Shortchanged in life, cheated in death, Priya Rajvansh’s journey was perhaps more heartbreaking than that of the legendary Heer she personified in Heer Raanjha. There was nothing conventional about the actress. Born Vera Singh, she was rechristened Priya Rajvansh by mentor and filmmaker Chetan Anand. Dubbed ‘Queen Elizabeth’ by close friends, courtesy her ‘royal’ demeanour and anglicized accent, Priya chose to act in Hindi films. Her tragic turn as the doomed Heer in Chetan Anand’s Heer Raanjha won her prominence. And while her counterparts were obsessed with preening and careening, Priya preferred to discuss George Bernard Shaw and enjoy Urdu mushairas. Master filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Raj Kapoor may have written roles for this unusual actor but Priya opted to merge her dreams with those of her mentor and never stepped out of Chetan Anand’s ivory castle. Ironically, given her brief career, Priya Rajvansh may not find a glorious mention in the archives of film history. But she will inadvertently be remembered for an inglorious death… Friends share in their own words…
Scriptwriter MOIN BEG remembers the ‘Queen’s mom’ as he fondly called Priya Rajvansh:
I first met her when I was assisting Chetan saab (Anand) to write the script of Haathon Ki Lakeerein (1986). I grew to be one of her closest friends. Priya was well-educated and well-read. Her father Sunder Singh was an IAS officer. With him she had travelled to places like Beirut and Venice and so had world exposure.
Ironically, it was Umaji (Chetan Anand’s wife, passed away on November 13, 2009) who was instrumental in bringing Priya in Chetan saab’s life. Umaji saw Priya perform at a function in Chandigarh and gave her Chetan saab’s card, asking her to contact him. But Priya went off to RADA in London to pursue acting. In fact, she was the only Indian heroine from RADA and hers is the only photograph of an Indian actor put up there. After she completed her course, Priya posted her pictures to Chetan saab, who was on the lookout for a fresh face to play Heer in Heer Ranjha. When he saw the pictures, he telegrammed her, ‘Come to Bombay immediately!’ He had found his Heer.
But Heer Ranjha went through some delay. So, she starred in Haqeeqat (1964) instead. Eventually, Chetan saab separated from Umaji. And by the time Heer Ranjha (1971) was completed, Priya and he were close. She was in her 20s when they first met, he was 16 years her senior. After Heer Ranjha, Priya was offered films by top filmmakers including Raj Kapoor and Satyajit Ray, but she didn’t move beyond Chetan saab. Slowly, she began writing scripts for him. She even co-wrote the scripts of Hanste Zakhm and Kudrat. Yes, ‘marriage’ did cross her mind. ‘Let the boys grow up’ was Chetan saab’s stance. He kept putting it off. Later, she accepted the situation because the two had become great friends. She considered him her mentor.
She was so ‘British’ in her ways; you could set your watch by her routine. Every afternoon she would go to ‘the shack’ (Chetan saab’s seaside bungalow at Ruia Park). She had done up the interiors and turned it into a beautiful home. She’d have lunch with him, discuss work and then return to her apartment nearby (Mangal Kiran) at 4 pm. Then again, at 8 pm, Chetan saab’s car would go to pick her up. At 8.05 pm she’d be in the car. By 8:10 pm she was in Chetan saab’s shack. Sometimes, Chetan saab would buy her ice-cream before dropping her home. She loved desserts, especially pudding. Chetan saab and Priya were at peace with each other. They had a fabulous understanding. He was totally dependent on her, whether it was regarding the doctor or his scripts. They did have a lot of arguments. And when she got angry, she’d sulk. To pacify her, Chetan saab just had to say, ‘Aur kya ho raha hai Bimbo (his pet name for her)?’ And she’d start smiling.
She was true blue royalty. In fact, I called her the ‘Queen’s mom’ because of the way she’d wave out from her car. But at times I’d tease her and call her ‘Verrra’ (her real name) with a desi twang. I’d also call ‘her aunty,’ and she’d retort, ‘I am not aunty!’ She made the world’s worst tea — light English tea, which I hated but had to gulp down. She was a great ballroom dancer, whether it was fox-trot, waltz or jive! Also, she wasn’t an alcoholic, as was reported. She just had two thimble-sized pegs of gin.
When Chetan Saab fell sick (he was asthmatic), she nursed him day and night. She was lonely after his demise. Things became a bit unpleasant between her and his sons (Ketan and Vivek Anand). Chetan saab had left the shack to his two sons and Priya. She would tell them to buy her out if they didn’t want to sell it. ‘I want to live and travel the world,’ she’d say. All of us would advise her not to go to the shack. I said, ‘You have your own house, call your friends there’. She’d say, ‘I have given my life to this man and I have a right to the house’. She’d call me up every morning at 10.30 am and chat till 11.30 am even if we had met the night before. She’d say, ‘Generally, people love to talk. But Moin you make for a good listener’.
