https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Esther_Victoria_AbrahamEsther Victoria Abraham - Revision history2026-07-31T07:15:18ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Esther_Victoria_Abraham&diff=353027&oldid=prev333GO at 20:04, 22 September 20222022-09-22T20:04:11Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Indian model and actress}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Pramila<br />
| image = File:Pramila (Esther Victoria Abraham).jpg<br />
| alt =<br />
| caption =<br />
| birth_name = Esther Victoria Abraham<br />
| birth_date = 30 December 1916<br />
| birth_place = [[Calcutta]], [[Bengal Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]]<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|2006|8|6|1916|12|30|df=y}}<br />
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India<br />
| nationality = Indian<br />
| other_names =<br />
| occupation = {{ubl|Model|Actress}}<br />
| known_for =<br />
| children = [[Haidar Ali (actor)|Haidar Ali]]<br />
| parents =<br />
}}<br />
[[File:Pramila et Kumar dans Hamari Betiya (1936).jpg|thumb|Pramila in the 1936 film ''Hamari Betiya''.]]<br />
'''Esther Victoria Abraham''' (30 December 1916 – 6 August 2006), better known by her stage name '''Pramila''', was an Indian model, actress and first woman film producer in the Hindi film industry. She is also well known for winning the first [[Femina Miss India|Miss India]] pageant in 1947.<br />
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==Personal life==<br />
Pramila was born in 1916 in [[Calcutta|Kolkata]], to a [[Baghdadi Jews|Baghdadi Jewish family]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Jewish stars of Bollywood|newspaper=Haaretz|url=http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-features/jewish-stars-of-bollywood-1.515427|access-date=3 September 2014}}</ref><ref name=rediff>{{cite web|title=Meet Pramila, the first Miss India|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/28sld1.htm|access-date=3 September 2014|work=Rediff}}</ref> She was the daughter of Reuben Abraham, a businessman from [[Kolkata]], and Matilda Isaac, from [[Karachi]]. She had three siblings from her father's first marriage to Liya, and six siblings from her own parents' marriage.<br />
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Esther Victoria Abraham was married twice. She had a child from her first marriage. After she married again, to fellow actor Syed Hasan Ali Zaidi, better known as '''Kumar''', they had four children together. A practicing Shia Muslim, Zaidi appeared in ''[[Mughal-e-Azam]]'' and ''[[Shri 420]]''). Esther Victoria Abraham was his second wife.<ref>[http://www.jewishcalcutta.in/exhibits/show/film_p/pramila_1 Pramila: Esther Victoria Abraham – A Star Studded Bollywood and Glamour Family in India]. Jewish Calcutta</ref> After Kumar emigrated to Pakistan in 1963, Esther Victoria Abraham decided to stay in India, where she acted and produced films.<br />
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Her youngest son, [[Haidar Ali (actor)|Haidar Ali]], has also pursued a career in films and television. Her daughter [[Naqi Jahan]], was crowned Eve's Weekly Miss India in 1967, representing India at the [[Queen of the Pacific Quest]] beauty pageant in Australia.<ref>[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4402232,00.html "History of India's Jewish beauty queens"]. [[YNet]]</ref> They are the only mother and daughter to have both won the Miss India title.<br />
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Esther Victoria Abraham died on 6 August 2006.<ref name=cineplot>[http://cineplot.com/pramila-the-first-miss-india/ Pramila – The first Miss India]</ref><br />
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==Career==<br />
Pramila was the winner of the first [[Femina Miss India|Miss India]] pageant, in 1947 and at the age of 31.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zimbio.com/Bollywood+Movies/articles/18742/Pramila+Esther+Victoria+Abraham+Prami7la+First|publisher=[[Zimbio]]|access-date=10 February 2011|title=Pramila - Esther Victoria Abraham - PramilaFirst Miss India 1947 - A Tribute - Pictures}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.outlookindia.com/glitterati.aspx?106|publisher=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]|date=20 Oct 1997|title=Mama Hindustani}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KP9kAAAAMAAJ|title=Pramila, Esther Victoria Abraham-A biography|last1=Lakshmi|first1=C. S.|year=1998}}</ref> Her first job in the entertainment industry was as a dancer for a Parsi theatre company, dancing during the 15 minutes pause while the reel projector was changed.