- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRuby Myers
- She was born Ruby Myers in Pune and was working as a telephone operator when she was approached by Mohan Bhavnani of Kohinoor Films to work in films. Though excited by the offer, she turned him down as acting was regarded as quite a dubious profession for women those days. However Bhavnani persisted with his offer and she finally agreed, despite having no knowledge of acting whatsoever. She became a star under Bhavnani's direction at Kohinoor before moving on to the Imperial Film Company where she became the highest paid movie star in the country.
Among her popular films were Typist Girl (1926), Balidaan (1927) and Wildcat of Bombay (1927) where she essayed eight roles including a gardener, a policeman, a Hyderabadi gentleman, a street urchin, a banana seller and a European blonde!
Three romantic super hits in 1928 - 29 with director RS Chaudhari - Madhuri (1928), Anarkali (1928) and Indira BA (1929) saw her at her peak of fame in the silent film era. In fact so widespread was her fame that when a short film on Mahatma Gandhi inaugurating a khadi exhibition was shown, alongside it was added a hugely popular dance of Sulochana's from Madhuri, synchronized with sound effects.
With the coming of sound Sulochana suddenly found a lull in her career, as it now required an actor to be proficient in Hindustani. Taking a year off to learn the language, she made a grand comeback with the talkie version of Madhuri (1932).
Further talkie versions of her silent hits followed and with Indira (now an) MA(1934), Anarkali (1935) and Bombay ki Billi (1936). Sulochana was back with a bang. She was drawing a salary of Rs 5000 per month, she had the sleekest of cars (Chevrolet 1935) and one of the biggest heroes of the silent era, D Billimoria, as her lover with whom she worked exclusively between 1933 and 1939. They were an extremely popular pair - His John Barrymore style opposite her Oriental 'Queen of Romance' image.
But once their love story ended so did their careers. Sulochana left Imperial to find few offers forthcoming. Newer, younger and more proficient actresses had entered the scene. She tried making a comeback with character roles but even these were far and few in between.
However, she still had the power to excite controversy. In 1947, Moraji Desai banned the Dilip Kumar - Noor Jehan starer, Jugnu, because it showed such a morally reprehensible act as an aging fellow professor falling for Sulochana's vintage charms.
In 1953, she acted in her third Anarkali, but this time in a supporting role as Salim's mother. She acted in Khatta Meetha (wife of Soli Bhai)
She finally passed away lonely and forgotten in 1983 in her flat in Bombay. A sad end for the woman who once became famous for drawing a larger salary than the Governor of Bombay and who even acted in a film named after her - Sulochana (1933)!- IMDb Mini Biography By: Rashid Ashraf zest70pk@gmail.com - She was born Ruby Mayers in Pune on 9 Oct 1907 to Lulu Mayers. She had a sister named Rosy Mayers.
She was awarded the 1973 Dada Saheb Phalke Award, India's highest award in cinema 1973 for her lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. In mid-1930 she opened Rubi Pics, a film production house.
In 1931, she adopted a lovely girl and named her Sarah Mayers, who later changed her name to VIjaylaxmi Shreshtha after her love marriage to Mr. Vijay Kumar Shreshtha. She had two loving grandchildren named Dhananjay Shreshtha and Deviyani Shreshtha. She had a loving niece Lillian Mayers from her sister Rosy Mayers. She had a loving and happy family life. In her last days she played with her great grand children before passing away from cardiac arrest leaving behid her grieving family and loved ones with beautiful memories. She was given warm farewell by her loving family and close ones.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Abbha Sinha - Granddaughter of Ruby Mayers.
- At the hight of her career, Sulochana made more money than any other film actor in India, and also earned more than the Govorner of Bombay.
- Was half white and half Indian.
- She was working as a telephone operator when she was approached by Mohan Bhavnani of Kohinoor Film Company to work in films. She initially turned him down as acting was regarded as quite a dubious profession for women those days. However Bhavnani persisted and she finally agreed, despite having no knowledge of acting. She became a star under Bhavnani's direction at Kohinoor before moving on to the Imperial Film Company.
- In her heyday she was one of the highest paid actresses of her time, when she was paired with Dinshaw Bilimoria in Imperial Studios films.
- In the mid-1930 she opened Rubi Pics, a film production house.
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