Nadira was born on December 5, 1932, as Florence Ezekiel in Baghdad, Iraq, into a Baghdadi Jewish family. She is the one who mesmerised the audience with her vampish character in the iconic film, Shree 420. From smoking a cigar to wearing seducing gowns, Nadira was way ahead of her time. She is often regarded as the first vamp of Hindi cinema, as she played negative characters with so much ease and perfection even before it was considered cool.
Nadira won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the iconic 1975 film, Julie. Courtesy of her Western family background, she played Christian or Anglo-Indian female characters in many films. Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai's film, Josh, is reportedly the last film of Nadira's acting career. According to a report in The Indian Down Under, the producers offered her vast sums of money for playing bold characters due to Nadira's beauty and exceptional acting skills. The one common demand from most of the producers was that the actress wear the saree below the navel.
Once, in an old interview with a publication, Nadira opened up about playing vampish, seductive, and bold characters in her acting career. The actress admitted that she never wanted to play the kind of characters she played in her career and also shared that if anyone had given her good advice, she would have rejected those roles. Sharing how she never wanted to be a 'vamp', she said:
"I did not want that. But now, I feel that if I had been selective, or if I had received some good advice, I would not have rejected so many of those roles."
Nadira appeared on the big screen in the 1943 film, Mauj at 10 or 11. However, she got her breakthrough in film after Mehboob Khan's wife, Sardar Akhtar discovered her and gave her a role in the 1952 film, Aan. Nadira played the role of a 'Rajput princess' and created a stir in Hindi cinema. In the following years, she performed small roles in a series of films before getting a call from Raj Kapoor, which changed her acting career in Hindi cinema.
Once, in an old interview with a publication, Nadira revealed that she wanted to work with Raj Kapoor so badly, just like any other young actress of that era, that she agreed to play a negative character in his film, Shree 420. The actress admitted that she only played a vamp in Shree 420 due to her dream of working with Raj Kapoor. The film was a massive hit, and people loved Nadira's character, 'Maya', so much that producers instantly typecasted her in negative roles.
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Nadira did some positive roles in her career, too, but despite rejecting over 200 films offering the same characters as Shree 420's 'Maya', she was unable to break her negative image. As a result, she had no choice but to do roles that were negative but not entirely vampish in nature. However, she is still remembered as the actress who dared to play negative roles on the big screen and still used to receive the maximum claps and whistles.
Nadira made her acting debut in 1943 with the film, Mauj and bid farewell to the world of acting in 2000 with the film, Josh. Some of the most memorable films of her acting career include Police, Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, Chhoti Chhoti Baatein, Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi, Safar, Bombay Talkie, Pakeezah, Anokha Daan, Hanste Zakhm, Amar Akbar Anthony, Dahshat, Saagar, Tamanna, and many more.
Courtesy of her career spanning more than five decades, Nadira was also one of the most bankable stars of her generation. For the uninitiated, Nadira is also the first actor in India to own a luxury Rolls Royce car. The actress purchased it in the 1960s as an avid luxury car lover.
Despite being one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema, Nadira lived a low-key life. There were hardly any dating rumours about her in the gossip columns, and she also used to distance herself from controversies. What's interesting is that not many people know that Nadira never got married. The actress lived a happy life with her loved ones, but marriage wasn't on her cards.
Nadira enjoyed her single life to the fullest and rarely attended public events in the latter stages of her life. Unfortunately, on February 9, 2006, Nadira passed away at the age of 73 due to a prolonged illness in Mumbai's Bhatia Hospital. No matter how many years have passed by in a blink, Nadira will always be remembered for her humility and effortlessly playing the vampish characters on the screen, leaving a lasting legacy in Hindi cinema.
What are your thoughts on Nadira's acting career and personal life? Let us know.
Also Read: Saroj Khan's Love Life: Married 43-Year-Old Guru At 13, Dead Daughter's Dream, Converted To Islam
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