<ref>[https://www.scoopwhoop.com/Esther-Victoria-Abraham-First-Miss-India/ Esther Abraham Was 31 & Pregnant When She Was Crowned The 1st Miss India In 1947. Here’s Her Story]</ref> Pramila acted as a fearless stunt star in 30 films, including [[Ulti Ganga]], Bijli, [[Basant (film)]] and Jungle King. She also became the first major woman film producer in India, with 16 films under her banner Silver Productions. [[Morarji Desai]], the then Chief Minister of Bombay, had her were arrested because she was suspected of spying for [[Pakistan]], due to her constant travels to that country. However, it was later proven that she travelled to promote her films.<ref>[http://www.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/28sld1.htm Meet Pramila, the first Miss India]. [[Rediff News]]</ref><br />
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Besides her career in film, she was also a graduate of the [[University of Cambridge]], and became a teacher.<ref>[http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/739/Pramila]</ref> She also designed her own film costumes and jewelry.<br />
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==Filmography==<br />
* ''Return of the Toofan Mail'', directed by R.S. Chaudhary (1935)<br />
* ''Bhikaran'', directed by P.K. Atharti (1935)<br />
* ''Mahamaya'', directed by Gunjal (1936)<br />
* ''Hamari Betiya'' / ''Our Darling Daughters'', directed by R.S. Chaudhary (1936)<br />
* ''Saria'', directed by Shanti Dave (1936)<br />
* ''Mere Lai'', directed by Gunjal (1937)<br />
* ''Mother India'', directed by Gunjal (1938)<br />
* ''Bijlee'', directed by Balwant Bhatt (1939)<br />
* ''Hukum Ka Ekka'', directed by Shanti Dave (1939)<br />
* ''Jungle King'', directed by Nari Ghadialli (1939)<br />
* ''Kahan Hai Manzil Ten'', directed by S.M. Yussuf (1939)<br />
* ''Sardar'', directed by Dwarka Khosla (1940)<br />
* ''Kanchan'', directed by [[Leela Chitnis]] (1941)<br />
* ''Shahzaadi'', directed by J.P. Advani (1941)<br />
* [[Basant (film)|''Basant'']], directed by Amiya Chakrabarty (1942)<br />
* ''Jhankar'', directed by S. Khalil (1942)<br />
* ''Saheli'', directed by S.M. Yussuf (1942)<br />
* ''Ulti Ganga'', directed by K. Dhaiber (1942)<br />
* ''Bade Nawab Saheb'', directed by B.D. Vedi (1944)<br />
* ''Naseeb'', directed by B.D. Vedi (1945)<br />
* ''Devar'', directed by S.M. Yussuf (1946)<br />
* ''Nehle Pe Dehla'', directed by S.M. Yussuf (1946)<br />
* ''Sal Gira'', directed by K.S. Dariani (1946)<br />
* ''Shalimar'', directed by Roop K. Shorey (1946)<br />
* ''Doosri Shaadi'', directed by Ram Dariani (1947)<br />
* ''Aap Beeti'', directed by M. Kumar (1948)<br />
* ''Beqasoor'', directed by K. Amamath (1950)<br />
* ''Hamari Beti'', directed by [[Shobhna Samarth]] (1950)<br />
* ''Dhoon'', directed by M. Kumar (1953)<br />
* ''Majboori'' / ''Choti Bahen'', directed by Ram Dariani (1954)<br />
* ''Badal Aur Bijlee'', directed by Maurice Abraham (1956)<br />
* ''Fighting Queen'', directed by Nari Ghadiali (1956)<br />
* ''Jungle King'', directed by Masud (1959)<br />
* ''Bahana'', directed by M. Kumar (1960)<br />
* ''Murad'', directed by Nari Ghadiali (1961)<br />
* ''Thaang'', directed by Amol Palekar (2006)<br />
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== References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
{{commons category|Esther Victoria Abraham}}<br />
{{IMDb name | 695193}}<br />
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{{authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Abraham, Esther Victoria}}<br />
[[Category:Indian beauty pageant winners]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Jews]]<br />
[[Category:Indian people of Iraqi-Jewish descent]]<br />
[[Category:2006 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:1916 births]]<br />
[[Category:Female models from Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women film producers]]<br />
[[Category:Hindi film producers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian businesspeople]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]<br />
[[Category:Film producers from Kolkata]]<br />
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]<br />
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]<br />
[[Category:Indian stunt performers]]<br />
[[Category:Women stunt performers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women fashion designers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian designers]]<br />
[[Category:Women artists from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Businesswomen from West Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian businesswomen]]<br />
[[Category:Baghdadi Jews]]</div>333GO