Nargis | |
|---|---|
 Nargis in 1967 | |
| Born | Fatima Rashid (1929-06-01)1 June 1929 |
| Died | 3 May 1981(1981-05-03) (aged 51) Bombay,Maharashtra, India |
| Resting place | Bada Qabrastan Mumbai |
| Other names | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1935–1936 1942–1968 |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, includingSanjay Dutt andPriya Dutt |
| Mother | Jaddanbai |
| Family | Dutt family (by marriage) |
| Awards |
|
| Honours | Padma Shri (1958) |
| Member of Parliament,Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 3 April 1980 – 3 May 1981 | |
| Nominated by | Neelam Sanjiva Reddy |
| Preceded by | Vidya Prakash Dutt |
| Succeeded by | Asima Chatterjee |
| Constituency | Nominated (Arts) |
Nargis Dutt[2][3] (bornFatima Rashid, also known as Nirmala Dutt; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981), known mononymously asNargis, was an Indian actress and politician who worked inHindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history ofHindi cinema,[4] Nargis often portrayed sophisticated and independent women in a range of genres, fromscrewball comedy to literary drama. She was among the highest paid actresses of the 1950s and 1960s.[5]
In a career spanning three decades, Nargis made her screen debut in a minor role at the age of six withTalash-E-Haq (1935),[6] but her acting career actually began with the filmTamanna (1942).[7] Nargis had her first leading role withTaqdeer (1943). Nargis had her breakthrough with the romance filmAndaz (1949) and the musicalBarsaat (1949). Following this she starred inRaj Kapoor's crime dramaAwaara (1951), which was a major critical and financial success. After a brief setback in the early 1950s, she reemerged with the comedy-dramaShree 420 (1955) and the romantic comedyChori Chori (1956). Nargis starred inMehboob Khan's Oscar-nominated epic dramaMother India (1957), thehighest-grossing film in India at that point of time, for which she wonFilmfare Award for Best Actress. Her last film was the dramaRaat Aur Din (1967), for which she received the inauguralNational Film Award for Best Actress.
Nargis married herMother India co-starSunil Dutt in 1958. Together they had three children, including the actorSanjay Dutt.[8] Along with her husband, Nargis formed the Ajanta Arts Culture Troupe which hired several leading actors and singers of the time and held stage shows at border areas. In the early 1970s, Nargis became the first patron ofThe Spastic Society of India and her subsequent work with the organisation brought her recognition as a social worker and later aRajya Sabha nomination in 1980.[9]
Nargis died in 1981 ofpancreatic cancer, only three days before her son Sanjay Dutt made his debut inHindi films with the filmRocky.[7] In 1982, theNargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation was established in her memory by her husband Sunil Dutt. The award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in the Annual Film Awards ceremony is called theNargis Dutt Award in her honour. In 2011,Rediff.com listed her as the greatest Indian actress of all time.[10]
Nargis was born on 1 June 1929 as Fatima Rashid[11] inCalcutta, in theBengal Presidency ofBritish India (nowKolkata,West Bengal, India).[12]
Her father Abdul Rashid, formerly Mohanchand Uttamchand ("Mohan Babu") a Mohyal Brahmin, was originally a wealthy heir fromRawalpindi,Punjab who had converted from Hinduism to Islam.[11][13][14] Her mother wasJaddanbai was fromBenares and was aHindustani classical music singer, becoming one of the early pioneers of Indian cinema.[15] Nargis' mother had moved fromAllahabad toCalcutta and later introduced Nargis into the movie culture unfolding in India at the time.[2]
Nargis' maternal half-brother,Anwar Hussain, was also a film actor.[16]
Fatima made her first film appearance in the 1935 filmTalashe Haq when she was six years old, credited as Baby Nargis. Nargis (نرگس[ˈnərɡɪs]) is aPersian word meaningNarcissus, thedaffodil flower. She was subsequently credited as Nargis in all of her films.[17][18]
