From the archives: 10 photos of iconic actor Zohra Sehgal

Google on Tuesday honoured late Bollywood actor Zohra Sehgal by featuring her on the doodle. It described Sehgal as "one of the country’s first female actors to truly achieve recognition on the international stage." The doodle, which shows the iconic actor dancing, has been designed by guest artist Parvati Pillai who has been "enthralled by her (Sehgal) love for acting and dancing." (Express archive photo)

Zohra Sehgal was born on April 27, 1912 in Uttar Pradesh in a traditional Muslim family. After completing her studies in Lahore, Sehgal moved to Europe where she took admission in Mary Wigman's ballet school in Dresden, Germany. (Express archive photo)

After studying dance for three years, Sehgal began her career as a dancer with Uday Shankar in 1935, performing across Japan, Egypt, Europe and the US. She opened Zoresh Dance Institute in Lahore with her husband Kameshwar Sehgal. She was also the director of Natya Academy — Delhi Natya Sangh in the 1960s and established the National Folk Dance Ensemble in Delhi in 1974. (Express archive photo)

Zohra Sehgal joined Prithvi Theatre in 1945 as an actor. She earned a monthly salary of Rs 400, and toured across India with the group for the next 14 years.

Zohra Sehgal and Neesha Singh in a still from the film Booa Fatima. (Express archive photo)

At the same time, Zohra Sehgal also joined the theatre group Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA). She acted in several plays, making her film debut in IPTA's first production, Dharti Ke Lal (1946), directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas. She also acted in Chetan Anand's Neecha Nagar, which gained international recognition and received the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. (Express archive photo)

Zohra Sehgal also did the choreography for several Hindi films, including Guru Dutt's Baazi (1951) and the dream sequence song in Raj Kapoor's movie Awaara.

Here, Zohra Sehgal is seen watching the screening of a short film made on her 100th birthday. (Express archive photo)

After Sehgal relocated to London in 1962, she made appearances in British television classics like Doctor Who and the 1984 miniseries The Jewel in the Crown. She also played a role in Bend it Like Beckham.(Express archive photo)

In the mid-1990s, Zohra Sehgal returned to India. Apart from acting in several films, plays and TV shows, she began to perform poetry. Her first performance was at a memorial to Uday Shankar organised by his brother Ravi Shankar in 1983. After that, she received several invitations, and she even travelled to Pakistan to recite verses for 'An Evening With Zohra.'

Here, Zohra Sehgal can be seen with Shammi Kapoor. (Express archive photo)

Sehgal acted in several Hindi films like Dil Se, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Veer Zara, Saawariya, Cheeni Kum among others. Her vivaciousness and zest for life impressed her co-actors Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Salman Khan.

Zora Sehgal, Amitabh Bachchan and Tabu in a still from Cheeni Kum. (Express archive photo)

Zora Sehgal was awarded the Padma Shri in 1998 and Kalidas Samman in 2001. In 2004, the Sangeet Natak Akademi presented her with its highest award, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for lifetime achievement. She received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honour, in 2010. (Express archive photo)