Kalpana Mohan

Kalpana (18 July 1946 – 4 January 2012), born Archana Mohan, was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi cinema in the 1960s. She appeared with Shammi Kapoor in the 1962 film Professor, with Shashi Kapoor and Kishore Kumar in Pyar Kiye Jaa (1966), with Dev Anand in Teen Devian, with Pradeep Kumar in Saheli and with Feroz Khan in Tasveer and Teesra Kaun. Daughter of revolutionary Avani Mohan, she was also an accomplished Kathak dancer trained under Pandit Shambhu Maharaj. She lived in Pune with her family.[1]She lived for some time in Ambala Cantt. For some years she went to a school in Ambala Cantt. Her father was working in Khadi and village Industries Commission in the state office situated on Nicklson road in Ambala Cant during 1962-63.

Kalpana Mohan was born as Archana Mohan in Srinagar on 18 July 1946. She is of Panjabi and Dogra descent. Her father, Avani Mohan, a freedom fighter and an active member of the All India Congress Committee, was close to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and other top Congress stalwarts.[2] She was trained in Kathak and often invited by Nehru to dance at the Rashtrapati Bhavan whenever dignitaries visited.[3]

Kalpana was spotted by actor Balraj Sahani and Urdu writer Ismat Chughtai, who encouraged her to come to Mumbai. Kalpana’s first film, Pyaar Ki Jeet, lasted a week in theatres. Her second film was Naughty Boy (1962). Her third film, Professor, released in 1962 was a rare entertainer, which left the viewers delighted and satisfied.[2] It starred Shammi Kapoor, who earned a Filmfare nomination as Best Actor. In 1965, she had another successful film, Teen Devian, with Dev Anand. Her next film, the comedy Pyar Kiye Jaa came out in 1966. Kalpana also starred in Biwi aur Makan opposite Biswajit in 1966. [4] She had a brief but successful stint in Bollywood in the 60’s and 70’s but stopped after she got married. Some of her last films were Saheli (1965), Picnic (1966), Tasveer (1966) and Nawab Siraj ud Daula in 1967.[3][2][5]