Nargis Dutt is one of the most talented and definitely a great actress who has graced the Indian movie industry from the 1930`s till 1960`s. Her unique style of presenting herself onscreen as well as her beauty earned her a reputable position as one of the most talented actresses in the timeline of Indian movies. This famous actress has enacted in various commercial films, in most of which she had been paired with the veteran movie director and actor, Raj Kapoor. Even till present day, Nargis Dutt is applauded for her role as `Radha` in the movie `Mother India` (1957) which won her the Best Actress award at the Filmfare Awards. In order to commemorate this great actress, the Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Foundation was founded in the year 1982. An award known as the Nargis Dutt Award was started to honour her, in the yearly National Film Awards. `Nargis` is a Persian term which implies daffodil flower, which is also referred to as `Narcissus`.

Early Life of Nargis
Nargis Dutt was born as Fatima Rashid on 1st June, 1929 in Kolkata, Bengal Presidency during the time of the British Raj. Uttamchand Mohanchand or Mohan Babu who was an influential Hindu Mohyal from Rawalpindi (currently in Pakistan) was the father of Nargis. He had later converted to Islam and altered his name to Abdul Rashid. Her mother was Jaddanbai, a Muslim immigrant and a Hindustani classical musician and she encouraged Nargis to join the Indian movie industry at that point of time. Her only brother, Anwar Hussain, also became a film actor.

Film Career of Nargis
In the year 1935, Nargis made an appearance in her debut movie `Talash-E-Haq` as a child when she was aged only six. She was then known as `Baby Nargis`. She was introduced to the world of cinema from a tender age. However, she came to limelight with her debut film in a lead role in Mehboob Khan `s `Taqdeer` in the year 1943 and she was paired opposite to Motilal. Her acting prowess started in full swing when she starred in the movie `Humayun` in the year 1945. With people and critics realizing her potential and talent as an actress, she started receiving numerable offers from various directors and producers. She reached her stardom with the movie `Andaaz` in the year 1949 and `Barsaat` in the same year. Andaaz still remains as one of the best movie based on triangle love story while a still from Barsaat became the emblem of R.K. Films. She was starred opposite Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor and her onscreen pair with Raj Kapoor is hitherto unseen on the Indian screen. Her performances in `Awaara` (1951), `Deedar` (1951) and `Shree 420` (1955) are unforgettable.

Nargis has also acted in many other outstanding cinemas in the lead role which include `Mela` (1948), `Jogan` (1950), `Babul` (1950), and `Bewafaa` (1952). The romantic song `Pyar Hua Ikraar Hua` in the movie Shree 420 opposite Raj Kapoor is still regarded as one of the most romantic songs in Bollywood or Indian movie industry. However, in the year 1956, they paired up for the last time in the movie `Chori Chori` that was inspired from Frank Capra`s `It Happened One Night` released in 1934. After Chori Chori, Nargis got an offer from Mehboob Khan to act in `Mother India` in the year 1957, which is till date considered as one of the biggest blockbuster hits with record collections. She played the character of a mother in the movie. An ultimate tribute to womanhood to Indian women, this movie gained its deserved applause and accolades from day one. She won many awards and the movie was nominated for the Oscars in the best foreign film category. She lent her voice in Sunil Dutt`s movie `Yaadein` (1964) and made a comeback in the movie `Raat Aur Din` (1967), playing the role of a woman with a split personality.

Personal Life of Nargis
The enchanting actress Nargis was deeply in love with Raj Kapoor, but unfortunately they were unable to tie the knot as Kapoor was already married and possessed children as well as his wife. Therefore their relationship concluded immediately after the movie Chori Chori. Later, Nargis was married to Sunil Dutt who is believed to have rescued the actress from the clutches of fire on the film sets of Mother India. Sunil Dutt married Nargis on 11th March, 1958 and they had three children named Sanjay Dutt (Indian movie actor), Priya and Namrata. Nargis created the `Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe` along with her husband Sunil Dutt which absorbed talented singers and actors during that point of time. They used to deliver their performances before Indian soldiers. The dedicated actress also directed her efforts towards the noble cause of spastic children and was made the first patron of The Spastics Society of India. She received appreciation for her social works. Nargis died on 3rd May, 1981 on account of pancreatic cancer, in Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.

Awards Received by Nargis
In 1957 Nargis got the Filmfare Best Actress Award for Mother India. In 1958 she was awarded the `Best Actress` at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival for Mother India. Nargis was honoured with the `Padma Shri` in 1958. She became the first film personality to be conferred the award. In 1968 she was bestowed upon the National Film Award for Best Actress for Raat Aur Din. Nargis Dutt was the recipient of the `Urvashy Award`, the highest honour that can be conferred on a movie actress in India. She had been conferred with a National Award for contribution to Indian cinema. On 8th January 2001, Amitabh Bachchan and Nargis Dutt were honoured with the `Best Artists of the Millennium` award by Hero Honda and film magazine `Stardust`.

Filmography of Nargis