Manorama
Manorama (born Erin Isaac Daniels; 16 August 1926 – 15 February 2008) was an Indian character actress in Bollywood known best for her role as the comical tyrant aunt in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and in films such as Ek Phool Do Maali (1969) and Do Kaliyaan (1968). She started her career as a child artiste in 1936 in Lahore, under the name Baby Iris. Thereafter, she made her debut as an adult in 1941, and had her final role in Water in 2005, her career extending over 60 years.
Also recorded as Erin Isaac Daniel
Manorama

FilmIndia 1943 Magazine · Public domain
- Name
- Manorama
- Birth Name
- Erin Isaac Daniels
- Born
- 16 August 1926
- Birthplace
- Lahore, Punjab, British India
- Died
- 15 February 2008
- Place of death
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Occupation
- Actress
- Spouse
- Rajan Haksar (divorced)
- Full name
- ایرن ایزاق ڈینئل<br>Erin Isaac Daniel.
- Nationality
- British Raj, India and Dominion of India.
- Languages
- Hindi.
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Documentary summary
Manorama (born Erin Isaac Daniels; 16 August 1926 – 15 February 2008) was an Indian character actress in Bollywood known best for her role as the comical tyrant aunt in Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) and in films such as Ek Phool Do Maali (1969) and Do Kaliyaan (1968). She started her career as a child artiste in 1936 in Lahore, under the name Baby Iris. Thereafter, she made her debut as an adult in 1941, and had her final role in Water in 2005, her career extending over 60 years.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
gnd · 138167206 · wikidata · Q1470413
In this article
Biography
Biography
Through her career she acted in over 160 films. After playing heroine roles in the early 1940s, she settled into playing villainous or comic roles. She played comic roles in superhit films such as Half Ticket appearing alongside Kishore Kumar and Madhubala. She gave memorable performances in Dus Lakh, Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baaje, Mujhe Jeene Do, Mehboob ki Menhdi, Caravan, Bombay to Goa and Lawaris.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Manorama • Birth Name — Erin Isaac Daniels • Born — 16 August 1926 • Birthplace — Lahore, Punjab, British India • Died — 15 February 2008 • Place of death — Mumbai, Maharashtra, India • Occupation — Actress • Years Active — 1936–2005 • Spouse — Rajan Haksar (divorced) • Children — Rita Haksar
Biography
Biography
She acted in films since 1941 under her stage name Manorama. Her real name was Erin Issac Daniels. She had an Irish mother and an Indian Christian father, who was a professor in an engineering college. A trained classical singer and dancer, she used to do stage shows for the Red Cross in the 1940s in Lahore. At the age of nine, she was spotted by Roop K. Shorey in a school concert in Lahore. She started off as a child artist in Khazanchi (1941), under the screen name Manorama (given by Shorey), and grew into a very successful and high-paid actress of Lahore. After partition she shifted to Mumbai. Actor Chandramohan recommended her to producers. Although she acted in the superhit Punjabi film Lachchi, she was relegated to play Dilip Kumar's sister in Ghar ki Izzat (1948). After her marriage to actor Rajan Haksar, she was slotted into character roles and then to villainous or comedian roles. After several years of marriage, she got divorced. Her last Hindi movie was Akbar Khan's Haadsa (1983). She switched to TV serials and shifted to Delhi for five years, where she worked in the series Dustak which also featured Shahrukh Khan. She shot for Mahesh Bhatt's Junoon (1992) too, but her role was snipped at the editing table. Around 2001, she worked with Balaji Telefilms for their serials Kashti and Kundali. She also played Hiten Tejwani's grandmother's role in the serial Kutumb. Her last movie was Deepa Mehta's Water (2005), where she mesmerised Hollywood critics with her performance. According to her, she was the first and final choice to play Madhumati in the film. The production of the film was stopped in Varanasi, and five years later it was started again in Sri Lanka, the entire cast was changed except for her.
