Biography
Raj Kapoor spotted Nimmi at Mehbob Khan’s filmy party At the success party of Mehboob Khan’s film Andaz, Raj Kapoor spotted Nimmi who had attended the party with her aunty Jyoti. While she was sitting with her aunty and actress Nargis’ mother Jaddanbai. Raj Kapoor spotted her and began staring her. Recalling the episode Nimmi said, “During the party when everybody was enjoying, Raj Kapoor kept staring at me and I felt embarrassed. Hence I told my aunty of his glances. Raj Kapoor understood. Hence he approached Mehboob Khan and told him that he was interested in me for a role in his upcoming film.” She added, “Later Sardar Akhtar Appa (Mehboob Khan’s wife) called my aunty and told her that Raj sahab was interested in offering me a film. I was called for screen test and given a long duologue, which I uttered without fear. I was selected opposite Premnath in Raj Kapoor’s film Barsaat. The film was a huge hit and I became a star overnight.” The Dilip Kumar and Nimmi Jodi With the huge success of Aan the Dilip Kumar and Nimmi Jodi became quite popular. In fact Dilip Kumar was so bowled over by Nimmi’s spontaneous performance in Aan that he found it quite comfortable working with Nimmi. Thus Nimmi did maximum films with Dilip Kumar viz. Deedar (1951), Daag (1952), Amar (1954) and Udan Khatola (1955). Due to their popular Jodi, the media even wrote grapevine about their romantic affair which Nimmi denied as she was involved with Ali Raza from her second film Aan. Later the duo married. Rise of Nimmi as a popular Star The mega success of Barsaat and Aan made Nimmi A-Grade stars in Bollywood and she was flooded with offers. She had the pleasure of working with top stars like Raj Kapoor (Banwara), and Dev Anand (Sazaa, Aandhiyan), Rajendra Kumar (Mere Mehboob). In addition Nimmi also worked with top heroines as co-stars like Nargis in Barsaat and Deedar; Madhubala (Amar); Suraiya (Shama); Geeta Bali (Usha Kiran), and Meena Kumari (Char Dil Char Raahein (1959)). Decline of Nimmi Nimmi was a serious and dedicated actress and this was evident from her forceful performance. In fact like Dilip Kumar she too did few films and the film which she did she would focus on it with utter devotion. For this she would sacrifice other films like when she was doing Mere Mehboob, she was offered Woh Kaun Thi and B. R. Chopra's Sadhana both of which went on to be big successes and made careers of Vyjayanthimala and Sadhana, respectively.
Career & Achievements
Mehboob Khan ’s Aan made Nimmi an International Star! The movie that made Nimmi an International Star and immortal in Indian Cinema was Mehboob Khan ’s mega hit Aan (1952), India's first Technicolor film, which was such a smash hit that it was dubbed in multiple foreign languages. In English it was released in United States as The Savage Princess. It was the first time a Hindi film had a commercial release in London. The film had top stars Dilip Kumar , Premnath , Nadira and Nimmi . Though Nimmi played village lass Mangala and was the side heroine but her character overpowered the heroine Nadira . Nimmi ’s popularity in the film was such that when the film was released dubbed in French it was re-titled Mangala, Fille Des Indes (Mangala, girl of India) and Nimmi was heavily promoted as main star of the movie in the theatrical posters and trailers for the French language release. The film had an extremely lavish London premiere which was attended by Nimmi and believe it not Hollywood filmmakers went gaga over Nimmi ’s aura and her beauty and she was signed by as many as four filmmakers. Mehboob Khan even asked Nimmi to accept the roles but Nimmi declined, she said, “I am an Indian girl and I will not be comfortable kissing and wearing shot outfits as the Hollywood actress do!” During her stay in England Nimmi met many Hollywood film personalities including Errol Flynn. When Flynn attempted to kiss her hand she pulled it away, exclaiming, "I am an Indian girl, and you cannot do that!" The incident created flutter in Brutish media and the press raved about Nimmi as the ‘Unkissed girl of India’!!
