Cuckoo Moray aka Cuckoo aka Cukoo is an Anglo-Indian actor and dancer, whose career fame is mainly associated with Indian cinema as a dancer. She is popularly known as the ‘rubber girl’ of Bollywood, where she established a reputation as the ‘first item girl’ and the ‘cabaret queen of Indian cinema,’ around the middle of the 20th century. He died of cancer on September 30, 1981.
Wiki/Biography
Cuckoo Moray was born in 1928 (age 52 or 53; at time of death) into an Anglo-Indian family. She loves to dance since her childhood and aspires to be a top dancer in Indian cinema. As he hails from an Anglo-Indian family, he has been influenced by English songs and can also dance gracefully to the classical beats of Indian music.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 3″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Family
There is not much information about his family.
Relationships/Affairs
According to some sources, she had an affair with a Bollywood film director.
Career
Dancer
Cuckoo introduced cabaret dancing in Indian cinema and made it an important element in the films of the era. She made a name for herself when big actresses like Nargis, Meena Kumari, Suraiya, and Madhu Bala became hits. ‘Ek do teen,’ ‘Patli kamar hai,’ and ‘Hum tumhare hain zara, ghar se nikal kar dekh lo;’ is his standout performance as a dancer.
Cuckoo Moray in the iconic song of Raj Kapoor’s film Ek Do Teen
Her screen debut as a dancer was in the film ‘Mujrim’ in 1944. But it was ‘Arab Ka Sitara’ in 1946, which made her so popular that almost every film in the 1950s had at least one cabaret dance. no. from Cuckoo. In 1948, she featured as a dancer in Mehboob Khan’s ‘Anokhi Ada,’ and later in Andaaz where upon meeting Raj Kapoor, she got many RK films like ‘Barsat’ and ‘Awara.’
Popular filmography
- Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958)
In various movies, Cuckoo just dances to the music like in the movie, ‘Aan.’
Cuckoo Moray has several dances with Helen such as in Jewish films, Heera Moti, and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. Their most iconic dance number together was ‘Hum tumhare hain zara.’
Cuckoo and Helen in the song, Hum Tumhare Hai
The movie ‘Girls Hostel’ is believed to be her last hit and after this, she only got one or two opportunities to work as a chorus dancer. He retired in 1963, his last film was ‘Mujhe Jeene Do.’
actor
Cuckoo also worked as an actor in several films such as Andaaz (1949), in which he played a supporting role as Nargis’s friend Sheela, starring Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar.
Cuckoo Moray as Sheela with Nargis in the movie Andaaz
In the film, Barsat (1949), she played the role of a senor who seduces the handsome Premnath in the song ‘Patli kamar hai.’ In Saqi (1949), she played the role of a prostitute.
Controversy
Tax evasion
- According to sources, tax evasion has been charged against Cuckoo by the Income Tax Department. Most of his property was confiscated, which led to a loss of wealth in his later years.
Assets & Real Estate
She has a bungalow in Mumbai and owns a lot of jewellery.
Death
Cuckoo Moray had cancer as a result of which he died on September 30, 1981 at the age of 53.
Favourite
Facts/Trivia
- Cuckoo was the most expensive Bollywood dancer of his time. He used to charge Rs. 6000 per song item, which used to cost more than the amount of some famous film actors/actresses and singers like Lata, Rafi and Mukesh, who used to earn Rs 300-400 per song. This amount is equivalent to 5lakhs in that era and crores today.
- He is also a singer. She sang the song ‘Neele Aasmani’ in Guru Dutt’s film ‘Mr. and Puan 55’ (1955) and also in the movie Pardes (1950)
- He was a family friend of Indian dancer & actress Helen and introduced 13-year-old Helen to films as a chorus dancer.
- Cuckoo has helped many unknown actors and actresses to venture into films like Pran in the film Ziddi.
- Cuckoo is also praised for his neat dressing style.
- He had no dance training and therefore could not be classified under any classical style.
- The film ‘Aan’ is the only film in color as a dancer.
- He lives a luxurious life. He has three cars of which one is reserved for his dog to take out for a drive and one for his friend, Helen. He owns an expensive breed of dog. He loves cigarettes and expensive Scotch.
- Cuckoo remained the best dancer in Hindi cinema before actors Vyjayanthimala and Helen came to the fore.
- At the time of his death, he was bankrupt, penniless and forgotten. He believes that his extravagant lifestyle is the cause.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
