Fragrance of Yesteryears: Jaya Bachchan

Wife of the Shahenshah, mother of the Bluffmaster. Featuring under our spotlight in Fragrance of Yesteryears today is the vivacious Bengali all-rounder, Jaya Bhaduri - Bachchan.

This Bong beauty, born to Indira and Taroon Kumar

Jaya debuted in Bollywood with Satyajit Ray's Mahanagar in her early teens but it was Guddi which marked the initiation of her adult roles. Prior to Mahanagar, she had short screen appearances in two Bengali films, one of them being a comedy. Mahanagar had played a pivotal role in determining the direction of Jaya's career, and it was after this movie that she developed a serious interest in acting and enrolled in the Film and Television Institute of Pune. She soon graduated, not with flying colors, but with golden colors. Jaya was awarded a gold award for her meritorious performance and was also rewarded with the titular role of Guddi. The role earned her the reputation of the girl-next-door and despite the versatility that Jaya showed by portraying the various different acts, she was remembered by the audience for her pretty-innocent girl charm.

Post-Guddi, there was no dearth of roles and offers for Jaya and she started soaring towards success. Movies like Uphaar, Koshish, Kora Kagaz et al earned her acclaimed fame and recognition. Jaya and Amitabh came together for the first time for the movie Bansi-Birju and later, at a time that was markedly a crucial phase in AB's career, it was Jaya who accepted to play his leading lady when all others refused, thus giving the audience the movie that would be remembered for decades to come - Zanjeer. The success of Zanjeer brought home accolades for AB and Jaya and soon their pairing was what the audience craved on the screen. Their off-screen chemistry worked wonders on-screen as well and Jaya went on to give a string of hits with AB.

Before Jaya retired as a lead actress after the birth of her daughter, Silsila was her last movie. However, she returned to acting after 18 years with Hazaar Chaurasi Ki Maa and went on to play in other movies such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag among others. 

Her many successes were marked with many accolades as well. Jaya is renowned to have nine Filmfares awards and three IIFAs, among the various other awards in her kitty.

Jaya is now a happy mother of two children - Shweta Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan, who're both happily married and settled. Jaya enjoys spending her time with her granddaughter, Aradhya, who keeps her occupied most of the time these days.