Nargis became an actress due to compulsion: Studied till 10th standard, but understood every national and international issue; Was fond of only white clothes and lipstick

The story of legendary actress Nargis Dutt in unheard stories. For this we spoke to her younger daughter and former MP Priya Dutt.

Nargis Dutt is a name who proved that a film can be a blockbuster even without a hero. Her acting in the film Mother India was praised worldwide. She married Sunil Dutt at the peak of her career and then said goodbye to the industry.

At the time of marriage, Nargis was more successful than her husband Sunil Dutt. While Sunil Dutt lived in a 1BHK flat, Nargis was living a luxurious life in South Bombay. However, after marriage, she also shifted to the same 1BHK flat with Sunil Dutt.

Nargis’ life was full of challenges and pain. At the age of 6, she debuted in films as a child artist. It was not that she was fond of becoming an artist. She had to come into this field out of compulsion. Well, destiny pushed her into films but she herself decided to travel from being an ordinary artist to becoming the country’s top female artist.

But it is said that happiness does not last long in anyone’s life. After marrying Sunil Dutt, Nargis was living a good life with three children when cancer took hold of her. She was in great pain on the last days of her life. She had a strong desire to watch her son Sanjay Dutt’s first film Rocky, but she left this world three days before its release.

Photo of young Sanjay Dutt with mother Nargis. Nargis died of pancreatic cancer in 1981. Sanjay was 22 years old at that time.

Today is Nargis Dutt’s 95th birth anniversary, on this occasion we spoke to her younger daughter Priya Dutt. Priya shared some unheard stories about her mother with us.

Worked in films at the age of 6, had to quit studies after 10th
Nargis was born on June 1, 1929 in Kolkata. Her real name was Fatima Rashid. Her father Abdul Rashid belonged to a famous family of Rawalpindi, who converted from Hinduism to Islam. Her mother’s name was Jaddanbai. She was a famous classical singer of her time. Talking about Nargis’ childhood, Priya Dutt says, ‘Mother’s childhood was full of ups and downs. Due to the poor financial condition of the family, she had to work in films at an early age. She was fond of reading. Due to her early entry into films, she had to leave her studies after tenth standard. Later, she compensated for it through books.

She used to read a lot of books. She became so intelligent by reading books that one could talk to her on every issue of the country and the world. I always saw my mother reading books in her free time. She used to read one book in a day.

Nargis entered the film world at the age of just 6 with the film ‘Talashe Haq’ (1935). In this film, she was credited as Baby Nargis. After this, at the age of 14, she got a chance to work in Mehboob Khan’s film ‘Taqdeer’. The actor opposite her in this film was Motilal.

Sunil Dutt was impressed by one action of Nargis and decided to marry her
Nargis’ love story with Sunil Dutt is very interesting. Both of them played the role of mother and son in the 1957 film ‘Mother India’. Later they became husband and wife in real life. It is said that Sunil Dutt saved Nargis from fire on the set of ‘Mother India’. From then on, they fell in love. This was not the case in reality.

Priya said, ‘Papa once told me that if anyone else would have been in your mother’s place that day, I would have definitely gone to save her. Papa said that one thing about mother impressed him a lot and that was that she got his sister treated without telling anyone.

Papa told me- One day I was sitting sad. Nargis came to me and asked the reason for my sadness. I told her that my sister has TB in her stomach and I am not able to decide which doctor to take her to in Mumbai. On hearing this, she secretly went to my house, took my sister to the doctor from there. When I reached home, I came to know about this. From that day onwards, my respect for Nargis increased in my heart. I thought that I will not find a better woman than her in my life.’ Priya said that after this incident, both of them came close and got married in 1958.

Nargis and Sunil Dutt married in 1958. After marriage, Nargis accepted Hinduism.

Sunil Dutt bought a bungalow for Nargis
Sunil Dutt used to live in a 1BHK flat when he was married to Nargis. Apart from Sunil Dutt, his mother, sister and niece also lived in that flat. Nargis had become a big name by that time. After marrying Sunil Dutt, she also started living in the same 1BHK flat.

Even though she was a big star, she had no problem living in that one bedroom hall house. Priya said, ‘Just imagine that there were already four people living in that small house, but mother never had any problem.

