Nadira was a popular Indian actress who worked in the Hindi film industry from the 1950s to the 2000s and known for her films like “Aan”, Shri 420 and Pakeezah
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Willum Skeener
She was born as Florence Ezekiel in Baghdad, Iraq, into a Baghdadi Jewish family. Her family migrated to Bombay (now Mumbai) when she was an infant, in search of business opportunities.
Nadira had a passion for acting since childhood and made her first appearance in cinema at the age of 10 or 11 in the film Mauj (1943). Her breakthrough came in 1952 when she was cast as a fierce Rajput princess, with shades of gray in the film Aan, directed by Mehboob Khan. She impressed the audiences with her beauty, grace and charisma.
She went on to play memorable roles in films such as Shree 420 (1955) , where she played the iconic character of the flamboyant and spirited Maya, Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960), Pakeezah (1972), Hanste Zakhm (1973), and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), and Julie (1975), which won her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award.
She was often cast as a temptress or vamp, contrasting the chaste leading ladies of the time. She also played Christian or Anglo-Indian characters, reflecting her image as a Westernized woman.
Nadira was one of the highest-paid actresses of her era and one of the first Indian actresses to own a Rolls-Royce. She had a glamorous lifestyle and a bold personality.
Beyond her acting skills, Nadira was known for her impeccable fashion sense. She carried herself with an air of grace, and her wardrobe choices were a reflection of her refined taste. Whether draped in a glamorous saree or adorned in western attire, Nadira was a style icon of her era.
In her later years, Nadira lived alone in Mumbai, as most of her relatives had moved to Israel. She suffered from various health problems, including tubercular meningitis, alcoholic liver disorder, and paralysis. She died on 9 February 2006, at the age of 73, at the Bhatia Hospital in Mumbai, following a prolonged illness.
Nadira was a versatile and talented actress who left a lasting impression on the Indian cinema. She was known for her bold and unconventional roles that challenged the stereotypes of the time