Nargis appeared in numerous films after her debut. In 1943 at the age of 14, she appeared inMehboob Khan'sTaqdeer, opposite Motilal.[19] The film was a box office success, and she was extensively praised for her performance.Filmindia referred to it as "an excellent debut".[20] FollowingTaqdeer, Nargis starred in the 1944 filmAnban. Nargis next starred in the 1945 period dramaHumayun, opposite the leading actor of those times,Ashok Kumar and the mythological filmRamayani. In 1946 she starred inNargis. These films were moderately successful.[21]
In 1948, she made her first collaboration withRaj Kapoor, the dramaAag, in which she portrays a homeless woman who becomes an actress. The film was not a major success and did average business at the box office. However this marked the first of more than a dozen films in which Raj Kapoor and Nargis appeared together. She also starred in highly successful tragedy filmMela, the editor ofFilmindia,Baburao Patel praised her performance, but in her role of mother found her "unconvincing" and "synthetic", The reported box office gross for the film according to IBOS was ₹50lakhs in 1948. The adjusted gross as of 2015 is roughly estimated at ₹340.44crores. Her last film of the year wasAnokha Pyar, which was not a success.[22]
In 1949, Nargis starred inMehboob Khan's critically acclaimed dramaAndaz.[23] The film saw her playing Neena, whose husband Rajan (Raj Kapoor) suspects of her having an affair with her friend Dilip (Dilip Kumar). It had a slow start at the box office, but as soon as positive word-of-mouth spread, it emerged as a major commercial success and the highest-grossing film of all time. The film was first hit in Kapoor's career, and a breakthrough for Nargis and Kumar.[24] Following this she starred inBarsaat, directed by Kapoor starred Nargis as a village belle and Kapoor as a poet. The film was the debut ofNimmi, who would later become a well-known actress. Its release was already hyped due to the huge success ofAndaz, and therefore it became another major box office success.[25]Barsaat was the highest-grossing film of 1949, as well as of all time, breaking the record ofAndaz.[26][27]
She followed this with roles in the 1950 filmsMeena Bazaar, the romantic dramaJogan,Jan Pahechan, the musical dramaBabul, andAadhi Raat. Both Jogan and Babul were box office hits and her performance in Babul was specially noticed. Following this she starred in the drama filmsHulchul andDeedar (both 1951). Due to the success ofAndaz andBarsaat, Raj Kapoor was impressed by Nargis' onscreen charm and presence. He therefore chose her to play a character inAwaara (1951) (often written asAwāra). Although it revolved around a father and his estranged son, Nargis played the pivotal role of a lawyer who knows the truth that Raj (played by Kapoor) and Raghunath (played byPrithviraj Kapoor) are son-father. Unlike the roles played by other actresses of those times, Nargis portrayed an outspoken woman-lawyer who criticises the people who regard woman as a "thing made for household chores". She was also seen donning aswimwear in a scene fromAwaara, a bold outfit for an Indian woman to wear in that era. The film was released on 14 December 1951, receiving universal acclaim for the performances of Prithviraj, Raj and Nargis. Not only in India, the film was a blockbuster overseas too, making Nargis and Raj well-known stars in countries such as Greece and the United States. Grossing₹12.5 million in India, it became the highest-grossing film of all time, breaking the record ofBarsaat.[28][29]
In 1952, Nargis starred in the romance filmBewafa, which was not a major success. Following this, she also starred in the psychological dramaAnhonee Nargis was highly appreciated for enacting a dual role and her performance garnered critical acclaim.[30] Furthermore,rediff commented "The ethereal actress is equally adept at bringing out the conflicting qualities of both -- the gregarious courtesan Mohini as well as her dignified half-sister and heiress, Roop".[31] She then starred in the adventure filmAmber. Out of her releases of 1952, only Anhonee was a success.[32] Following this was the 1953 filmDhoon, which was not a major success. Her last film of the year was the romantic dramaAah, which too was not major success, despite this it is often regarded as acult classic.[33] Her only film of 1954 wasAngarey.[34]
