List of Jews in Bollywood

Miss Pramila (Esther Victoria Abraham)(Actress) Pramila, who was chosen the first Miss India in
1947. She is known for her work on Arrangetram (1973), Dilawar (1931) and Bhikharan(1935).
Sulochana(Ruby Meyers) (Actress)
Sulochana (nee Ruby Myers, 1907-83) was the force that changed the very nature of Indian Cinema.
Before her, the socially degrading job of playing cinema heroines was generally given to slim young
men, as even whores shied away from exhibiting themselves before the whole country. Brown-eyed
Sulochana fulfilled the criteria of an ideal Indian beauty.
After starting her career with adventure hits like the Wildcat of Bombay wherein she
essayed eight roles; Telephone Girl; Typist Girl: all reminiscent of Hollywoods The Perils of Pauline
series, Sulochana dabbled in several genres like fantasies (Heer Ranjha), and stunt films such as
Punjab Mail. She then starred in three romantic superhits in 1928-29 with director R. S. Chaudhari,
Madhuri, Anarkali and Indra B.A. which established her as the silent eras first and foremost star.
Patience Cooper
Indias first female star was Patience Cooper, born in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in 1905. She started
as a dancer in Brandmanns Musical Comedy, a Eurasian troupe, before being employed by Madans
Crinithian Stage Company. She went on to play the female lead in various Madan Theatres films, the
prominent ones being Nala Damayanti (1920), Dhruva Charitra (1921), Ratnavali (1922) and
Noorjehan (1923).
Bunny Rueben (1926-2007).
One of the most prominent film-journalists, cine-personality-biographers and film-historians of India
was a Bene Israel, He also produced a film and was also the Director of Publicity to the most famous
film-makers of India.Reuben started his film-journalistic career in the 1940s with his contributions to
the film-weekly Movie Times,Filmfare,National Standard,Star & Style,The Daily & Cine Blitz
Aashiq (Lover), the film he produced and wrote for, was not a commercial success, as the subject of
the film was well before its time, of a man torn between his family and his muse.
Reuben also established himself as a definitive biographer of film-personalities with his string of
biographies, viz., Raj Kapoor The Fabulous Showman (1988), Mehboob Indias DeMille, Dilip
Kumar: Star Legend of Indian Cinema The Definite Biography (2003), and And Pran (2004).




Firoza Begum
Firoza Begum (nee Susan Solomon), starred in a succession of Hindi and Marathi films, like Bewafa
Qatil, Prem Veer and Circus Girl.
Ramala Devi
Ramala Devi was born as Rachel Cohen. She is known for her work on Khazanchi (1941), Hum Bhi
Insaan Hain (1948) and Rikta (1939).
David Abraham
A well known Jewish film actor was David Abraham (1908-81), who was awarded the Padmashri,
Indias fourth highest civilian award, for his roles as a character actor and for his promotion of Indian
sports.
Strongly associated with friendly uncle roles, David is best known for his portrayal of "John Chacha"
[3]
in the 1954 hit and Filmfare Award for Best Film winner and Palme d'Or nominee,
[4]
Boot Polish,
directed by Prakash Arora, for which he won the 1955 Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award.
[5]
The
song "Nanhe Munne Bachche" from the film, picturized with him became a memorable song of that
era.
In his prime, in the period 1959-1975, David was one of the best and the well-known anchor,
compere and the host of the prominent award shows and other functions.
[6]
In one of the speeches
Jawaharlal Nehru, the prime minister, told any of the event will be surely be incomplete without
David's speech.
Nadira
Florence Ezekiel Nadira (5 December 1932 9 February 2006), commonly known as Nadira was an
actress in Indian cinema. She is best remembered for her performance in films in the 1950s and
1960s such as Shree 420 (1955), Pakeezah (1972) and Julie (1975).
Herman(Choreographer)
Herman Benjamin was a choreographer of numerous dance numbers that appeared in Bollywood
movies. Also known as "Harman", he worked on many films including the popular Chalti Ka Naam
Gaadi. He also choreographed a great number of movies in the 60's featuring Shammi Kapoor as in
Teesri Manzil.
Jaan Pehechan Ho is a popular Indian rock & roll song, composed by famous Indian music director
duo Shankar Jaikishan, lyrics by Shailendra, and sung by Mohammed Rafi. It was produced for the
1965 Bollywood film Gumnaam, directed by Raja Nawathe, produced by N.N. Sippy, and starring
Manoj Kumar and Nanda. The song has been widely "remediated" in North American circulation.
Aaja Aaja Mein Hoon Pyar Tera, Tumne mujhe dekha, Suno zindgi gaati hai, pyar ki dhun.
Viju Penkar
Actor known for his role in Tarzan & Cobra
Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley was born in England. His father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, was of Gujrati Indian
descent, and his mother, Anna Lyna Mary (Goodman), was British. Ben began to act in stage plays
during the 1960s.
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji; 31 December 1943) is an English actor. In a career
spanning over 40 years, he has won an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA, two Golden Globes and Screen
Actors Guild awards. He is known for his starring role as Mohandas Gandhi in the 1982 film Gandhi,
for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. He is also known for his performances in the
films Schindler's List (1993), Sexy Beast (2000), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010), Hugo
(2011), and Iron Man 3 (2013).

