading star of yesterday who is clawing and clinging to lead a respectful life before death finally claims her.

While many believe that Saalakhen opposite Shashi Kapoor was her first film the truth is that her maiden film was Sankalp released in 1974 while Saalakhien cam later in 1975. But she was already a part of Bollywood as a playback singer since 1967. Some of the films that SULAKSHANA PANDIT shall always be remembered for include Uljhan, Apnapan, Hera Pheri, Bundalbaaz, Shankar Shamboo, Khandaan, Chehre Pe Chehra, Raja, Phansi, Saalahen & Sankoch but more that it's her lovely silky voice that even today makes her fans restless as they rewind her golden tracks. Apart fro Bekraar Dil Tu Gaye Ja, she also is fondly rembered for, 'Bandhi Rey Kai Preet' from Sankoch, 'Mausam Mausam Lovely Mausam' from Thodi Si Bewafi and 'Tu Hi Saagar Tu Hi Kinara' from Sankalp.

BY THE LIP

(CHHAYANKAN FEATURES)