Thread by @ETimesPhotos

Uma Devi Khatri, popularly known as Tun Tun, is the first female comedian in Hindi cinema.

Do you know it was #DilipKumar who coined this name for her?

On her birth anniversary, let's take a sneak peek in her life:

#TunTun

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Uma Devi was born on July 11, 1923, in a small village in Uttar Pradesh.

Reportedly, her parents and a brother were murdered over land disputes.

She was left in the care of her uncle, who did not believe in educating a girl. The actress taught herself to read & write Hindi.

She used to sing along to songs on the radio, hoping that she would be heard on it one day.

During her struggle, she got in touch with Naushad. She asked him to hear her out, or she'd throw herself in the ocean.

Seeing her determination & stunned by her voice, he signed her on.

Her first playback assignment was in 'Wamiq Azra' (1946), thanks to Naushad.

Then Uma Devi signed up for A.R. Kardar's 'Dard' (1947), which became her biggest hit of the year.

Devi's melodious voice in songs like 'afsana likh rahi hoon' and 'aaj machi hai dhum' were massive hits in the leagues of Suraiyya Rajkumari and Khursheed Bano.

Devi's husband fell in love with her after hearing the song and travelled all the way to Bombay to meet her.

The couple married and had four children together. She was a regular on the radio.

Meanwhile, songs like 'kahin jiya dole' and 'dil ko lagake kuch bhi na paya' from the movie 'Anokhi Ada' (1948) wowed audiences with her soulful voice.

However, by working for another director, she breached her contract with A.R. Kardar.

The filmmaker was furious and ended the contract that led to the downfall of her singing career.

During that time, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle started making waves in the industry.

Just when Uma Devi's Bollywood dream was coming to an end, she approached her mentor Naushad.

He suggested to Devi that she should take up acting.

Naushad believed she was naturally funny with great comic timing.

The actress recalled in one of her interviews,

"I told Naushad that I would act as a funster only if #DilipKumar were to act opposite me. Naushad bhai immediately consulted Yusuf bhai and I was baffled when he created a character especially for me in ‘Babul’(1950)."

For Uma Devi in comic roles was as easy as fish in the water.

But sadly, Tun Tun's comedy was part of her physical appearance.

Her roles mainly were about being a fat woman trying to achieve something or find love and failing because of her weight.

However, in real life, she looked at it in a different light.

“My bulk is my trump card. I don’t regret that I am fat. I’m lucky I was born this way. That does not mean that I am not in favour of dieting. But where is the need for me to be slim and ravishingly beautiful?”

Uma Devi was a permanent comic relief in numerous Bollywood movies in the 1960s and 1970s.

She starred with Amitabh Bachchan in Prakash Mehra blockbuster 'Namak Halaal' (1982), which made approximately ₹120 million at the box office.

Tragically bringing joy to people, brought Tun Tun serious health issues.

The actress never let her deteriorating health affect humour.

She passed away at the age of 80 in 2004 after a prolonged illness, survived by her four children and four grandchildren.