Grand dame of Indian cinema, Sulochana, passes away at 94

MUMBAI: A golden chapter of Indian cinema came to a close when Sulochana Latkar, the grand old artiste of Marathi and Hindi cinema, passed away at age 94 on Sunday.
Her repertoire spanned 250 Hindi and 50 Marathi movies, mostly as mother to multiple generations of artistes.

Born in 1928, she began her film career in Kolhapur in 1942. It was Bhalji Pendharkar who gave her the screen name Sulochana.
Right from her young appearance in Bimal Roy's 'Sujata' (1959), Sulochanaji had played mother or aunt to generations of actors from Nutan, Asha Parekh, Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar and Sunil Dutt to Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra. Dignity and grace was the hallmark of her expansive career, be it through the age of tamasha films in Marathi or her roles as the suffering mother in Hindi cinema. The soft spoken lady remain firm of principle.
Her stellar filmography in Marathi encompasses 'Sasurvas', 'Vahinichya Bangdya', 'Molkarin', 'Bhaubeej', 'Dhakti Zaoo', 'Sukhache Sobti', 'Sangtye Aika', 'Laxmi Aali Ghara' and 'Chhatrapati Shivaji'. And her Hindi line-up includes countless hits from 'Dil Deke Dekho' to 'Ab Dilli Dur Nahin', 'Talaash', 'Reshma Aur Shera', 'Johny Mera Naam', 'Majboor', 'Aayi Milan Ki Bela' and 'Azaad'. Her last film was 'Pariksha' (2007).
On Amitabh Bachchan's 75th birthday, she had presented him a handwritten letter saying, "This special day is called Amrit Mahotsav in Marathi. I pray to God that he keeps showering nectar in your life like this." The actor was overwhelmed, he said.
Sulochanaji had been intermittently ill and was admitted to Sushrusha Hospital in Dadar twice in the recent past. Sushrusha dean Dr Rekha Bhatkhande said, "She was admitted on May 9 for an infection but her condition deteriorated on Saturday. She eventually passed away Sunday of age-related ailments."
The thespian is survived by her daughter Kanchan Ghanekar, who was married to Marathi superstar Kashinath Ghanekar. Her granddaughter Preeti Mhambrey told TOI, "My mother Kanchan was Sulochanaji's only daughter. But ours is a close-knit family and all nieces and nephews were very dear to her." Mhambrey said the actress' remains will be placed for public darshan at their Prabhadevi residence Monday noon onwards. The funeral is at Shivaji Park electric crematorium at 5.30pm.