Uncannily, an evening before she died, she insisted I go to her home. She made me sit on the bed; pulled open her cupboard drawer, showed me where her bank papers, locker keys and will were kept. She asked me to bring down a porcelain Ganpati placed high on the wall unit. She asked me to turn its head around. It was a lid. Inside the Ganpati were kept her ornaments, which she wanted to be given to her brothers’ (Kamaljit Singh aka Gulu and Padamjit Singh aka Bill) children. On that fateful day (Priya died on March 27, 2000) there was a Mumbai bandh. So I couldn’t go to the shack. She was supposed to spend the evening at her neighbour, the Maharani’s (Brijraj Nandini Devi of Bhavnagar) home. But out of habit she went to the shack alone to have her first peg… and the rest is history. I was heartbroken and turned hysterical when I heard the news of her demise. But eventually, I took charge of myself and handed over her valuables to her brothers. We friends organised her funeral and chautha. Anup Jalota, also a dear friend, sang at her chautha.
Priya Rajvansh with Moin Beg
Maharani Samyukta Kumari says that Priya, her neighbour, was a complete romantic:
Priyaji was friendly with my parents-in-law — Dr Virbhadra Singhji and Brijraj Nandini Devi, the Maharaja and Maharani of Bhavnagar (both are no more). Our bungalow was bang opposite Chetan Anand’s shack in Juhu. Every alternate evening, they would be at each other’s homes. Their love for culture, poetry and the arts brought them together.
I was 20 when I got married. My husband (now separated) Vijayraj Singhji was 21. We liked spending the evenings with my parents-in-law as they were great company and always had poets, writers and singers visiting them. I remember Jagjitji (Singh), Anupji (Jalota) and Hariharan often being there at Chetanji’s shack. I remember Anupji singing Chaudvin ka chand one evening saying that it was the ultimate romantic song in his book. Goldieji (Vijay Anand) and Chetanji discussed philosophy, religion and politics. And no matter how late the evening would extend, Priyaji never stayed back at the shack. She returned to her home even if it was 2 am. There was something old world about her – she knew where to draw the line.
Priyaji was closer to Bapu (father-in-law). They would be sitting out in the garden or on the porch enjoying their gin in silence as the waves played outside. Bapu passed away five years after my marriage. After Bapu’s demise, Priyaji often came home to share a drink with my mother-in-law. Priyaji was a voracious reader. I also love books. She’d borrow them from me. But she returned them in the same condition that they were given in and at the said time. If she took a day or two more, she’d excuse herself. She was that proper in conduct. Her sense of timing was also perfect. If she was coming home for a drink she’d be bang on time.
She had built her life around the shack. She was a total romantic. In a world where starlets come and go, she just loved the man (referring to Chetan Anand). Because of her relationship with Chetanji she restricted herself to his films. She had her own share of admirers though, some famous people, but she never gave in to them. One of them was a Parsi gentleman called Mr Dinshaw. So once when she happened to remark, ‘Why can’t we have men like Geroge Bernard Shaw anymore?’ Moin (Beg) turned around and joked, ‘Why don’t you settle for Dinshaw instead?’
After Chetanji’s death she felt alone. She tried to smarten up her finances. Our manager even helped her out. She made my mother-in-law a nominee regarding some of her investments. She led a life, which was bordering on the frugal. Like Moin would sometimes joke, ‘When will you change your handbag?’ Whatever she had, she wanted to save. She felt insecure as she didn’t have enough liquidity. The evening she died, she was supposed to have a drink with us. But she didn’t turn up at the time, which was strange. We sent the watchman to inquire. The maid said she’d be coming soon. But she didn’t turn up. We sent him again and that’s when the maid said she’d fainted. We ran across, my husband, my mother-in-law and me… and the drama unfolded.
I rubbed her hands and feet but she was no more. For a long, long time I could not get over her death. It was the only time I slept with my bed lamp on. I’d sit at the Hare Rama Hare Krishna temple on many evenings for peace. She was originally from the mountains and so am I. My parents live in the Kangra valley in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. Having grown up in the North, she often spoke of the mountains and how much she loved the Church of St John in Wilderness in Upper Dharamsala. I also love the church. We thought it would be a fitting tribute to build a memorial there for a fine lady, who died unsung. It was our bid to put her soul to rest. We got the memorial built on her birthday (December 30) with my father’s (Major Vijay Singh) support. Hope it can be her final resting place…
I knew Priya from the time Chetan saab was making Haqeeqat. She was not only physically beautiful but also intellectually. She enjoyed mushairas and all things connected with art and culture. She was very correct in her behaviour. I never heard her abuse anyone. At one stage, she did have a desire to marry Chetan saab. Later, Chetan saab crossed the age to get married. Moreover, she was more concerned about taking care of Chetan saab than the selfishness of being his wife. That speaks well of her. She was more of a companion than anything else. And she would have worked with other filmmakers but she felt she’d be letting Chetan saab down if she did so.
