Mumbai, October 18 (IANS). In the world of Indian television and theatre, one such personality whose acting not only entertained but also lit the torch of social awareness was actress Priya Tendulkar. Born on October 19, 1954 in Mumbai, Priya was the daughter of a Marathi Brahmin family, where the air of art and literature flowed. His father, renowned playwright Vijay Tendulkar, inspired him in the arts from an early age. Priya’s two sisters—actresses Sushma Tendulkar and Tanuja Mohite—and brother Raju Tendulkar (cinematographer) further strengthened the family tradition. Priya’s acting journey began with Marathi theatre, where she made her mark in her father’s plays like ‘Giddhade’, ‘Ti Phulrani’ and ‘Ek Hatti Mulgi’. In the 1980s, he entered Hindi and Marathi cinema, but the real magic happened on the small screen. ‘Rajni’ serial telecast on Doordarshan in 1985 made her the daughter of every household. In this show directed by Basu Chatterjee, Priya played the role of a courageous housewife who raises her voice against corruption. This role was so influential that women began to file complaints in real life as well. After ‘Rajini’, Priya worked in shows like ‘Yug’, ‘Hum Paanch’, ‘Damini’ and ‘Professor Pyarelal’. He has also shown his versatile talent in films. Played important roles in Hindi cinema in hit films like ‘Mohra’, ‘Gupt: The Hidden Truth’ and ‘Naam O Nishan’. Priya was not only an actress – she was also a philanthropist and writer. She hosted talk shows like ‘Priya Tendulkar Show’ and ‘Zimmedaar Kaun’, where she openly discussed social ills, prejudices and women’s rights. The character played by actress Priya Tendulkar in the Rajini series was not a way of entertainment, it was a strong voice for the common man against corruption, injustice and slowness of the government machinery, but the impact of this series was so deep and real that once something was shown in an episode that the taxi drivers of Mumbai started protesting. This thing is mentioned in many interviews of Rajni. At a time when the consumer rights movement was in its infancy, ‘Rajini’ taught the common people to fight for their rights. The most talked about and controversial episode of the series focused on the inappropriate behavior of Mumbai’s taxi drivers. The episode depicted taxi drivers misbehaving with passengers, charging fares that exceed the meter, or refusing to move for short distances. Priya’s character ‘Rajni’ raises her voice against these problems and scolds a driver for his mistakes. The producers thought that this episode would make the audience aware of the arrogance of taxi drivers, but the response was beyond imagination. Soon after the episode aired, Mumbai taxi drivers took this portrayal as an insult to their entire profession. More than 500 taxi drivers stopped driving in Mumbai in protest. The managers directly reached Doordarshan’s Mumbai office and demonstrated strongly. Their main demand was for a public apology for the wrong portrayal of their business in the series. The anger of the managers was a proof of how authentically and intensely Priya Tendulkar portrayed the character of ‘Rajini’. For the audience, Rajini’s fight became their own fight, and the taxi drivers saw the fight as an attack on their livelihood. This unique incident became so popular that it became a topic of discussion at the national level. Everyone was talking about how a TV series brought thousands of people to the streets. The famous Amul ad also featured this incident on its credits, making this incident immortal in the history of Indian pop culture. ‘Rajini’ not only entertained but also showed how television, as a medium, can play a major role in bringing about social change. For Priya Tendulkar, it was her biggest acting win—a win that proved she was not just an actress, but the voice of the masses. Priya died of a heart attack on September 19, 2002 in Mumbai at the young age of 47. The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee expressed grief over his demise. –IANS JP/DKP
When angered by Priya Tendulkar’s streak, taxi drivers protested
