Masterstrock at 23:35, 21 March 2026

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{{Short description|Indian actress (1932–2006)}}
{{other uses|Nadira}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nadira
| image = Nadira in Aan.webp
| alt =
| caption = Nadira in ''[[Aan (1952 film)|Aan]]'' (1952)
| birth_name = Florence Ezekiel
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1932|12|05}}
| birth_place = [[Baghdad]], [[Kingdom of Iraq]] (present-day [[Iraq]])
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2006|02|09|1932|12|05}}
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| othername =
| occupation = Actress
| yearsactive = 1952–2001
| spouse =
| awards = [[Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress|Filmfare Award]] in 1976
}}
'''Nadira''' (born '''Florence Ezekiel'''; Arabic: فلورنس حزقيال 5 December 1932 – 9 February 2006), was an Indian actress who worked in the [[Hindi cinema|Hindi film industry]]. She appeared in films from the 1950s and 1960s, including ''[[Aan]]'' (1952), ''[[Shree 420]] (1955)'', ''[[Pakeezah]]'' (1972), and ''[[Julie (1975 film)|Julie]]'' (1975), which won her the [[Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress|Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award]].<ref name=NYT/><ref name=MDY/>

==Early life==
Nadira was born on 5 December 1932 in [[Baghdad]], [[Kingdom of Iraq|Iraq]], into a [[Baghdadi Jews|Baghdadi Jewish]] family.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/10/arts/nadira-who-played-the-vamp-in-bollywood-is-dead.html |title=Nadira, Who Played the Vamp in Bollywood, Is Dead |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=10 February 2006 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=8 January 2021}}</ref> When she was an infant, her family migrated from Baghdad to [[Mumbai|Bombay]] in search of business opportunities.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Kuldip |date=2 April 2009 |title=Nadira |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/nadira-6109051.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/nadira-6109051.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=9 May 2021 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> She had two brothers, one of whom lives in the [[United States]] and another in [[Israel]].<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/jewish-world-features/jewish-stars-of-bollywood-1.515427 "Jewish Stars of Bollywood"] Haaretz (newspaper), Published 14 April 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2021</ref>

== Career ==
Nadira's first appearance in cinema was in the 1943 [[Hindi]]-language film ''[[Mauj]]'' when she was 10 or 11 years of age.<ref name=":0" />

Her breakthrough came from [[Sardar Akhtar]], wife of film director [[Mehboob Khan]] who cast her in the film ''[[Aan]]'' (1952). Her role as a [[Rajput]] princess in the film marked her rise to cinematic prominence.<ref name="MDY" /><ref name="rediff" /><ref name="NYT" /> In 1955, she played a rich socialite named Maya in ''[[Shree 420]]''.<ref name="NYT" /><ref name="MDY">{{cite web |url=http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2006/february/130439.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060220111022/http://web.mid-day.com/news/city/2006/february/130439.htm |website=MidDay.com website |archive-date=20 February 2006 |date=31 January 2006 |title=Veteran actress Nadira passes away |access-date=8 January 2021}}</ref> She played pivotal roles in a number of films such as ''[[Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai]]'' (1960), ''[[Pakeezah]]'' (1972), ''[[Hanste Zakhm]]'' (1973), and ''[[Amar Akbar Anthony]]'' (1977). She was often cast as a temptress or vamp, roles which were used as a foil to the chaste leading lady characters that were favoured at the time by the [[Hindi cinema|Hindi film industry]].<ref name="MDY" />

Nadira won a [[Filmfare Awards|Filmfare Award]] for [[Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]], for her role in the 1975 film ''[[Julie (1975 film)|Julie]]''.<ref name=MDY/> During the 1980s and 1990s, she mostly played supporting characters. Due to her image as a [[Westernized]] woman, she often played roles of [[Christianity in India|Christian]] or [[Anglo-Indian people|Anglo-Indian]] ladies. Her last role was in the film ''[[Josh (2000 film)|Josh]]'' (2000).

