{{short description|Indian actress (born 1947)}} {{about|the Indian film actress|the Bangladeshi film actress known as Bobita|Farida Akhtar Babita|other uses|Babita (disambiguation) }} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Babita | birth_name = Babita Hari Shivdasani | image = Kapoor Women (cropped).jpg | caption = Babita in 2003 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|04|20|df=yes}} | birth_place = Karachi, Sind, British India (present-day Sindh, Pakistan)<ref name="cinemaazi">{{cite web |title=Babita |url=https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/babita |website=Cinemaazi |language=en |quote=She was born Babita Hari Shivdasani on 20 April, 1947, to a British-born mother Barbara and an Indian actor father, Hari Shivdasani, who belonged to a prominent Bombay-based Sindhi family. |access-date=17 August 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927105418/https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/babita |url-status=live }}</ref> | spouse = {{marriage| Randhir Kapoor | 1971}} | children = {{hlist|Karisma|Kareena}} | family = Kapoor family | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1966–1973 }} '''Babita Shivdasani Kapoor''' (née '''Babita Hari Shivdasani'''; born 20 April 1947),<ref name="vogue">[https://www.vogue.in/content/kareena-kapoor-khan-and-saif-ali-khan-at-babitas-70th-birthday/ "Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan at Babita Kapoor's 70th birthday"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819182118/https://www.vogue.in/content/kareena-kapoor-khan-and-saif-ali-khan-at-babitas-70th-birthday/ |date=19 August 2018 }}. Vogue India. 20 April 2017.</ref> also known mononymously as '''Babita''',<ref name="vogue"/> is an Indian retired actress who appeared in Hindi-language films.
The daughter of character actor Hari Shivdasani and the cousin of actress and her contemporary Sadhana Shivdasani, Babita's debut film was the successful drama ''Dus Lakh'' (1966), but it was the romantic thriller ''Raaz'' (1967), opposite Rajesh Khanna, that gained her recognition. From 1966 to 1973, she starred in nineteen films as the lead heroine, including the box office successes ''Farz'' (1967), ''Haseena Maan Jayegi'', ''Kismat'' (both in 1968), ''Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati'' (1969), ''Doli'' (1969), ''Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?'' (1970), ''Kal Aaj Aur Kal'' (1971) and ''Banphool'' (1971). Following her marriage to actor Randhir Kapoor in 1971, she acted in ''Jeet'' (1972) and ''Ek Hasina Do Diwane'' (1972). Her subsequent release in 1973 was an average success, after which she decided to leave her career and became a housewife.<ref>{{Citation |title=Sone Ke Haath (1973) - Trivia - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2611546/trivia/?item=tr7284809 |access-date=2024-02-25 |language=en-US |archive-date=27 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127114818/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2611546/trivia/?item=tr7284809 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Background== Babita was born in Karachi to actor Hari Shivdasani, who was from a Sindhi Hindu family (settled in Bombay prior to and after the partition of India) and a British Roman Catholic mother, Barbara.<ref name="cinemaazi"/><ref name=B>{{cite news |title=Saif to join girlfriend Kareena and her family for midnight mass |url=http://archive.mid-day.com/entertainment/2008/dec/231208-Saif-Ali-Khan-Kareena-Kapoor-Mt-Mary-Babita-Karisma-Shivdasani-Christmas-Samaira.htm |access-date=1 July 2015 |publisher=Mid-Day |date=23 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701223912/http://archive.mid-day.com/entertainment/2008/dec/231208-Saif-Ali-Khan-Kareena-Kapoor-Mt-Mary-Babita-Karisma-Shivdasani-Christmas-Samaira.htm |archive-date=1 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The iconic actress Sadhana Shivdasani was her paternal cousin and contemporary.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/I-dont-acknowledge-Babita-Sadhana/articleshow/26720515.cms |title=I don't acknowledge Babita: Sadhana - Times of India |website=The Times of India |date=2 December 2013 |archive-date=17 August 2018 |access-date=3 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817214120/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/I-dont-acknowledge-Babita-Sadhana/articleshow/26720515.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Career== Babita appeared in nineteen films. Her first film to release was the 1966 successful film ''Dus Lakh'', which also starred Sanjay Khan, Om Prakash and her future sister-in-law, Neetu Singh. However, the first film she had signed was actually ''Raaz'' co-starring Rajesh Khanna, which was released in 1967. Her biggest box office successes were ''Dus Lakh'', ''Ek Shrimaan Ek Shrimati'' and ''Haseena Maan Jayegi'' (1968), (with her future uncle-in-law) Shashi Kapoor, ''Farz'', ''Banphool'' and ''Ek Hasina Do Diwane'' with Jeetendra, ''Doli'' with Rajesh Khanna, ''Tumse Achha Kaun Hai'' (1969) with her future uncle-in-law Shammi Kapoor, ''Kismat'' with Biswajeet, ''Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?'' (1970) with Dharmendra and Pehchaan with Manoj Kumar. In 1971, she acted opposite her future husband Randhir Kapoor, as well as father-in-law Raj Kapoor and grandfather-in-law Prithviraj Kapoor in ''Kal Aaj Aur Kal''. After her marriage to Randhir, they were cast together by director K. Shankar in ''Jeet'', which was the remake of ''En Annan'', starring M. G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa. She left the film industry in 1973 following her husband's family tradition of women not working in the acting profession.