Nargis revived her career with Raj Kapoor's social dramaShree 420 (1955).[35] In the film, Nargis portrays a school teacher who becomes Raj's (played by Kapoor) love interest. It was Nargis' last under Raj Kapoor's direction.[36][37] Commenting on the performance,rediff said that "The performances help the film's endorsement of ethical living and high thinking. Nargis' quiet demeanour in the film contrasted with Raj Kapoor's flamboyance". The film was a major blockbuster, emerging as the highest-grossing film in India at the time.[38]
She once again collaborated with Kapoor for the box office successChori Chori (1956), which revolves around a girl (Nargis) who runs away from her house in order to marry a gold digger pilot (Pran), but ends up falling for a news reporter (Kapoor) whom she meets in a bus.[39] Described byThePrint which praised the lead's chemistry.[40] The film was also a major box office success emerging as one of the highest-grossing films of the year. In the same year, she did a special appearance in Kapoor'sJagte Raho. The film was her last to co-star Raj Kapoor.[41][42]
In 1957, she appeared in Mehboob Khan's Oscar-nominated epic dramaMother India, which won her theFilmfare Award for Best Actress.[43]Baburao Patel of the film magazine,Filmindia, in December 1957, describedMother India as "the greatest picture produced in India" and wrote that no other actress would have been able to perform the role as well as Nargis.[44][45]Mother India is generally regarded as Nargis's best performance.[46]Box Office India gave the film'snet collection as ₹40 million and its gross as ₹80 million, the highest for an Indian film up untilMughal-e-Azam (1960),[47] while estimating thatMother India's inflation-adjusted net would be equivalent to ₹1.173 billion in January 2008. Box Office India later estimated in 2017 thatMother India had over 100 million footfalls at the domestic box office, making it one of thehighest-grossing Indian films of all time when adjusted for inflation.[48] Nargis won theFilmfare Best Actress Award in 1958 and became the first Indian to receive the Best Actress award at theKarlovy Vary International Film Festival in present-dayCzech Republic.[49] Also in 1957, she acted inPardesi (marketed asJourney Beyond Three Seas in English), which was an Indo-Sovietco-production.[50] She marriedSunil Dutt who played one of her son inMother India. After their marriage in 1958, Nargis gave up her film career to settle down with her family, after her last few films were released.[51] From 1951 to 1957,Box Office India ranked Nargis as the top actress.[52]
She made her last film appearance in the psychological dramaRaat Aur Din (1967), after being convinced to act for one last time after a long hiatus.[45] The film was well received and Nargis' performance as a woman who hasdissociative identity disorder was critically acclaimed. For her performance in the film, she received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and won the inauguralNational Film Award for Best Actress.[53][54]
Nargis was also nominated to theRajya Sabha (upper house ofIndian Parliament) from 1980 to 1981,[3][55] but due to cancer she fell ill and died during her tenure.[56]
Nargis had a long-time relationship with actorRaj Kapoor, who was her co-star in the filmsAwaara andShree 420. Raj Kapoor was married and had children. After he refused to divorce his wife, Nargis ended their nine-year-long relationship.[57][58]
Nargis married actorSunil Dutt; who was aHindu, on 11 March 1958. Prior to their marriage, Nargis converted toHinduism and adopted the name Nirmala Dutt.[59][60] Reportedly, Dutt had saved her life from a fire on the sets ofMother India.[61] She had also reportedly helped Dutt's sister and mother.After marrying Sunil, Nargis expressed her love and gratitude towards him by revealing that he was the first person to treat her like a normal human being and that he was always there for her during hard times. If he hadn't come into her life, she would've ended her life.[62] They had three children:Sanjay Dutt, Namrata Dutt, andPriya Dutt.[63] Sanjay went on to become a successful film actor. Namrata married actorKumar Gaurav, son of veteran actorRajendra Kumar who had appeared alongside Nargis and Sunil Dutt inMother India. Priya became a politician and a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha).[61]
