INDIA. Mumbai: Tabassum Govil, veteran actress and TV anchor credited with hosting India’s first TV talk show, “Phul Khilein Hain Gulshan Gulshan,” passed away in Mumbai on Friday night. She was 78 and is survived by her husband, Vijay Govil, and son Hoshang and a daughter-in-law.
Hoshang told the media on Saturday that “She passed away last night around 8.40 PM due to cardiac arrest at a hospital. She was earlier admitted to a hospital when she complained of a gastro problem and was discharged. But was readmitted on Friday. She had two cardiac arrests at 8.40 pm and 8.42 pm. She passed away peacefully on Friday night,” he added.
Her death was confirmed by her granddaughters, Karishma Govil and Khushi Govil, on social media mourning her demise.
Tabassum Govil was the sister-in-law of TV actor Arun Govil, most popular for playing Lord Ram in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan. Her family includes husband Vijay Govil, Son Hoshang Govil; daughter-in-law Hemali Govil, Granddaughters–Khushi and Karishma and Grand son- in-laws Bishal Kejariwal, Huzalfa Lightwalla.
A prayer meet for Tabassum will be held on November 21, Monday, between 4.30 pm and 5.20 pm at Arya Samaj Hall located at Santacruz West in North West Mumbai, a statement from the Govil family read.
The family said, “Tabassum Govil left for her heavenly abode on November 18. We pray for her peaceful journey to heaven and celebrate her legacy and beautiful smile that we will adore forever.”
Tabassum was born on July 9, 1944, in Mumbai to Ayodhyanath Sachdev, an Indian freedom fighter, and Asghari Begum, a freedom fighter, journalist, and author. She began her career as a child artiste with the 1947 movie “Nargis.” She was known in the film industry as “Baby Tabassum” and performed in many films, such as “Mera Suhaag” (1947). “Manjhdhar” (1947) and “Badi Behen” (1949).
In the 1950s, she acted in movies such as “Sargam,” “Sangram,” “Deedar,” and “Baiju Bawra”. She had a minor role in the 1960 historical epic “Mughal-e-Azam,” starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, and Madhubala.
She later featured as an adult in films like “Chameli Ki Shaadi” (1986), “Naache Mayuri” (1986), “Sur Sangam” (1985), and “Gambler” (1971). Her last film was Rajesh Khanna and Govinda-starrer “Swarg” (1990), in which she made a guest appearance as herself.
She took up the job of hosting “Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan” on Doordarshan, the Indian television’s first talk show, which she hosted from 1972 to 1993 during which she interviewed many film stars
Host of first TV talk show of India
While hosting “Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan,” she occasionally appeared in films. She made her directorial debut with the 1985 feature film “Tum Par Hum Qurban”.
She made her television comeback in 2006 with Rajshri Productions’ show “Pyaar Ke Do Naam: Ek Raadha, Ek Shyaam”. She was the editor of the Hindi magazine, “Grihalaxmi.” She also appeared in some TV commercials.
Later she launched her own channel on YouTube, titled “Tabassum Talkies,” with her son Hoshang where she used to discuss the lives of cinema figures and movies of the bygone era.
Last year she was admitted to the hospital for about 10 days after she contracted COVID-19. Many film personalities, including Madhur Bhandarkar and Ranvir Shorey, mourned her demise on Twitter.
Despite her many film roles, it was “Phool khile hain Gulshan Gulshan,” which made her popular, and people used to wait for Friday to watch her interview with movie stars.
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