When and where was Sitara Devi born?
She was born in Kolkata on November 8, 1920. Her father,Sukhadev Maharaj, was a Kathak exponent who dedicated his life to teaching the dance form to his children and others despite facing stiff opposition from the elders of his community who associated the dance with naatch girls.
How did she get the name ‘Sitara’?
The dancer was originally named Dhanalakshmi as she was born around the time of Diwali. When she was eight years old, her performance in a school dance drama was appreciated by a local newspaper. When her father saw the news, he re-christened her as Sitara, the star.
What did Rabindranath Tagore call her?
When the poet saw the 16-year-old Sitara Devi perform in Mumbai, he was so impressed that he named her Nritya Samragini (Empress of Dance).
When did she start acting in movies?
When Sitara Devi moved to Mumbai with her family, she was noticed by Niranjan Sharma, a filmmaker and choreographer. She made her debut in a 1940 film, Usha Haran. She acted in movies like Roti, Hulchul and Anjali. Her last cinematic outing was in a dance sequence in Mother India, after which she quit Bollywood to focus on her dance.
What was special about her dancing style?
Sitara Devi’s dancing style reflected her flamboyance and energy. A master of abhinaya, she could convey myriad expressions with ease. She was passionate about her art and also added other dance styles like Bharatnatyam and Russian ballet to her repertoire.
Her dance earned her many awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Padmashri.