I might have seen her earlier but she floored me with her dance on the ship in Lutera, O Dilwalo Saaz-e-Dil Pe Jhoom Lo Gaa Lo'. I think I saw the film three times just for that dance and umpteen times when the video became available.

I was very happy to be friends with her on Facebook, we exchanged messages. I tried very hard to persuade her to let me write her biography, she did not agree.

You may recall a project with Narsingh D Agnish and Edwina where he captured thousands of screenshots of Edwina's co-dancers, she helped identify more than hundred of them and all three of us wrote a book together.

A similar project was started with all the songs of Bela Bose, Narsingh had captured about 3,000 images, and I had selected about 700. I had requested Bela Bose to help us identify the unknowns. She had agreed.

I was extremely shocked when I found out that she left us so suddenly. Still not recovered from it, but life goes on.

On a not so sad note, Edwina has agreed to help with this project also. I have also been in touch with Madhumati Deepak, trying to persuade her to let me write her biography. I am hoping that she will at least help us identify these poor co-dancers, even their names are unknown.

At the premiere of Chitralekha, photo from Belaji's Facebook page, Bela Bose, Meena Kumari and Belaji's best friend, Zeb Rehman (Preetibala).

Now You Know!

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