Sushma Seth

Biography

Sushma Seth (born 1936) is an Indian stage, film and television actress. She started her career in the 1950s and was a founder member of the Delhi-based theatre group Yatrik. Her first film was Junoon in 1978.

She is known for playing a mother and grandmother role in movies and on television and is notable for her role as Dadi in the pioneering TV soap Hum Log (1984–1985).

She received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Ameena Bai in B. R. Chopra's drama Tawaif (1985).

She has worked with famous directors like Dev Raj Ankur, Ram Gopal Bajaj, Manish Joshi Bismil, and Chander Shekhar Sharma.

Seth started her career on stage in the 1950s. With Joy Michael, Rati Bartholomew, Roshan Seth, and others, she was one of the founders of the Delhi-based theatre group Yatrik in 1964. In addition to acting, she has directed many plays.

In the 1970s, she founded and ran the Children's Creative Theatre, an ensemble that put up plays and conducted workshops for children.

She made her big screen debut with Shyam Benegal's 1978 period film Junoon, in which she played Shashi Kapoor's aunt.

She has starred in some of the biggest hits in the Indian industry including Silsila, Prem Rog, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Chandni, Deewana, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... and Kal Ho Naa Ho. She also appeared in the Punjabi film Chann Pardesi (1980).

She received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Ameena Bai in B. R. Chopra's drama Tawaif (1985).

She has played the mother and grandmother of many Bollywood performers including Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, and Preity Zinta.

Seth appeared in the TV sitcom Dekh Bhai Dekh (1993), directed by Anand Mahendroo, where she played the matriarch of the Divan family. She has also worked with theatre directors like Ram Gopal Bajaj and Manish Joshi Bismil.

She is notable for her performance on the TV soap Hum Log, telecast in the early 80s on Doordarshan, in which she played Daadi (the grandmother).

Seth was so popular that her character, who was shown suffering from throat cancer, had to be extended on the viewer's demand.

Since the early 2000s, Seth has been working with an NGO called Arpana, directing plays and dance dramas. She has written a play called Sitaron Ke Paas inspired by the life of astronaut Kalpana Chawla.