Dulari (actress)

This article is about an actress. For the actress and dancer of the 1940s, see Shama Dulari.

Dulari (real name Ambika Gautam) (18 April 1928 – 18 January 2013) was an Indian actress, who worked as character actors in Hindi cinema, appearing in 135 films, most notably Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Mujhe Jeene Do (1963), Teesri Kasam (1966), Padosan (1968) and Deewaar (1975).

Dulari
Born	Ambika Gautam (1928-04-18)18 April 1928 Nagpur, Central Provinces and Berar, British India
Died	18 January 2013(2013-01-18) (aged 84) Pune, Maharashtra, India
Other names	Rajdulari, Ambika Jagtap
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1943–2000
Spouse	J. B. Jagtap ​ (m. 1952)​
Children	1

Early life

Dulari was born on 18 April 1928 in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Her real name was Ambika Gautam. She was a Kanyakubja Brahmin from the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh. She was nick-named Rajdulari and later on only Dulari remained by which she was known.

Career

Forced to look for work after her father's illness, Dulari made her film debut with Bahen(1941), Hamari Baat (1943), produced by Bombay Talkies, and went to appear as a character actor in over 135 films in the following six decades. Her last screen appearance was in Ziddi (1997) directed by Guddu Dhanoa.^[1]

Her most notable role was in Jeevan Jyoti (1953). Her other important roles were in Pati Seva, Rangeen Kahani (1945) and some Gujarati films, Chundi ane Chokha (1957), Gunsundari (1948), Mangal Fera (1948).^[2]

Her other films are Karyavar (Gujarati), Aankh ka Taara, Akhri Daku, Darinda, Ahuti, Naastik, Dillagi and Darwaza.^[2]

She regularly played the loving but conservative mother figure in the late 1960s through the late 1970s. Prominent roles of that time include films like Padosan, Johny Mera Naam, and Deewaar, among others.

Personal life

She married sound recordist J. B. Jagtap in 1952, and took a break from acting for nine years.^[1] There are limited details available about her family and personal relationships. It is known that Dulari's career did not overshadow her commitment to her family, and she maintained a balance between her professional and personal responsibilities. She retired from acting in the 1980s and lived a quiet life thereafter.

Death

She died in an old age home in Pune, Maharashtra, aged 84. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and was bedridden for over two years. Through the last years of her life Cine & TV Artistes Association (CINTAA) had started providing her financial assistance after veteran actress Waheeda Rehman brought up her case.^[1]

Selected filmography

Year	Name of the movie	Role	Notes
1941	Bahen	as nurse in hospital
1941	Apna Paraya
1943	Hamari Baat
1947	Bhookh
1048	Gunsundari	Kusum	Gujarati film
1949	Mangalfera	Chandrika	Gujarati film, parallel lead
1951	Albela	Malti, Pyarelal's sister
1953	Jeewan Jyoti
1955	Devdas	Street Singer
1957	Johnny Walker	Shobha
1957	Paying Guest	Uma
1961	Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai
1961	Passport	Benny Dayal's Wife
1963	Mujhe Jeene Do
1966	Dil Diya Dard Liya
1966	Anupama	Sarla
1966	Aaye Din Bahar Ke
1966	Teesri Kasam	Hiraman's sister-in-law
1968	Saraswatichandra	Saraswati Chandra's step-mother
1968	Padosan	Bhola's aunt
1969	Pyar Ka Mausam
1969	Intaquam
1969	Chirag
1969	Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke	Jugal Kishore's Wife
1969	Aradhana	Doctor
1970	Ganwaar	Gopal's Mother
1970	Johny Mera Naam
1970	Holi Ayee Re
1971	Maryada
1971	Aan Milo Sajna
1971	Lal Patthar
1971	Mera Gaon Mera Desh
1971	Caravan
1971	Elaan
1972	Ek Nazar
1972	Annadata
1972	Zameen Aasmaan
1972	Bombay to Goa
1973	Barkha Bahar	Ganga's Mother
19765	Do Jasoos	Sarita Devi Verma
1975	Deewaar	Chander's Mother
1976	Sankoch
1976	Jeevan Jyoti	Ratna Chaurasia
1976	Bajrangbali	Devi Ma Shabri
1978	Ankh Ka Tara
1978	Do Musafir	Bholi, Shambhu's Wife
1978	Aakhri Daku
1978	Dillagi
1980	Aasha
1980	Hum Paanch
1981	Biwi-O-Biwi	Chander's Mother
1984	John Jani Janardhan	Fatima Bi
1984	Gangvaa
1984	Karishmaa	Radha's Mother
1985	Haqeeqat	Amar's Mother
1986	Dilwaala
1989	Suryaa: An Awakening	Ramu's Mother
1990	Amba	Nani Maa
1997	Ziddi