Veteran Actress Sandhya Shantaram, Wife Of Filmmaker V Shantaram, Dies At 94

Veteran Indian actress Sandhya Shantaram, known for her iconic contributions to Hindi and Marathi cinema and as the wife of legendary filmmaker V. Shantaram, passed away on October 4, 2025. She was 94

years old. Her work as an actress and trained classical dancer left an indelible mark on the industry.

Maharashtra Minister for Information Technology and Cultural Affairs, Ashish Shelar, paid tribute to the actress on Instagram. He wrote, “Bhavpurn Shradhanjali! ‘Pinjara’ film ki prasiddh abhinetri Sandhya Shantaram ji ke nidhan ki khabar atyant dukhad hai. Marathi aur Hindi film industry mein unhone apni advitiya abhinay kshamata aur nritya kaushal se darshakon ke dilon par ek alag chhaap chhodi.”

(Heartfelt tribute! The news of the passing of the renowned actress Sandhya Shantaram from the film Pinjara is deeply saddening. In Marathi and Hindi cinema, she left a unique mark on the hearts of audiences with her exceptional acting talent and dancing skills.)

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He further added, “Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje, Do Aankhen Barah Haath aur vishesh roop se Pinjara film mein unki amar bhoomika darshakon ke mann mein hamesha yaadgar rahegi. Ishwar unki aatma ko chirshanti de.”

(Her unforgettable performances in Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje, Do Aankhen Barah Haath, and especially in Pinjara will always remain memorable in the hearts of viewers. May God grant eternal peace to her soul.)

According to Mumbai Tak, Sandhya Shantaram’s mortal remains will be transported from Rajkamal Studio in Parel and cremated at Vaikunth Dham in Shivaji Park.

Born Vijaya Deshmukh on September 13, 1938, Sandhya was discovered by V. Shantaram while he was casting for the Marathi film Amar Bhoopali (1951). Impressed by her singing voice, he cast her in the role of a vocalist, marking her film debut. The two later married after his previous wife, actress Jayshree, left him.

Sandhya rose to prominence with the 1955 musical drama Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, in which she portrayed a Kathak dancer. Despite having no formal dance training, she underwent intensive lessons from co-star Gopi Krishna. The film, which followed two dancers preparing for a competition while navigating romantic challenges, won four Filmfare Awards and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

She continued to appear in many of Shantaram’s acclaimed films, including Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957), where she played Champa, a toy seller who captivates a jail warden and inmates, and Navrang (1959), portraying the plain wife of a poet whose fantasy image becomes his muse. In Navrang, her performance in the Holi song “Arre Ja Re Hatt Natkhat” became iconic, featuring a dance with an elephant adorned with ghungroo.

Sandhya’s illustrious career also includes roles in Sehra (1963), Stree (1961), and the Marathi film Pinjara (1972), where she played a tamasha artiste entangled in a poignant romance with a school teacher, portrayed by Shriram Lagoo in his debut.

Her fearless approach extended to daring scenes; in Stree, which adapts the story of Shakuntala from the Mahabharata, she performed alongside live lions without a body double, preparing under a lion tamer’s guidance. Other notable films in her filmography include Amar Bhoopali (1951), Teen Batti Char Raasta (1953), where she played Kokila, an unattractive yet secretly talented radio singer, and Navrang (1959).

Sandhya Shantaram’s last major stage in cinema was in Pinjara. Even decades later, she remained an influential figure, making a special appearance at the V. Shantaram Awards in 2009 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Navrang.