She was among the highest-paid actresses during her career, and was one of the first Indian actresses to own a [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]].<ref name=MDY/>

==Personal life==
In her later years, Nadira lived alone in [[Mumbai]], [[India]], as many of her relatives had moved to [[Israel]]. In the last three years before her death, she had been residing in her condominium with only a housekeeper. On 24 January 2006, she suffered a [[cardiac arrest]] and was admitted to a hospital in a [[Coma|semi-comatose state]]. She had multiple existing health problems, including [[Tuberculous meningitis|tubercular meningitis]], [[Liver disease|alcoholic liver disorder]], and [[paralysis]].<ref name=MDY/><ref name=rediff>{{cite web |url=https://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/jan/16nadira.htm |author=Priyanka Jain |website=Rediff.com |date=16 January 2006 |title=Nadira: A woman ahead of her time |access-date=9 January 2021}}</ref>

She died on 9 February 2006, aged 73, at the Bhatia Hospital in [[Tardeo|Tardeo, Mumbai]], following a prolonged illness.<ref name=NYT/><ref name=MDY/><ref name=rediff/>

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Films
|-
! Year!! Title !! Role!!Notes
|-
| 2000||''[[Josh (2000 film)|Josh]]''<ref name=rediff/>|| Mrs. Louise||
|-
|1999||''[[Cotton Mary]]''<ref name=MDY/>|| Mattie||
|-
|1997|| ''[[Tamanna (1997 film)|Tamanna]]''<ref name=MDY/><ref name=rediff/>|| Nazneen Begum ||
|-
|1991||''[[Jhoothi Shaan]]''||Ranimaa ||
|-
|1985|| ''[[Saagar (film)|Saagar]]''<ref name=MDY/><ref name=rediff/>||Miss Joseph||
|-
|1982|| ''[[Raaste Pyar Ke]]'' ||Saraswati ||
|-
|1982||''Ashanti''||School principal||
|-
|1981|| ''[[Dahshat]]'' || Mrs. Vishal||
|-
|1981 || ''[[Aas Paas]]'' ||Rani ||
|-
|1980||''Chaal Baaz''<ref name=MDY/>|| ||
|-
|1980||''Swayamvar''|| Durgadevi Bhargav||
|-
|1979 || ''[[Duniya Meri Jeb Mein]]'' ||Mrs. Robins ||
|-
|1979 || ''Bin Phere Hum Tere''|| ||
|-
|1979 || ''Magroor'' ||Mrs. D'Sa||
|-
|1978||''Naukri''|| Lily||
|-
|1977||''Aap Ki Khatir''|| ||
|-
|1977||''Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka'' ||Heera (Jamundas' wife)||
|-
|1977 ||''[[Amar Akbar Anthony]]''|| Laxmi's stepmother||uncredit cameo
|-
|1977||''Darling Darling''|| ||
|-
|1977 ||''Paapi''|| Old lady hit by Vikram's car||
|-
|1976||''Bhanwar''|| Sharda Devi||
|-
|1975||''[[Dharmatma]]''|| Gypsy woman||
|-
|1975||''[[Julie (1975 film)|Julie]]''<ref name=MDY/><ref name=rediff/>||Margaret 'Maggie' (Julie's Mom)
|Won [[Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress]] in 1976
|-
|1975||''Kahte Hain Mujhko Raja'' || ||
|-
|1975||''Mere Sartaj''|| ||
|-
|1974||''Faslah''|| ||
|-
|1974||''Ishq Ishq Ishq'' || ||
|-
|1974 ||''Woh Main Nahin''|| ||
|-
|1973||''Ek Nari Do Roop''|| ||
|-
|1973 ||''[[Hanste Zakhm]]''|| Brothel Madame ||
|-
|1973||''Pyaar Ka Rishta'' || ||
|-
|1972 ||''Ek Nazar'' || Aminabai||
|-
|1972 ||''[[Raja Jani]]''|| Shanno's foster mother||
|-
|1972 ||''[[Anokha Daan]]'' || ||
|-
|1972 ||''[[Pakeezah]]''<ref name=MDY/><ref name=rediff/>|| Madame Gauhar Jaan||
|-
| 1971||''Kahin Aar Kahin Paar''|| ||
|-
|1970 ||''[[Bombay Talkie]]''|| Anjana Devi||