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/an-ode-to-bollywoods-yesteryear-superstar-babita-kapoor-38882.html |title=An ode to Bollywood's yesteryear superstar Babita Kapoor |website=filmfare.com |access-date=13 May 2020 |archive-date=1 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201160406/https://www.filmfare.com/interviews/an-ode-to-bollywoods-yesteryear-superstar-babita-kapoor-38882.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Personal life== thumb|right|Babita with daughters Karisma and Kareena in 2003
Babita fell in love with Randhir Kapoor, while working with him in the film ''Kal Aaj Aur Kal'' (1971). They married in a lavish ceremony on 6 November 1971.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |author=Monika Rawal Kukreja |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kareena-yes-i-eat/articleshow/5607566.cms |title=Why should I want to divorce Babita?' asks Randhir Kapoor about his estranged wife |work=Hindustan Times |date=25 April 2017 |access-date=22 April 2017 |archive-date=11 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811185410/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-02-24/news-interviews/28134773_1_junior-nawab-kareena-kapoor-rujuta-diwekar |url-status=live}}</ref> They have two children, actresses Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor.<ref>{{cite web |author=Meena Iyer |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kareena-yes-i-eat/articleshow/5607566.cms |title=Kareena: Yes, I eat! |work=The Times of India |date=24 February 2010 |access-date=16 October 2012 |archive-date=11 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811185410/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-02-24/news-interviews/28134773_1_junior-nawab-kareena-kapoor-rujuta-diwekar |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/filmi-parties/bollywood/Kareena-Saif-at-St-Andrews-Church-in-Mumbai/articleshow/11242344.cms |title=Kareena, Saif at St Andrew's Church in Mumbai |work=The Times of India |date=26 December 2011 |access-date=17 October 2012 |archive-date=17 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217230524/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-12-26/bollywood/30557019_1_saif-ali-khan-midnight-mass-kareena-kapoor |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2008/dec/261208-Karisma-Kareena-Kapoor-St-Andrew-Mt-Mary-Babita-Saif-Ali-Khan-Amrita-Arora-Shakeel-Ladak-Dino.htm |title=Kareena, family and friends go to midnight mass at St Andrews |publisher=Mid-day.com |date=26 December 2008 |access-date=10 October 2012 |archive-date=13 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113061028/http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2008/dec/261208-Karisma-Kareena-Kapoor-St-Andrew-Mt-Mary-Babita-Saif-Ali-Khan-Amrita-Arora-Shakeel-Ladak-Dino.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
In the 1980s, Randhir's career as an actor started to decline and things soured between them. She and Randhir lived in separate homes for several years, even though they are still legally married and had no intention of divorcing. The couple briefly reunited in 2007 after living separately for several years.<ref name="auto"/>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year !! Film !! Role !! Notes |- | 1966 | ''Dus Lakh'' | Rita |Debut film |- | rowspan="2" | 1967 | ''Raaz'' | Sapna | |- | ''Farz'' | Sunita | |- | rowspan="3" | 1968 | ''Kismat'' | Roma | |- |''Haseena Maan Jayegi'' | Archana (Archie) | |- | ''Aulad'' | Bharti | |- | rowspan="5" | 1969 | ''Tumse Achha Kaun Hai'' | Asha | |- | ''Ek Shrimaan Ek Shrimati'' | Deepali Lakhanpal | |- | ''Doli'' | Asha | |- | ''Anmol Moti'' | Manisha | |- | ''Anjaana'' | Rachna Malhotra | |- | rowspan="2" | 1970 | ''Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?'' | Asha Prasad | |- | ''Pehchan'' | Barkha | |- | rowspan="3" | 1971 | ''Kal Aaj Aur Kal'' | Monica (Mona) |Appeared with Randhir Kapoor in his debut film<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/kal-aaj-aur-kal-will-always-be-my-favourite-randhir-kapoor/story-G3fHPnV8pc16ql4N5CewjK.html |title=Kal Aaj Aur Kal will always be my favourite: Randhir Kapoor |website=Hindustan Times |date=16 April 2016 |access-date=28 August 2018 |archive-date=28 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828135818/https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/kal-aaj-aur-kal-will-always-be-my-favourite-randhir-kapoor/story-G3fHPnV8pc16ql4N5CewjK.html |url-status=live }}</ref> |- | ''Bikhre Moti'' | Indrani | |- | ''Banphool'' | Gulabi | |- | rowspan="2" | 1972 | ''Jeet'' | Koyli / Rasili | |- | ''Ek Hasina Do Diwane'' | Neeta | |- | 1973 | ''Sone Ke Haath'' | Prema | |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Babita}} * {{IMDb name}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Babita}} Category:Living people Category:Indian film actresses Category:Indian people of English descent Category:Indian Sindhi people Category:Sindhi actresses Category:Kapoor family Category:1947 births Category:Actresses from Karachi Category:Actresses from Mumbai Category:20th-century Indian actresses Category:Sindhi Hindus