This actress reinvented her name, religion, and identity. She began her journey in Darjeeling and went on to become a renowned figure in Bollywood.
Published: November 8, 2025 9:40 PM IST
No one knows what life ahead holds for a person. There are probabilities: a person may either achieve everything in their life or lose everything. From politics to entertainment, establishing a career has always been tough. If fate plays along, one can top the charts, and if not, they can be wiped out in the dust. Today, we will discuss a similar actress whose life brought her into the world of glitz and glamour. This actress was not even Indian; she came from Tibet. She then changed her religion, her name, and finally her identity. With her films, she became a famous actress and turned heads. If you are wondering who we are talking about, she is none other than Latika.
The Incredible Journey of Latika
Latika came from Tibet and was raised in an orphanage. After making her debut in Hindi cinema, she went on to share the screen with legends such as Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar.
Born as Hungu Lamu, she changed her name to Latika for the screen. Her father was Australian, and her mother was from Tibet. At a very young age, Latika’s father passed away. Following that, her mother remarried, and later Latika was placed in a Scottish missionary orphanage, where she converted to Christianity.
Later, when Latika’s stepfather moved the family to Mumbai after a transfer, it became a turning point in her life. Though Latika never aspired to be an actress, it was her neighbour, a Kathak dancer, who piqued her interest.
One day, she arrived at Minerva Studio with the same dancer who had inspired her. There, she met Sohrab Modi, the renowned actor, director, and producer who was a prominent figure in the film industry between the 1930s and 1960s.
Sohrab Modi was the one who named her Latika. Later, she featured in the film Parakh in 1944.
Soon, Latika started working, and her movies did wonders on the big screen. During her career, Latika worked in films with Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar.
Between 1944 and 1949, Latika appeared in several films such as Jugnu, starring Dilip Kumar, Noor Jehan, and Shashikala Jawalkar. A few years after her time in the industry, she married popular comedian Gop, choosing love over the limelight, and gracefully stepped away from the world of cinema.
