Tuntun
Encyclopedia
Tun Tun was the screen name of Indian playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...

 and actress-comedienne, Uma Devi Khatri, who is often called the 'first woman comedienne of Hindi cinema'.

Early life

Uma Devi Khatri, was born in a conservative Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...

 family, in a small village in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

, where after the premature death of her parents while she was still her teens, she was raised by her uncle.

Career

She arrived in Bombay (Mumbai) at the age of 13, having run away from home, and knocked on composer Naushad
Naushad
Naushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films, and is particularly known for popularizing the use of classical music in films.His first film as an independent music director was Prem Nagar in 1940...

’s door. She told him that she could sing and that she would throw herself in the ocean if he didn’t give her a chance. He auditioned her, and hired her on the spot. She made her debut as a solo playback singer, in Nazir's Wamiq Azra (1946), working with legends like Naushad Ali, soon she signed a contract with the producer-director A.R. Kardar, who used Naushad as music director, and went on make a place for herself amidst music stalwarts like, Noor Jehan
Noor Jehan
Noorjehan or Noorjehan was the adopted stage name for Allah Wasai who was a legendary singer and actress in British India and Pakistan. Her career spanned seven decades...

, Rajkumari, Khursheed
Khursheed
Khursheed Bano was a pre-partition singer & actress, and a pioneer of the Indian cinema. Her career ran through the 1930s and 1940s.-Early life:...

 and Zohrabai Ambalewali.

In 1947, she had huge hits with " Afsana likh rahi hoon dil-e-bekrar ka" ("I Am Writing My Saga of desperate heart"), "Yeh Kaun Chala Meri Aankhon Mein Sama Kar" ("Who is This My Love?") and "Aaj Machi Hai Dhoom Jhoom Khushi Se Jhoom", which she sang for actress, Munawar Sultana, in A.R. Kardar's production, Dard
Dard (1947 film)
Dard is a 1947 Bollywood drama film directed by Abdul Rashid Kardar. It contains the song “Afsana Likh Rahi Hoon” by Tun Tun.-Cast:*Shyam Kumar*Nusrat*Munawar Sultana*Surayya *Badri Prasad*Husn Banu*Pratima Devi...

 (1947), again under the music direction of Naushad
Naushad
Naushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films, and is particularly known for popularizing the use of classical music in films.His first film as an independent music director was Prem Nagar in 1940...

; she also sang a duet, "Betaabhai Dil Dard-e-Mohabat Ke Asar So", with Suraiya
Suraiya
Suraiya Jamaal Sheikh was a singer and actress of the Indian films in the 40s and 50s, and was popularly known by her first name Suraiya..-Early life:...

  In fact, a Pakistani gentleman, got so enamoured by her song, " Afsana likh rahi hoon", that he never went back, and later married her, the couple had two daughters; her husband, whom she called Mohan, died in 1992.

Success of Dard, meant that she next received Mehboob Khan's, Anokhi Ada (1948), which again had two hit numbers, "Kahe jiya dole" ("Why the Heart Throbs") and "Dil ko lagake humne kuch bhi na paya" ("I Got Nothing by Falling in Love"). This brought her into the league of highly rated playback singers. She reached her peak as a vocalist in, director S.S. Vasan’s, "Chandralekha
Chandralekha
-Films:*Chandralekha , a Tamil film directed and produced by S. S. Vasan starring M. K. Radha*Chandralekha , a Tamil film directed by Nambirajan starring Vijay...

" (1948), made by Gemini Studio, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

, her seven songs, which include hits like, "Saanjh ki bela" ("These Moments of Evening"), remain her most accomplish work in her singing career; though signing the film also meant a breach of contract with producer-director, Kardar, which lead to her dwindling fortunes in the industry.

Moreover, in coming years, owing to her older style of singing and limited vocal range, she found it difficult to compete with the rising singing stars, Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...

 and Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle
Asha Bhosle is an Indian singer. She is one of the best-known and most highly-regarded Hindi playback singers in India, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle's career started in 1943 and has spanned over six decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies...

