First Indian actor to own a Rolls Royce was an immigrant-turned-star; not Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh, Priyanka Chopra

This 1950s' star bought a Rolls-Royce when few Indians could dare to dream of the car, let alone own it.

Rolls-Royce is considered the ultimate symbol of luxury and class when it comes to automobiles. You need more than just money to buy one because in many cases, the company determines if it wants to sell a car to you. Hence, the owners of a Rolls Royce are usually the elites - from former royals to film stars. In India, several top film stars own some model of the Rolls Royce. But an unusual name started this trend, and that too, almost 60 years ago. (

Nadira in a still from Shree 420

First Indian actor to own Rolls Royce

Today, stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Vijay, and Chiranjeevi own Rolls Royces. But they were all a few decades too late to be the first. Nadira reached there first.

Nadira, born Florence Ezekiel, was one of the top stars of Bollywood in the 1950s and 60s. She was also one of the first celebrities in the country (and certainly the first actor) to own a Rolls Royce car, which she bought in the 60s. Nadira began her career in films as a child artist at the age of 11 but shot to fame in 1952 with Mehboob Khan's Aan. As a young star, she delivered hits like Shree 420 and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi. At that stage of her career, she was among the highest-paid Indian actresses, even though she often played the second lead.

Florence Ezekiel, popularly known as Nadira, is best remembered for her performances in films during the 1950s and 1960s, such as Shree 420, Pakeezah and Julie (Photo courtesy/Israeli embassy)

However, by the end of the 1960s, she became typecast in playing the vamp to more demure-looking female leads. Nadira later moved to supporting roles, appearing in hits like Pakeezah and Julie.

Nadira's life outside films

The riches Nadira amassed become even more impressive when one considers her formative years. The actor was born in Baghdad, Iraq, to a Baghdadi Jewish family. Her family immigrated to Bombay in the 1930s. Nadira began working early to help the family's finances. She was an earning member by the time she was 11 and ran the house when she was barely 18.

Her film career spanned nearly 60 years, with her final film appearances in Josh and Zohra Mahal in 2000-01. By then, the actor had lived alone in Mumbai, and most of her family had moved to Israel. In 2006, Nadira died at the age of 73 after a prolonged illness.