Sushma Seth


Sushma Seth is an Indian stage, film and television actress. She started her career in the 1950s, and was a founder member of the Delhi-based theatre group Yatrik. Her first film was Junoon in 1978. She is known for playing a mother and grandmother role in movies and on television, and notable for her role as Dadi in the pioneering TV soap Hum Log. She received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Ameena Bai in B. R. Chopra's drama Tawaif. She has worked with famous directors like Dev Raj Ankur, Ram Gopal Bajaj, Manish Joshi Bismil and Chander Shekhar Sharma.

Early and personal life

Brought up in Delhi she completed her schooling at Convent of Jesus and Mary, New Delhi. Thereafter Sushma did a teachers training diploma in home science, Lady Irwin College, New Delhi, Associate in Science diploma, Briarcliff College, New York, and later, Bachelor of Fine Arts, from Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, United States.
Sushma Seth and her husband, businessman Dhruv Seth, have three children. Among them is actress Divya Seth, who acted alongside her mother in Hum Log and Dekh Bhai Dekh.

Career

Seth started her career on stage in the 1950s. With Joy Michael, Rati Bartholomew, Roshan Seth and others, she was one of the founders of the Delhi-based theatre group Yatrik in 1964. In addition to acting, she has directed many plays. In the 1970s, she founded and ran the Children's Creative Theatre, an ensemble that put up plays and conducted workshops for children.
She made her big screen debut with Shyam Benegal's 1978 period film Junoon, in which she played Shashi Kapoor's aunt. She has starred in some of the biggest hits in the Indian industry including Silsila, Prem Rog, Ram Teri Ganga Maili, Chandni, Deewana, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Kal Ho Naa Ho. She also appeared in the Punjabi film Chann Pardesi.
She received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Ameena Bai in B. R. Chopra's drama Tawaif. She has played the mother and grandmother of many Bollywood performers including Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Shahrukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor and Preity Zinta.
Seth appeared in the TV sitcom Dekh Bhai Dekh, directed by Anand Mahendroo, where she played the matriarch of the Divan family. She has also worked with theatre directors like Ram Gopal Bajaj and Manish Joshi Bismil. She is notable for her performance on the TV soap Hum Log, telecast in the early 80s on Doordarshan, in which she played Daadi. Seth was so popular that her character, who was shown suffering from throat cancer, had to be extended on viewer's demand.
Since the early 2000s, Seth has been working with an NGO called Arpana, directing plays and dance dramas. She has written a play called Sitaron Ke Paas inspired by the life of astronaut Kalpana Chawla.

Filmography

  • Junoon as Javed's chachi
  • Chann Pardesi as Jassi
  • Kalyug as Savitri
  • Silsila
  • Swami Dada as Seema's mom
  • Prem Rog as Badi Maa
  • Aparoopa as Rana's mother
  • Romance as Mrs. Roy
  • Naukar Biwi Ka as Sandhya's foster mom
  • Salma as Mrs. Bakar Ali
  • Khamosh as Leela
  • Tawaif as Nadira
  • Ram Teri Ganga Maili as Naren's Grandmother
  • Meraa Ghar Mere Bachche
  • Wafadaar as Mrs. Namdev
  • Faasle
  • Alag Alag as Neeraj's mom
  • Maa Kasam as Thakurain
  • Palay Khan as Fatima Khalim
  • Nagina as Rajiv's mother
  • Kala Dhanda Goray Log as Mrs. Durga
  • Janbaaz as Laxmi Singh
  • Pyar Kiya Hai Pyar Karenge as Annapurnadevi
  • Naache Mayuri
  • Mard Ki Zabaan
  • Khudgarz as Sita Sinha
  • Avam as Durga Jagrathan
  • Apne Apne as Mrs. Kapoor
  • Dharamyudh as Kundan's mother
  • Aurat Teri Yehi Kahani as Jamunabai
  • Aakhri Adaalat as Mrs. Kaushal
  • Hum Farishte Nahin as Supriya
  • Waaris as Paro's mom
  • Suryaa: An Awakening as Salma Khan
  • Mitti Aur Sona as Mrs. Yashoda Bhushan
  • Gharana as Shraddha
  • Kasam Suhaag Ki
  • Bade Ghar Ki Beti as Mrs. Din Dayal
  • Toofan as Devyani
  • Chandni as Mrs. Gupta
  • Jawani Zindabad as Sharda Sharma
  • Jaan-E-Wafa
  • Amiri Garibi as Sona's Aunt
  • Shankara as Rani Maa
  • First Love Letter as Uma Devi
  • Khoon Ka Karz as Savitri Devi
  • Ajooba as Zarina Khan
  • Do Matwale as Amar's Mother
  • Maa as Heerabai
  • Heer Ranjha as Heer's mom
  • Suryavanshi as Rajmata
  • Sarphira as Mrs. B.K. Sinha
  • Inteha Pyar Ki as Mrs. Shankar Dayal Walia
  • Deewana as Laxmi Devi
  • Bol Radha Bol as Sumitra Malhotra
  • Dil Aashna Hai as Mrs. Baig
  • In Custody as Safiya Begum
  • Pyaar Ka Tarana
  • 1942: A Love Story as Gayatridevi Singh
  • Tejasvini as grandma
  • Daraar as Mrs. Malhotra
  • Kareeb as Lata
  • Bade Miyan Chote Miyan as Seema's mother
  • Daag: The Fire as Dai
  • Taal as Mrs. Mehta
  • Chal Mere Bhai as Grandmother
  • Dhadkan as Vibha Verma, Ram's stepmother
  • Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke as Yogi's mom
  • Shikari as Rajeshwari's mother
  • Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya as Manisha's Mother
  • Moksha: Salvation as Ritika's grandmother
  • Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham as Kaur, Nandini's mother
  • Tujhe Meri Kasam as grandmother
  • Rasikan Re
  • Kal Ho Naa Ho as Lajoji
  • Pal Pal Dil Ke Ssaat
  • Student Of The Year
  • Shaandaar
  • Tamasha
  • Noor
  • Mehram as Noor Bibi, short film released on ZEE5

    Television

  • Staying On as Codcod Menektara
  • Hum Log as Dadi
  • Dekh Bhai Dekh as Sarla Diwan
  • Amma and Family as Ammi
  • Miilee
  • Kash-m-Kash
  • Ret Par Likhe Naam
  • Qaid
  • Kaun
  • Yeh Hui Na Baat
  • Dard ka Rishta as Ganga Dindyal Sharma
  • Alibaba
  • Vansh
  • Aradhana
  • Tanha
  • Zanjeerein
  • Star Bestsellers
  • Ret Par Likhe Naam
  • ''Ret Par Likhe Naam''