22 minutes ago
- copy link
Today is the 23rd death anniversary of Bollywood actress Priya Rajvansh. He got recognition from one of the classic Bollywood films 'Heer Ranjha'. He played the role of Heer in this film. His life was no less than a fairy tale. Thanks to a photograph, she came into films.
While working in her very first film, she fell in love with director Chetan Anand but it ended very painfully.
Priya, who was seen in only seven films, was found dead in her house on March 27, 2000, there were a lot of controversies over her death, arrests were also made but till date who committed the murder has not been proved.
On his death anniversary, let us know some interesting facts and stories related to his life.
Priya's first film 'Haqeeqat' proved to be a hit.
Born in Shimla, Priya studied in London
On 30 December 1936, a daughter was born to government officer Sunder Singh, who was named Veera Sunder Singh. Veera did her schooling and graduation in Shimla only. Then Sunder Singh got transferred to London in connection with some project and Veera also reached London with her family. Here Veera took admission in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, London.
No one in her family had any connection with films but Veera was interested in acting, so she took admission in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Veera started learning acting and during this time she also started getting offers for modeling.
Photo changed life, got work in films
One day, a London photographer noticed Veera's beauty and he clicked some of her pictures secretly. This photographer came to India from London during a program where he first showed this picture to filmmaker Thakur Ranveer Singh.
Ranveer saw the picture and he just kept admiring Priya's beauty. Whoever saw Veera's pictures in the film industry became crazy about her. Everyone became desperate to know who this girl is?
That picture of Veera was also seen by Dev Anand's brother Chetan Anand, who was a well-known director of that time. In 1963, when Chetan planned to make the film 'Haqeeqat' on India-China War, he decided to cast Veera in the film. He tried his best to meet Veera and finally, thanks to a director, he met Veera.
Chetan offered Veera to work in reality which she accepted. Before the shooting of the film, Chetan advised Veera to change her name and named her Priya. 'Haqeeqat' was released and was a hit. Priya Rajvansh shone and filmmakers were desperate to cast her in the film.
Chetan Anand and Priya Rajvansh during the shooting of the film 'Haqeeqat'.
Fell in love with Chetan Anand who was 15 years older
Meanwhile, during the shooting, Chetan started liking Priya. He fell in love with Priya's beauty. During the shooting of Haqeeqat, his name started being associated with Priya and discussions about their affair became common in the gossip circles of Bollywood. This news spread more rapidly because Chetan was already married. He was 15 years elder than Priya.
Chetan was not happy with his married life and was living separately from his wife due to differences. Amidst the problems of his personal life, he started getting solace by spending time with Priya. On the other hand, Priya also started liking him.
Priya did the 1977 film Saheb Bahadur with Chetan's brother Dev Anand.
Chetan Anand stopped making films, Priya's career came to a halt
The closeness of personal life also affected reel life. Chetan was so positive about Priya that he did not allow her to work with any other filmmaker. This is the reason why in all the films he made after Haqeet, he signed only Priya as the heroine.
After 'Haqeeqat', Priya's second film was Heer Ranjha in which she was very much liked in the role of Heer. Priya had done a total of seven films in her career. His film journey, which started in 1964, ended with the film Haathon Ki Lakiron and this also proved to be his last film.
The reason for this was that Chetan Anand had stopped making films after Hain Lereeks. After leaving films, he made only one serial for Doordarshan named Paramveer Chakra. When Chetan Anand stopped making films, Priya's career also ended because she did not work with any other filmmaker.
Priya was seen opposite Rajkumar in the film 'Heer Ranjha'.
Lived in but not married
Priya was the most educated actress of her time, but despite this, despite family pressure, she neither left the married Chetan nor married him. Both of them lived together in a live-in relationship at Chetan Anand's Ruia Park bungalow in Juhu.
Chetan's two sons did not like the fact that their father separated from their mother and lived separately in a bungalow with Priya. Both sons Vivek and Ketan did not like Priya's tearful eyes. The matter became more heated when Chetan Anand got his will made. In that, as much property as he gave in the name of Ketan and Vivek, he also gave the same amount in the name of Priya. He also transferred the bungalow in Juhu to Priya's name. Both of them protested vigorously but Chetan did not listen to them.
Chetan passed away, Priya was left alone
Priya's relationship with Chetan continued till his death. Chetan Anand passed away on 6 July 1997. After this Priya became very lonely. He had no one left to share his happiness and sorrow. He spent almost three years in extreme loneliness. It became very difficult for her to live alone in the bungalow where she lived with Chetan for 20 years. She rarely came out of the bungalow.
Priya worked in these seven films
Priya worked in these seven films
1964 reality
1970 Heer Ranjha
1973 Hindustan Ki Kasam
1973 laughing wounds
1977 Saheb Bahadur
1981 nature
1986 lines of hands
Priya's death became an unsolved puzzle
Then came March 27, 2000…this was the day when Priya's body became a sensation when it was found in her bungalow. Initial police investigation revealed that Priya did not die a natural death but was murdered. Chetan's two sons Ketan and Vivek were suspected of murder and along with them, Mala and Ashok, two servants of the bungalow, were also arrested by the police on the charges of involvement in the murder.
In fact, Priya had also mentioned in her diary the bad relations with Chetan's sons and she had also expressed fear of danger to her life. He had also written in the diary that after Chetan's death, his sons were pressurizing him to leave the bungalow and return the property named by Chetan in his will.
Based on this, the police arrested both the servants including Ketan and Vivek. He was also sentenced but got bail in November 2002. In 2011, the court acquitted all four of the case due to lack of evidence and thus Priya's death remained an unsolved mystery forever.
