Today's Doodle, illustrated by guest artist Parvati Pillai, celebrates iconic Indian actress and singer Zohra Segal, one of the nation's first female actors to truly achieve recognition on the global stage. Among Segal's notable historical work was a function in the film"Neecha Nagar" ("Lowly City"), that was released with this day in 1946 at the Cannes Film Festival. Widely considered Indian theater's first international critical achievement, "Neecha Nagar" won the festival's highest honor: the Palme d'Or prize.
She attended a prestigious battle school in Dresden, Germany, in her early 20s. She later toured internationally with the Indian dance leader Uday Shankar. After returning to India, she transitioned to acting, linking the Indian People's Theatre Association in 1945. Segal moved into London, England, in 1962 and built an international profile within the following decades with roles in British television classics such as"Doctor Who" and the 1984 miniseries"The Jewel in the Crown."
In the mid-1990s, she returned to India, where she continued acting on the stage and in Bollywood films. In 2002, the year of her 90th birthday, Segal appeared in her memorable role in the film"Bend it Like Beckham," and continued to behave well into her 90s. Over the years, India has acknowledged Segal's successful contributions with some of the nation's highest awards: the Padma Shri (1998), the Kalidas Samman (2001), and also the Padma Vibhushan (2010).
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