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Soni Razdan
British actress (born 1956) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Soni Bhatt (née Soni Razdan; born 25 October 1956), also known mononymously as Soni, is a British actress and film director who works in Indian Hindi-language films.[1] She had established herself as a leading actress of the 1980s and early 1990s. She is the recipient of several accolades, including one ITA Award, in addition to a Filmfare Award nomination.
Part of the Bhatt family of Indian cinema. She made her acting debut as Rosemary in 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981). Her breakthrough came with drama film Saaransh (1984), earning a nomination for the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for Best Actress and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Razdan received renewed recognition after appearearing in the Canadian film, Such a Long Journey (1998). Razdan's other notable works includes Mandi (1983), Trikal (1985), Khamosh (1985), Such a Long Journey (1998), Raazi (2018), and Yours Truly (2018). Razdan has also starred in many OTT series including, The Verdict - State vs Nanavati (2019), Out of Love (2019), This Way Up (2019), and Call My Agent: Bollywood (2021).
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Early life
Soni Razdan was born on 25 October 1956[2] in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, England to a British mother of German descent, Gertrude Hoelzer and an Indian father of Kashmiri Pandit descent, Narendra Nath Razdan. She grew up in Bombay, India.[3]
Razdan started her career in English theatre with John Fowles' The Collector and her Hindi stage career with Bund Darvaze, Satyadev Dubey's adaptation of Jean Paul Sartre's No Exit. Her photos were seen by Franco Zeffirelli who wanted to cast her as Mary in his miniseries, Jesus of Nazareth. The role, however, was given to Olivia Hussey and Razdan was cast as a young grieving mother as well as appearing as an extra in other scenes.[4]
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Career
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1991–1998: Early work and debut
Razdan debuted in Hindi films in a supporting role with the 1981 film 36 Chowringhee Lane starring Jennifer Kendal. It also marked the directorial debut of Aparna Sen, who had until then been known as a leading actress of Bengali cinema.[5] Razdan garnered mainstream attention for her appearance in the film. 36 Chowringhee Lane was also entered in the first edition of the Manila International Film Festival, where it won the top prize. Scholar Wimal Dissanayake sees the film as a portrayal of the patriarchal social system: "The film portrays the plight of a lonely woman in a society that cares little for questions of female subjectivity and self-fulfillment. In popular culture the title of the film has become symbolic of the city of Kolkata, particularly its cuisine. A Bangalore restaurant is called 36 Chowringhee Lane.[6] A fast-food chain in Delhi is called 34 Chowringhee Lane.[7] Then she also appeared in Ahista Ahista directed by Esmayeel Shroff. [8] It is a remake of the Kannada film Gejje Pooje.[9]
In 1983, she appeared in film called Mandi directed by Shyam Benegal. Based on a classic Urdu short story Aanandi by writer Ghulam Abbas, the film narrates the story of a brothel, situated in the heart of a city, an area that some politicians want for its prime locality.[10] The film is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution. Her major breakthrough came in 1984 film Saaransh. It is about an elderly Maharashtrian couple living in Mumbai who come to terms with the loss of their only son. It was directed by her now husband Mahesh Bhatt. It was also chosen as India's official entry for the 1985 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film but it was not nominated. Her performance in the film was critically appreciated by the audience for which she earned a nomination for the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for Best Actress and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.[11] In 1985, Razdan had two release in the year which was the Historical drama Trikal (alongside Leela Naidu, Naseeruddin Shah and Neena Gupta) and the Thriller Khamosh (alongside Shabana Azmi and again with Naseeruddin Shah), both of which were critically and commercially successful.[12] In 1986, Razdan starred in an English-language Indian film named On Wings of Fire.[13] From 1990-1993, Razdan appeared in 6 films. Including — Daddy, Sadak, Saathi, Sir, Gumrah, and Gunaah. Mostly she appeared as a supporting roles.[14][15]
In 1998, Razdan appeared as a lead in the Canadian film named Such a Long Journey, co-starring Roshan Seth and directed by Sturla Gunnarsson.[16] The story, based on the novel of the same name written by Rohinton Mistry.[17] The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.[18][19]
2001–present: Career slump and hiatus
In 2001, she appeared in the comedy film, Monsoon Wedding. Monsoon Wedding premiered in the Marché du Film section of the 2001 Cannes Film Festival[20][21] and went on to win the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival and receive a Golden Globe Award nomination while grossing over $30 million internationally at the box office. A musical based on the film premiered on Broadway in April 2014.[22] In 2017, IndieWire named it the 19th best romance of the 21st century.[23] Between 2004-2013, she appeared in many films including, Dobara,[24] Page 3,[25] Jaan-E-Mann, Dil Dosti Etc, Patiala House,[26]
Razdan directed a film called Love Affair that was expected to be released in 2016, but did not.[27][28] She acted in Meghna Gulzar's Raazi which also starred her daughter Alia in the lead role. This was the first time when she shared the screen with Alia where she played the character of Alia's mother.[29] Soni played the lead role in the film Yours Truly where she portrayed the character of a lonely middle-aged government employee Mithi Kumar.[30] Reviewer from The Quint writes, Sanjoy Nag uses silence as a tool to help us understand Mithi better, and Razdan embraces that silence. She is brave yet afraid, stoic yet vulnerable, lonely yet hopeful.[31] In 2019, she appeared in Noblemen, No Fathers in Kashmir and War.[32][33] Further she appeared in various of streaming projects including The Verdict – State vs Nanavati, Out of Love and This Way Up.[34]
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Advocacy
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In late 2018, Razdan signed a petition organized by PETA India supporting the Government of India's proposal to ban the use of animals in circuses. The petition, endorsed by thousands including several celebrities, urged stricter enforcement of animal welfare protections and the elimination of forced animal performances.[35] Following the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, Razdan publicly expressed solidarity with Kashmiri students facing mob violence and discrimination across India. She took to social media urging people to ensure the safety of innocent students from Kashmir, stating, "Mobs are the terrorists, not you."[36] She also joined other actors such as Pooja Bhatt and Swara Bhaskar in calling for peace and dialogue amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan.[37] Razdan supported the film No Fathers in Kashmir (2019), which deals with conflict in the Kashmir Valley. She described the film as one that "deserves to be seen" for its humanistic portrayal of the region's complex socio-political situation.[38] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Razdan advocated for broader access to vaccines, especially for working actors who cannot wear masks during shoots. She questioned the prioritization of age groups for vaccination and emphasized the need to protect those in high-contact professions.[39]
Razdan also lent her support to the "Find A Bed" initiative started by the India Is United Network (IIMUN) to assist COVID-affected individuals in finding isolation facilities. She encouraged the public to contribute space and resources, acknowledging the role of student volunteers in the campaign.[40]
Personal life
She is the mother of Shaheen Bhatt and actress Alia Bhatt, step mother of Pooja Bhatt & Rahul Bhatt.[41]
Razdan has stated that she has lived in India since she was a 3 month old and that she carries an Overseas Citizenship of India.[42]
Filmography
Films
Television
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Accolades
References
External links
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