'''Patience Cooper (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) ''' Patience Cooper (1905–1983) was an Indian and later Pakistani film actress. An Anglo-Indian[1] from Calcutta (in West Bengal), Cooper had a successful career in both silent and sound films. She was one of the early superstars of Bollywood.[2] Cooper is credited with the first double roles of Indian cinema - as twin sisters in Patni Pratap and as mother and daughter in Kashmiri Sundari.[3] But this is not true as Anna Salunkhe had played first double role in Indian film. She played roles of both Ram and Seeta in film 'Lanka Dahan' (1917). Contents 1 Stage career 2 Film career 3 Later life 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External links Stage career Cooper began as a dancer in Bandmann's Musical Comedy, a Eurasian troupe. She later joined Jamshedji Framji Madan's Corinithian Stage Company as an actress. Film career She started as a dancer in Bandmann's Musical Comedy, a Eurasian troupe before being employed by Madan's Corinithian Stage Company. Cooper was often cast as the sexually troubled but innocent woman at the center of moral dilemmas, a forerunner to the type of roles played later by Nargis. Cooper first made an impact with Nala Damayanti (1920). The film starred Keki Adajania as Nala and Cooper as Damayanti . The film was a big budget Madan Theatre production and was directed by Italian Eugenio De Liguoro, known in Italy for his Orientalist spectacles like Fascino d'Oro (1919). Nala Damayanti was famous for its special effects at the time - Narada's ascent of Mount Meru to heaven, the transformations of four gods into impersonations of Nala, the transformation of Kali into a serpant among others. Her next film was Vishnu Avtar, released in 1921. Cooper acted in over 40 films until she retired in 1944, after performing in her last film, Iraada. Cooper was often cast in the role of a sexually troubled but innocent woman, always at the centre of moral dilemmas, often caused by the men in her lives. De Liguoro also directed Dhruva Chartitra (1921), a mythological based on the legend of Dhruva whose quest for eternal knowledge and salvation was rewarded when he became the brightest star in the heavens, the pole star also known as Dhruvatara. The film was made as a bid for an international breakthrough for Madan Theatres and featured many Europeans in the cast along with Cooper who played the female lead, Suniti. One of Cooper's biggest successes was Pati Bhakti (1922). Cooper played Leelavati in the film, directed by the great JJ Madan himself, advocating that women should be devoted to their husband. The film is regarded as her greatest film and was also involved in a small controversy as in Madras, the censor demanded that a dance number be removed on the grounds of obscenity! A major aspect of Cooper's star image was the successful achievement of the 'Hollywood look' in spite of different light and technical conditions. Her dark, sharp eyes and skin tone allowed technicians to experiment with the imported convention of eye-level lighting. Cooper also played perhaps the first ever double roles in Hindi films - Patni Pratap (1923), where she played two sisters and Kashmiri Sundari (1924), where she played mother and daughter. Cooper did films right through to the mid 1930s. One of her last major films was Zehari Saap (1933). The film was a typical Cooper vehicle about a medieval chieftain's revolt against the good Nawab Bakar Malik. The nawab's outlaw son vows revenge and finally all's well that ends well. The dramatic conflict in the film sees the chieftain wanting to marry the princess, whom he had raised as his own daughter. The low number of women, especially Hindus, in the film industry during the 1920s (due to conservative attitudes) meant Parsi and Anglo-Indian actresses, like Cooper, were in demand. Her distinctively Anglo-Indian features, like dark eyes, sharp features, ebony hair and light skin tone, allowed technicians to experiment with the imported technique of eye-level lighting and achieve the Hollywood look, an appearance similar to Hollywood stars of the silent era. Her appearance in a string of successful films has led her to being called the first ever female Indian film star. [edit] Later life Cooper married Isphahani Saheb, a tea-estate owner. In 1947, they migrated to Pakistan.