Vijaya Mehta
1986 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress: Rao Saheb 1987 Padma Shri Vijaya Mehta (born Jaywant; 4 November 1934 – 30 June 2026) was an Indian Marathi film and theatre director and an actor in many films in Parallel cinema. Mehta was best known for her acclaimed role in the film Party (1984) and for her directorial ventures, Rao Saheb (1986) and Pestonjee (1988). She was a founder member of Mumbai-based theatre group, Rangayan, with playwright Vijay Tendulkar and actors Arvind Deshpande and Shriram Lagoo.
Vijaya Mehta
Pakshya · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Name
- Vijaya Mehta
- Born
- 4 November 1934
- Birthplace
- Baroda, Baroda State, British India
- Died
- 30 June 2026
- Place of death
- Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Birth Name
- Vijaya Jaywant
- Awards
- 1975 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1985 Asia Pacific Film Festival, Best Actress: Party
- Nationality
- British Raj · India
- Occupation
- screenwriter · actress · director
- Education
- University of Mumbai
- Honours
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award · National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress · Padma Shri in arts
- Languages
- Marathi
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1986 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress: Rao Saheb 1987 Padma Shri Vijaya Mehta (born Jaywant; 4 November 1934 – 30 June 2026) was an Indian Marathi film and theatre director and an actor in many films in Parallel cinema. Mehta was best known for her acclaimed role in the film Party (1984) and for her directorial ventures, Rao Saheb (1986) and Pestonjee (1988). She was a founder member of Mumbai-based theatre group, Rangayan, with playwright Vijay Tendulkar and actors Arvind Deshpande and Shriram Lagoo.
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wikidata · Q540297 · wikipedia · Vijaya Mehta
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Vijaya Mehta • Born — 4 November 1934 • Birthplace — Baroda, Baroda State, British India • Died — 30 June 2026 • Place of death — Mumbai, Maharashtra, India • Birth Name — Vijaya Jaywant • Children — 3 • Awards — 1975 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 1985 Asia Pacific Film Festival, Best Actress: Party
Early life and education
Early life and education
Vijaya Mehta was born as Vijaya Jaywant in Baroda, Baroda State (now in Gujarat) on 4 November 1934. She graduated from Mumbai University. She studied theatre with Ebrahim Alkazi in Delhi and with Adi Marzban.
Career
Career
Mehta became a major figure in 1960s Marathi experimental theatre. She was a founder member of theatre group Rangayan with playwright Vijay Tendulkar, Arvind Deshpande and Shriram Lagoo. Her stage production of C. T. Khanolkar's Ek Shoonya Bajirao is considered as a landmark in contemporary Indian theatre. She introduced Bertold Brecht into Marathi theatre with an adaptation of The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Ajab Nyay Vartulacha), and Ionesco with Chairs. She also collaborated on Indo-German theatre projects with German director Fritz Bennewitz, including a traditional performance of Bhasa's Mudrarakshasa with German actors. Other than Pestonjee, most of her work consists of film and television adaptations of her stage plays.
Personal life and death
Personal life and death
Mehta first married Harin Khote, son of actress Durga Khote; Following his early death, she raised their two sons, Ravi Khote and Deven Khote. She later married theatre personality Farrokh Mehta, with whom she has a daughter, Anahita Uberoi. Mehta died in Mumbai on 30 June 2026, at the age of 91.
Filmography
Filmography
• Kalyug (1981) – actor • Smriti Chitre (1982, TV film) – director, actor • Shakuntalam (1986, TV film) – director • Party (1984) – actor • Rao Saheb (1985) – director, screenwriter, actor • Haveli Bulund Thi (1987, TV film) – director • Hamidabai Ki Kothi (1987, TV film) – director • Pestonjee (1988) – director, screenwriter • Lifeline (1991, TV Series) – director • Quest (2006) – actor
Identity
Identity
Vijaya Mehta is recorded as having received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress and Padma Shri in arts. Recognition and collections. Mehta received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress and Padma Shri in arts.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1934
Vijaya Mehta born at Vadodara.
2026
Vijaya Mehta died at Mumbai.
Places
Named by the record
Places
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Vadodara.
Birth place
Mumbai.
Death place
Recognition and awards
Recognition and awards
Mehta was awarded the 1975 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for excellence in Direction.. In 1986 she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Rao Saheb (1986).
Awards
Awards
• 1975: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award • 1985: Asia Pacific Film Festival: Best Actress: Party • 1986: National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress: Rao Saheb • 2004: Zee Chitra Gaurav Lifetime Achievement Award • 2009: Tanveer Sanmaan • 2012: Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna
Citations
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Partially resolved
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 14 August 2026.
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