Meet actress who became a sensation at 18, married CM’s son, became a widow at 25, later married a singer during pregnancy, her name is…

This actress was one of the most popular actresses during 1970s-80s period. She achieved great success in Hindi cinema in a short time. However, her married life made headlines. Here’s why.

Published: September 5, 2025 12:42 PM IST

One of the most famous actresses of Hindi cinema of the 1970s-80s, she is known for her successful films. However, her life was full of sorrows. Born on August 29, 1950 in Dharwad, Karnataka, this popular diva grew up in a Konkani Marathi family. Her father served in the Indian Army, and she developed an interest in acting by participating in school plays before pursuing a career in films. She started her career with Sunil Dutt’s film Man Ka Meet (1968) opposite Vinod Khanna. Read on to find out which diva we are talking about.

Who is this actress?

The actress whom we are talking about is none other than Leena Chandavarkar. She starred in many successful films, including Humjoli, Honeymoon, Mehboob Ki Mehndi, Manchali, Dil Ka Raja, Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka, Bidaai, Pritam, Bairaag, Kaid, and Yaaron Ka Yaar.

She worked with the leading heroes of the time, Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna and Vinod Khanna. However, away from her acting career, her personal life saw many ups and downs. At the age of 25, she married Siddharth Bandodkar, son of Goa’s first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar. Siddharth died shortly after their marriage. Later in 1980, at the age of 30, she married playback singer Kishore Kumar.

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Leena Chandavarkar’s personal life

In an old interview with Cineplot, she had revealed that she was seven months pregnant during their marriage. Kishore Kumar later died in 1987, when Leena Chandavarkar was 37, leaving her a widow for the second time. After her acting career, Chandavarkar mostly stayed away from films, but continued to make occasional public appearances.

Story Highlights

1. Leena Chandavarkar, born on August 29, 1950, made her debut with Man Ka Meet (1968) opposite Vinod Khanna.
2. She has worked with top actors Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, and Vinod Khanna.
3. At 25, she married Siddharth Bandodkar, who tragically passed away soon after their wedding.
4. Later, she married legendary singer Kishore Kumar in 1980 but was widowed again in 1987 after his sudden death.