Ila Arun

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Ila Arun learnt art of music from the air of Rajasthan Ila Arun who has been born and brought up in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, has been rooted to her culture since her younger days. She recalls that she was exposed to music at an early age when she would listen and regale at the traditional folk music of the vagabonds. Further at her home there was a servant who used to sing folk songs during his leisure time. His voice had a magnetic appeal. He would, at times go to such high pitch and then would bring his voice at such low ebb, that it created a spellbind affect on young Ila. Listening to all these folks songs little Ila was drawn towards Music, particularly, folk and Indian Classical music. Thus Ila Arun claims that her first introduction to music begun from her surroundings as there was ample music in the air of Rajasthan. Ila Arun has done degree in Music and Arts Being enchanted with folk music since her younger days and being exposed to music around her ambience Ila Arun after her schooling from Maharani Girls College in Jaipur, took up Music as a subject of study and acquired a BA in Music. Later she joined India’s premier Acting School the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi and obtained a degree in acting.

Her entire family is associated with creative art Ila Arun’s father worked for a cooperative movement and moved around Rajasthan. Young Ila along with her brother Piyush Pandey (Famous Ad filmmaker) would accompany father and would marvel at the majestic beauty of Rajasthan that later got inculcated in her other family members too. Her brothers Piyush Pandey and Prasoon Pandey are both creative Ad filmmaker. Her sister Rama Pandey did journalism and worked as newsreader at Delhi Doordarshan and is presently working at BBC London. Her other sister Tripti Pandey is a cultural activist, a tourism expert, deputy director, Rajasthan Tourism in Rajasthan. Ila Arun married to Arun Bajpai and the couple has a beautiful Ishita Arun, who incidentally is also a budding singer!!!

Veteran film director Shyam Benegal discovered Ila Arun Ila Arun was first discovered by eminent filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who was making the TV serial Bharat Ek Khoj (1980) based on Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru’s timeless classic Discovery of India. In this TV serial Benegal had selected mostly quality actors from NSD (National School of Drama). While selecting students from NSD he came across Ila Arun and was impressed by her histrionics. Thus Ila Arun kick started her career not as a singer but as an actor. Later she became a permanent actor in Shyam Benegal’s film unit. Benegal introduced her into Bollywood with his 1983 hard-hitting film Mandi , in which he realistically exposed the pathetic and traumatic life of prostitutes. Ila played one of the prostitutes in the brothel of Rukmini Bai played effectively by Shabana Azmi. Other films that she did with Benegal include Trikal (1985), Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda (1992), Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008) etc. Ashutosh Gowarikar rediscovered her in Jodhaa Akbar After some power packed supporting roles in movies like Ghatak, China Gate etc filmmaker Ashutosh Gowarikar rediscovered Ila Arun and gave her a challenging role of a vamp in the film Jodhaa Akbar for which she was nominated by Filmfare awards. What she liked most about her role of Mahamanga was that it had shades of grey and it gave her the opportunity to explore her histrionics. Though she was cautioned by her close to decline a negative role as it would tarnish her image as her music album was to be released, Ila gave a deaf ear to such fears. She boldly accepted the role and fortunately it was widely appreciated by all. With Begum Jaan Ila Arun repeats her debut film performance Yes it is true that with Begum Jaan, Ila Arun revives her performance of a prostitute that she played efficiently in her debut film Mandi (1983) directed by acclaimed film maker Shyam Benegal. Excited at her role in Begum Jaan Ila Arun informs that interestingly in film Mandi too Shyam Benegal depicted about the life of prostitutes in a brothel and their helplessly struggle to save their brothel which is being brought down to build an commercial building by builder. 32 years later film director Sirji Mukherji has taken the same plot about a bunch of prostitutes fighting to save their brothel which is under threat due to the consequences of Indo-Pak Partition in 1947 as the border line between India and Pakistan pass through their brothel. The only difference between Mandi and Begum Jaan according to Ila is that Benegal told the poignant side of prostitutes, while in contrast Sirjit in his film Begum Jaan has brought out the valor side of prostitutes. Ila Arun is quite happy to be part of both the films.