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{{Short description|Indian actress (1927–1960)}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date= October 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kuldip Kaur
| image = Kuldip_Kaur_(1952).jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Kuldip Kaur in ''[[Baiju Bawra (film)|Baiju Bawra]]'' (1952)
| birth_date = {{Birth year|1927}}
| birth_place = [[Lahore]], [[Punjab Province (British India)|Punjab]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1960|02|03|1927}}
| death_place = [[Bombay, Maharashtra]], India
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1948–1960
| spouse = Mohinder Singh Siddhu
}}

'''Kuldip Kaur,''' (1927–3 February 1960), was an Indian actress who worked in [[Hindi]] and [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] films.<ref name=Bali>{{cite web |last1=Bali |first1=Karan |title=Kuldip Kaur |url=http://upperstall.com/profile/kuldip-kaur/ |website=upperstall.com |publisher=The Rest |accessdate=23 April 2015 |date=20 March 2015}}</ref><ref name=Omnilexica>{{cite web |title=Kuldip Kaur Actress |url=http://www.omnilexica.com/?q=kuldip+kaur+(actress) |website=omnilexica.com |publisher=Omnilexica |accessdate=23 April 2015}}</ref> Known for her roles as negative characters, she was cited as one of [[Indian cinema]]'s "most polished vamps" and actor [[Pran (actor)|Pran]]'s "opposite number".<ref name=KK>{{cite book |last1=Patel |first1=Sushila Rani Baburao |title=Stars of the Indian Screen |date=1952 |publisher=Parker and Sons |location=India |pages=23 |ref=Kuldip Kaur}}</ref> She started her acting career with the first [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]] film produced in India following [[Partition of India|Partition]]; ''Chaman'', also called ''The Garden'' in 1948.<ref name="GokulsingDissanayake2013">{{cite book |author1=K. Moti Gokulsing |author2=Wimal Dissanayake |title=Routledge Handbook of Indian Cinemas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=djUFmlFbzFkC |accessdate=23 April 2015 |date=17 April 2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-77284-9}}</ref>

Acclaimed as a "vamp" of "exceptional talent" and the "first female villain" in Indian cinema, she has been compared to artists like [[Shashikala]] and [[Bindu (actress)|Bindu]].<ref name="Rishi2012">{{cite book |author=Tilak Rishi |title=Bless You Bollywood!: A Tribute to Hindi Cinema on Completing 100 Years |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r623sWyGm0sC&pg=PA47 |accessdate=23 April 2015 |year=2012 |publisher=Trafford Publishing |isbn=978-1-4669-3963-9 |pages=47–}}</ref> Active from 1948 to 1960, she acted in over 100 films, most of them in Hindi and some in Punjabi. She died in 1960 from [[tetanus]].<ref name=Bali />

==Personal life==
Kuldip Kaur was born into a Guron Jat family in 1927 in [[Lahore]], Punjab, [[British India]]. Her family were Ladhran royal family in [[Attari]], [[Amritsar District]], in Punjab.<ref name=KK /> She was married to Attariwala royal member Mohinder Singh Sidhu, a grandson of the military Commander of [[Ranjit Singh]]'s army, General Sham Singh Attariwala.<ref name=YoungBites>{{cite web |title=Kuldip Kaur |url=http://www.sikhchic.com/film_stage/kuldip_kaur_bombays_pioneer_film_actress |work=Young Bites Daily |accessdate=23 April 2015 |ref=Fem Bio}}</ref> Married at the age of fourteen, she became a mother at the age of sixteen.<ref name=KK />

Kaur defied convention to join films while still in Lahore. She left Lahore in 1947 while [[Communal violence in India|communal violence]] was raging. She was described as a brave lady by [[Saadat Hasan Manto]] in his chapter on Kuldip Kaur, titled "Kuldip Kaur: The Punjabi firecracker" in his book ''Stars from Another Sky: The Bombay Film World of the 1940s''. Kaur returned to Lahore in spite of the violence, to pick up Pran's car. His car had been left behind when Pran and she left for Bombay to escape the communal rioting in Lahore following partition of India. She drove the car back alone from Lahore to [[Bombay]], via [[Delhi]].<ref name="Manṭo2000">{{cite book |author=Saʻādat Ḥasan Manṭo |title=A Manto Panorama: A Representative Collection of Saadat Hasan Manto's Fiction and Non-fiction |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ns5jAAAAMAAJ |accessdate=23 April 2015 |date=1 January 2000 |publisher=Sang-e-Meel Publications |isbn=978-969-35-1089-8 |page=234 |chapter=Kuldip Kaur: the Punjabi firecracker}}</ref>

==Career==
The German cinematographer, [[Josef Wirsching]] of [[Bombay Talkies]], took her screen test at the request of Savak Vacha, one of Bombay Talkies' then-proprietors, along with [[Ashok Kumar]] and S. Mukherji. On his recommendation she was cast in supporting roles.<ref name=Bali />

