Nadira (actress)
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| Born: | December 5, 1932 |
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| Died: | February 9, 2006 |
| Occupation: | Bollywood Actress |
| Spouse: | Married Twice |
Nadira (December 5, 1932 – February 9, 2006) was an Indian actress in Bollywood films. She is best remembered for her performance in films in the 1950s and 1960s (such as Shree 420 (1955)).
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[edit] Personal Life
Nadira was born as Farhat Ezekiel (some suggest Florence Ezekiel) on December 5, 1932 into a Baghdadi Jewish family in Nagpada, Central Bombay, a predominantly Muslim and Jewish locality. Her parents divorced when she was just four years old and she and her brothers were raised by her grandmother. She was still in her teens when she was spotted by Sardar Akhtar, wife of the great filmmaker Mehboob Khan. After convincing her mother, Sardar Akhtar took Farhat under her wing, groomed her, and renamed her Nadira.
She was married twice. She first married a Muslim Urdu poet and film-maker called Naqshab and converted to Islam. This marriage ended unhappily. She then married a man who turned out to be a fortune-hunter. The marriage lasted only a week. For the latter part of her life, she lived alone in Mumbai, as many of her relatives had moved to Israel. For the last three years of her life, she is said to have kept entirely to her Bombay flat, where she lived with her housekeeper, Shobha.
Nadira died in the Bhatia Hospital at Tardeo, Bombay, India on February 9, 2006, aged 73, following a prolonged illness. She had been hospitalized on February 2nd and lay ailing in the hospital after suffering from a paralytic stroke combined with a heart attack. She is survived by two brothers, one of whom lives in the USA and another in Israel.
Throughout her life, Nadira had suffered from a variety of illnesses including, tubercular meningitis, & paralysis. Her bout with heavy alcoholic drinking also resulted in alcoholic liver disorder.
[edit] Career
She rose to cinematic prominence with the 1952 film Aan (Savage Princess). In 1955, she played Maya, a rich socialite, in Shree 420. She played lead roles in a number of films such as Dil Apna Prit Parayee, Hanste Zakhm, Amar Akbar Anthony and Pakeezah. She was often cast as a temptress or vamp, and played opposite the chaste heroines then favored by the Bollywood film industry.
Nadira won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her role as Julie's mother in Julie (1975 film). During the 1980s and 1990s, she entered a new phase of her career, playing older women as a supporting actress. Her last role was in the film Josh (2000).
She was well paid for her efforts, and was one of the first Indian actors to own a Rolls-Royce.
[edit] Filmography
| Acting Filmography | |
| Josh (2000) | Mrs. Louise |
| Cotton Mary (1999) | Mattie |
| Tamanna (1997) | |
| Godfather (1992) | |
| Mehbooba (1992) | Ranimaa |
| Jhoothi Shaan (1991) | |
| Hassan Da Chor (1991) | |
| Laila (1991) | |
| Maula Baksh (1988) | |
| Saagar (1985) | Miss Joseph |
| Kim (TV serial) (1984) | Widow of Kulu |
| Raaste Pyar Ke (1982) | |
| Ashanti (1982) | School principal |
| Dahshat (1981) | Mrs. Vishal |
| Aas Paas (1981) | |
| Chaal Baaz (1980) | |
| Swayamvar (1980) | Durgadevi Bhargav |
| Duniya Meri Jeb Mein (1979) | |
| Bin Phere Hum Tere (1979) | |
| Magroor (1979) | Mrs. Disa |
| Naukri (1978) | Lily |
| Aap Ki Khatir (1977) | |
| Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka (1977) | Heera (Jamundas' wife) |
| Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) | Stepmother |
| Darling Darling (1977) | |
| Paapi (1977) | Old lady hit by Vikram's car |
| Bhanwar (1976) | Sharda Devi |
| Dharmatma (1975) | |
| Julie (1975) | Margaret 'Maggie' (Julie's Mom) |
| Kahte Hain Mujhko Raja (1975) | |
| Mere Sartaj (1975) | |
| Faslah (1974) | |
| Ishq Ishq Ishq (1974) | |
| Woh Main Nahin (1974) | |
| Ek Nari Do Roop (1973) | |
| Hanste Zakhm (1973) | |
| Pyaar Ka Rishta (1973) | |
| Ek Nazar (1972) | Aminabai |
| Raja Jani (1972) | |
| Kahin Aar Kahin Paar (1971) | |
| Pakeezah (1971) | Madame Gauhar Jaan |
| Bombay Talkie (1971) | Anjana Devi |
| Chetna (1970) | Nirmala |
| Ishq Par Zor Nahin (1970) | |
| Safar (1970) | Mrs. Kapoor (Shekhar's mom) |
| The Guru (1969) | Courtesan |
| Insaaf Ka Mandir (1969) | |
| Jahan Pyar Mile (1969) | |
| Talash (1969) | Flirtatious lady in red sari |
| Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968) | Ranjana's mother |
| Meri Surat Teri Ankhen (1963) | |
| Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960) | Mrs. Kusum Sushil Verma |
| Kala Bazar (1960) | Herself |
| Police (1958) | |
| Geliebte Corinna (1956) | |
| Pocket Maar (1956) | |
| Samundari Daku (1956) | |
| Sipahsalar (1956) | |
| Shree 420 (1956) | Maya |
| Jalan (1955) | |
| Raftar (1955) | |
| Dak Babu (1954) | |
| Waris (1954) | Kanta |
| Aan (1952) | Princess Rajshree |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Nadira at the Internet Movie Database