With her husband, Nargis formed the Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe, which involved several leading actors and singers of the time, and performed at remote frontiers to entertain the Indian soldiers at border. It was the first troupe to perform inDhaka, after the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. Later, Nargis worked for the cause ofspastic children. She became the first patron ofthe Spastics Society of India. Her charitable work for the organisation got her recognition as a social worker.[64]
Nargis loved wearing white saris, speaking over the telephone and eatingpanipuris sold on the streets. She was an excellent swimmer and enjoyed playing cricket with her brothers.[51] The founder of the Spastic Society of India, Mithu Alur, stated in an interview that Nargis had a dream of pursuingmedicine that she could never fulfill.[65]
On 2 August 1980, Nargis fell ill during a session of the Rajya Sabha, with the initial cause assumed to bejaundice. She was rushed home and admitted toBreach Candy Hospital in Bombay. After 15 days of tests, during which her condition kept worsening and she rapidly lost weight, she was diagnosed withpancreatic cancer in 1980 and underwent treatment for the disease atMemorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center inNew York City.[66][67]
Upon her return to India, her condition deteriorated and she was admitted at Breach Candy Hospital. Nargis went into a coma on 2 May 1981 after she became seriously ill and died the next day, aged 51. Because she feared fire, she wanted to be buried in accordance with the Muslim customs. Her body was carried on a bier according to Hindu customs. Sunil and Sanjay offeredNamaz along with other mourners.[68] She was buried atBada Qabrastan Mumbai.[69] Before her death, she had made it clear to Sunil that she wanted to be buried next to her late mother.[70] On 7 May 1981, at the premiere of her son's debut filmRocky, one seat was kept vacant for her.[61]
One year after her death, theNargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation was established bySunil Dutt in her memory.[71] Although Nargis' death is attributed to pancreatic cancer, her daughter, Namrata Dutt Kumar, claimed her mother had successfully fought the cancer but died from aurinary tract infection. Nargis's son, Sanjay Dutt, added that her lowered immunity levels made her susceptible to the infection.[72][73]
Nargis is regarded as one of the greatest and finest actress ofIndian cinema.[74][75]Rediff.com placed her in its "Bollywood's Best Actresses of all time" list,[5] and later in 2011, listed her as the greatest actress of all time, stating: "An actress with range, style, grace and an incredibly warm screen presence, Nargis is truly a leading lady to celebrate."[76] In 2022, she was placed inOutlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actresses" list.[77] One of the highest paid actress of the 1950s, Nargis appeared inBox Office India's "Top Actresses" list from 1948 to 1957, and topped the list for eight years (1951–1957).[78]Box Office India later named her as the "Best Actress" of the 1950–1959 period.[79]
Nargis's sarees were a major style statement in the 1950s.[80] In 2013, anEastern Eye poll named her as the sixth greatest Bollywood star of all time.[81][2]Yahoo! placed her 3rd in its "Ten most iconic beauties of Hindi cinema" list,[82] In 2000, she was honoured with "Best Actress of the Millennium" byHero Honda and film magazineStardust.[83][84] and was listed in the 25 greatest Asian actors in history byCNN in 2010.[85] In 2021,Time Out placed her 2nd in its "Ten best Bollywood actresses" list.[86] Her filmsAwaara andMother India were voted some of the greatest films ever made in polls byBritish Film Institute andNews18.[87][88]
Nargis was known for her female characters that stood "shoulder-to-shoulder" with the male characters.[89][90] Along withMadhubala, she also had large fan following inGreece.[91] She is regarded among the finest and most versatile actresses of Indian cinema. She was especially noted for her portrayal of strong, independent woman in her films.[92]