During his lifetime, Chetan saab often discussed what kind of a will he should make. My advice was, ‘Do whatever you wish for your family and friend Priya during your lifetime. If you leave things to be settled later it will be a huge milestone to cross’. Priya was heartbroken after Chetan saab’s demise. Chetan saab had gifted her one Reza painting and a diamond ring, which she wore always. I would describe Priya in three words – trusting, extremely loyal and in some ways stupid. On March 27, when we heard of her death, we rushed to her house. After her death, I read an article, which cast aspersions on her character and called her an ‘alcoholic’. Yes, Priya enjoyed a drink or two. But she never made a fool of herself.
What I remember of Priya the most is the last conversation that she had with me – ‘You get me a house here ( Versova). If you don’t, I will live in yours and you will move out.’ I also remember her in a white saree – which somewhere symbolised her simplicity and goodness. I also remember the way she died and the way we immersed her ashes…
I first met her when she was shooting for Heer Ranjha. I was shooting on the adjacent set. I found her different from other actresses. She was sophisticated. She would open up slowly and once she did she became very affectionate. Since I was from theatre we used to meet often at Kaifi saab’s (Azmi) house. But it was only towards the later part of her life that we got close. Before that she was just an acquaintance. I also found her to be lonely, even when Chetanji was around. It was more evident after he passed away. Yes, she was shaken by his death. She loved meetha. Two days before she died we took her to the restaurant Shatranj on Pali Hill where she had one dessert before dinner, one after it. Moin even joked, ‘I will put a chilli in it, so it won’t be called sweet anymore’. She also had a floating brownie that night! Her end was tragic.
PRIYA RAJVANSH
· Priya Rajvansh was born Vera Sunder Singh in Shimla to a Sikh family.
· After graduation she joined the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London
· She first appeared in Chetan Anand’s Haqeeqat (1964). She was around 22.
· Her next film Heer Raanjha with Raaj Kumar (1970) was a blockbuster. Hanste Zakhm and Hindustan Ki Kasam (both in 1973) and Kudrat (1981) were her other noted films.
· After her mentor and companion Chetan’s death in 1997, she inherited a part of his seaside bungalow at Ruia Park in Juhu, along with his sons Ketan and Vivek Anand.
· She was found dead in the bungalow on March 27, 2000. She was 62.
PRIYA’S HIT SONGS
· Zara si aahat hoti hai – Haqeeqat
· Milo na tum to hum ghabhraye – Heer Ranjha
· Betaab dil ki tamanna - Hanste Zakhm
· Aaj socha to aansoo bhar aaye – Hanste Zakhm
· Hai tere saath meri wafa – Hindustan Ki Kasam
Priyaji was friendly with my parents-in-law — Dr Virbhadra Singhji and Brijraj Nandini Devi, the Maharaja and Maharani of Bhavnagar (both are no more). Our bungalow was bang opposite Chetan Anand’s shack in Juhu. Every alternate evening, they would be at each other’s homes. Their love for culture, poetry and the arts brought them together.
I was 20 when I got married. My husband (now separated) Vijayraj Singhji was 21. We liked spending the evenings with my parents-in-law as they were great company and always had poets, writers and singers visiting them. I remember Jagjitji (Singh), Anupji (Jalota) and Hariharan often being there at Chetanji’s shack. I remember Anupji singing Chaudvin ka chand one evening saying that it was the ultimate romantic song in his book. Goldieji (Vijay Anand) and Chetanji discussed philosophy, religion and politics. And no matter how late the evening would extend, Priyaji never stayed back at the shack. She returned to her home even if it was 2 am. There was something old world about her – she knew where to draw the line.
Priyaji was closer to Bapu (father-in-law). They would be sitting out in the garden or on the porch enjoying their gin in silence as the waves played outside. Bapu passed away five years after my marriage. After Bapu’s demise, Priyaji often came home to share a drink with my mother-in-law. Priyaji was a voracious reader. I also love books. She’d borrow them from me. But she returned them in the same condition that they were given in and at the said time. If she took a day or two more, she’d excuse herself. She was that proper in conduct. Her sense of timing was also perfect. If she was coming home for a drink she’d be bang on time.
She had built her life around the shack. She was a total romantic. In a world where starlets come and go, she just loved the man (referring to Chetan Anand). Because of her relationship with Chetanji she restricted herself to his films. She had her own share of admirers though, some famous people, but she never gave in to them. One of them was a Parsi gentleman called Mr Dinshaw. So once when she happened to remark, ‘Why can’t we have men like Geroge Bernard Shaw anymore?’ Moin (Beg) turned around and joked, ‘Why don’t you settle for Dinshaw instead?’
