People used to call her ugly in childhood after seeing her dark complexion: Mother did not talk to actress Nutan for 20 years, Shammi Kapoor-Rajendra Kumar wanted to marry her.

Today is the 33rd death anniversary of actress Nutan, who left a mark with her excellent acting in films like 'Seema', 'Sujata', 'Bandini', 'Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki'. Films with women centric roles became her identity. She changed the tradition of actresses being used merely as showpieces. She was the first actress to participate in 'Miss India'.

She was also the first actress to wear a swimsuit in Hindi films. Nutan was the only actress of her time who was offered lead roles at the age of 40.

Nutan was so passionate about her work that even when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990, she continued shooting. Nutan was also in the news due to her deteriorating relationship with her mother. He did not talk to his mother for 20 years. Stars like Rajendra Kumar and Shammi Kapoor wanted to marry Nutan, but it could not happen.

On the death anniversary of Nutan, let us know interesting facts and stories related to his life…

Mother's friend looked at Nutan and said – what an ugly daughter she is.

Nutan was born on June 4, 1936 in Bombay (Mumbai), Maharashtra. His father Kumarsen Samarth was a well-known filmmaker and mother was film actress Shobhana Samarth. Nutan herself had revealed in an interview that in her childhood she had to face a lot of taunts for her dark complexion and height.

Nutan had said in an interview given in 1956, I remember when I was four years old, one of my mother's friends had said about me, 'To be honest, Shobhana, your daughter is so ugly. Then I didn't understand what was said, but I understood that it was for me.

Nutan had further said, 'Later, when I asked my mother about this, she told me that she was very sad to hear this, but she advised me and said, you should take it as a compliment. , When you grow up you will look very beautiful. I was satisfied with what he said and after this, whenever someone commented on my looks, I used to say – you wait and see, when I grow up, I will look as beautiful as my mother. I thought that if mother has said it then it must be true.

Nutan with mother Shobhana Samarth in childhood.

To keep Nutan's heart, mother Shobhana had told her these things, but inside she was worried about her daughter. Nutan also considered herself ugly, so initially she had no confidence that she would ever become a heroine.

Shobhana Samarth also thought that her daughter would never become an actress, but at the age of 14, Nutan entered the film world as a child artist through the film 'Nal Damayanti'. After this, mother Shobhana Samarth took the responsibility of establishing him in films.

Mother made a film for Nutan

In 1950, Shobhana Samarth made a film named 'Hamari Beti' for 14 year old Nutan. After this, Nutan appeared in the film Nagina in 1951. Nutan herself could not go to the premiere of 'Nagina' because she was 15 years old and the film was an A certificate which could be seen only by people above 18 years of age.

Nutan was very disappointed by this. On the day of the premiere, she had reached the theater with Shammi Kapoor and mother Shobhana Samarth, but the watchman did not let them inside. Nutan had a lot of arguments with the watchman, but he did not listen to her and then she returned from outside the theater without watching her first film. Only after this, Nutan's another film Hum Log was released, which further increased Nutan's popularity.

Mother sent me to Switzerland

After the success of these films, the relatives who used to taunt Nutan about her ugliness started praising her. Nutan also got so engrossed in films that she lost a lot of weight. Then his mother sent him to Switzerland for further studies and herself shifted to Mussoorie. After one year, Nutan came to Mussoorie after completing her studies. Here she participated in the Miss India Competition and won the title of Miss Mussoorie.

After completing his studies, Nutan once again made a comeback in films in 1955. She worked in the 1955 film 'Seema', for which she received the first Best Actress Filmfare Award of her career. After this, he won the hearts of the audience by showing his acting talent in films like Back to Back Paying Guest, Bandini, Sujata, Chhaliya, Devi, Saraswatichandra.

Nutan in a scene from the film 'Dilli Ka Thug'.

Nutan never remained tied to any image. She did woman centric films and always tried to bring something new in her characters. She was seen wearing a swimsuit in the film Dilli Ka Thug. This was the era when actresses were seen wrapped in saree, but only Nutan showed the courage to break this image of actresses.

Rajendra Kumar, Shammi Kapoor wanted to get married

Not only the audience but many Bollywood actors were also crazy about Nutan's beauty. Shammi Kapoor was his childhood friend. When they grew up, both of them started dating, but they could not get married. Actually, Nutan's mother had no problem with this relationship, but due to some other reasons this relationship could not progress further.

Rajendra Kumar also liked Nutan very much and even wanted to marry her. He also went to Nutan's mother Shobhana to ask for her daughter's hand, but she refused and also insulted him. Rajendra Kumar and Nutan played the role of husband and wife in the film 'Saajan Bina Suhagan' released in 1978.

