Film legend Bimal Roy immortalized Nutan Though Nutan displayed her acting prowess in her first successful film Seema but the film director, who immortalized Nutan on screen for eternal was Film legend Bimal Roy in his two films Sujata (1959) and Bandini (1963) and in both the film she won the Filmfare awards justifying her versatility. In fact her film Sujata was nominated for the Golden Palm award at the Cannes film festival. In Sujata, she played Dalit women who befall in love with a upper caste boy (Sunil Dutt). The highlight of the role was that she suited the character to a perfect T as she shed make-up and her dusky skin gave her a natural look. In Bandini, Bimal Roy gave her the challenging role a jail convict who is arrested on charge of a murder. In this film she has less dialogues but it is her effective eyes that convey more than dialogues. Her facial expression speaks her metal trauma. Death 21 February 1991 at age of aged 55 due to cancer.
Nutan regrets of not being a good daughter Born to celebrity parents Nutan had an aristocratic upbringing but since her parents had separated she felt the pinch of father’s love. In an interview she lamented, “Since my parents had separated I was not allowed to meet my father often. He was a gentleman and a loving father. I got the opportunity to be close to him during his last days. Just before he died, I was fortunate to be close to him and serve him. But I always regretted that I could not be a good daughter to him while he was so warm, caring and brilliant man. I felt under him I could have grown more supremely.” As regards her mother, Shobhana Samarth, who was a huge star, she felt happy being recognized as her daughter.
Nutan married a Naval Officer, who was from royal family Nutan’s husband Rajnish Bahl was the son of Sir Pratap Chand Bahl and his family had direct traces with Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He worked from 1943 to 1952 with British Navy and after that, till he retired in 1965, he served the Indian Navy. In an interview he said he had decided not to merry because after much hunt he could find an ideal wife with whom he could seek solace. His age was fast running when he met Nutan and found in her the right partner. The two dated many years and finally wedded. Rajnish Bahl was then 32. They had a great married life.
Nutan was rejected to be dusky and thin Nutan’s mother being an actress had planned a great future for Nutan in films. In fact she even introduced her as child star in few films. But when she was just 13 years film producers began queuing outside her house with heroine roles as she was Shobna Samarth’s daughter. She was offered roles by Chandulal Shah and K Asif in movies opposite stars like Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar but both rejected her to be dusky, skinny and ugly. This angered her mother and in rage she herself lunched her as heroine in the film Hamari Beti (1950). The film was a bitter flop! Nutan’s training at finishing school in Switzerland made her bold and beautiful Anxious of her daughter’s career Nutan’s mother decided to send her to a finishing school in Switzerland to groom her personality. In addition the school played a vital role in developing Nutan’s professional expertise, leadership skills and multicultural fluency which helped her to shed her introvert nature. In an interview Nutan confides that her one year training in Switzerland was the happiest year in life. She learned many skills like a secretarial course that helped her in keeping her finance matter as she could do accounts, tax matters etc. She learned French and could speak and write. And most important she gained forty pounds and that made her personality charming and gorgeous. Nutan makes her presence felt in Bollywood with Seema Nutan was able to make her presence felt with Seema (1955). Director Amiya Chakravarty, known for making hit films like Dilip Kumar’s Daag and Jwar Bhata or Dev Anand’s Patita gave Nutan a tailor made role of a young girl, who is frustrated with life after her parent’s demise. Finally she learns to fight hurdles of life at an ashram run by Balraj Sahni. Nutan credits her success to director Amiya Chakravarty, who extracted from her he the right nuances of the character Seema. Secondly she applauded Balraj Sahni, who taught her the art of natural performance. The movie fetched Nutan her First Filmfare Best actress Award. Nutan stuns with swimsuit on screen! After doing initial tearjerker films like Seema and Sone Ki Chidiya, Nutan stunned her critics with her mastery in comedy and with films like Paying Guest, Anari, Dilli Ka Thug etc. What was most surprising was that in a scene in Dilli Ka Thug, Nutan left the audience flabbergasted by wearing a swimsuit, which no actress dare to wear in films those days!! Nutan wins Miss India title What’s more the film industry which had discarded her as ugly and dusky was left astonished when she even won the Miss India title in 1952!!! Nutan overtook Tragedy Queen Meena Kumari in the 60’s After the mega success of Sujata and Bandini Nutan overtook Meena Kumari in tragedy roles. In addition with South Filmmakers movies like Khandan, Milan, Meharban, Bhai Bahen, Gauri and many more films like Saraswati Chandara and Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya, Saajan Bina Suhagan, Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978) etc Nutan became an ideal Sati Savtri heroine. Nutan takes challenging roles Anti-Heroine roles Being a talented actress Nutan proved her critics wrong by accepting some Anti-Heroine roles like Saajan Ki Saheli in which she played a modern woman with glamour’s outfit. It was an out an out negative role and she played superbly. Nutan and Dilip Kumar work for the first time in Karma Nutan always wished to work with Dilip Kumar but the two could never work at the prime of their career but in the 80’s when Dilip Kumar made a comeback, filmmaker Subhash Ghai decided to bring the two together as husband and wife in his blockbuster Karma (1986). Later the two worked Kanoon Apna Apna.
| # | Released Date | Type | Credited As | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 08 Jun 2012 | Film | Supporting Actress | Shontaner Moto Shontan |
| 2 | 03 Nov 1994 | Film | Supporting Actress | Insaniyat |
| 3 | 29 Apr 1994 | Film | Producer | Saajan Ka Ghar |
| 4 | 05 Apr 1992 | Film | Supporting Actress | Deewana Aashiq |
| 5 | 01 Jan 1992 | Film | Actress | Naseebwaala |
| 6 | 01 Jan 1991 | Film | Actress | Garajna |
| 7 | 26 Aug 1990 | Film | Actress | Sone Pe Suhaaga |
| 8 | 23 Feb 1990 | Film | Actress | Aulaad Ki Khatir |
| 9 | 27 Oct 1989 | Film | Actress | Kanoon Apna Apna |
| 10 | 28 Jul 1989 | Film | Actress | Mujrim |
| 11 | 24 Feb 1989 | Film | Supporting Actress | Guru |
| 12 | 18 Sep 1987 | Film | Actress | Hifazat |
