When Kissing was a Taboo

When Kissing was a taboo!

Devika Rani: Petrifying and intriguing 

Devika Rani was the epitome of Boldness, defying the social norms set by the patriarchal society. This gender-based hierarchy of the male dominant society was not only defied but also completely flouted by one the most beautiful and the powerful woman ever who have influenced the Indian films like nobody else could do.

Devika Rani, the first leading lady of the screen who was responsible for the flourishing career of Ashok Kumar and Dilip Kumar. she was the one who christened the name of thespian Yousuf Khan to Dilip Kumar.

The impish traits of Devika Rani was the reason of the entry of shy young man Kamudlal Ganguly popularly known as Ashok Kumar to be replacement of the  Najm-ul-Hassan, the paramour of Devika Rani whom she ran away with promoting the husband of Devika Rani to select Ashok.Kumar in the leading role. 

Devika Rani first emerged on the screen for the movie  Karma (1933), the first English language which was later released in Hindi as ' Nagin ki Rani'. The actress flouted the social norms and have a kissing scene which was a lip lock scene with Himanshu Rai, who was also the husband of Devika Rani. The scene lasted around four minutes and is still a record after 87 years of the movie. When the other woman could not even dear to think to work in films, she transgressed in her wildness giving a damn to the customs and rules which she thought was meant to dominate women.

This might likely petrify those who consider women their property and intrigues those are curious to know the history of those who wrote it. Fascinating!.

 In an interview, she said that it is better to be looked over than to be overlooked. She truly was the crusader of the gender-based neutrality aiming to give more power to women over the brains and body.

Unfortunately, the recipient of the first Dada Sahab award recipient died in 1994 at the age of 85.