One of Kuldip Kaur's first films was the Punjabi language ''Chaman'' in 1948, which turned out to be a big success at the box office, co-starring [[Karan Dewan]] with [[Meena Shorey]].<ref name="GokulsingDissanayake2013"/> Kuldip Kaur also acted in two Hindi films that year; ''[[Ziddi (1948 film)|Ziddi]]'' directed by [[Shaheed Latif]] and starring [[Dev Anand]], [[Kamini Kaushal]] and Pran, and ''Grahasti'' both of which were "box office hits". In ''Grahasti'' she performed the role of a "modern, sophisticated woman intolerant of her husband".<ref name=KK />

In 1949, Kuldip Kaur acted a musical success, ''[[Ek Thi Ladki]]'', with music by [[Vinod ER|Vinod]]. Her next film was ''Kaneez,'' in 1949, an average film commercially. In 1950, she was in two successful Hindi films; ''[[Samadhi (1950 film)|Samadhi]]'' and ''[[Aadhi Raat]]'' and two Punjabi films; ''Madari'' and ''Chhai''. In ''Samadhi'', the popular song "Gore Gore Banke Chhore" was picturised on her and [[Nalini Jaywant]].<ref name=Bali /> In 1951, she acted in several films such as ''Rajput'', ''Nai Zindagi'', ''Ek Nazar'', ''Afsana'' and ''Mukhda'', where she played the lead role. ''Afsana'' was directed by [[B. R. Chopra]] and starred Ashok Kumar and [[Veena (actress)|Veena]]. Kaur was stated to have played her role of a vamp "to perfection".{{citation needed|date=February 2021}}

She also then appeared in films such as ''[[Baiju Bawra (film)|Baiju Bawra]]'' (1952) in which her acting was critically acclaimed as the dacoit queen, Roopmati. Some of the other films she acted in 1952 to 54 were ''Anjaam'' (1952), ''[[Baaz (1953 film)|Baaz]]'' (1953), ''[[Anarkali (1953 film)|Anarkali]]'' (1953) where her acting was praised, ''Aabshar'' (1953), ''Gul Bahar'' and ''Dak Babu'' in (1954). 1955 was a busy year for her, acting in films such as ''Teer Andaz'' (1955) and ''Miss Coca Cola'' (1955). With few releases in 1956, she returned with ''Ek Saal'' (1957), acting opposite [[Madhubala]] and Ashok Kumar. In 1958, Kuldip Kaur had roles in two films; ''[[Sahara (1958 film)|Sahara]]'' and ''Panchayat''. In 1959, she worked in three films ''Pyaar Ka Rishta'', ''Mohar'' and ''Jagir''. ''Mohar'' had music composed by [[Madan Mohan (composer)|Madan Mohan]] and became another musical success for her.<ref name=Apnaorg>{{cite web |last1=Augla |first1=Harjap Singh |title=Kuldip Kaur |url=http://www.apnaorg.com/articles/aujla-26/ |website=apnaorg.com |publisher=APNA |accessdate=26 April 2015 |ref=Kuldip Kaur: A Spoiled Rich Punjaban Actress}}</ref> ''Maa Baap'', ''Bade Ghar Ki Bahu'', ''Sunheri Raatein'' and the Punjabi film ''Yamla Jatt'' in 1960 were the last films she acted in. Her last film was Honeymoon (1960), also one in which she played the vamp.<ref name=Cinestaan>{{cite web |last1=Kahlon |first1=Sukhpreet |title=Too hot to handle: Remembering Kuldip Kaur |url=https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2018/feb/18/11143/too-hot-to-handle-remembering-kuldip-kaur-feisty-actress-from-the-1940s |website=cinestaan.com |publisher=Cinestaan |accessdate=18 February 2018 |ref=Kuldip Kaur}}</ref>

Some of the important films Kuldip Kaur acted in were ''[[Ek Thi Ladki]]'', ''[[Samadhi (1950 film)|Samadhi]]'' (1950), ''[[Aadhi Raat]]'' (1950), ''Chhoti Bhabhi'' (1950), ''[[Anarkali (1953 film)|Anarkali]]'' (1953), ''Afsana'' (1951) and ''[[Baiju Bawra (film)|Baiju Bawra]]''.

==Death==
Kaur died on 3 February 1960, in Bombay, Maharashtra, of tetanus, following thorn pricks from a [[Ber tree]] (jujube) on a visit to [[Shirdi]], [[Ahmednagar District]], which she did not consider serious enough to require treatment.<ref name=Bali />