. Eventually Naushad suggested that she take up acting, because she had a very bubbly personality and wonderful comic timing. He asked his friend Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar , is an Indian actor and a former Member of Parliament.He lives in Pali Hill, Bandra in Mumbai, India. He is commonly known as "Tragedy King",and is described as "the ultimate method actor" by Satyajit Ray....

 to cast her in one of his films, and she appeared in Babul (1950) with him, which had Nargis
Nargis
Nargis Dutt , born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting carer began in 1942 with Tamanna...

 as the lead actress; it is he who renamed her as 'Tun Tun' to suit her comic persona, and name stayed with her, and a comedic legend was born.

She went on to act in Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...

’s classics like Aar Paar
Aar Paar
Aar-Paar is a 1954 Indian Hindi-language film. Directed by Guru Dutt, the film has music by O.P. Nayyar and lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. A light-hearted film , Aar-Paar stars Johnny Walker, Shyama, Shakila, Jagdeep, Jagdish Sethi, Bir Sakuja, Rajendra, Amir Banu, Rashid Khan, M.A...

, (1954), Mr & Mrs 55 (1955) and Pyaasa
Pyaasa
Pyaasa is a 1957 Indian film produced and directed by Guru Dutt. The film tells the story of struggling poet, Vijay , trying to make his works known in post-independence India...

 (1957). In the 1960s and 1970s, she remained as a permanent comic relief in numerous Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

 films, a few years down the line, she most notably starred in Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades...

 starrer, Namak Halaal
Namak Halaal
Namak Halaal is a 1982 Hindi movie. The movie is directed by Prakash Mehra. Music is by Bappi Lahiri and lyrics by Anjaan. This an Action packed Comedy film that stars Amitabh Bachchan, Waheeda Rehman, Om Prakash, Shashi Kapoor, Smita Patil, Parveen Babi, Ranjeet, Satyen Kappu, Suresh Oberoi and...

 (1982), a Prakash Mehra
Prakash Mehra
-Career:Born on 13 July 1939 at Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, India, Mehra started in the late 1950s as a production controller. In 1968, he directed Shashi Kapoor who played a double role in Haseena Maan Jayegi. This was followed by the 1971 hit Mela starring the Khan brothers together. In 1973, he...

's blockbuster

In her career spanning five decades, she acted in around 198 films in Hindi/Urdu and other languages like Punjabi etc., pairing with top comedy actors of her times like, Bhagwan Dada
Bhagwan Dada
Bhagwan Dada was an Indian actor and film director. He is best known for his social film Albela.-Early life:...

, Agha
Agha (actor)
Agha was an Indian film producer in Bollywood films, who started his film career with the film Daulat in 1937.He was known for comic roles and appeared in over 180 Hindi films in his career between 1937 and 1989 spanning five decades....

, Sunder
Sunder
-Military Gaming Organizations:*Sunder Military Gaming Community, is a community that builds long term friendships in the gaming community. This organization is made up of veterans.-People:People with the given name Sunder:*Delhi P...

, Mukri
Mukri
"Mukri" was born as Muhammad Umar Mukri in 1922 in Alibagh. He started his film career from film "Pratima" along with notable Indian film actor Dilip Kumar in 1945....

, Dhumal, Johnny Walker
Johnny Walker (actor)
Johnny Walker is the screen name of an Indian movie comedian, who acted in over 300 movies. He was born as Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi in Indore, India, the son of a mill worker. The family shifted to Mumbai when the textile mill his father worked in closed...

 to Keshto Mukherjee
Keshto Mukherjee
Keshto Mukherjee was an Indian actor. He specialised in comic drunkard roles in the Hindi films. Though he was famous for his drunkard typecast role in Hindi films, he used to share a very good relation with the iconic Ritwik Ghatak and had very tiny but important roles in the maestro's films...

, and was last seen in Hindi film in 'Kasam Dhande Ki' (1990).

Owing to her popularity, the name Tun Tun has been synonymous with fat women in India.

