Remembering Nargis: First Lady Of Indian Films, Raj Kapoor's Lover, Married Sunil Dutt, Tragic Death

Nargis Dutt was one of the finest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. The actress paved the way for future heroines with her impeccable acting skills. She often portrayed sophisticated and independent women in a spectrum of genres. Not only that, she was also regarded as one of the highest-paid actresses of the 1950s and 1960s.

Despite her skyrocketing career, Nargis faced some of the greatest hurdles, heartbreaks and tragic demise, leaving behind a legacy which was laced with the pain of her loved ones. While some stuck by her till the end, some left her mid-way, yet, her journey remained one of resilience, fight and love. So, as we mark 44 years since the actress bid adieu to the world, let's take a look at her journey as an actress, lover, wife and mother.

Nargis Dutt's parentage and early life

Nargis was born on June 1, 1929, to a Punjabi Muslim family in Calcutta. The actress' father, Abdul Rashid, formerly known as Mohanchand Uttamchand, was originally a wealthy Mohyal Brahmin heir of the Rawalpindi. He later converted from Hinduism to Islam and married Jaddanbai Hussain, who was also a converted Muslim. Jaddanbai was a Hindustani classical music singer, actor, composer, filmmaker and one of the pioneers of Indian cinema. She was also the one who introduced the actress to the world of movies at the time. 

Nargis' debut and rise in the film industry

Nargis made her acting debut in 1935 at the tender age of six. She was credited as Baby Nargis at the time in the film, Talashe Haq. For the unversed, the actress was born Fatima Rashid; however, after she was credited by the name Nargis, she decided to stick with the name. Nargis appeared in numerous films after her debut, but it was the 1943 film, Taqdeer that gained her immense praise. Nargis was then featured in several successful projects, including Andaz, Barsaat, Nimmi, Nargis, Meena Bazaar, Babul, Deedar, and Awaara, among others. With each role stronger than the other, Nargis created a wave with her outspoken characters, contrary to the actresses of the time. Her exceptional talent, strong screen presence and iconic roles earned her the title of the 'First Lady of Indian Cinema'.

Nargis' bold swimwear scene

Nargis' bold choices even impressed Raj Kapoor, and he offered her to play the female lead in his 1951 film, Awaara, which not only starred Raj Kapoor but also his father, Prithviraj Kapoor. Her role as the outspoken lawyer gained her immense praise. She also made headlines for doing a swimwear scene for the film, which was a bold statement for Indian women in the era when women were still significantly oppressed and seen as a 'thing made for household chores'. 

Nargis' failed relationship with Raj Kapoor

While Nargis grew as a name in the film industry, her liking further gauged the heart of the ace actor, Raj Kapoor. Despite being married, Raj fell in love with Nargis during the shoot of Shree 420, and the duo started seeing each other in secret. This went on for seven years before a moment came in their relationship when Nargis wanted Raj to leave his wife, Krishna Raj Kapoor and marry her. However, Raj was not ready to leave his wife, which led to their breakup. 

Nargis fell in love with Sunil Dutt after he saved her from a fire

The breakup with Raj Kapoor had deeply affected Nargis. However, destiny had different plans for her. While Raj had left the actress, there was another emerging actor who was absolutely mesmerised by her after he saw her for the first time in real life while working at Radio Ceylon. Nonetheless, their first interaction happened a few years later when the duo met for the shoot of Do Bigha Zameen. Even though Nargis was dating Raj at the time, it didn't change how he felt for her, and continued to love her from a distance. That is until an opportunity finally approached his door.

Sunil Dutt once again was cast alongside Nargis in Mehboob Khan's Mother India. While they grew closer, a tragedy struck on the set, and Sunil, like a true hero, saved her from the fire. The actor was badly injured during the accident, but Nargis took care of him day and night. This gave Sunil a chance to confess his love, and slowly but steadily, Nargis, too, fell in love with him.

Nargis and Sunil Dutt's marriage left Raj Kapoor heartbroken

While Nargis once again learnt to love someone and married Sunil Dutt in 1958, Raj Kapoor was left heartbroken by the news. The pain of losing someone he loved got so bad for Raj that he resorted to self-harm. According to Madhu Jain's popular book, The Kapoor: The First Film Family of Indian Cinema, Raj Kapoor felt 'betrayed' after his ex-girlfriend, Nargis, got married to Sunil Dutt. The book also stated that Raj Kapoor was so stressed and heartbroken by Nargis and Sunil Dutt's wedding that he reportedly burnt himself with cigarette butts. However, Nargis had finally moved on and was ready to start her happily ever after with Sunil Dutt. She soon welcomed three kids, Sanjay, Namrata and Priya, with the love of her life.

Nargis' cancer diagnosis and demise

Nargis lived a fulfilling life with Sunil and also got into politics. It was in 1980, during a Rajya Sabha session, when she fell ill and was admitted for the treatment of jaundice. However, after 15 days of tests, her condition kept worsening, and it was concluded that she had pancreatic cancer. The news left the entire Dutt family heartbroken; however, Nargis was determined to fight the disease. Nonetheless, after several surgeries and treatments later, she fell into a coma on May 2, 1981, and passed away on May 3, 1981, at the age of 51. Nargis' funeral was also surrounded by pushback, with people criticising Sunil Dutt for not cremating her. Nonetheless, the actress had insisted on being buried, and Sunil made sure to fulfil her last wish. 

Nargis' death left Sunil Dutt heartbroken, would sit at her grave at 3 AM

Sunil Dutt was deeply broken after Nargis' passing. He would have difficulty with the most basic tasks. The actor would wake up in the middle of the night and sit beside Nargis' grave alone at 3 AM. However, he snapped out of his grief once he realised he had three kids to look after, especially his son, Sanjay, who was at the time struggling with his drug addiction.

Sanjay Dutt cried after listening to his mother, Nargis' voice note

Nargis Dutt passed away days before her son, Sanjay Dutt, could make his debut. The actress was extremely excited about Sanjay's debut in Rocky and had promised to be there for the screening, even if she had to be rolled in a stretcher. However, destiny had other plans, and she passed away. The loss impacted Sanjay deeply, as he was extremely close to his mother. They even kept a seat empty next to Sunil Dutt at the screening to honour Nargis, but Sanjay was stuck in the depths of drugs by then. 

It was two years after his mother's passing that Sanjay's friend played him a tape from his mother, Nargis. She had recorded a message for the actor from her deathbed, which left him in tears. During an interview, Sanjay recalled that he cried for hours after he heard her voice. 

While Nargis is no longer among us, her legacy continues to live with her works, her children and the memories of her fans.

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