Nimmi, Star of Indian Films in 50's and 60's passes away at 88

Mumbai, March 26: Nimmi, the movie star of the 1950s and 60s who starred in movies like Aan and Barsaat passed away on Wednesday evening in Mumbai after battling a prolonged illness. She was 88.

The actress had been going to the hospital several times this year due to her health conditions. According to the source, the actress was brought to a suburban Juhu hospital on Wednesday afternoon after she complained of breathlessness. However, she died in the evening said the family.

 

The actress's real name was "Nawab Banoo" but she always has known by her stage name Nimmi which was given to her by filmmaker Raj Kapoor. He was the one who had spotted her on the sets of his film Andaz.

 

The veteran made her Bollywood debut in 1949 with Kapoor's ‘Barsaat’ movie. The film had three popular songs:'Barsaat me hamse mile tum', 'Hawa me udta jaye' and 'Meri Patli qamar hai' which was picturized on her. After Barsaat, Nimmi was flooded with film offers. She was also known as Raj Kapoor’s first discovery.

 

Though not being as established as other actresses of that era, she was called a versatile actress. From playing cursed lover to acting as a gutsy and village belle girl, she had tried every role which came in her way. She gained popularity by playing spirited village belle characters but has appeared in diverse genres such as fantasy and social films.

 

Her acting had left in awe that an extended dream sequence had to be added in Aan as makers felt her character dies too early in the film. This movie inspired by William Shakespeare's play Taming of the Shrew was also released with the title Savage Princess in England and in France as Mangla, fille des Indes (Mangla, the daughter of India).

Nimmi worked with top actors of her era, including Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, and Ashok Kumar in films "Sazaa", "Aan", "Uran Khatola", "Bhai-Bhai", "Kundan", "Mere Mehboob", "Pooja Ke Phool", "Akashdeep", "Love and God".

 

In 1965, Nimmi married scriptwriter Ali Raza, who was associated with Mehboob Studios. He passed away in 2007.

 

Mourning her death, actor Rishi Kapoor said, "RIP. Thank you, Nimmi aunty for all the blessings and love for Bobby on its premiere release. You were part of the RK family. Barsaat was your first film. Allah aapko jannat naseeb kare. Amen."

 

The beautiful and another veteran actress Saira Bhanu said, "Dilip Sahab and I are feeling a deep sense of personal loss at the passing away of our beloved Nimmi ji."

 

 

Using Dilip Kumar's Twitter account, Bhanu sharing her memories said, "Nimmi ji was my elder. She had always maintained close contacts with Sahab and I through her beautiful, loving, prolific, hand-written personal letters in Urdu.She spent good time with my mother #NaseemBanu and through my mother and my husband, I built a bond with her. Such stalwarts are rare. Nimmi ji will be missed. May Allah bless her with Jannat. I have tears in my eyes."