The Mud Ke Na Dekh... girl

When you talk of Nadira, the actress of Bagdadi Jewish origin, one can well relate her to the immortalised song mud mud ke na dekh in the movie Shree 420.

When you talk of Nadira, the actress of Bagdadi Jewish origin, one can well relate her to the immortalised song Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh from Shree 420.

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Though a popular name in her times and a talented actress, who also wowed today's audience with her sensitive performance in the Rishi Kapoor-Dimple Kapadia-Kamal Hasan starrer Sagar, not much has been written about her.

She was among the few actresses in the 1950s and 1960s who essayed negative roles on screen with style and pizzaz. This when it was the norm to play the sacrificing and weepy Indian woman if you wanted to be a successful heroine. But Nadira gave two hoots for convention and carved a niche for herself.

Among her memorable films have been Julie, Pakeezah, Shri 420 and Sagar, Bride and Prejudice, Tamanna and Josh. The beautiful star also shone on the television in select roles, like the one she played in the serial Margaritta.

Increasingly, though, she had turned reclusive and stopped making public appearances for the last three years.

Nadira expired today at the age of 73 in Mumbai.