When Sadhana said producers chose Saira Banu for beauty, Asha Parekh for dance and her for this reason

Sadhana was among the most popular actors in the 1960s, having starred in hits such as Saaya, Woh Kaun Thi and Waqt. During that time, Saira Banu and Asha Parekh were her two contemporaries and also fan-favourites.

However, Sadhana had once revealed how there was never any competition or bad blood between them. They were friends and their different ‘talents’ were the reasons they could maintain a healthy bond without worrying about hijacking each others’ work opportunities.

Speaking to iDiva in 2012, Sadhana had revealed how the demarcation of territories worked. “There were three of us, Saira Banu, Asha Parekh and me. If the producers wanted someone pretty and decorative they took Saira. If they wanted a dancer they’d take Asha, if they wanted histrionics they’d sign me. So there was no rivalry. Asha and I kept in touch. We’d wish each other on our birthdays. But today Waheeda (Rehman), Asha, Nanda, Helen and I meet regularly over lunches. When five ladies meet we always have something to talk about,” she said.

Sadhana made her Bollywood debut with Love In Shimla in 1960. She became popular for her ‘Sadhana cut’, which was originally introduced to hide her forehead. The cut was inspired by Audrey Hepburn’s iconic fringe and in India, Sadhana made it all the rage.

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She was 14 when Raj Kapoor put her in the chorus during the shoot of his song Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh in Shree 420 (1955). She then worked on Sindhi film Abaana (1958). Sadhana was spotted by producer Sashadhar Mukherjee in a film magazine that had her photograph, promoting Abaana.

She married director RK. Nayyar in 1966. She was diagnosed with brain tumour that led her to her death at 74 years of age on December 25, 2015.