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When Nargis, the convent-educated 14-year old daughter of Mohan Babu (Hindu) and Jaddanbai (Muslim) made her debut in Mehboob's `Taqdeer` in 1943, co-starring Motilal she was not acknowledged as a talented actress. In fact, Nargis was not even a major star when Raj Kapoor signed her for his directorial debut, 'Aag', in 1948. Success only came when she decided to break the then- prevailing norm and played a modern girl in Mehboob's superhit film 'Andaaz' followed by 'Barsaat' in the year 1949. Thereafter she played various characters, in films like 'Anhonee' or 'Jogan'.
After working in Raj Kapoor's 'Awara' in 1951, Nargis decided to work exclusively with him, even if it meant irking her mentor Mehboob's hit co-star, Dilip Kumar. The Raj-Nargis team created a storm and with 15 films together, they carved a niche of their own. The audience held its breath as a surge of love for their 'Raju' flooded into Nargis` eyes during the hit song Pyar Hua Iqraar hua from 'Sri 420' in 1955. By then, Nargis was famous as Raj Kapoor's 'Lady in White'. Spirited as ever, she even met Morarji Desai, the then Home Minister of Bombay, to try and get him to conduct a marriage between her and Raj Kapoor!
Unfortunately for the duo their relationship couldn't withstand the test of time, but fortunately for Nargis, Mehboob's ' Mother India' came her way. It was probably the best role ever made for any heroine. The chilling climax, where Nargis shoots down her own rebellious son, played by Sunil Dutt, is one of Hindi cinema's most outstanding scenes .The film immortalised Nargis.
She married Sunil Dutt and recognition followed in form of the first Padmashree award for a film personality, and later, her charitable work for the spastics got her nominated in 'Rajya Sabha'. Her winning spree continued till cancer took her life in 1981.
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