Shashi Kapoor’s heroine, who turned down Raj Kapoor’s film offers, was named by Vogue as one of world’s most beautiful women, died lonely: ‘People abandoned her after…'

She was one of the most desirable women to exist in her prime, with Vogue crowning her as one of the ten most beautiful women in the world. At her peak, she starred opposite many of the top heroes of Bollywood, such as Sunil Dutt, Balraj Sahni, Shashi Kapoor and Ashok Kumar. Although her film career was not prolific, she was sought after enough to be approached by Raj Kapoor not just one, but four films. Yet, she died all alone in 2009. She was 69.

A close family friend of the actress told TOI that she passed away in her sleep. Her last rites at Chandanwadi were attended by her daughter, grandson and friends.

After her second husband, the late writer Dom Moraes, abandoned her, Naidu progressively fell into loneliness, according to film publicist Piroj Wadia, who had known the actress for almost nine years. Wadia claims that as more people distanced themselves from Naidu, she became more and more alone.


"People too abandoned her after that,'' she said.

She became somewhat of a loner, although she was still conscious of her surroundings. Wadia remembered that after the terror attacks in Mumbai on 26/11, Naidu decided not to participate in any festivities or occasions for the rest of the year since she was so saddened by the tragedy.

Multicultural Origins

Leela was one of the earliest biracial stars in Bollywood. She was born in 1940 in Bombay to an erudite couple. Her father, renowned nuclear scientist Dr Pattipati Ramaiah Naidu, was born in Madanapalle, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, and completed his doctoral thesis in Paris under the guidance of Nobel Laureate Marie Curie. In Paris, he oversaw one of Madame Curie's labs. Dr Marthe Mange Naidu, her mother, was a Swiss-French journalist and indologist from Pont d'Avignon, South France, who graduated with a PhD from the Sorbonne.

At the tender age of 14, she won the title of Femina Miss India in 1954, and the same year was featured in Vogue magazine’s list of Top 10 Most Beautiful Women In The World.

Bollywood Calling

Naidu made her cinematic debut opposite Blaraj Sahni in the 1960 film Anuradha. Helmed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, the film had Leela portray the idealistic doctor's passionate yet Cinderella-like wife who chooses to devote his life to helping the rural populace. Critics were impressed by Leela's versatility, and the movie, though it did not set the box office on fire, received the National Award for best picture.

Naidu later starred opposite Sunil Dutt and Ismail Merchant-James Ivory in RK Nayyar's Yeh Raastey Hain Pyaar Ke, her most talked-about film. A youthful Shashi Kapoor is pitted against The Householder in both 1963 movies. In addition to playing a minor part in Merchant-Ivory's movie Leela Naidu also starred in filmmaker Nitin Bose's Umeed (starring Ashok Kumar and Joy Mukherjee) and Baaghi (starring Pradeep Kumar) in 1969. After a protracted absence, Leela Naidu reappeared in 1985 as a Goanese woman whose clan is in decline in Shyam Benegal's Trikaal.

While The Householder did not work at the box-office, auteur Satyajit Ray was moved by her performance and wanted to cast her in a film opposite Hollywood's heartthrob Marlon Brando, but the film did not materialise, Business Standard reported. Her film career did not last very long, nor did she become Bollywood’s most bankable actress, yet her appeal crossed borders. According to journalist and her biographer Jerry Pinto, Salvador Dali used her as a model for the Madonna, and British filmmaker David Lean, wanted to cast her as Tonya in Dr Zhivago.

Yet, despite these accolades, her personal life was marred by tragedy. As per Business Standard, she tied the knot with Tilak Raj Oberoi, son of Mohan Singh Oberoi, the founder of the Oberoi Hotels chain, when she was only 17. The marriage was unhappy and ended in a divorce. She lost custody of her twin daughters Maya and Priya.

Naidu wed novelist and poet Dom Moraes in 1969. According to Business Standard, she was frustrated by Moraes' drunkenness. After 25 years of marriage, they called their quits, as reported by News 18. She moved to Colaba to live alone.

She is survived by her daughter Maya and grandchildren.