Personal info
Known for
Actor
Gender
Female
Birthday
14 January
Location
Maharashtra, India
Edit pageDurga Khote
Biography
Durga Khote (14 January 1905 – 22 September 1991) was a pioneering Indian actress and one of the leading women of early Hindi and Marathi cinema. She worked in films, theatre and television during a career spanning more than five decades.
Born in Bombay, she came from a Marathi-speaking family and entered films at a time when acting was not considered a respectable profession for women from traditional families. She made her screen debut with Farebi Jaal (1931) and gained recognition through films such as Ayodhyecha Raja (1932), Maya Machhindra (1932) and Amar Jyoti (1936).
Khote became known for portraying strong and dignified characters. She successfully worked in both Hindi and Marathi cinema and appeared in numerous notable films, including Mughal-e-Azam, Bharat Milap, Bobby, Abhimaan, Naya Din Nai Raat, Anand and Karz. She was particularly remembered for playing mother and grandmother roles in the later part of her career.
She was also active in theatre and television and helped establish a production company. Her contribution to Indian cinema was recognised with several major honours, including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1983, India's highest honour in cinema, and the Padma Shri in 1968.
Durga Khote died on 22 September 1991 in Pune, Maharashtra, at the age of 86. She is remembered as one of the trailblazers who helped make professional acting more acceptable for women in Indian cinema.
