Nargis Dutt Birth Anniversary: We bet you didn't know these facts about the late superstar

Sanjay Dutt’s mother and late actress Nargis Dutt was born on June 1, 1929. The actor who began her film career in 1942 with Tamanna, went on to do numerous commercially successful as well as critically appreciated films, from the 1940s to the 60s. She was known for the films she did alongside actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor. The actor rose to a pedestal with her performance as Radha in the Academy Award-nominated film Mother India (1957), which also won her the Best Actress title at the Filmfare Awards. She went on to marry her Mother India co-star Sunil Dutt, only to step out of the film industry soon after.

Nargis, whose real name is Fatima Rashid, enjoyed a huge fan following for her on and off-screen presence. From gaining popularity through her roles on the screen to being known for her rebellious attitude, she had come a long way by the 1960s when she decided to call it quits on films. Nargis passed away in 1981 due to pancreatic cancer.

Some lesser-known facts about the actor’s life

- Nargis started off young as she made her acting debut at the age of four. She was seen in the film, Talashe Haq, produced by her mother, Jaddanbai, and was introduced as Baby Nargis in the film's credits.

- As a young girl, Nargis took active interest in sports like badminton and cricket before finding her passion in acting. She started off by participating in school plays.

- Nargis married her co-star Sunil Dutt while she was at the peak of her career. She chose to call it quits on the film industry soon after, even though many pleaded her against it. However, she made irregular appearances in movies since her marriage.

- Nargis was actively involved in her husband’s production venture. The couple together formed Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe, which held several shows across borders featuring the industry’s leading stars.

- The actor is known for her fascination with phones, thanks to Sunil Dutt. The latter had once jokingly revealed after her demise that he would have been broke if Nargis owned a mobile phone, hinting at how much the actor loved to talk.

- Apart from her acting skills, she was also looked up to by many regarding her sense of fashion. Nargis was one of the firsts to wear a short crop. She was also given the title of  ‘Lady in White’ given her interest in wearing white sarees.

- Nargis is said to be the first patron of the Spastics Society of India. The actor raised awareness and her works helped her gain recognition for the cause. Her rise as a social worker later helped her win a Rajya Sabha nomination in 1980.

- Nargis’ son Sanjay Dutt's debut film Rocky was released only four days after her death. It is said that a seat was kept vacant for her at the premiere on May 7, 1981.

- On March 31, 2021, the official Instagram page of Drishyam Films revealed a fun fact stating that Nargis was credited for her role in the 1964 film, Yaadein. It was revealed that this made her the only actor other than Sunil Dutt who was credited for the one-actor film. She had appeared as a silhouette at the very end of the film.

IMAGE: SANJAY DUTT'S INSTAGRAM