Amala Shankar

Amala Shankar (Bengali: অমলা শংকর; née Nandy, 27 June 1919 – 24 July 2020)[1] was an Indian danseuse.[2] She was the wife of dancer and choreographer Uday Shankar and mother of musician Ananda Shankar and dancer Mamata Shankar (later she became an actress) [3] and sister-in-law of musician and composer Ravi Shankar.[4][5] Amala Shankar acted in the film Kalpana written, co-produced and directed by husband Uday Shankar. She died on Friday, July 24, 2020 in West Bengal’s Kolkata, India. She was 101 years old.[6]

Amala Shankar
অমলা শংকর
Shankar in 2011
Born
Amala Nandy

(1919-06-27)27 June 1919
Jessore,
British India
Died24 July 2020(2020-07-24) (aged 101)
Kolkata
NationalityIndian
OccupationDanseuse, actress
Years active1948
Spouse(s)Uday Shankar
ChildrenAnanda Shankar, Mamata Shankar
Parent(s)Akhoy Kumar Nandy (father)

Biography

Amala Shankar was born as Amala Nandy in 1919. Her father Akhoy Kumar Nandy wanted his children to be interested in nature and villages.[7] In 1931, when she was 11 years old she went to the International Colonial Exhibition in Paris. Here she met Uday Shankar and his family. Amala at that time was wearing a frock. Uday Shankar's mother Hemangini Devi gave her a Saree to wear. She joined Uday Shankar's dance troupe and performed across the world.[3]

Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar in 1941

In 1939 when she was staying in Chennai with Uday Shankar's dance group, one day came to Amala at night and gave her marriage proposal.[8] Uday Shankar married Amala in 1942.[8] Their first son Ananda Shankar was born in December, 1942.[9] Their daughter Mamata Shankar was born in January, 1955.[10] Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar was a popular dance couple for a long time. But, later Uday Shankar was romantically involved with a young girl of his troupe and he produced Chandalika without Amala.[3] Uday Shankar died in 1977. The last few years, the couple lived separately.[3] As of 2012 Amala Shankar was still active and has kept Shankar gharana alive with her daughter Mamata and daughter-in-law Tanushree Shankar.[3] She was the sister-in-law of Ravi Shankar, who was a Sitarist.[11] Remaining active till her nineties, her last performance was the dance drama Sita Swayamvar at the age of 92, in which she played the role of King Janaka.[12]

Kalpana
Main article: Kalpana (1948 film)
Kalpana, 1948 film showing Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar

Amala Shankar acted in the film Kalpana (1948). The film was written, co-produced and directed by Uday Shankar, who also appeared in the film. Amala played the character of Uma. Amala Shankar attended the 2012 Cannes Film Festival where the film was screened. Amala Shankar said in an interview– "2012 Cannes Film Festival... I was the youngest film star at the Cannes Film Festival... I am revisiting Cannes after a span of 81 years..."[8]

Filmography
YearFilmDirectorCo-stars
1948KalpanaUday ShankarLakshmi Kanta, Uday Shankar

References
  1. Kaura, Ajīta (1976). Directory of Indian Women Today, 1976. India International Publications. p. 45.
  2. "Biography of Amala Shankar". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  3. "Amala Shankar: The Muse". Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  4. "'Panditji never restricted himself to his craft alone'". Asian Age. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  5. "Sitarist and composer Ravi Shankar has died near his home in southern California". Reuters. 12 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  6. Singh, Shiv Sahay (24 July 2020). "Eminent danseuse Amala Shankar passes away at 101 in Kolkata". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  7. "On life with a legend". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  8. "A Romantic Forever:Amala Shankar". Magna Magazines. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  9. Sruti. P.N. Sundaresan. 1999. p. 51. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  10. "Mamata Shankar biography". Mamata Shankar's website. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  11. Ghosh, Dibyendu (December 1983). "Ravishankar". In Ghosh, Dibyendu (ed.). The Great Shankars. Kolkata: Agee Prakashani. p. 55. OCLC 15483971.
  12. "Eminent danseuse Amala Shankar passes away at 101 in Kolkata". The Hindu. Retrieved 31 July 2020.

12. Eminent danseuse Amala Shankar passes away at 101 in Kolkata. The Hindu. 24 July 2020.

13. The Indian Express https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/dancing-with-the-star-100-year-old-amala-shankar-legacy-uday-shankar-5248647/

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