Balraj Sahni was born as Yudhishthir Sahni on 1 May 1913 Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India.
Today’s topic is an Indian film artist who attempted to convey a deep message through films such as ‘Hum Log,’ ‘Do Bigha Zamin,’ ‘Waqt,’ and ‘Kabuliwala.’ The artist did not develop his own style but always attempted to affect social change through his on-screen character. Learn about writer and actor Balraj Sahni’s life, whose birthday is May 1.
| Name | Balraj Sahni |
| Born On | May 1, 1913 |
| Parents | Not Known |
| Home Town | Rawalpindi, Punjab |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Address | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| School | N/A |
| College | Government College University, Lahore |
| Qualification | Masters Degree in English |
| Hobbies | Travelling, Dancing |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Santosh Chandhok (1949–1973), Damayanti Sahni (1936–1947) |
| Children | Parikshit Sahni, Shabnam Sahni |
| Debut | Door Chalen (1946) |
| Best Movies | Do Bigha Zamin (1953), Sone Ki Chidiya (1958), Satta Bazaar (1959), Waqt (1965), and Hamraaz (1967) among others |
| Salary | N/A |
| Net Worth | N/A |
| Official Website | N/A |
| Favourite Actor and Director | Guru Dutt |
Early life and career of Balraj Sahni
He attended Gordon College and Government College in Lahore. He returned to Rawalpindi after finishing his master’s degree in English Literature in Lahore and joining his family’s business. He also had a bachelor’s degree in Hindi. He married Damayanti Sahni not long after.
Sahni and his wife left Rawalpindi in the late 1930s to work as English and Hindi teachers at Tagore’s Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, Bengal. Parikshit Sahni was born here while his wife Damayanti pursued her bachelor’s degree. In 1938, he also worked for a year with Mahatma Gandhi.
Sahni was always interested in playing and began his career with the Indian People’s Theatre Association’s shows (IPTA). In fact, his wife Damayanti rose to prominence as an IPTA actress much before Sahni developed a name for himself in cinema. He began his cinematic career in Bombay with the 1946 picture Insaaf, which was followed by Dharti Ke Lal, directed by KA Abbas, Damayanti’s debut film, Door Chalein, and other films.
Dilip Kumar recomended Balraj Sahni
To make each character come to life, Balraj Sahni used to embody them. At Dilip Kumar’s request, K Asif cast Balraj as a jailer in the 1951 movie Hulchul. Excited by his role, Balraj accompanied Asif to Arthur Road Jail. He made the decision to train with the jailer for a while.
When violence broke out, Balraj joined a procession in which Sahni and numerous others were arrested, and he eventually made it to the jail. Then, one day, K. Asif came to meet him at the jail, and the jailer allowed him to shoot Sahni while he was there after recognizing him.
Following that, Sahni would depart in the morning for the movie’s set and arrive back at the prison in the evening. He spent roughly three months filming “Hulchul” while incarcerated.
Do Bigha Zamin
‘Do Bigha Zamin’ is a fascinating story about Balraj’s involvement with the film. Bimal Roy thought about Ashok Kumar, Trilok Kapoor, and Nazir Hussain before casting Balraj. Bimal made the decision that Balraj would play the main character in this movie after watching Balraj Sahni’s “Hum Log.” He came to Bimal’s office in a suit and boots and dialed Balraj’s number. Bimal was surprised to see him because, from every perspective, he didn’t seem capable of portraying a young rickshaw puller.
“Mr. Sahni, you are completely out of character,” Bimal told Balraj. The main character in my movie is a destitute rickshaw puller. ‘Dharti Ke Lal’ is a film that Sahni suggested Bimal see at least once. After seeing the film, Bimal cast Balraj because he was happy. After that, Balraj would spend hours each day preparing for his role by pulling rickshaws through the streets of Bombay.
Marriage
In 1936, Balraj wed the heroine of his movie Gudiya, Damayanti Sahni. But he passed away too soon. Balraj wed Santosh Chandok in 1947, two years later. Balraj also liked swimming. From one end of the lake to the other, they reportedly used to swim. Apart from that, he worked in social work a lot. As a supporter of communism, Balraj harbored sympathy for the working class.
Relationship with Gandhi
Yudhishthira Sahni was Balraj Sahni’s real name. Balraj, who was born in May 1913 in Bhera, Punjab (now Pakistan), had a strong interest in education, which led to him earning an MA in English Literature and working as a lecturer at Rabindranath Tagore’s Shantiniketan. He collaborated closely with Mahatma Gandhi in 1938. He went to London in 1939 and worked as a radio announcer for the BBC for four years.
