Larger than life, with the biggest hair, possessing more fireworks than a Saturn V rocket on liftoff, that is how Bollywood remembers Bindu. She is the third point in the 'holy trinity' of item number queens. Along with Helen and Aruna Irani , Bindu defined the Bollywood 'cabaret' dance number and the role of the 'Vamp'. Of the three, Bindu displayed the most camp and kitsch, plus she was the most brazen in her characterization of the vamp. Her roles in "Zanjeer" [1973] and "Hawas" [1974] are classic Bollywood representations of the 'bad girl'.

Bindu though was more than just a vamp. She excelled in a large number of dramatic roles where she played 'other woman', sidekicks, and 'mean in-law' characters. In all Bindu has appeared in over 150 films, only a portion of which she played the vamp.

In 1973 Bindu was given a serious role in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's "Abhimaan" and it changed her image. Film producers saw that there was more to Bindu than just 'oomph' and her acting in "Abhimaan" opened the door for her career as a dramatic actress. So it was that even after her vamp phase Bindu became one of the sought after character actress' of Hindi cinema in a career that fruitfully continued through the 90s. One of her last memorable roles was in the Bollywood classic, "Hum Aapke Hai Kaun" [1974].

Bindu is still open to acting roles and she works in Bollywood even today. She recently appeared in a comic role as an eccentric relative in the Yash Chopra produced film, "Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai" [2002].

Bindu for the past three decades has proven herself as one of the stalwarts of Bollywood cinema, but most of all she will always be remembered as one of the immortal 'sex symbols' of Indian film.

Bindu Photo Galleries 1 - "Zanjeer" [1973] 2 - "Joshila" [1973] 3 - "Hawas" [1974] 4 - "Ganga Ki Saugandh" [1978] 5 - "Chuppa Rustam" (1973

 

Bindu links:

123India.com Bindu profile

Chatterbox article on the 'vamp'

Dinesh Raheja 's rediff.com profile of "Abhimaan" the film that helped Bindu break out of her 'Vamp' stereotype.