Nargis (1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) was an Indian actress and one of the greatest stars of Hindi cinema. Her films with Raj Kapoor, such as Awaara and Shree 420, became classics. Her performance in Mother India (1957), the first Indian film nominated for an Academy Award, is considered one of the finest in Indian film history. She was the first film actress to receive the Padma Shri.
Quick Facts
| Birth name | Fatima Rashid |
| Born | 1 June 1929, Calcutta (now Kolkata), India |
| Died | 3 May 1981, Bombay (aged 51) |
| Mother | Jaddanbai (singer and filmmaker) |
| Famous film | Mother India (1957) |
| Spouse | Sunil Dutt (m. 1958) |
| Children | Sanjay Dutt, Namrata, Priya |
| Honour | Padma Shri (1958) |
Early Life
Nargis was born Fatima Rashid in Calcutta. Her mother, Jaddanbai, was a classical singer and one of the first women filmmakers in India. She first appeared on screen as a child in Talashe Haq (1935), credited as “Baby Nargis”. Her first adult lead role came at 14 in Mehboob Khan’s Taqdeer (1943).
Career
Nargis became a major star in the late 1940s with films such as Andaz (1949), with Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, and Barsaat (1949). Her on-screen pairing with Raj Kapoor in Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955) and Chori Chori (1956) became one of Bollywood’s most famous. An image of the two from Barsaat became the logo of R. K. Films.
In Mehboob Khan’s Mother India (1957), Nargis played Radha, a poor village woman who struggles to raise her sons. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress and an acting award at the Karlovy Vary film festival.
Personal Life and Death
During the filming of Mother India, co-star Sunil Dutt rescued Nargis from a fire on set, and they married in 1958. She largely retired from films and devoted herself to social work, especially for children with disabilities. In 1980 she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. She died of pancreatic cancer on 3 May 1981, days before her son Sanjay’s debut film, Rocky, was released. The National Film Award for the best film on national integration is named after her.
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Nargis born?
Nargis was born on 1 June 1929 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India.
When did Nargis die?
Died: 3 May 1981, Bombay (aged 51).
