Navnindra Behl Age, Death, Husband, Children, Family, Biography » StarsUnfolded

Some Lesser Known Facts About Navnindra Behl

• Navnindra Behl was born into a Jatt Sikh family. She started stage acting at the age of three.

• Her father, Kapoor Singh Ghuman, was a prolific playwright in Punjabi theatre and culture.

• She took part in plays at school and college. She did amateur theatre at Patiala, a former princely state in India.

• She completed her post-graduate studies in Punjabi literature. She joined the Drama Department of Punjabi University, Patiala, as a lecturer shortly after graduation.

• She trained and groomed many stage, television and film artists during her 37 years as lecturer, reader, professor and head of department.
  

  Navnindra Behl during her 40s

• She served as Director of the Audio-Visual Research Centre, funded by CEC, University Grants Commission, Delhi, for three years.

• She taught production, direction and acting for television at Patiala University for 25 years.

• She served as eminent visiting faculty at Punjab University, Jaipur University, Garhwal University, GNDU University, Amritsar, Film and Television Institute, Kolkata and Mumbai University.

• She did her PhD in production styles while already working in the theatre department, writing and directing at the same time.

• Radio once rejected her due to her voice, but when television came to India, she became one of the first women to work as an anchor and producer in the medium.

• She worked as a writer, actress and director in the television industry for 30 years.

• She wrote scripts for television programmes for Doordarshan. In the early days of Doordarshan, she wrote scripts, directed programmes and acted in them at the same time, often creating roles for herself.

• She wrote documentaries for the Central and Punjab Government Departments.

• She wrote documentaries and educational programmes for the Audio-Visual Research Centre, CEC, Delhi and the Films Division.

• Her television serial Afsane, a part series set in different regional backgrounds across India, received 3 lakh handwritten letters from viewers.

• Her television serials include Khanabadosh, Roop Basant, Ishqbaaaz and Buniyad.

• She wrote and directed many stage plays throughout her career, including Bruhon Paar Na Jayin, Kashmir Diary, Razayi, and Bandmaster.

• She worked as a writer and actress in the film industry for 15 years.
  

  Navnindra Behl when she started working in the film industry

• She acted in films by Gulzar in Maachis in 1996, Dibakar Banerjee in Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, and Vishal Bhardwaj in Gubaare.

• She also acted in Hollywood projects like The Pride and The Guru.

• She wrote ten books on theatre and media studies as a creative writer and researcher, such as Abhinay Kala on the art of acting and Nataki Sahit on dramatic literature.

• She served as a member on the selection panels of UPSC for theatre and media and Rabindra Bharti University.

• She served on the board of experts and advisers of the Indian Theatre Department, Punjab University, Chandigarh, and the Department of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Delhi Government.

• She served as a Member Syndicate and the Member of the Academic Council of Punjabi University, Patiala.

• Despite a career spanning over five decades, she never approached anyone for work, and all her roles came to her.