==Filmography==
Kuldip Kaur was active between 1948-1960.<ref name=citwf>{{cite web |title=Kuldip Kaur |url=http://www.citwf.com/detailPerson.asp?personID=241364&sortOn=YEAR&sortBy=UP |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150425181423/http://www.citwf.com/detailPerson.asp?personID=241364&sortOn=YEAR&sortBy=UP |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 April 2015 |website=citwf.com |publisher=Adam Goble |accessdate=25 April 2015 |ref=Filmography}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Film !! Director
|-
|1948||''Chaman'' ||Roop K. Shorey
|-
|1948||''[[Ziddi (1948 film)|Ziddi]]'' ||[[Shaheed Latif]]
|-
|1949||''[[Kaneez (1949 film)|Kaneez]]'' ||Krishna Kumar
|-
|1949||''[[Ek Thi Ladki]]'' ||Roop K. Shorey
|-
|1949|| Tara || R. D. Pareenja
|-
|1950||''[[Aadhi Raat]]'' ||S. K. Ojha
|-
|1950||''Lajawab'' ||Jagatrai Pesumal Advani
|-
|1950||''[[Meena Bazaar (film)|Meena Bazaar]]'' ||Ravindra Dave
|-
|1950||''[[Samadhi (1950 film)|Samadhi]]'' ||Ramesh Saigal
|-
|1951||''[[Afsana (1951 film)|Afsana]]'' ||[[B. R. Chopra]]
|-
|1951||''Do Sitare'' ||D. D. Kashyap
|-
|1951||''Ek Nazar'' ||O. P. Dutta
|-
|1951||''For Ladies Only'' ||Bedi
|-
|1951||''Gumasta'' ||S. M. Yusuf
|-
|1951||''Lachak'' ||M. I. Daramsey
|-
|1951||''Mukhada'' ||Roop K. Shorey
|-
|1951||''[[Nai Zindagi]]'' ||Mohan Sinha
|-
|1951||''Rajput'' ||Lekhraj Bhakri
|-
|1951||''Stage'' ||Vijay Mhatre
|-
|1952||''Anjaam''||Shanti Kumar
|-
|1952||''[[Baiju Bawra (film)|Baiju Bawra]]'' ||[[Vijay Bhatt]]
|-
|1952||''Ghungru'' ||Hiren Bose
|-
|1952||''Hamari Duniya'' ||Sushil Sahu
|-
|1952||''Jaggu'' ||Jagdish Sethi
|-
|1952||''Naubahar'' ||Anand Kumar
|-
|1952||''Neelam Pari'' ||Dhirubhai Desai
|-
|1952||''Sheesham'' ||Kishore Sharma
|-
|1953||''Aabshar'' ||Hasrat Lucknavi
|-
|1953||''[[Anarkali (1953 film)|Anarkali]]'' ||Nandlal Jaswantlal
|-
|1953||''Baaz'' ||[[Guru Dutt]]
|-
|1953||''Gharbaar'' ||Dinkar Patil
|-
|1953||''Farmaish'' ||B. K. Sagar
|-
|1953||''Mashuqa'' ||Shanti Kumar
|-
|1954||''Dak Babu'' ||Lekhraj Bhakri
|-
|1954||''Gul Bahar'' ||Nanubhai
|-
|1954|| Pilpili Saheb ||H.S. Kavatra
|-
|1954||''Hukumat'' ||Raja Yagnik
|-
|1954||''Lalpari'' ||Kedar Kapoor
|-
|1954||''Mastana'' ||[[H. S. Rawail]]
|-
|1955||''Daku'' ||Aspi
|-
|1955||''Deewar'' ||I.S Bali
|-
|1955||''Duniya Gol Hai'' ||[[Om Prakash]]
|-
|1955||''Jashan'' ||S. Shamsuddin
|-
|1955||''Mast Qalandar'' ||Kedar Kapoor
|-
|1955||''Miss Coca-Cola'' ||Kedar Kapoor
|-
|1956||''Indra Leela'' ||Rajendra Sharma
|-
|1956||''Inquilab'' ||Kedar Kapoor
|-
|1956||''Sultan-E-Alam'' ||Mohan Sinha
|-
|1957||''Ek Saal'' ||[[Devendra Goel]]
|-
|1957||''Jai Ambe'' ||Shanti Kumar
|-
|1957||''Maharani'' ||A. Karim
|-
|1957||''Paisa'' ||[[Prithviraj Kapoor]]
|-
|1958||''Panchayat'' ||Lekhraj Bhakri
|-
|1958||''[[Sahara (1958 film)|Sahara]]'' ||Lekhraj Bhakri
|-
|1958||''Son Of Sindbad'' ||[[Nanabhai Bhatt]]
|-
|1959||''Chand'' ||Lekhraj Bhakri
|-
|1959||''Jagir'' ||Jag Mohan Mattu
|-
|1959||''Mohar'' ||[[P. Jairaj]]
|-
|1959||''Pyar Ki Rahen'' ||Lekhraj Bhakri
|-
|1960||''Bade Ghar Ki Bahu'' ||Kundan Kumar
|-
|1960||''Bhakta Raj'' ||Vishnu Vyas
|-
|1960||''Maa Baap'' ||Vishnu Vyas
|-
|1960||''Rickshawala'' ||Shankar Mehta
|-
|1960||''Sunheri Raatein'' ||Lekhraj Bhakri
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|0442444}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuldip Kaur}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:1960 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Deaths from tetanus]]
[[Category:Actresses from Lahore]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Indian Sikhs]]

Kuldip Kaur - Revision history

TimeStampBot at 15:45, 3 October 2023