From Rawalpindi to theatre

Balraj Sahni was born in Rawalpindi in 1913. A Business Standard feature drawing on his son Parikshat Sahni’s memories describes his work teaching at Santiniketan and a period in London, where he and his wife Damayanti worked as BBC announcers. On returning to India, Sahni became involved with the Indian People’s Theatre Association. The report connects that theatre work with films including Dharti Ke Lal and Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin. His son’s account offers a family perspective on a career that moved between teaching, broadcasting, theatre and cinema. It also identifies Damayanti as an aspiring actor.[1]

Punjabi writing and public discussion

Sahni was also a Punjabi writer. A Sahitya Akademi report on a 2013 birth-centenary seminar records discussion of his contributions to literature as well as cinema. Participants spoke about Mera Pakistani Safarnama, Mera Roosi Safarnama, his autobiography and his Punjabi poetry. The academy’s account also records Surjit Patar’s comments on Sahni’s decision to write in Punjabi and a paper on his continuing involvement in theatre. These are the recollections and interpretations of seminar speakers, recorded decades after Sahni’s death. They show the range of his written work without replacing a reading of the books or the papers themselves.[2]

Garm Hava and its collaborators

In a 2014 Indian Express feature, director M. S. Sathyu recalled making Garm Hava, in which Sahni played Salim Mirza. The report traces the film’s story to Ismat Chughtai, identifies Shama Zaidi with the script and Kaifi Azmi with dialogue, and notes that Sahni died before its release. It also describes the later restoration of the film. These credits place his performance within a collective production concerned with an Agra family after Partition. The article combines Sathyu’s recollections with reporting on the restored print, rather than providing direct access to the original production records.[3]

Sources & notes

Source records include access dates and, where known, limits on what was examined. Checks used AI assistance; independent human or specialist review has not been completed.

  1. Ranjita Ganesan. Balraj Sahni, the man and the actor, through the eyes of his son Parikshat ↗Written record · Source date: 2019-08-30 · Locator: Rawalpindi, theatre and films. Accessed 2026-11-03.Selected written evidence inspected; films and performances not reviewed.Return to From Rawalpindi to theatre, paragraph 1 ↑
  2. Sahitya Akademi. Birth Centenary Seminar: Balraj Sahani ↗Written record · Source date: 2013 · Locator: July–September 2013 newsletter, pp. 11–12. Accessed 2026-11-03.Selected written evidence inspected; films and performances not reviewed.Return to Punjabi writing and public discussion, paragraph 1 ↑
  3. Alaka Sahani. Wind of change ↗Written record · Source date: 2014-11-15 · Locator: Garm Hava production and restoration. Accessed 2026-11-03.Selected written evidence inspected; films and performances not reviewed.Return to Garm Hava and its collaborators, paragraph 1 ↑
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