Nargis



Nargis (1929-1981) was one of the greatest actresses of the Bollywood film industry. Her birth name was Fatima Rashid; she took "Nargis" as a screen name, based on the Persian name for the Narcissus lily. She was born in Allahabad to Jaddanbai, a singer, actress and tawaif (a type of sophisticated courtesan, with some similarities to the geisha tradition).

Her first film appearance was in the 1935 film Talashe Haq when she was six years old, credited as "Baby Nargis". Her actual adult debut was the film Taqdeer in 1943. She gained great fame thanks to her roles in Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955) and Mother India (1958). She was known for her on-screen roles with Raj Kapoor in various of his films. Her performance in Mother India earned her the Best (Lead) Actress Award from Filmfare Magazine and the Karlovy Vary International Festival.

She had a long-standing affair with Raj Kapoor which ended when she married actor Sunil Dutt after Mother India in 1958. She retired from cinema soon after her marriage. She made her last film appearance in the 1967 film Raat Aur Din; her role gave her a National Film Award for Best Actress and became the first actress to win in this category.

She died in 1981 due to complications related to pancreatic cancer.

She had one son, Sanjay Dutt, who has become a successful actor on his own.

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 * Tamaana (debut)
 * Awaara
 * Sheesha
 * Bewaafa
 * Shree 420
 * Pardesi
 * Jaagte Raho
 * Chori Chori
 * Mother India
 * Lajwanti
 * Yaadein
 * Raat Aur Din, her last on-screen role.