Personal life
Personal life
She was married to Rajan Haksar, also an actor. After the partition riots broke out in Lahore in 1947, she ran for safety to Mumbai. In Mumbai, actor Chander Mohan Wattal came to her help. Through Chander Mohan Wattal, she got introduced to Rajan Haksar. They fell in love and married. Rajan Haksar, who rose to popularity as character artist in Hindi cinema, belonged to a Kashmiri Pandit family from Gwalior. Manorama suffered a stroke in 2007, though she recovered from it, she suffered from speech slurring and other complications. She died on 15 February 2008 in Charkop, Mumbai. She is survived by a daughter Rita Haksar. Rita did Suraj aur Chanda as heroine opposite Sanjeev Kumar, but later married an engineer and settled in the Dubai.
Filmography
Filmography
• Ik Musafir (1940) Punjabi Movie • Khazanchi (1941) • Sehti Murad on 24 January (1941) Punjabi Movie • Mera Mahi (1941) punjabi movie • Khandaan (1942) • Koel (1944) as Taro in Punjabi Movie as a main heroine • Sandhi (1944) as Vani • Suleh (1946) as Vani • Ghar Ki Izzat (1948) as Radhika • Lachhi (1949) Punjabi movie • Posti (1950) Punjabi movie • Hanste Aansoo (1950) • Jugni (1952) Punjabi Movie as Malti • Parineeta (1953) • Kundan (1955) • Lajwanti (1958) • Khazanchi (1958) • Dulhan (1958) • Santan (1959) • Chacha Zindabad (1959) • Fashionable Wife (1959) • Gokul Ka Chor (1959) • Patang (1960) • Miya Bibi Razi (1960) • Wanted (1961) • Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1961) • Pyar Ki Pyas (1961) • Shaadi (1962) • Reporter Raju (1962) • Ma Beta (1962) • Half Ticket (1962) • Mummy Daddy (1963) • Mujhe Jeene Do (1963) • Dil Hi To Hai (1963) • Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (1964) • Neela Aakash (1965) • Namaste Ji (1965) • Janwar (1965) • Madras to Pondicherry (1966) • Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare (1966) • Johar in Kashmir (1966) • Dus Lakh (1966) • Budtameez (1966) • Mera Munna (1967) • Baharon Ke Sapne (1967) • Mere Huzoor (1968) • Do Kaliyaan (1968) • Ek Phool Do Maali (1969) • Pavitra Paapi (1970) • Mastana (1970) • My Love (1970) • Devi (1970) • Mehboob Ki Mehndi (1971) • Man Mandir (1971) • Ladki Pasand Hai (1971) • Johar Mehmood in Hong Kong (1971) • Gambler (1971) • Duniya Kya Jaane (1971) • Caravan (1971) • Bombay to Goa (1971) • Gomti Ke Kinare (1972) • Seeta Aur Geeta (1972) • Shor (1972) • Jeet (uncredited)(1972) • Banarasi Babu (1972) • Zehreela Insaan (1973) • Naya Din Nai Raat (1974) • International Crook (1974) • Dulhan (1974) • Sunehra Sansar (1975) • Lafange (1975) • Maha Chor (1976) • Aadalat (1976) • Gumrah (1976) • Giddha (1976) • Aaj Ka Mahaatma (1976) • Hira Aur Patthar (1976) • Saheb Bahadur (1977) • Ladki Jawan Ho Gayi (1977) • Charandas (1977) • Laawaris (1981) • Sahhas (1981) • Katilon Ke Kaatil (1981) • Meharbaani (1981) • Dharam kaanta (1981) • Dharam Kanta Munnibai (1982) • Teri Maang Sitaron Se Bhar Doon (1982) • Haadsa (1983) • Main Awara Hoon (1983) • Water (2005)
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Manorama was recorded at birth as ایرن ایزاق ڈینئل<br>Erin Isaac Daniel. The authorities additionally record the heading Erin Isaac Daniel. Her recorded language was Hindi.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1926
Manorama born at Lahore.
2008
Manorama died at Mumbai.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Lahore.
Birth place
Mumbai.
Death place
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 138167206, Manorama.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q1470413: Manorama
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
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References
Citations
References
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authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 138167206, Manorama.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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