A reel murder mystery

Urmilla Bhatt, famously known as Sunaina from the television series Ramayan, was the Mother of the Hindi silver screen. But her reel life became eerily similar to her real one - her life was snatched away from under baffling circumstances

A still of Urmila Bhatt; Source: Cinebee

A small-town girl hitting it big in theatre! Sounds like a movie already. Urmila Bhatt, coming from the quaint town of Dehradun, started her career in Gujarati theatre. Success was with her ever since her arrival on the cinema scene.

During her time training at the Sangeet Kala Academy, Bhatt’s fame from the Gujarati Drama; Jesal Toral, reached dizzying heights and audiences couldn’t get enough of her.

Urmila Bhatt’s pinnacle of success was when the G-drama, Jesal Toral broke records and astounded critics by running to more than a thousand performances!

From there onwards, it was only natural that she move to bigger screens. Starting with Gauri (1968), alongside the legendary Nutan; Urmila saw an upward tick in her standing in Bollywood. Known for doing innumerable films and television series, she was in the public’s homes and hearts. Some of her hit films include Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978), Geet Gaata Chal (1975) and Besharam (1978); these being only a minuscule tidbit of her massive work in Hindi Cinema.

Even though she primarily played supporting roles, specifically motherly roles, Urmila Bhatt carved her name permanently in that niche; showing that if you work hard at whatever you do, nothing can come in your way.

Acting in more than 75 Gujarati films in the initial stages of her career, Urmila Bhatt would go on to feature in around 125 Hindi movies!

After her retirement, post a long and satisfying 25 years well spent; her name hit headlines once more but instead of joy, shock was the widespread emotion among the public.

On 22 February 1997; the capital of cinema; Mumbai, sat down for their evening cup of tea and were jolted by the news of Urmila Bhatt’s murder. The motive of robbery ruled out after finding nothing of value missing in the home shared by Bhatt and her husband, who at the time had been away in Baroda.

What had been the reason? The motive so strong and filled with hatred to brutally slash the throat of the 62-year old veteran actress so beloved by all? An enigmatic phone call made by Urmila Bhatt to her friend, “I have a serious problem. A few minutes ago, I received a telephonic threat. I am afraid somebody wants to kill  me.”

Known to never open the door to strangers, her loved ones were bewildered when the police came to the conclusion of an ‘inside job’…No fingerprints, an emotional outburst of anger, evident struggle and no theft.

It's enough to leave even Hercule Poirot’s little grey cells lost.

The nation bid farewell in sudden grief at the loss of such a jewel of an actress. Remaining unsolved till this day, Urmila Bhatt rests below the ground while she continues to live on the telly screen; gone but not quite.