When he arrived in India in 1943, he joined the People’s Theater Association (IPTA). Here, he met Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, who later gave Balraj Sahni a role in the 1946 film Dharti Ke Lal. However, Balraj rose to prominence with the 1951 film Hum Log and, two years later, Do Bigha Zamin, which proved to be a watershed moment in his career.
Bharat Bhushan and Balraj Sahni
Bharat made a number of films about being referred to as the elder brother. Two of these films, ‘Basant Bahar’ and ‘Barsaat Ki Raat,’ were huge successes, and Bharat Bhushan became wealthy as a result. He received a large sum of money. Bharat Bhushan’s brother Ramesh encouraged him to make more films after that. Bharat Bhushan followed his brother’s footsteps. But, alas, all of his subsequent films were flops. In such a situation, Bharat Bhushan became engrossed in pie and drowned in debt.
Bharat Bhushan lost everything he had worked for. His bungalows and cars had been sold, but he insisted, “I have no problem.” But he was in agony one day when he had to sell the books in his library for the price of garbage.
The last days of Bharat Bhushan’s life had become extremely distressing. Fame, fortune, and prestige had all been extinguished. The top hero, who once traveled in fancy cars, now sees people waiting in line for buses. In recent days, Bharat Bhushan had become very ill. However, no one was available to care for them or treat them. He passed away on January 27, 1992, in extreme poverty.
Balraj Sahni Filmography
| Year | Movie Title | Director | Producer | Budget (INR, Approx.) | Box Office Collection (INR, Approx.) | Opposite Actor/Actress | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Insaaf (Justice) | Phani Majumdar | S.M. Safi | 5 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Kamini Kaushal | Debut film; minor role |
| 1946 | Door Chalen | Phani Majumdar | S.M. Safi | 5 lakh (est.) | 10 lakh (moderate) | Naseem Banu | Supporting role |
| 1946 | Dharti Ke Lal | K.A. Abbas | IPTA | 5 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (hit) | Damayanti Sahni | Lead role; Bengal famine story |
| 1946 | Badnami | S.D. Narang | Narang Productions | 5 lakh (est.) | 10 lakh (moderate) | Suraiya | Early role |
| 1947 | Gudia | S.P. Bakshi | Bakshi Productions | 5 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Kamini Kaushal | Romantic drama |
| 1948 | Gunjan | V.M. Vyas | Kala Kendra | 5 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (hit) | Nalini Jaywant | Romantic drama |
| 1951 | Hum Log | Zia Sarhadi | Film Arts | 8 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Nutan | Social drama; breakthrough role |
| 1951 | Hulchul | S.K. Ojha | Filmistan | 10 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Nargis | Supporting role (jailer) |
| 1951 | Maldar | Nitin Bose | Bombay Talkies | 5 lakh (est.) | 10 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Lesser-known film |
| 1952 | Badnaam | D.D. Kashyap | Filmistan | 10 lakh (est.) | 25 lakh (hit) | Suraiya | Drama |
| 1953 | Akash | Manmohan Sabir | Manmohan Films | 8 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Shammi Kapoor | Romantic drama |
| 1953 | Rahi | K.A. Abbas | Naya Sansar | 10 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (hit) | Dev Anand | Social drama |
| 1953 | Do Bigha Zameen | Bimal Roy | Bimal Roy Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 70 lakh (superhit) | Nirupa Roy | Cannes Award; neo-realist classic |
| 1954 | Chalis Baba Ek Chor | P.L. Santoshi | Santoshi Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 25 lakh (hit) | Smriti Biswas | Comedy |
| 1954 | Aulad (Naukri alt title) | Mohan Segal | Filmistan | 10 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (hit) | Geeta Bali | Family drama |
| 1954 | Bazooband | Asha Biswas | Biswas Productions | 8 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Sulochana | Lesser-known drama |
| 1955 | Seema | Amiya Chakravarty | Amiya Chakravarty | 15 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (superhit) | Nutan | Filmfare Best Actor nom. |
| 1955 | Garam Coat | Amar Kumar | Kala Kendra | 10 lakh (est.) | 25 lakh (hit) | Nirupa Roy | Social drama |
| 1955 | Jawab | Ismail Memon | Memon Productions | 8 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Geeta Bali | Romantic drama |
| 1955 | Tangewali | Lekhraj Bhakri | Bhakri Productions | 8 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Shammi Kapoor | Musical drama |
| 1956 | Era Bator Sur (Assamese) | Bhupen Hazarika | Assam Film Society | 5 lakh (est.) | 10 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Rare Assamese film |