However, this thing definitely bothered father. He knew how luxuriously mother had lived. Thinking about this, he bought a bungalow in Pali Hill, Bandra. Mother was from South Bombay, at that time Pali Hill area was like a village for the people of South Bombay, but father had bought as much as he could afford.

After my mother passed away, I got to know what her personality was
Priya said that her mother Nargis passed away when she was 14 years old. She spent very little time with her mother. Priya said, ‘Mother Nargis used to stay at home like a housewife. All the responsibilities from cooking to raising the three children were on her shoulders. We never thought that she was such a big superstar. But after her death, we came to know what her personality was.’

Nargis loved to wear white clothes, she was not fond of anything other than lipstick
Priya told that her mother Nargis was a big actress, but she never showed off. She used to wear simple clothes. She used to wear white dress mostly, that is why she was also called Lady in White.

Whenever she went out, she used to wear earrings. Yes, lipstick was one thing that she always kept with her. Priya said that mother Nargis never compromised with her dignity, whether in films or in real life.

Nargis was also nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1980. She died a year later on May 3, 1981.

Sanju used to study in a boarding school, she used to reach Delhi every now and then to meet her son
Priya told that mother Nargis was very serious about the children’s education. However, when Sanjay Dutt got admitted to a boarding school in Delhi, she became very worried. She used to go to Delhi to meet Sanju every day. Mother could not live without seeing Sanju Bhaiya.

At the time when Nargis was counting down the last days of her life, Sanjay was under the influence of drugs. When Sanjay came out of it a little, he was very sad about his mother’s death.

Priya said that she is the youngest among the three siblings. Everyone used to call her mother’s flatterer. Priya says, ‘My mother and I were each other’s shadow. I always used to stay with her. When Bhaiya and Didi had grown up a bit, they used to take their own decisions, but I always used to listen to my mother.’

Sunil Dutt never told me not to do films
It is said that after marrying Sunil Dutt, Nargis left the industry under compulsion. It was said that Sunil Dutt did not want Nargis to work in films anymore. Priya has denied these things. Priya said, ‘The decision to stay at home and run the family was only mother’s. Father had no say in this. Even after marriage, she got many offers, but she gave more importance to the family.’

Nargis was also very active in social service. During the 1971 Indo-Pak war, she wanted to do something for the soldiers of the country. When Pandit Nehru was alive, Nargis and Sunil Dutt had asked him for a favour. Pandit Nehru had then said that if you people want to do something for the soldiers, then go and motivate them. That opportunity came during the 1971 war. At that time, many big stars including Sunil Dutt and Nargis had organized an event to entertain the soldiers.

Nargis used to decide clothes for her son Sanjay Dutt till her last days
Nargis passed away three days before the release of her son Sanjay Dutt’s first film Rocky. However, she was so attached to Sanjay that she wanted to attend the premiere of the film even at such a time. Priya said, ‘Mother was in a lot of pain. It was becoming very difficult for her to get through each day. Despite this, she was worried about what clothes Sanju Bhaiya would wear. What clothes would he wear on which day for the shooting of the film. What would his look be like, she was paying attention to all these things even in the last moments of her life.’

Dutt sahab used to keep Nargis’ sarees and perfumes safe
Priya said that after her mother’s death, her father Sunil Dutt had kept her saris and perfumes safe. He used to look at those saris as long as he was alive. He did not want to let the memories of his mother fade away from his mind and heart. There is a cupboard of mother in our house, in which all the things related to her are kept even today.

Sunil Dutt (right) can be seen carrying Nargis’s bier while Sanjay Dutt (holding an urn in his hand) can be seen standing ahead of him.

Cancer not only broke Nargis but also the entire Dutt family
Priya said that her one year of studies was interrupted due to her mother’s illness. The entire Dutt family had shifted to America for Nargis ji’s treatment. Priya says, ‘I, Sanju and my sister were not yet very mature. Father was also very broken. We were trying to take care of him. We were so helpless that we even learned to cook.

Father had stopped eating and drinking. We used to think that maybe if we make something for him, he will eat. Father used to think that how will he manage us alone. Till that time it was mother who used to take care of everything from house to children. Father’s life used to be very busy. However, with time father realized that now he is both mother and father for his children. He became active again and started living for his children.