Nigar Sultana 110 Views

When Nigar Sultana passed away exactly 20 years ago, she had more her share of her real life and less of reel life.

Born in Hyderabad in 1932, she first saw a film when she was only 6 years old and by the time she was 14, she had started acting though her first film to reckon with was Raj Kapoor’s Aag in 1948.She was active right up to 60’s, and between 1970 till her death, she acted in just two movies.

The film for which she would be remembered was Mughal E Azam, where she played the role of a  court dancer, Bahar, who was jealous of Saleem’s love for Anarkali.

With her looks and grace, she could have dominated a bigger space in the industry but she had her personal life to handle. She married Producer Director S M Yosuf, who migrated to Pakistan in the early 50’s. She was then rumoured to have had an affair with a Hyderabad born Pakistani actor, Darpan Kumar and it was rumoured that she had actually married her. She had to call for a Press Meet to deny the rumour.

Then came K Asif, who directed her in Muffghal e Azam, and she was Asif’s third wife. ( he first was Akhtar Asif, sister of Dilip Kumar ) with whom she naturally had an uneasy relationship, while Asif’s second wife Sitara Devi, the Kathak Queen had a very short marriage with Asif). Asif and Nigar Sultana had a daughter. Heena Kauser, who had a very small career in films but gained prominence as she married Dawood associate, Iqbal Mirchi.