Reena Roy

Biography

Reena Roy was a famous leading lady of Hindi films from 1972-1985. She came from a broken home, a Muslim father and Hindu mother, who separated after having four children together. Reena is their third child, and she started films in her early teens. Her career in films started off inauspiciously with B.R. Ishara's "Nayi Duniya Naye Log" (1973) with another newcomer Danny Denzongpa, which was shelved temporarily. B.R. Ishara cast both actors again in "Zaroorat" (1972), along with another newcomer Vijay Arora, and the racy film became a hit. Reena was now called the "Zaroorat Girl." She had to wait a while for her next break with Jaise Ko Taisa (1973), where her rain-soaked dance to the song "Abke Sawan" with Jeetendra raised temperatures. She was a working actress with films like Jangal Mein Mangal, Rani Aur Lalpari, Madhosh, Goonj, and Umar Qaid, but most didn't make an impact, until the mid-1970s, when Zakhmee (1975) and "Kalicharan" (1976) made her more popular among directors and audiences. Initially, there was low expectations with Kalicharan, since Subhash Ghai, a failed actor, was making his directorial debut, and Shatrugan Sinha, an actor known for his villainous roles, was making his first mark as the lead hero. But the film defied everyone's expectations and became a surprise hit, and Reena as Shatrugan's love interest got attention from audiences. They became a off-screen pair as well, and they signed several films together.