What was yesteryear actress Nargis’s untold ambition?

Duniya Mein Hum Aaye Hain To Jeena Hi Padega

Jeevan Hai Agar Zehar To Peena Hi Padega…..

(If we have come to the world then we have to live

If our life is poison so we have to drink it) 

Remember this super hit song from Mehboob Khan 50’s classic MOTHER INDIA, staring Nagris, the great legendary actress, who lived the role to the fullest. 

June 1 marks the birth anniversary of Nargis, who ruled the 50’s and the 60’s as the ‘Numero Uno’ actress of Bollywood. Remember her hit films ANDAZ (1949), AWAARA (1951), DEEDAR (1951), SHREE 420 (1955), CHORI CHORI (1956), LAJWANTI (1958), ADALAT (1958) and of course MOTHER INDIA (1957), with which she became immortal in the annals of Indian cinema winning highest accolades and multiple awards.

Raaga.Com pays homage to her and recalls the other side of her life and her untold ambition. 

Nargis besides being the top actress of the Golden Era in Bollywood was wife of eminent film actor turned politician Sunil Dutt and mother of superstar Sanjay Dutt. 

While all aware that she was the most selling actress and shared a great chemistry with actor cum filmmaker Raj Kapoor in the 50’ and 60’; few know the other said of her ‘real’ life. 

Sunil Dutt in an interview revealed that Nargis never wanted to become an actress but instead she wanted to become a doctor. 

He said, “Unlike other children who aspire to become doctor due to the lure of huge money in the profession, Nargis wanted to become a doctor to fulfill the unfulfilled dream of his father. Her father Mohan Babu, never achieved his goal of becoming a doctor hence Nargis aspired to accomplish her father’s desire.”

He added, “But when her mother Jaddanbai, a thumri singer introduced her into films she became an actress but always had a soft care for patients and even as a big star, she always used to go to hospitals, especially cancer hospitals, to take care of the patients and meet them and meet the doctors.". 

It was ironic that when Nargis herself was stricken with cancer, the medical profession could do nothing to save her But as per the song of MOTHER INDIA… 

Zinda Hai Jo Izzat Se Woh Izzat Se Marega 

(The person who is alive with respect dies with respect)

Hence on May 3, 1981 Nargis breathed her last with dignity and bid adieu from this world.