Anna Lyna Mary Goodman: Life and Legacy

Updated on: August 4, 2025

Basic Information

Early Life and Background

Born in 1914 in Northampton, Anna Lyna Mary Goodman grew up in London’s East End. Her mother, Agnes Marion Goodman, raised her alone in the East End’s busy streets and immigrant populations, teaching her perseverance and prudence. Her father’s identity was kept a mystery, but following references suggested Russian or German Jewish ancestry. During the First World War and its aftermath, Britain experienced economic hardship and societal transformation. The single-parent household and working-class background of Goodman affected her inclination for privacy and unwillingness to disclose intimate problems in public.

Acting and Modeling Career

Anna Goodman’s foray into the entertainment industry began in the 1920s, at a time when British cinema was transitioning from silent film to “talkies” and the advertising world was rapidly expanding.

Despite minimal historical records, Goodman’s early film and magazine print work put her among women exploring new creative and economic prospects. She briefly participated in silent dramas and later played modest speaking roles, gaining experience with set dynamics and sound film technology. Meanwhile, her London magazine print modeling assignments reflected the era’s changing femininity ideals. Even though her name was never well known, Goodman benefited from and contributed to the British entertainment boom with her engagements.

Marriage and Family

Goodman married Dr. Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, a Kenyan physician of Gujarati Indian heritage, in the late 1930s. When interracial marriages were frowned upon, their marriage was a rare mix of English and Indian traditions. The couple reared two kids in suburban London with English and Gujarati traditions.

• Sir Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji, 1943) went on to become an Academy Award–winning actor.
• Sadru Bhanji (born 1947) pursued a career in psychiatry and practices in Devon.

The family stressed discipline, education, and culture. Children were encouraged to be fluent in both formal English etiquette and Indian festivities. This bicultural framework gave each child a broad vision and showed Goodman’s dedication to diversity despite her modest public appearance.

Relationship with Sir Ben Kingsley

Anna Goodman maintained an emotionally reserved relationship with her elder son, Sir Ben Kingsley. Her seldom-expressed affection and strict discipline shaped his understanding of professionalism and personal perseverance.

Ben Kingsley has said that his mother’s high standards gave him the resilience to succeed in acting. Even when Goodman first declined to attend his 2002 investiture, her severe attitude strengthened his determination and sophisticated approach to complex character work.

Legacy and Cultural Influence

Anna Lyna Mary Goodman’s fame may have faded, but her children’s accomplishments and cultural bridge lived on. She balanced opportunity and limitation as a female actress in the early 20th century, keeping her dignity in a formative era of British cinema and print media. Her marriage and family life are early examples of Anglo-Indian integration, and her emphasis on privacy shows how women support their families behind the scenes.

Goodman’s legacy lives on through her son Sir Ben Kingsley’s film career and Sadru Bhanji’s psychiatry. Her narrative shows the struggles of women in entertainment, multicultural family life in mid-century Britain, and how one person may leave a mark on art without fame.

FAQ

Who was Anna Lyna Mary Goodman?

Born in 1914, she was an English actress and model, best known as the mother of Sir Ben Kingsley.

What was her profession?

She worked in minor film roles during the 1920s and as a print model for fashion magazines in the 1930s.

Who did she marry?

She married Dr. Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, a Kenyan-born Gujarati Indian physician.

How was her relationship with Sir Ben Kingsley?

Her relationship was emotionally reserved and disciplined, which he credits for shaping his work ethic.

When did she pass away?

She died in 2010 at the age of 96.

References