Kiran Bala Sachdev alias Tabassum Govil was an actress, producer, director, film maker, editor, talk show host and You Tuber, who started as child actor.
Vivacious, eloquent, Tabassum was born in Bombay. She was named Tabassum by her father Ayodhyanath and Kiran Bala by her mother Asghari Begum. An Arts graduate from Aligarh Muslim University, she had the distinction of being active in film, television, radio, print, stage shows and journalism for over five decades.
She was the editor of the popular magazine Grihalaxmi, a Hindi women’s magazine for 15 years and published more than 10 books of jokes and Urdu shayaris. On You Tube, in her show Ye Thi Tabassum, she shared film memories of bygone days, and in Tabassum Talkies, with 737k subscribers, she spoke about Indian cinema legends.
As a pioneering 70s host, of the first ever TV talk show, Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan, on Doordarshan, based on film celebrity interviews, she became a household name. Versatile and erudite, Tabassum won hearts with her smile and nasal twang. A rose tucked behind her ear became her style statement.
Her show ran for a record 21 long years (1972 to 1993), helping her take to stage compering too. Initially, DD wanted to name it Guldasta, but she chose a Begum Akhtar’s couplet Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan. Doorsharshan paid her a paltry Rs 70 per episode, and towards the end, Rs 750! Hurt, she quit when the younger generation in the same format, were paid in thousands. She continued to host the show Abhi Toh Main Jawaan Hoon on TV Asia USA and Canada, based on the golden era of Hindi Cinema.
In 2006, she made a TV comeback as an actress in Pyaar Ke Do Naam: Ek Raadha, Ek Shyaam, produced by Rajshri Productions; became a judge in a reality stand-up comedy show Ladies Special (2009); was seen in a lead role in the Hindi TV serial Zimbo Ka Beta (1966) and hosted a devotional TV show Bhakti Main Masti, Tabassum Bhajan Sandhya.
At four, Tabassum hosted a children’s radio show Phulwari, aired on A.I.R.; was a radio jockey in 1970 for the TV show Saridon Ke Saathi with Ameen Sayani and hosted Maratha Darbar Ki Mehkti Batein, a comedy radio show. On stage, she performed in a show, Tabassum Hit Parade.
She began her film career aged three, for the 1947 Hindi film Nargis getting recognition as Baby Tabassum. After that came Mera Shad, Manjhdhar and Bari Behen, Sangram, Afsana and Bahar. In Deedar, she played Nargis’s childhood role. The iconic song, Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena was picturised on her and Parikshit Sahni. In the film Baiju Bawra, she played Meena Kamari’s childhood role. After Sangram, Afsana and Bahar, as a child actor, her last Hindi film was Baap Beti (1954). At 10, she was earning Rs. 7 to 8 lakh per film, but sadly most of it outstanding.
Tabassum appeared in 1966 as the lead in the Hindi film Zimbo ka Beta. Others films in 1970s included, Ganwaar, Heer Raanjha, Johny Mera Naam, Gambler, Shaadi Ke Baad, and Maa Bahan Aur Biwi and the lead in the Gujarati Upar Gagan Vishal. After a hiatus, she played character roles in Sur Sangam, Naache Mayuri and Chameli ki Shaadi and the 1990 film Swarg.
Tabassum wrote, produced, and directed her debut movie, Tum Par Hum Qurban, in 1985 with son Hoshang Govil in the lead, but the film flopped. Kartoot directed by her got shelved. She introduced talents like Johnny Lever and Sunidhi Chauhan to Bollywood.
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A. Radhakrishnan is a Pune based freelance journalist, poet and short story writer.
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