Reena Roy

Reena Roy (born Saira Ali) is an Indian actress who predominantly worked in Hindi cinema. She began her film career as a teenager in the early 1970s and rose to prominence with films including Zaroorat (1972), Jaise Ko Taisa (1973) and Zakhmee (1975).

Roy established herself among the leading actresses of Hindi cinema with a series of commercially successful films in the mid-1970s, particularly Kalicharan and Nagin, both released in 1976. She subsequently appeared in several successful films including Apnapan (1977), Vishwanath (1978), Jaani Dushman (1979), Aasha (1980), Naseeb (1981), Sanam Teri Kasam (1982), Arpan (1983) and Asha Jyoti (1984).

She won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Apnapan, although she declined to accept the award because she considered her role to be equivalent in importance to that of co-star Sulakshana Pandit.

In the mid-1980s, Roy took a break from acting following her marriage to Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan. She moved to Pakistan and later returned to India after their divorce. She resumed acting with Aadmi Khilona Hai (1993) and subsequently appeared in supporting roles, including Ajay (1996), Gair (1999) and Refugee (2000).

Early life and background

Reena Roy was born Saira Ali into a family connected with the Hindi film industry. Her father, Sadiq Ali, was a small-time actor, while her mother, Sharda Rai, had acted in the film Bawre Nain and later produced Gunehgar Kaun.

Roy was one of four children. She has two sisters, Barkha and Anju, and a brother, Raja. Following her parents' divorce, her mother changed the names of the children, and Saira Ali was initially known as Roopa Rai before becoming Reena Roy.

Roy entered the film industry as a teenager. She later disputed accounts that she entered films primarily to financially support her mother and siblings.

Acting career

Debut and breakthrough (1971–1976)

Roy began her acting career in the early 1970s. She initially worked with director B. R. Ishara and appeared opposite Danny Denzongpa in Nai Duniya Naye Log. Although the film was produced earlier, its release was delayed.

Ishara subsequently cast Roy in the lead role in Zaroorat, which was released in 1972. The film did not perform strongly at the box office, but Roy's performance attracted attention.

She gained wider recognition with Jaise Ko Taisa (1973), particularly for the rain-dance sequence "Ab Ke Sawan Mein Jee Dare". She followed this with a supporting role in the commercially successful Zakhmee (1975).

Roy's major breakthrough came with director Subhash Ghai's debut film Kalicharan (1976). The film became a surprise commercial success and helped establish Roy and Shatrughan Sinha as popular stars.

The same year, Roy appeared in Udhar Ka Sindur and achieved another major success with Rajkumar Kohli's supernatural thriller Nagin. In Nagin, she played the title character in an ensemble cast featuring Sunil Dutt, Jeetendra, Rekha and Mumtaz. The film became a major commercial success and earned Roy her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination.

Her success with Kalicharan and Nagin established Roy as one of the leading actresses in Hindi cinema.

Stardom and leading roles (1977–1985)

In 1977, Roy starred in J. Om Prakash's Apnapan, playing Kamini, a woman who leaves her husband for a wealthier older man. Her performance received critical acclaim and earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Roy declined to accept the award because she believed that her role was not a supporting part and was comparable in importance to the role played by Sulakshana Pandit.

She reunited with Subhash Ghai for Vishwanath (1978), opposite Shatrughan Sinha, and starred in Rajkumar Kohli's horror film Jaani Dushman (1979). Both films performed well commercially.

Roy continued her success into the 1980s. Aasha (1980), opposite Jeetendra, became one of her major successes and earned her another Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination.

In 1981, she appeared in Manmohan Desai's ensemble blockbuster Naseeb, alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Rishi Kapoor and Hema Malini. She also appeared in Rocky, directed by Sunil Dutt and starring Sanjay Dutt in his debut.

By 1982, Roy was among the busiest actresses in Hindi cinema and appeared in numerous releases. She worked with prominent directors and actors and took on a variety of roles, including dramatic, romantic and character-driven parts.

Among her notable films from this period were Dhanwan (1981), Jail Yatra (1981), Lakshmi (1982), Sanam Teri Kasam (1982), Dharam Kanta (1982), Arpan (1983), Andhaa Kaanoon (1983), Asha Jyoti (1984) and Raaj Tilak (1984).

Sanam Teri Kasam, produced by her sister Barkha Roy and co-starring Kamal Haasan, was among her successful films of the period.

Roy also had a particularly successful professional partnership with Jeetendra. The two appeared together in 22 films, including several in which they were paired romantically. She also appeared frequently opposite Shatrughan Sinha, with whom she had a successful on-screen pairing.

Career break and marriage

In the mid-1980s, Roy took a break from the film industry following her marriage to Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan.

The couple married in 1983, and Roy moved to Pakistan. She subsequently gave birth to their daughter, Jannat, who is also known as Sanam Khan.

Several films that Roy had completed before her career break were released after her departure from active filmmaking, including Ghulami, Hum Dono and Do Waqt Ki Roti.

Roy and Mohsin Khan later divorced. Following the end of their marriage, Roy returned to India in the early 1990s.

Return to cinema

Roy resumed her acting career with the Hindi-language drama Aadmi Khilona Hai in 1993. Unlike her earlier career, she primarily appeared in supporting roles during her return to cinema.

Her later film appearances included Ajay (1996), Gair (1999) and J. P. Dutta's Refugee (2000).

Refugee, which starred Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor, marked Roy's final major film appearance.

Television and later activities

Following her film career, Roy made occasional television appearances. She appeared in the television serial Eena Meena Deeka, which was produced by her sister Barkha.

Roy and Barkha subsequently became involved in running an acting school, through which they provided training to aspiring performers.

Roy has also made occasional public appearances and television appearances, including an appearance on Indian Idol.

She has additionally participated in political campaigning for the Indian National Congress.

Personal life

Roy's personal life attracted significant media attention during her career, particularly her relationship with actor Shatrughan Sinha. The two appeared together in numerous films and were widely reported to have been romantically involved.

In 1983, Roy married Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan and moved to Pakistan. The couple had a daughter, Jannat, before their marriage ended in divorce.

After returning to India, Roy largely focused on raising her daughter while maintaining occasional professional and public engagements.

Legacy

Reena Roy is regarded as one of the prominent actresses of Hindi cinema during the 1970s and early 1980s. Her career included a combination of commercial successes, dramatic roles and ensemble films.

Her performances in Nagin, Apnapan, Aasha, Kalicharan, Vishwanath, Jaani Dushman and Sanam Teri Kasam remain among the most recognised works of her career.

She was particularly associated with leading actors including Jeetendra and Shatrughan Sinha and worked with many of the major filmmakers and stars of her era.

References

• "Top Actress". ''Box Office India''. 1 February 2012. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
• "Sonakshi doesn't look like me: Reena Roy - Times of India". ''The Times of India''. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2026.
• "Untitled". ''Indya.com''. Archived from the original on 1 May 2009. Retrieved 25 August 2026.