Vox Tablet

The Queens of Bollywood

When Jewish women were the leading ladies of Indian cinema

June 29, 2009
Sulochana (Ruby Myers) and Zillo in Saubhagya Sundari(Courtesy Neepa Majumdar)
Sulochana (Ruby Myers) and Zillo in Saubhagya Sundari(Courtesy Neepa Majumdar)


Rose Ezra. Ruby Myers. Farhat Ezekiel Nadira. From the earliest years of Bollywood, these and other Jewish actresses garnered starring roles. And while they may have looked somewhat exotic to moviegoers, they came from Baghdadi Jewish families who had been living in India for decades. Reporter Eric Molinsky speaks to film scholars, as well as friends and relatives of these once-beloved but now mostly forgotten stars of Indian cinema, to find out how they became the “go-to girls” for leading female roles in the 1920s, ’30s, and beyond.

Vox Tablet is Tablet Magazine’s weekly podcast, hosted by Sara Ivry and produced by Julie Subrin. You can listen to individual episodes here or subscribe on iTunes.

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