| 1956 | Taksaal | Hemen Gupta | Gupta Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Nirupa Roy | Social drama |
| 1957 | Pardesi | K.A. Abbas | Naya Sansar | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Nargis | Indo-Soviet co-production |
| 1957 | Bhabhi | Krishnan-Panju | AVM Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (superhit) | Nanda | Family drama |
| 1957 | Kath Putli | Amiya Chakravarty | Bimal Roy Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (hit) | Vyjayanthimala | Emotional drama |
| 1957 | Do Roti | Ismail Memon | Memon Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Nirupa Roy | Social drama |
| 1957 | Mai Baap | M. Sadiq | Sadiq Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 25 lakh (hit) | Shyama | Comedy drama |
| 1957 | Musafir | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Film Group | 15 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (hit) | Suchitra Sen | Narrator role |
| 1957 | Krishna Sudama | Shanti Kumar | Kumar Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Mythological drama |
| 1958 | Lajwanti | Narendra Suri | Luxmi Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Nargis | Romantic drama |
| 1958 | Ghar Sansar | V.M. Vyas | Kala Kendra | 10 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (hit) | Nargis | Family drama |
| 1958 | Sone Ki Chidiya | Shaheed Latif | Ansari Films | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (superhit) | Nutan | Social drama |
| 1958 | Khazanchi | Mota Khanna | Khanna Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Shyama | Crime drama |
| 1958 | Ghar Grihasti | S.P. Bakshi | Bakshi Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Family drama |
| 1958 | Devar Bhabhi | Kedar Kapoor | Kapoor Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Mala Sinha | Family drama |
| 1958 | Naya Kadam | S.P. Bakshi | Bakshi Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Social drama |
| 1959 | Satta Bazaar | Ravindra Dave | Nagina Films | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (superhit) | Meena Kumari | Family drama |
| 1959 | Heera Moti | Krishnan-Panju | AVM Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Nirupa Roy | Rural drama |
| 1959 | Chhoti Bahen | L.V. Prasad | Prasad Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (superhit) | Nanda | Family drama |
| 1959 | Black Cat | Nisar Ahmad Ansari | Ansari Films | 10 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (hit) | Minu Mumtaz | Thriller |
| 1959 | Chand | Lekhraj Bhakri | Bhakri Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Meena Kumari | Romantic drama |
| 1959 | C.I.D. Girl | Mohan Segal | Filmistan | 10 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Geeta Bali | Crime drama |
| 1960 | Anuradha | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Leela Naidu | National Award-winning drama |
| 1960 | Nai Maa | P.L. Santoshi | Santoshi Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Family drama |
| 1960 | Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Filmistan | 10 lakh (est.) | 25 lakh (hit) | Kumkum | Romantic drama |
| 1960 | Bindya | Krishnan-Panju | AVM Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Padmini | Family drama |
| 1961 | Kabuliwala | Bimal Roy | Bimal Roy Productions | 20 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (superhit) | Usha Kiran | Tagore adaptation; iconic role |
| 1961 | Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan | Sadashiv J. Row Kavi | Sadanand Films | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (superhit) | Meena Kumari | Family drama |
| 1961 | Sapne Suhane | Kedar Kapoor | Kapoor Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 25 lakh (hit) | Geeta Bali | Romantic drama |
| 1962 | Shaadi | Krishnan-Panju | AVM Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Saira Banu | Family drama |
| 1962 | Anpadh | Mohan Kumar | Mohan Kumar | 20 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (superhit) | Mala Sinha | Social drama |
| 1963 | Akela | Unknown | Unknown | 10 lakh (est.) | 15 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Lesser-known film |
| 1964 | Haqeeqat | Chetan Anand | Himalaya Films | 25 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Priya Rajvansh | War film; National Award |
| 1964 | Satluj De Kande (Punjabi) | P.R. Lamba | Lamba Productions | 10 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (hit) | Nishi | Punjabi classic |
| 1965 | Waqt | Yash Chopra | B.R. Chopra | 40 lakh (est.) | 6 crore (blockbuster) | Sadhana | Iconic song “Ae Meri Zohra Jabeen” |
| 1965 | Faraar | Phani Majumdar | Majumdar Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Anil Chatterjee | Crime drama |