Filmography

|-
|1979
Bollywood films of 1979
-Highest grossing:The top thirty grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1979:The last eleven were declared flops but had huge openings on their release and the first twenty nine were declared superhits.-1979:...


|Lok Parlok
Lok Parlok
Lok Parlok is a 1979 Bollywood action film directed by Rama Rao Tatineni. It is remake of the blockbuster Telugu film Yamagola , which also starred Jayaprada.-Cast:*Jeetendra – Shyam/Ram Ghulam*Jayapradha – Savitri...


|Sundari
|-
|1978
Bollywood films of 1978
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1978:-Highest grossing:The top thirty six grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1978:...


|Satyam Shivam Sundaram
Satyam Shivam Sundaram
Satyam Shivam Sundaram is an Indian film. Satyam means Truth, Shivam can refer to either Lord Shiva or Eternal and Sundaram means Beautiful.-Plot:...


|Fat Lady
|-
|1977
Bollywood films of 1977
A list of films produced by the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai in 1977:-Highest grossing:The top forty grossing films at the Indian Box Office in 1977:-1977:-External links:* - A look back at 1977 with a focus on the Hindi film song...


|Aafat
Aafat
Aafat is 1977 Bollywood film directed by Atma Ram and starring Navin Nischol, Leena Chandavarkar, Amjad Khan, Mehmood.-Plot:Inspector Amar and Inspector Chhaya are after criminal Hardayal. Amar and Chhaya fall in love. Amar goes beyond call of his duty to catch Hardayal and hence suspended. Amar...


|
|-

1990 Kasam Dhande Ki
Prema

1989 Shehzaade
Hitler's Bride (uncredited)

1988 Ek Aadmi

1987 Deewana Tere Naam Ka

1986 Khel Mohabbat Ka
House Maid

1985 Lover Boy
Phoolmati

1985 Ghar Dwaar

1985 Salma
Lady Singer - 'Mumtaz's marriage'

1984 Shorgol

1984 Kamla

1984 Raja Aur Rana
Havaldar's wife (as Tuntun)

1984 Unchi Uraan

1983/I Coolie
Mother of 7 babies

1983 Haadsaa
Ladies Health Club Member

1983 Painter Babu
Koyal

1982 Disco Dancer
Bride (uncredited)

1982 Meharbaani

1982 Haathkadi

1982 Apradhi Kaun?
Nurse

1982 Maine Jeena Seekh Liya
Miss Tun Tun

1982 Namak Halaal
Female guest with a dog

1982 Samraat
Woman abroad ship (uncredited)

1982 Yeh To Kamaal Ho Gaya

1981 Sannata

1981 Biwi O Biwi
Mrs. Singh's friend - Faints at swimming pool (uncredited)

1981 Saajan Ki Saheli
Maria

1980 Andhera

1980 Qurbani
Fat women in car

1980 Gori Dian Jhanjran
Bulbul's mom

1980 Saajan Mere Main Saajan Ki

1980 Yari Dushmani

1979 Lok Parlok
Sundari

1979 Baton Baton Mein
Imaginary Nancy's mom

1979 Sarkari Mehmaan
Bank employee

1978 Dil Aur Deewaar
Madame

1978 Phandebaaz

1978 Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se
Fat lady in the theatre

1978 Satyam Shivam Sundaram: Love Sublime
Fat Lady

1978 Nasbandi
Tonica

1978 Ankh Ka Tara

1978 Heeralal Pannalal

1978 Premi Gangaram

1977 Pandit Aur Pathan
Champakali

1977 Aap Ki Khatir
Dancer/Singer

1977 Tyaag

1977 Aafat

1977 Agar... If
Champakali (Agarwal housemaid)

1977 Amaanat
Referee (uncredited)

1977 Chacha Bhatija
Kesto's bride

1977 Do Sholay
Guest Appearance

1977 Gayatri Mahima

1977 Paapi
Laila (as Tuntun)

1977 Taxi Taxie
Mother of 9 children (as Tuntun)

1976 Hera Pheri
Mrs. Dhaniram

1976 Nagin
Maid

1976 Aap Beati
Customer at Lord's Shoes

1976 Bhagwan Samaye Sansar Mein (as Tuntun)

1976 Bundal Baaz
Rajaram's customer

1976 Rangila Ratan

1975 Aag Aur Toofan (as Tuntun)

1975 Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty
Film heroine's mom (as Tun-Tun)

