“I got Mahanagar because of Sharmila Tagore,” Says Jaya Bachchan gratefully

An old black-and white still of a 14-year old Jaya Bhaduri holding a picture of the cover of Filmfare magazine featuring Sharmila Tagore has gone viral.Speaking on the photograph Jaya Bachchan says, “I was, and I am, very very fond of Sharmilaji. She got me Satyajit Ray’s Mahanagar. So my journey as a movie actress would not have begun if it wasn’t for her.”In 1962-63, Ray was looking for a 13-year new actress to play Anil Chatterjee’s sister in Mahanagar.By then Sharmila was comfortably ensconced in the Ray universe as his much admired heroine in Apur Sansar and Devi. When Sharmila recommended Jaya for Mahanagar Ray immediately called for Jaya.The rest as they say is history. Jaya was a natural-born scenestealer in Mahanagar. Hrishikesh Mukherjee saw her in Mahanagar and cast her in Guddi.