| 1966 | Pinjre Ke Panchhi | Salil Chowdhury | Salil Chowdhury | 15 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (moderate) | Meena Kumari | Drama |
| 1966 | Aasra | Satyen Bose | Bose Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Mala Sinha | Family drama |
| 1966 | Aaye Din Bahar Ke | Raghunath Jhalani | J. Om Prakash | 20 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Asha Parekh | Romantic drama |
| 1967 | Hamraaz | B.R. Chopra | B.R. Chopra | 30 lakh (est.) | 4 crore (blockbuster) | Vimi | Thriller; Filmfare Best Film |
| 1967 | Aman | Mohan Kumar | Mohan Kumar | 25 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Saira Banu | Peace-themed drama |
| 1967 | Naunihaal | Raj Marbros | Marbros Productions | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Sanjeev Kumar | Social drama |
| 1968 | Neel Kamal | Ram Maheshwari | Maheshwari Productions | 25 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Waheeda Rehman | Romantic drama |
| 1968 | Izzat | T. Prakash Rao | Venus Pictures | 20 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Tanuja | Action drama |
| 1968 | Sunghursh | Harnam Singh Rawail | Rahul Theatres | 40 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (average) | Vyjayanthimala | Historical drama |
| 1968 | Duniya | T. Prakash Rao | Venus Pictures | 30 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Vyjayanthimala | Multi-starrer drama |
| 1969 | Ek Phool Do Mali | Devendra Goel | Goel Productions | 25 lakh (est.) | 3 crore (superhit) | Sadhana | Family drama |
| 1969 | Talash | O.P. Ralhan | Ralhan Productions | 40 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Sharmila Tagore | Romantic drama |
| 1969 | Do Raaste | Raj Khosla | Raj Khosla | 30 lakh (est.) | 5 crore (blockbuster) | Mumtaz | Family drama; top grosser of 1969 |
| 1970 | Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani | T. Prakash Rao | Venus Pictures | 25 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Nirupa Roy | Family drama |
| 1970 | Pavitra Paapi | Rajendra Bhatia | Eagle Films | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Tanuja | Drama |
| 1970 | Pehchan | Sohanlal Kanwar | Kanwar Productions | 25 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Babita | Romantic drama |
| 1970 | Holi Ayee Re | Harsukh Jagneshwar Bhatt | Bhatt Productions | 20 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (moderate) | Mala Sinha | Festival-themed drama |
| 1970 | Mere Humsafar | Dulal Guha | Guha Productions | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (hit) | Sharmila Tagore | Romantic drama |
| 1970 | Naya Raasta | Khalid Akhtar | Akhtar Productions | 20 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (moderate) | Asha Parekh | Social drama |
| 1970 | Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar (Punjabi) | Dara Singh | Dara Singh Productions | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Asha Sachdev | Punjabi devotional film |
| 1971 | Paraya Dhan | Rajendra Bhatia | Eagle Films | 25 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Hema Malini | Romantic drama |
| 1971 | Jawan Mohabbat | Bhappi Sonie | Sonie Productions | 25 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Asha Parekh | Romantic drama |
| 1972 | Jawani Diwani | Narendra Bedi | N.C. Sippy | 30 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Jaya Bachchan | Youth romance |
| 1972 | Jangal Mein Mangal | Rajendra Bhatia | Eagle Films | 25 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Kiran Kumar | Comedy drama |
| 1973 | Pyaar Ka Rishta | Sultan Ahmed | Ahmed Productions | 25 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Mumtaz | Romantic drama |
| 1973 | Hindustan Ki Kasam | Chetan Anand | Himalaya Films | 40 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Priya Rajvansh | Patriotic war film |
| 1973 | Hanste Zakhm | Chetan Anand | Himalaya Films | 30 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Navin Nischol | Romantic drama |
| 1973 | Garam Hawa | M.S. Sathyu | M.S. Sathyu | 25 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (hit) | Farooq Shaikh | Partition drama; last completed role |
| 1973 | Daman Aur Aag | Brij Sadanah | Sadanah Productions | 20 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (moderate) | Saira Banu | Action drama |
| 1973 | Chimni Ka Dhuan | Unknown | Unknown | 15 lakh (est.) | 20 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Lesser-known film |
| 1977 | Amaanat | Shatrujiit Paul | Paul Productions | 30 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Manoj Kumar | Posthumous release |