New Delhi: Kiran Bala Sachdev better known by her stage name Tabbassum is no more. The veteran actress began her career as child actor Baby Tabassum in 1947. The legendary actress passed away at the age of 78 at a hospital in Mumbai. On Friday night, she suffered a first heart attack at 8:40 PM and just another at 8:42 PM.
The actress had been complaining of ill health from the last few days was thus admitted to a hospital in Mumbai. She was discharged after some days but returned to the hospital on Friday night. It was then that she had two cardiac arrestes within a span of 2 minutes.
According to Tabassum's son Hoshang Govil, it was his mother's wish that no one be told about her death until she her last rites had been performed.
Her last rites were performed in Mumbai today.
She was the first to host India's first talk show- 'Phool Khile Jain Gulshan Gulshan' which aired on national broadcaster Doordarshan from 1972 to 1993 wherein she interviewed many film and TV personalities. Many film and TV aficionados are familiar with Tabassum through her YouTube channel, Tabassum Talkies, wherein she spoke about legends from Indian cinema.
Tabassum was born in 1944 in Mumbai to Ayodhyanath Sachdev, an Indian freedom fighter, and Asghari Begum, journalist and an author. Tabassum made her debut as a child actor with 'Nargis' (1947) and later starred in films like 'Mera Suhag'( 1947), 'Manjhdhar'(1947), 'Bari Behen'(1949), and 'Deedar'(1951) among many others.
The iconic track 'Bachpan Ke Din Bhula Na Dena' sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Shamshad Begum was picturised on her. She also starred in the childhood role of Meena Kumari in the well-known film 'Baiju Bawra' (1952) directed by Vijay Bhatt.
Tabassum was married to Vijay Govil, elder brother of Arun Govil.