Rajinder Singh Bedi is an Indian novelist, screenwriter, playwright, producer and filmmaker. Some of his notable works as a screenwriter include films such as Anupama (1966), Satyakam (1969), and Abhimaan (1973).
Wiki/Biography
Rajinder Singh Bedi was born on Wednesday, 1 September 1915 (age 69 at death) in Dhallewali, Saikot (now in Pakistan), Punjab, British India. His zodiac sign is Virgo. He got his education from a school in Lahore Cantonment, Punjab, Pakistan where he studied up to the fourth grade. He joined SBBS Khalsa Senior High School, Basiala, Punjab where he passed with first division in the matriculation examination in 1931. After that, he enrolled in DAV College but could not complete his studies as his mother died of tuberculosis. In 1933, he joined the Sadar Bazar Post Office, Lahore as a clerk. He left his clerical job and joined the Urdu section of All India Radio, Lahore in 1941. After working there for two years he left the job and worked at Maheshwari Films Studios for one and a half years as a writer. Later he rejoined All India Radio and was posted to Jammu and Kashmir Broadcasting Service as Director. In 1947, he left All India Radio and moved to Bombay to work as a dialogue writer in the Hindi film industry with filmmaker DD Kashyap.
Family
Rajinder Singh Bedi belongs to a Khatri Sikh family in Punjab.
Parents & Siblings
Rajinder Singh Bedi’s father’s name is Hira Singh Bedi. He was a postmaster at Sadar Bazar Post Office, Lahore. His mother’s name is Seva Dai. He has two younger brothers and one older sister. One of his brothers works as an IAS officer and the other in the army.
Rajinder Singh Bedi with his two brothers and sister
Wife & Children
Rajinder Bedi married in 1934 at the age of 19. He has two sons Narendra Bedi and Rajkumar Bedi. Both of them are Indian filmmakers and work in the Hindi film industry.
Rajinder Singh Bedi’s son Narendra Bedi
Other relatives
He has a granddaughter named Ila Bedi Dutta who works in the Hindi entertainment industry as a writer and producer.
Grandson of Rajinder Singh Bedi, Ila Bedi Dutta
He has two grandchildren named Manek Bedi and Rajat Bedi who work as actors and producers in the Indian entertainment industry.
Grandson of Rajinder Singh Bedi Manek Bedi
Grandson of Rajinder Singh Bedi Rajat Bedi
Career
Writer
Short Stories & Plays
Rajinder Bedi began his writing career by publishing his collection of short stories known as Dana-O-Daam (The Catch) in 1940. The most popular story in the collection was “Garam Coat” (Warm Coat).
Book cover ‘Salt Coat’
Some of his other collections of short stories and plays are Grehan (1942), Kokh Jali (1949), Saat Khel (1981), and Apne Dukh Mujhe Dedo (1997).
Movie
Dialogue Writer
Rajinder Bedi’s first film as a dialogue writer was Bari Behen (1949). Some of the other films in which he worked as a dialogue writer were Mirza Ghalib (1954), Devdas (1955), Madhumati (1958), and Satyakam (1969).
Screenwriter
Rajinder Singh Bedi’s first film as a screenwriter was Garam Coat (1955). Some of the other films in which he worked as a script writer were Mem-Didi (1961), Rungoli (1962), Mere Sanam (1965), and Mere Hamdam Mere Dost (1968).
Still from the movie ‘Salt Coat’
film director
Rajinder Singh Bedi’s first film as a film director was Dastak (1970). Some of his other directorial films were Phagun (1973), Nawab Sahib (1978) and Aankhin Dekhi (1978).
Publisher
Rajinder Singh Bedi’s first film as a producer was Garam Coat (1955) under the production banner Cine Co-operative Ltd. Some of the other films he produced were Rungoli (1962) and Phagun (1973).
Awards & Honors
- 1956 Filmfare Award – Best Story for Garm Coat (1955)
- 1959 Filmfare Award – Best Dialogue for Madhumati (1958)
- Sahitya Academy Award for his novel Ek Chadar Maili Si (1965)
- 1971 Filmfare Award – Best Dialogue for Satyakam (1969)
- Ghalib Award for Urdu Drama (1978)
Death
He suffered a stroke in 1982 which left him paralyzed. Rajinder Singh Bedi died on 11 November 1984 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Favourite
Facts/Trivia
- He has his own publishing house known as Sangam Publisher Limited, in Nesbitt Road, Lahore, Pakistan.
- During the partition of 1947, Rajinder Singh Bedi’s house and office were burnt due to which he and his family had to move to Ropar, Punjab and then to Shimla. He helped and saved many Muslim families by moving them to safe locations during partition.
- He likes to read books in his spare time.
- He used to smoke and drink alcohol occasionally.
- After his death, the ‘Rajinder Singh Bedi Award’ in the field of Urdu literature was started by the Government of Punjab in his honour.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