Samriddhi Patwa ofFilmfare termed Nargis an "iconic actresses" and noted, "Known for her portrayal as a sophisticated and independent woman in her films, Nargis is regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema."[92] Writing forIndian Express, Sampada Sharma stated, "With her work, Nargis left an impression that still remains unmatched."[93] M.L. Dhawan fromThe Tribune said, "In almost all her films Nargis created a woman who could be desired and deified. The charisma of Nargis's screen image lay in that it oscillated between the simple and the chic with equal ease."[94] Surendra Kumar ofThe Sunday Guardian stated, "She was a versatile actor who could carry off serious roles, light roles and even comic roles with the same élan. She could be urbane and sophisticated, as inAwaara,Chori Chori andAndaz; simple and ordinary, as inSri 420; and every inch a traditional village woman, as inMother India."[45] Dinesh Raheja ofRediff.com said, "Whereas most actors have one definitive forte, Nargis won over the 1950s audiences and critics with strikingly versatile characterisations."[95]
"Multiple personality disorder isn´t something that you see often in films. Nargis´ chilling portrayal brought out all the horror of a person suffering from such a malady. Her face changes when from the docile wife Varuna she turns into the cabaret dancer Peggy. You get the feeling that all her living-life-to-the hilt act is but enforced mirth. The best thing is that her madness isn´t your routine filmi melodrama but a slow descent towards the mouth of hell. She´s a must watch inAwaara andAndaz as well."
A scene from the 1949 filmBarsaat, featuring Raj Kapoor holding Nargis in one arm and a violin in the other, was chosen as the basis for the logo ofR. K. Films.[45][97] Praising her and Kapoor's pair,India Times wrote: "Whenever Raj Kapoor and Nargis came together on screen, sparks flew. Their chemistry was electrifying and it crackles with raw passion in Raj Kapoor'sAwaara. Nargis's wild and carefree sensuality pulsates and Raj Kapoor's scruffy hair-rebellious persona only adds fuel to the fire".[98] In November 1956, Nargis was sent to theSoviet Union by the Government of India, as a part of delegate - consisting ofRaj Kapoor,Suraiya andKamini Kaushal, where her films were screened.[99]Filmfare later included Nargis's performances inRaat Aur Din andMother India in its list of "80 Iconic Performances" of Bollywood, placing them 65th and 36th respectively.[96]
| Year | Award | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Padma Shri | Contribution in the field of Arts | Honoured | [100] |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actress | Mother India | Won | [101] |
| 1958 | Karlovy Vary International Film Festival | Best Actress | Won | [102] | |
| 1968 | National Film Awards | National Film Award for Best Actress | Raat Aur Din | Won | [103] |
| 1969 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | [104] | |
| 2001 | Stardust Awards | Best Actress of the Millennium | — | Honoured | [105] |
Streets inBandra, Mumbai and Model Colony,Pune, are named Nargis Dutt Road in her memory.[106] A postal stamp of face value 100 paise was issued byIndia Post was issued in Nargis' honour on 30 December 1993.[107] TheNational Film Awards honoured Dutt by instituting theNargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration upon her achievement inHindi Cinema.[108][109] Her name was removed from the awards in 2024, for unknown reasons.[110]
Nargis was inducted into theWalk of the Stars, atBandra Bandstand, where her autograph was preserved under the name Nargis Dutt.[111][112] In 2015,Google celebrated Nargis's 86th birthday with a doodle and noted, "Nagris lifted her ghoonghat headpiece and blazed the silver screen with her portrayal of strong women protagonists".[113] In 2016, Bhaichand Patel wrote about Nargis in his book "Bollywood's Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema".[114][115] In 2023, an exhibition atKiran Nadar Museum of Art inNoida, named "Sitaare Zameen Par", had portraits of Nargis that were captured by JH Thakkar.[116] Her souvenirs were auctioned online, along with that of other actresses, in the same year.[117]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
.svg)
