December 5 marks the 90th birth anniversary of Nadira, a famous actress of the Hindi film industry during the 50s and 60s. The actress rose to cinematic fame with her popular dance number Mudd Mudd Ke Na Dekh (Shree 220) and her performance in the film Julie.
The Chetna actress reigned supreme in her time and was probably the first Hindi film star to be driven in a Rolls Royce with a whopping salary of Rs 3,600. Keep reading this space to know more about the black market actress who was fond of living an extravagant lifestyle.
Nadira was born Florence Ezekiel on December 5, 1932, to a Baghdadi Jewish family. His family had moved from Iraq to Mumbai (then Bombay) like many other Baghdadi Jewish families, looking for better business opportunities in India. Nadira started her journey in the film industry by playing the role of Princess Rajshree in the film Aan directed by Mehboob Khan.
But the credit for introducing Nadira to the film industry goes to Sardar Begum, the wife of the film’s director. Based on a story by RS Chowdhary and dialogues by Ali Raza, Aan catapulted Mehboob to international fame. According to critics, the film was a grand spectacle and provided a stellar debut for Nadira.
After this film, there was no looking back for Nadira who impressed the audience with her impeccable performances in Anokha Daan, Pocket Maar, etc. The song Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh picturized on him is etched in the minds of many Hindi cinema lovers.
A highlight of the song was the iconic cigarette holder he carried, which became an instant fashion accessory at the time. She was probably the first actress in Bollywood to smoke on screen.
In 1975, she received a Filmfare Award for Julie, in which she played the protagonist who struggles to deal with the difficulties of her life. His performance in this film, directed by KS Sethumadhavan, was highly appreciated.
Nadira died on 9 February 2006 after battling a prolonged illness.
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