1975 Stree Purush

1974 Amir Garib
Governess

1974 Naya Din Nai Raat
Mental Patient

1974 Dil Diwana

1974 Hamrahi

1974 Hum Rahi (as Tuntun)

1974 Maa Bahen Aur Biwi

1974 My Friend

1974 Sacha Mera Roop Hai

1974 Shaitaan
Meena Advani (uncredited)

1974 Thokar
Mukhti's wife

1973 Kuchhe Dhaage
Ramaswanti Bharose

1973 Bandhe Haath
Kavita

1973 Heera

1973 Jalte Badan
Chameli

1973 Naag Mere Saathi

1972 Gomti Ke Kinare
Petrol Pump owner's wife

1972 Lalkar (The Challenge)
Danko

1972 Aankhon Aankhon Mein
Mrs. Pereira

1972 Apradh
Mrs. Fernandes

1972 Be-Imaan

1972 Bindiya Aur Bandook

1972 Chori Chori

1972 Dil Daulat Duniya
Baby's Mother

1972 Ek Hasina Do Diwane
Phool Kumari

1972 Garam Masala
Queen Khatoria

1972 Mele Mitran De

1972 Mome Ki Gudiya
Daisy's mom

1972 Sabse Bada Sukh

1972 Samadhi
Kalavati

1971 Hungama
Jagdeep's Mother (as Tuntun)

1971 Upaasna

1971 Ek Paheli
Lily

1971 Hulchul
Philomena D'Costa

1971 Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong
Sonia's Aunt

1971 Preet Ki Dori

1971 Shri Krishna Leela
Rasili's Chachi

1971 Tulsi Vivah
Senapati's mother-in-law

1971 Woh Din Yaad Karo

1970 Heer Raanjha
Allah Rakhi

1970/I The Train
(Guest Appearance)

