A Biography Of Nargis Dutt
Then came a moment of renaissance, I looked up you again are there, A fleeting vision, the quintessence, Of all that's beautiful and rare.
The above lines by a poet truly reflect the emotions of thousands and millions of people who watched in awe every time the silver screen was graced with who might be arguably the greatest Indian actress of all time- Nargis. A class act, a surreal beauty and a life full of generosity- Nargis is a name still at the pinnacle of Indian film industry.
Born Fatima A. Rashid to a HIndu Brahmin father Uttamchand and a Muslim mother Jaddanbai, Nargis was a child prodigy. She started acting at a young age being encouraged and supported by her equally prodigal mother who herself was a stage actor and trained dancer and musician. In her roles as a child actor, she was introduced as Baby Nargis. The stage name stuck with her for the rest of her life. Nargis's step-brother Anwar Hussain also enjoyed an acting career in the film industry.
Achieved Greatness
As she progressed to acting in adult roles, the film-makers had already sensed the arrival of a beauty that could charm and a talent that could make a fictional character come to life. It was therefore obvious that she got to work with the top-notch directors, producers and actors of her time. In a career spanning over two decades, Nargis delivered some colossal performances and hit movies. In some of her most popular movies like Barsaat(1949), Andaaz(1949), Awaara(1951) and Shree 420(1955), her acting was widely appreciated and critically acclaimed while her mere screen-presence won the hearts of audiences all over. While acting in nearly 50 movies she formed some wonderful on-screen pairs with some great actors like Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar. However, the actor who along with Nargis gave a new meaning to the words "Romance" and "Chemistry" was Raj Kapoor. Along with each other, the pair starred in various movies each of which was tagged as a blockbuster.
Private Affairs
When Nargis and Raj Kapoor were delivering hits after hits in their profession, it was but natural that the media focus shifted to their personal life too. While there is no denying that the two formed a sizzling on-screen couple, rumours were that this reel-life chemistry between the two also extended in real-life. However, apparently both of them somehow managed to keep their sanity and dignity intact. Neither Raj Kapoor divorced her wife nor Nargis tried to break the married couple. During the shooting of the cult classic "Mother India" Nargis got into a relationship with her co-actor Sunil Dutt after the latter saved her when she was accidentally surrounded with real fire on the shooting location. The two later married and had three children - Namrata, Priya and Sanjay. While Priya Dutt is a politician, Sanjay Dutt became a popular and successful actor in Hindi film industry. Shortly after getting married, Nargis bid adieu to film industry and settled with her family.
A Life Worth Living
Nargis was a phenomenal actress and her acting prowess fetched her numerous awards. She won the prestigious Filmfare award for the widely appreciated "Mother India"(1957). The movie went on to be the first Indian movie to be nominated in Best Foreign Language Film category in the Oscars. She was also awarded the National Film Award in best actress category for "Raat Aur Din"(1967). In recognition to her brilliant work in film industry, Nargis was conferred with the Padma Shree Award by the Government of India in 1958. Apart from her contribution to film industry, she was held in high regards for her social work. She was associated with Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe and the Spastic Society of India. Her social work got her nominated as a Rajya Sabha MP in 1980 but unfortunately during her tenure she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died in 1981. In her memory, the Nargis Dutt Memorial Charitable Trust and the Nargis Dutt Cancer Foundation have been established. Also, the National Film Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration was named as Nargis Dutt Award in her honour.
With her movies and social work, Nargis touched millions of lives and put a smile on their faces. Incidentally, the word Nargis means a kind of flower. Now what name could be more befitting for a person so giving.
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