Google Pays Tribute to Actress Zohra Sehgal through This Delightful Doodle
Google surely brightened up our day by coming up with the most vibrant Doodle! It paid tribute to veteran actress Zohra Sehgal through its new, colourful, and delightful Google Doodle.
Google surely brightened up our day by coming up with the most vibrant Doodle! It paid tribute to veteran actress Zohra Sehgal through its new, colourful, and delightful Google Doodle.
Adorning a bright pink saree, you can see Zohra smiling like she always did and posing in a dance form. This creative doodle was created by guest artist Parvati Pillai.
Raised in a traditional Muslim household, Zohra was born in Uttar Pradesh in 1912. Not only as an adult, but Zohra was also free-spirited even as a child. She loved climbing trees and playing outdoor games.
After witnessing her sister’s failed marriage, she decided not to get married and instead focused on other aspects of her life which highlights her independent streak.
She learned ballet in Mary Wigman’s ballet school in Dresden, Europe becoming the first Indian to study in that institution. Her passion for dancing took her across seas.
When she returned to India she became a teacher at the Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre at Almora. It was here that she met her future husband Kameshwar Sehgal who was eight years younger than her. Coming from conservative family background, the actress was not only bold to marry someone younger to her but also belonged to a different religion.
She joined the theatre group ‘Indian People’s Theatre Association’ (IPTA). Through the platform, she acted in a film called ‘Neecha Nagar’ that got screened at the Cannes Film Festival bagging the Palme d’Or.
The Padma Shri awardee garnered the title ‘Doyenne of Indian theatre’ for her long contribution to theatre. The notable films she worked in were ‘Neecha Nagar’, ‘The Mystic Masseur’, ‘Bend It like Beckham’, ‘Cheeni Kum’, and many more.
The actress contributed to the Indian entertainment industry for more than 60 years. She became one of India’s first female actors to gain recognition on an international platform. How can we forget her entertaining performance in shows like the ‘Tandoori Nights’? Hindi movies, British films, and Television shows! Sahibzadi Zohra Mumtazullah Khan Begum had done it all.
‘The Grand Old Lady of India’ became an inspiration to many especially women because of her zest for life, passion for her work, and her unconventional ways. The multi-talented woman who was a dancer, choreographer, and an international actor rightly deserved this special tribute by Google.