1970 Aansoo Aur Muskan
Bhagwanti

1970 Ehsan
Mrs. Chaturmukh

1970 Geet
Champavati 'Champa'

1970 Himmat
Tiger's mom

1970 Pehchan
Ganga's prospective bride

1970 Rootha Na Karo
Neeta's maidservant (as Tuntun)

1970 Sharafat
Champakali (as Tuntun)

1969 Do Raaste
Swimming pool attendant

1969 Anjaana
Mrs. Kapoor (Cooper)

1969 Anmol Moti

1969 Badi Didi

1969 Shart
Obese Lady at the Bombay Massage House

1969 Talash
Kamini

1968 Duniya
Chabeli (uncredited)

1968 Aabroo (as Tuntun)

1968 Abhilasha
Fat Lady (song "Yaaron Hamara Kya")

1968 Baharon Ki Manzil
Glory D'Silva

1968 Dil Aur Mohabbat

1968 Har Har Gange

1968 Kanyadaan
Bansi's mother-in-law

1968 Kismat

1968 Parivar
Sitaram's employee

1968 Sadhu Aur Shaitaan
Sundari

1968 Suhaag Raat
Titli Banu

1967 Pind De Kuri

1967 Aag
Phoolmati

1967 Badrinath Yatra
Maid at brothel (uncredited)

1967 C.I.D. 909
Julie Fernandes D'Silva Ghobewali

1967 Dil Ne Pukara
Kamla (uncredited)

1967 Duniya Nachegi

1967 Gunahon Ka Devta

1967 Hare Kanch Ki Chooriyan
Julie's Mother (as Tuntun)

1967 Upkar
Lakhpati's Wife (as Tuntun)

1966 Aakhri Khat

1966 Afsana

1966 Dil Diya Dard Liya
Mrs. Murlidhar

1966 Dillagi

1966 Kunwari

1966 Ladka Ladki
Rajkumari Nirmala Devi

1966 Phool Aur Patthar
Mrs. Alopinath (Guddki) (as Tuntun)

1966 Sagaai
Anarkali

1966 Tarzan Aur Jadui Chirag

1966 Thakur Jarnail Singh

1965 Johar-Mehmood in Goa
Simmi's Cellmate

1965 Ek Sapera Ek Lutera
Bindu

1965 Jab Jab Phool Khile
Mary (Guest Appearance)

1965 Kaajal
Amba

1965 Lutera

1965 Maharaja Vikram

1965 Mohabbat Isko Kahete Hain
Baby (as Tuntun)

1965 Raaka

1965 Rustom-E-Hind

1965 Saheli
Mother of 5 children

1964 Cha Cha Cha
Mohan's Mother (uncredited)

1964 Rajkumar
Champakali

1964 Aaya Toofan
Maha Dasi

1964 Darasingh: Ironman
Rangili's mom

1964 Fariyad

1964 Ganga Ki Lahren
Maid

1964 Kashmir Ki Kali
Rama Devi

1964 Khufia Mahal

1964 Mr. X in Bombay
Kamini

1963 Bluff Master
Lajwanti

1963 Ek Dil Sao Afsane
Wedding Guest who requested for Laddu

1963 Ek Raaz
Champakali

1963 Gehra Daag
Sundari (as Tuntun)

1963 Godaan

1963 Jab Se Tumhe Dekha Hai
Kitty's servant

1963 Kaun Apna Kaun Paraya

1963 Naag Rani
Chand's friend (uncredited)

1963 Phool Bane Angaare
Kamla's sister-in-law

1963 Shikari

1963 Ustadon Ke Ustad
Hostess of Qawwali contest

1962 China Town
Mahakali

1962 Half Ticket
Real Munna's Mother (as Tuntun)

1962 Jhoola
Mother

1962 Professor
Phool Rani

1962 Son of India
Gopal's foster mom

1962 Ummeed

1962 Vallah Kya Baat Hai

1961 Chaudhvin Ka Chand
Naseeban (as Uma Devi)

1961 Gunga Jumna
Bhajiwali (uncredited)

1961 Passport
Woman who offers shelter to Reeta & Shekhar (as Tuntun)

1961 Shama
Vee Aapa

1960 Bombai Ka Babu

1960 Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai
Haseena

1960 Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere
Moti's Mother (as Tuntun)

1960 Ek Phool Char Kaante
Jamnabai

1960 Jaali Note
Mrs. Malik (uncredited)

1960 Kiklee

1960 Kohinoor

1959 Bank Manager

1959 Bhai-Bahen
Julie

1959 Black Cat
Mrs. Ramanlal (uncredited)

1959 Chacha Zindabad

1959 Jungle King

1959 Kaagaz Ke Phool
Telephone Operator

1959 Kavi Kalidas
Kali's step-mom

1959 Qaidi No. 911

1959 Ujala

1958 12 O'Clock
Kumari Natesh Sundari (as Uma Devi)

1958/I Aakhri Dao
Muthuswami's Daughter

1958 Aji Bas Shukriya

1958 Lajwanti
Tun Tun (uncredited)

1958 Malik

1958 Criminal
Lajwanti 'Lajo'

1958 Phil Subha Hogi
Ram's Landlord (uncredited)

1958 Solva Saal
Aspiring actress/Singer

1957 Pyaasa
Pushplata

1957 Captain Kishore

1957 Do Roti

1957 Mirza Sahiban

1957 Ram Lakshman

1956 Anuraag (as Uma Devi)

1956 C.I.D.
Complainant in police station (as Uma Devi)

1956 Fifty Fifty

1956 Jagte Raho
Sati's mother (uncredited)

1956 Pocket Maar
Shukal's prospective mother-in-law (uncredited)

1956 Raj Hath

1955 Shree 420
Maya's neighbor (as Uma Devi)

1955 Albeli

1955 Bahu (as Uma Devi)

1955 Hatimtai Ki Beti (as Tum Tum)

1955 Marine Drive
Johny's wife (as Uma Devi)

1955 Milap
Mrs. Akhrodwala (as Uma)

1955 Mr. & Mrs. '55
Lily D'Silva (as Uma Devi)

1955 Pehli Jhalak
Dancer (song "Achchi Surat Huwi") (uncredited)

1955 Uran Khatola
Hira's girlfriend (as Tuntun)

1954 Aar-Paar
Rustom's mom (uncredited)

1954 Gul Bahar (as Uma Devi)

1953 Baaz
A masseuse (uncredited)

1953 Gunah (as Uma Devi)

1951 Deedar
Rai' s maidservant (as Uma Devi)

1950 Babul

Death

She died on 23 November 2003 in Andheri, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

, after a prolonged illness at the age of 80 and is survived by two daughters and a son.

External links

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