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Jahanara Kajjan (1915–1945), often known simply as Kajjan or Miss Kajjan, was one of the earliest female stars of Indian cinema. Trained in classical music and theatre, she came from the tawaif (courtesan) tradition and rose to fame on the Parsi stage before transitioning to films in the early 1930s. Her refined Urdu diction, musical prowess, and elegant screen presence made her a standout performer in the talkie era, especially during her years with Madan Theatres and Sagar Movietone.
She became a household name with films like Puran Bhagat (1933), Talaq (1938), and Mera Punjab (1940), often paired with leading man Master Nissar. Kajjan’s roles typically explored themes of romance, longing, and social conflict, enhanced by her soulful singing. Her popularity marked a brief but important chapter in early Indian cinema, blending theatrical traditions with the demands of the new film medium.
Kajjan passed away in 1945, at just 30 years old, but her influence lingers in the history of Indian cinema as a rare example of a tawaif who successfully crossed into mainstream stardom during a conservative era.
