This actress, who had a thriving Bollywood career, stepped away from the limelight after two marriages.
In 70s and 80s, it was common for actresses to enter the film industry in their teenage years. The early start allowed many rising stars to shine in their teens. One such actress reached the peak of her career in her 20s, but her life took a tragic turn when she lost her husband after 11 days of marriage. She later remarried a man 20 years older, and eventually left the film industry altogether.
We are talking about Leena Chandavarkar. Born in 1950 in Karnataka, she was earmarked to make her film debut opposite Sunil Dutt in Maseeha in 1967. However the film got shelved, and she her debut with Man Ka Meet the following year. The film was a runway hit, and she became an overnight star at 17. Over the next few years, she starred in superhits like Humjoli, Mehboob Ki Mehndi, Manchali, and Bidaa. In her teens, she established herself as one of the top actresses in Bollywood.
However, a spate of personal tragedies ended Leena Chandavarkar’s successful Bollywood career forever. In 1975, Leena had an arrange marriage with Siddharth Bandodkar, a who came from a renowned political family in Goa. However, just 11 days after their wedding, Siddharth accidentally shot himself and passed away, leaving Leena widowed at 25. The actress continued to act after a break but did not get the same success as earlier.
In 1980, Leena married to singer superstar Kishore Kumar. At the time of her wedding, Leena was 30 and Kishore was 50. Despite, the 20 years age gap, she got married, quit films and focused on her personal life. However, in 1987, Kishore Kumar passed away due to heart attack. After this, Leena rarely returned to acting. She appeared in just one release- Mamta Ki Chhao Mein. This was her last appearance. Since then, the former actress has lived in Mumbai, away from the world of glitz and glam.
