The Ones Who Retired Even Before Starting Out

Zaira Wasim’s premature adieu has sent shock waves across  the  Hindi film industry.  There are those who think she  was too hasty in chucking  a promising career. Others feel it’s her choice and  it must be  respected. Here’s looking at those who quit when the world was at their feet.

1.     Dimple Kapadia:  The very gorgeous Dimple Kapadia was the  toast  of  tinsel town  after  Raj Kapoorlaunched her as  a  teen sensation in  Bobby.  Dimple decided  to give it all up –stardom, fame, hysteria, fortune,  the  big  bucks—for  the  privilege  of  being Mrs Rajesh Khanna. Khanna, let it be known, was  the  biggest  star of Hindi cinema ever. Girls married his  photograph.Dimple got the real  person.  Later she made a  fairly successful comeback  with Zakhmi Sher in 1984. But it  was  never the same.Speaking to  me  on why  she quit after the  Bobby Dimple  counter questioned , “Does  a girl of 15-16 know her mind?”

2.     Jaya Bhaduri: She was  biggest female superstar  of the early 1970s. Hit after  hit rolled out of her  career between  1971 and  1975. Jaya ushered  a new healthy clean and natural heroine, the kind who  sparkled without makeup. She  had the world at her feet when  she decided  to  quit to be  Mrs Amitabh Bachchan.Jaya never regretted her  decision. She was  very clear  on what she wanted in her life.And she has  it all.

3.     Mumtaz: After a ferocious struggle Mumtaz became one of  the  top 4 actresses  of the 1970s(along with Hema Malini, Jaya Bhaduri and  Zeenat Aman). One fine day she  decided  to simply quit and marry millionaire Mayur Madhvani.  It is  significant that  two of  the biggest hits of her career Aap Ki Kasam andChor Machaye Shor were released  after she  left Bollywood and India in  1974.

4.      Vinod Khanna: It is said  that Vinod Khanna  was the only star-actor who could give  Amitabh Bachchana  run  for his money, A  debatable  opinion. But no one can deny that Vinod  Khanna was  a top draw at  the boxoffice when he  suddenly left in 1983 Bollywood to serve as gardener at Oregon  for  Acharya Rajneesh. Four years later he  was back with Satyamev Jayate , and a fairly successful innings.

5.     Neetu Singh: As a child  Neetu  Singh  was a big star in Suraj and  Do Kaliyan. As an adult the hits flowed like toothpaste from an uncorked  tube, many  of them with her  future husband Rishi Kapoor (KhelKhel Mein,Rafoo Chakkar, Amar Akbar Anthony,   Kabhi Kabhie) , future brother-in-law RandhirKapoor(Rickshawallah, Kasme Vade),  future father-in-law’s brother Shashi Kapoor(Deewar, Kala Pani). But Neetu only wanted one role. That of Mrs  Rishi Kapoor. She got it.