Nargis – An Ecstatic Essence

Women in Hindi cinema have held an important position since the days of “Alam Ara”. Some were adored, some worshipped, some idolised and some desired. Soon there was a time when women centric films were made. There were actresses which showed rare class and beauty. The divas who changed the face of Hindi cinema. They defined an epoch with their name. Nargis Dutt fits the description easily. From kindling soft romances to a matriarch, she won over critics and audiences with her flexible characterisations.

Born as Fatima Rashid on 1st June 1929, Nargis made her debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935. She made her debut as a heroine opposite Motilal in Mehboob Khan’s Taqdeer (1943). The turning point in career was Mela (1948), where she starred opposite Dilip Kumar. Nargis was noticeable, though not a conventional beauty. She was lively, energetic and natural in her performance. She was comfortable in front of camera and was ready to soak in the character with enthusiasm. She shot to superstardom with superhits like Andaz, Barsaat, Babul, Deedar, Awara. She appeared in numerous successful as well as critically appreciated films, most of which featured her alongside Raj Kapoor. With the thumping success of Awara, her association with Raj Kapoor reached its pinnacle.

But even outside the Kapoor ambit, she was unafraid to take on the challenges. She acted with ease, had style, substance and grace. Nargis came out as a winner even in the films which she did outside the Kapoor realm.

A dekko into her film songs sans Raj Kapoor!!

1. Anokha Pyar – A love triangle starring Nargis, Nalini Jaywant and Dilip Kumar. A romantic melodrama whose music was given by Anil Biswas. The songs became quite popular with the audience.

2. Babul – Another love triangle along with Dilip Kumar and Munawar Sultana. The film became a huge success at the box office and her performance was appreciated. Under the baton of Naushad, the songs were instant hit.

3. Deedar – A story of an unfulfilled childhood love and directed by Nitin Bose, this film became one of the noted tragedies. Starring along with Ashok Kumar and Dilip Kumar, Nargis set her foot more firmly in films specially which were women centric.

4. Pardesi – An Indo – Russian film, based on the on the travelogues of Russian traveller Afanasy Nikitin, called A Journey Beyond the Three Seas. Its a story of a Russian trader who falls in love with an Indian girl, played by Nargis. The film has music by Anil Biswas, which has memorable hits.

5. Lajwanti – Starring Nargis alongside Balraj Sahni, the film entered into the 1959 Cannes Film Festival. It was nominated for the Palme d’Or for Best Film. Music director S D Burman along with Asha Bhonsle gave some immortal songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcoMkXZMjFo

6. Adalat – Directed by Kalidas, it had Nargis and Pradeep Kumar as the lead pair. It is specially known for the melodious music. The film which gave some of the choicest songs from the Lata – Madan Mohan combo.

7. Raat aur Din – A typical home maker Varuna by day and a club dancer Peggy by night. Nargis played a woman who suffers from multiple personality disorder. The film directed by Satyen Bose, is a cult in itself and also critically acclaimed. The film also fetched her the distinguished National Film Award for Best Actress, making her the first recipient. The film which gave her swansong.

Critically acclaimed and awarded with countless accolades, Mother India stands out among the greatest movies ever made in India. It is the most challenging character portrayal of her time. Applauded by the critics and audiences alike. It won her the Best actress Filmfare award. It remains one of the strongest female roles ever portrayed in the Indian cinema.

The films above saw Nargis giving stellar performances including the best in her career. She was able to put more of herself in her performances. Whether it was for the moonlit romances or the exceptionally sensitive characters or the figurine of bravado, Nargis always gave that ecstatic essence in the characters she played.