After Chetanji’s death she felt alone. She tried to smarten up her finances. Our manager even helped her out. She made my mother-in-law a nominee regarding some of her investments. She led a life, which was bordering on the frugal. Like Moin would sometimes joke, ‘When will you change your handbag?’ Whatever she had, she wanted to save. She felt insecure as she didn’t have enough liquidity. The evening she died, she was supposed to have a drink with us. But she didn’t turn up at the time, which was strange. We sent the watchman to inquire. The maid said she’d be coming soon. But she didn’t turn up. We sent him again and that’s when the maid said she’d fainted. We ran across, my husband, my mother-in-law and me… and the drama unfolded.
I rubbed her hands and feet but she was no more. For a long, long time I could not get over her death. It was the only time I slept with my bed lamp on. I’d sit at the Hare Rama Hare Krishna temple on many evenings for peace. She was originally from the mountains and so am I. My parents live in the Kangra valley in Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. Having grown up in the North, she often spoke of the mountains and how much she loved the Church of St John in Wilderness in Upper Dharamsala. I also love the church. We thought it would be a fitting tribute to build a memorial there for a fine lady, who died unsung. It was our bid to put her soul to rest. We got the memorial built on her birthday (December 30) with my father’s (Major Vijay Singh) support. Hope it can be her final resting place…
Maharani Samyukta Kumari
Music connoisseur Bobby Sethi remembers Priya Rajvansh as a sensitive woman yet foolish:
I knew Priya from the time Chetan saab was making Haqeeqat. She was not only physically beautiful but also intellectually. She enjoyed mushairas and all things connected with art and culture. She was very correct in her behaviour. I never heard her abuse anyone. At one stage, she did have a desire to marry Chetan saab. Later, Chetan saab crossed the age to get married. Moreover, she was more concerned about taking care of Chetan saab than the selfishness of being his wife. That speaks well of her. She was more of a companion than anything else. And she would have worked with other filmmakers but she felt she’d be letting Chetan saab down if she did so.
During his lifetime, Chetan saab often discussed what kind of a will he should make. My advice was, ‘Do whatever you wish for your family and friend Priya during your lifetime. If you leave things to be settled later it will be a huge milestone to cross’. Priya was heartbroken after Chetan saab’s demise. Chetan saab had gifted her one Reza painting and a diamond ring, which she wore always. I would describe Priya in three words – trusting, extremely loyal and in some ways stupid. On March 27, when we heard of her death, we rushed to her house. After her death, I read an article, which cast aspersions on her character and called her an ‘alcoholic’. Yes, Priya enjoyed a drink or two. But she never made a fool of herself.
What I remember of Priya the most is the last conversation that she had with me – ‘You get me a house here ( Versova). If you don’t, I will live in yours and you will move out.’ I also remember her in a white saree – which somewhere symbolised her simplicity and goodness. I also remember the way she died and the way we immersed her ashes…
Bobby Sethi
Actor Geeta Kak says Priya’s tragic death was fated:
I first met her when she was shooting for Heer Ranjha. I was shooting on the adjacent set. I found her different from other actresses. She was sophisticated. She would open up slowly and once she did she became very affectionate. Since I was from theatre we used to meet often at Kaifi saab’s (Azmi) house. But it was only towards the later part of her life that we got close. Before that she was just an acquaintance. I also found her to be lonely, even when Chetanji was around. It was more evident after he passed away. Yes, she was shaken by his death. She loved meetha. Two days before she died we took her to the restaurant Shatranj on Pali Hill where she had one dessert before dinner, one after it. Moin even joked, ‘I will put a chilli in it, so it won’t be called sweet anymore’. She also had a floating brownie that night! Her end was tragic.
PRIYA RAJVANSH
· Priya Rajvansh was born Vera Sunder Singh in Shimla to a Sikh family.
· After graduation she joined the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London
· She first appeared in Chetan Anand’s Haqeeqat (1964). She was around 22.
· Her next film Heer Raanjha with Raaj Kumar (1970) was a blockbuster. Hanste Zakhm and Hindustan Ki Kasam (both in 1973) and Kudrat (1981) were her other noted films.
· After her mentor and companion Chetan’s death in 1997, she inherited a part of his seaside bungalow at Ruia Park in Juhu, along with his sons Ketan and Vivek Anand.
· She was found dead in the bungalow on March 27, 2000. She was 62.
PRIYA’S HIT SONGS
· Zara si aahat hoti hai – Haqeeqat
· Milo na tum to hum ghabhraye – Heer Ranjha
· Betaab dil ki tamanna - Hanste Zakhm
· Aaj socha to aansoo bhar aaye – Hanste Zakhm
· Hai tere saath meri wafa – Hindustan Ki Kasam
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