[4] Actually she was married to MAH Isphahani at the age of 21 and divorced soon after. She then got married to Gul Hamid Khan, one of the first early silent movie actors. He died six years later due to a throat ailment. She remained friends with MAH Isphahani till the end of her life. Cooper changed her name to Sabra Begum and lived the last of her days with her two adopted daughters Zeenat and Haleema in Karachi, Pakistan. She fostered and/or adopted 17 children during her lifetime. Cooper died in 1983.[5] [edit] Filmography Year Film Director Co-Star Remarks 1920 Nala Damayanti Eugenio De Liguoro Actor 1921 Bishu Abatar Jyotish Bandyopadhyay Actor Dhruba Charitra Jyotish Bannerji Actor Nal Damayanti Jyotish Bandyopadhyay Actor Dhruva Charitra Eugenio De Liguoro Actor Behula C. Legrand Actor Vishnu Avatar C. Legrand Actor 1922 Sati Actor Ratnavali Jyotish Bannerji Actor Pati Bhakti J. J. Madan Actor Kamale Kamini Sisir Kumar Bhaduri Actor Ramayan Jyotish Bandyopadhyay Serial Actor Ramayan Eugenio De Liguoro Serial Actor Nartaki Tara Jyotish Bandyopadhyay Actor Ratnavali C. Legrand Actor Raja Bhoj Actor Mohini Sisir Kumar Bhaduri Actor Bhagirathi Ganga Actor Rajkumari Budur J. J. Madan Actor Laila Majnu J. J. Madan Actor 1923 Matri Sneha Jyotish Bannerji Actor Noorjehan J. J. Madan Actor 1924 Patni Pratap J. J. Madan Serial Actor Turki Hoor J. J. Madan Actor 1925 Sati Lakshmi Jyotish Bannerji Actor Adoorat Chheley J. J. Madan Actor Sansar Chakra Actor Kashmiri Sundari Actor 1926 Prafulla Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1926 Joydev Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1926 Dharmapatni Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1927 Jana Priyanath Ganguly Actor 1927 Krishnakanter Will Priyanath Ganguly Actor 1927 Durgesh Nandini Priyanath Ganguly Actor 1927 Chandidas Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1928 Aankh Ka Nasha Actor 1928 Hoor-E-Arab Ratansha Sinore Actor 1928 Bhranti Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1929 Giribala Modhu Bose Actor 1929 Kapal Kundala Priyanath Ganguly Actor 1930 Bharat Ramani Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1930 Vaman Avatar Actor 1930 Rajsingha Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1930 Kal Parinaya Priyanath Ganguly Actor 1930 Ganesh Janma Jal Ariah Actor 1931 Bibaha Bibhrat Jyotish Bannerji Actor 1931 Alladin And The Wonderful Lamp Jal Ariah Actor 1931 Samaj Ka Shikar Actor 1931 Satyawadi Raja Harishchandra J. J. Madan Actor 1931 Bharati Balak Aga Hashr Kashmiri Actor 1932 Pati Bhakti Actor 1932 Chatra Bakavali J. J. Madan Fantasy Actor 1932 Bilwamangal Fram Madan Actor 1932 Alibaba And Forty Thieves J. J. Madan Actor 1932 Educated Wife Actor 1932 Hathili Dulhan J. J. Madan Actor 1933 Madhur Murali Actor 1933 Naqli Doctor J. J. Madan Actor 1933 Zehari Saap J. J. Madan Actor 1934 Kismet Ka Shikar Actor 1934 Bhakta-Ke-Bhagwan V. M. Gunjal Actor 1934 Garib Ki Duniya Sorabji Kerawala Actor 1934 Anokha Prem F. R. Irani Actor 1934 Kanya Vikraya Mohammad Hussain Actor 1934 Sakhi Lutera Sorabji Kerawala Actor 1935 Dil Ki Pyaas J. J. Madan Actor 1935 Asmat Ka Moti Fram Sethna Actor 1935 Khudadad Actor 1935 Prem Ki Ragini Actor 1935 Sulagto Sansar G. R. Sethi Actor 1935 Mera Pyara Ezra Mir Actor 1936 Noor-E-Wahadat G. R. Sethi Actor 1936 Baghi Sipahi A. R. Kardar Actor 1936 Khyber Pass Gul Hamid Actor 1937 Fakhr-E-Islam Nanubhai Vakil Actor 1944 Chandar Kalanka Pramathesh Chandra Barua Actor 1944 Iraada S. Shamsuddin Actor 1946 Khan Saheb Prem Sethna Actor.