Helen
Helen Jairag Richardson is an Indian film actress and dancer of Anglo-Burmese descent, working in
Hindi films. She has appeared in over 500 films.
[2]
She is often cited as the most popular dancer of
the item number in her time.
Popular songs performed by Helen in following films:
"Howrah Bridge (1958)
Paras Mani (1963)
Gumnaam (1965)
Teesri Manzil (1966)
Intaquam (1969)
Caravan (1971)
Apradh (1972)
Anamika (1973)
Sholay (1975)
Inkaar (1978)
Don (1978)
Kalicharan (1976)



Salomi Roy Kapoor
Salome Roy Kapur nee Aaron, Miss India 1972 who did modelling, acted in a film, Tu Hi Meri Zindagi
(1965) with Deb Mukherjee,
[3][4]
before becoming a film choreographer, known for choreographing
the song, "Main Shaayar Toh Nahin" in Bobby (1973).
[5][6]
. She is the mother of Disney UTV MD
Siddharth Roy Kapoor & mother of actor Aditya Roy Kapoor.

Nandu Bhende
Nandu Bhende is an Indian singer. He is the son of the Marathi actor-director Atmaram Bhende and
Dr Asha Bhende (Lily Ezekiel).
Bhende sang with 1970's bands such as Velvette Fogg, Savage Encounter, Atomic Forest. He later
went on to perform the roles of Judas in Alyque Padamsee production of Jesus Christ Superstar
and the role of Jesus in the Bangalore version of the same opera; this lead onto further roles in
Tommy,Fantastiks and Jaya.
In the 1980s he was a playback singer in the Bollywood film Disco Dancer for which he received a
Gold Disc. His maternal uncle is Nissim Ezekiel.
Pearl Padamsee
Pearl, she got married to Alyque Padamsee.Her notable films are khatta meetha & baton boton
mein.
Pearl Padamsee (19312000) was an Indian theatre personality as a stage actress, director and
producer of English language theatre in Mumbai active in 1950s - 1990s.She also acted a few Hindi
and English language films.
[1]
She performed in at least ten films including Khatta Meetha, Junoon
(1978 film), Baaton Baaton Mein,Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, and Such a Long Journey.
[2]

Her after-school theatre workshops for children influenced the lives of many, even those who did
not later go into the performing arts.
Haider Ali
Haidar Ali also credited as Hyder Ali and Haider Ali, (born February 16, 1948) is an Indian film and
television actor and screenwriter. He acted in an early Doordarshan TV Serial Nukkad (198687) as
Raja. Later Haidar Ali wrote story of Ashutosh Gowarikar's historic film, Jodhaa Akbar (2008). He also
had a cameo in the movie song Khwaja Mere Khwaja.
Ranjit Chaudhary
Ranjit was born and brought up in Mumbai in a family with theatre background, where he received
his early education at Campion School, Mumbai and started his acting career. His father is from a
Gujjar background while his mother Pearl Padamsee was of part Jewish descent. He made his debut
with Basu Chatterjee's Khatta Meetha, following which he played prominent parts in the Bollywood
comedy classics such as Basu Chatterjee's Baton Baton Mein (1979) and Hrishikesh
Mukherjee's,Khubsoorat (1980).