|-
|1970||''Chetna''|| Nirmala||
|-
|1970||''[[Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi]]''||||
|-
|1970||''[[Ishq Par Zor Nahin]]''||Mrs. Doraiswamy ||
|-
|1970||''[[Safar (1970 film)|Safar]]''|| Mrs. Kapoor (Shekhar's mother)||
|-
|1969||''[[The Guru (1969 film)|The Guru]]''|| Courtesan||
|-
|1969||''Insaaf Ka Mandir''|| ||
|-
|1969 ||''Jahan Pyar Mile''|| ||
|-
| 1969||''Talash''|| Flirtatious lady in red sari||
|-
|1968||''Kahin Din Kahin Raat''|| Mrs.Indrani||
|-
|1968||''[[Sapno Ka Saudagar]]''|| Ranjana's mother||
|-
| 1968 ||''Jung Aur Aman'' || ||
|-
|1967 || ''[[C.I.D. 909]]'' || ||
|-
|1966 ||''Hum Kahan Ja Rahe Hain'' || ||
|-
|1965||''[[Chhoti Chhoti Baatein]]''||Shanta||
|-
|1965||''Accident''|| ||
|-
|1965 || ''Mehbooba'' || ||
|-
|1963 ||''[[Meri Surat Teri Ankhen]]'' || ||
|-
|1962 ||''Madam Zorro'' || ||
|-
|1962 ||''[[Gyara Hazar Ladkian]]'' || Mohana ||
|-
|1961 ||''Wazir-E-Azam'' || ||
|-
|1961 || '' Main Aur Mera Bhai'' || ||
|-
|1960 ||''Black Tiger'' || ||
|-
|1960 ||''[[Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai]]''<ref name=MDY/>|| Mrs. Kusum Sushil Verma||
|-
|1960 ||''Kala Bazar''|| Herself||
|-
|1958 || ''Pehla Pehla Pyar'' || ||
|-
|1958 ||''[[Daughter Of Sindbad]]'' || ||
|-
|1958 ||''[[Police (1958 film)|Police]]''|| ||
|-
|1957 ||''Garma Garam'' || ||
|-
|1956 ||''[[Beloved Corinna]]'' || ||
|-
|1956 ||''Talwar Ka Dhani'' || ||
|-
|1956 ||''[[Pocket Maar (1956 film)|Pocket Maar]]'' || Rita ||
|-
|1956 ||''Samundari Daku''|| ||
|-
|1956||''Sipahsalar''|| ||
|-
|1956||''[[Shri 420|Shree 420]]''<ref name=NYT/><ref name=MDY/><ref name=rediff/>|| Maya||
|-
|1955 || ''[[Pyaara Dushman (1955 film)|Pyaara Dushman]]'' || ||
|-
|1955 ||''Raftar'' || ||
|-
|1954||''Dak Babu''|| ||
|-
|1954||''Waris''|| Kanta||
|-
|1953||''Akash''|| ||
|-
|1953||''Nagma''||||
|-
|1952 ||''[[Aan]]''<ref name=NYT/><ref name=rediff/> ||Princess Rajshree||
|-
|1943 ||''[[Mauj]]''||uncredited child||
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Television
|-
! Year!! Title !! Role
|-
| 2001||''Zohra Mahal''|| Zohra Mahal
|-
| 1997||''[[Margarita (Zee TV)|Margarita]] '' || Nacha
|-
|1995|| ''[[Ek Tha Rusty (TV series)|Ek Tha Rusty (Season 1)]]'' ||Ms. Mackenzie
|-
|1995|| ''[[Thoda Sa Aasman]]''|| Mrs. Joshi
|-
|1984||''Kim (TV serial)''|| Widow of Kulu
|}

==See also==
*[[List of Indian Jews]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb name|id=0618918|name=Nadira}}
{{FilmfareAwardBestSupportingActress}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nadira}}
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:1932 births]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian Jews]]
[[Category:Jewish actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Baghdadi Jews]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi television]]
[[Category:Indian people of Iraqi-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Iraqi emigrants to India]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian Jews]]
[[Category:Actors from Baghdad]]
[[Category:Jewish Indian film people]]

Nadira (Indian actress) - Revision history

Masterstrock at 23:35, 21 March 2026