Married to Lieutenant Commander Rajneesh Bahl

After breaking up with two stars, in 1959, Nutan found her life partner in Indian Navy Lieutenant Commander Rajneesh Bahl. Two years later, in 1961, both of them became parents of a son, Mohnish.

When Nutan was pregnant, Bimal Roy offered her the film 'Bandini'. Nutan did not want to lose the opportunity to work with Bimal Roy, but due to pregnancy she rejected the offer. When her husband Rajneesh Bahl came to know about this, he asked Nutan to work in the film.

When her husband encouraged her, Nutan signed Bimal Roy's 'Bandini'. Later, Nutan's work in this film was highly appreciated. This is considered to be one of the biggest films of his career in which his performance was praised the most. After this, Nutan continued working in films even after marriage and becoming a mother.

Nutan's stardom was such that even after marriage, her film career did not go down. She used to charge equal to the hero and filmmakers always looked forward to casting her in their films. Before offering her a film, the filmmakers always had to ensure that the female lead role was strong and not inferior to the hero. For this reason, Nutan was also recognized as a path breaking actress.

Nutan and Rajneesh Bahl after their marriage in 1959.

Sanjeev Kumar was slapped

An incident related to the 1969 film 'Devi' is famous. Nutan was working with Sanjeev Kumar in this film. While working in the film, Nutan did not talk much with Sanjeev Kumar, but gradually they became friends. Seeing their bonding on the set, reports were published in film magazines that both of them were having an affair. When Nutan herself read this news, she got very angry and slapped Sanjeev Kumar in front of everyone on the set of the film.

According to media reports, Nutan did this at the behest of her husband Rajneesh. It was also said in media reports that Nutan used to take decisions about her career as per the advice of Rajneesh. There were many reports of Rajneesh misbehaving with Nutan's friends. However, Mohnish Bahl, while reacting to these news, had said that such news was spread to tarnish his father's image.

As she grew older, she won the hearts of the audience by playing a supporting role.

After the 1976 film 'Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki', Nutan started playing supporting roles. Nutan received the Best Supporting Actress Award for the role she played in this film. He also did films like 'Meri Jung', 'Naam', 'Karma'.

Nutan was last seen in the 1989 film 'Kanoon Apna Apna'. His two films 'Naseebwala' and 'Kaliganj Ki Bahu' were released after his death.

Unfulfilled wish fulfilled in 'Karma'

Nutan had worked with almost every big actor in her film career, but she had to wait a long time to work with Dilip Kumar. In 1953, Nutan was cast opposite Dilip Kumar in a film named 'Shikwa', but the film was closed after a short shooting.

Nutan was disappointed that she could not work with Dilip Kumar, but when Subhash Ghai made the film 'Karma' in 1986, Nutan got a chance to work with Dilip Kumar.

Dilip Kumar and Nutan in the film 'Karma'.

Relationship with mother deteriorated, not a matter of 20 years

Nutan's mother is credited with bringing her into films, but there came a time when their relationship deteriorated considerably. Actually, Nutan had accused her mother of using her earned money wrongly and without her consent.

Because of this he even filed a court case against his mother. Because of this, conversation between the two remained closed for 20 years. Nutan was so angry with her mother that once she saw her in a flight, she got off the flight itself. Shobhana Samarth had said on this behavior of her daughter that her husband Rajneesh had instigated her to do so.

Died of cancer in 1991

In 1990, Nutan was diagnosed with breast cancer. In February 1991, due to deteriorating health, he was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. He breathed his last on February 21, 1991 at the age of 54. Despite being diagnosed with cancer, Nutan was shooting for 'Garjana' and 'Insaniyat'.

After his death the film 'Garjana' was never released. At the same time, in the second film 'Insaniyat', Nutan was accompanied by Vinod Mehra, who also died. In such a situation, in 1994, the cast of the film was changed and re-shooting took place and then the film was released.

Nutan with son Mohnish Bahl.

The last days were spent in great pain

The story related to Nutan's last days was shared by her mother Shobhana Samarth in an interview. She had said, 'On February 21, I was sitting outside Nutan's room in the hospital. I could hear the sounds of Nutan shouting loudly from the room. By the time I reached to see her, she had died.

Shobhana Samarth also talked about her bad relationship with Nutan. He had said in the interview, when Nutan died, I did not feel her departure at all. When I went home after the funeral, I asked my servants to give me food. I felt as if nothing had happened. Actually, Nutan had understood that she would not survive for long. He had also lost the will to live. Had she taken care of herself, she could have lived longer.

Shobhana Samarth also died of cancer in the year 2000. Meanwhile, Nutan's husband Rajneesh Bahl died in a fire in their house in 2004.