Actress Nimmi was born on February 18th, 1933. Born as Nawab Bano, Nimmi was her filmy name that was given by Raj Kapoor.
Nawab Bano was born into a Muslim household in Agra. Her mother, Wahidan, was a singer and actor.
Actress Nimmi has a lot of connections in the film industry. Abdul Hakim, Nimmi’s father, was a military contractor. Nimmi’s grandfather gave her the surname “Nawab,” while her grandmother added “Bano.”
Nimmi remembered visiting Bombay as a child and her mother being friendly with Mehboob Khan and his family, who were prominent and powerful in the film industry back then.
Nimmi’s mother died unexpectedly while she was only eleven years old. Her father worked in Meerut and had another family; by this time, he had little contact with Nimmi’s mother.
As a result, Nimmi was moved to live with her maternal grandmother in Abbottabad, near Rawalpindi. In 1947, India was partitioned, and Abbottabad was given to Pakistan.
Nimmi’s grandmother relocated to Mumbai. Jyoti (Nimmi’s Aunt), a former actress, married G. M. Durrani, a well-known Indian playback singer, actor, and music director.
Actress Nimmi rose to prominence in films such as Barsaat, Deedar, Aan, Udan Khatola, and Basant Bahar. Nimmi Madhubala and Dileep Kumar were very close friends back then. This was the reason Madhubala used to tell Nimmi everything about her heart. Madhubala was aware of Nimmi’s knowledge.
Read- Guru Dutt, An Unsuccessful Marriage and Love Story
Actress Nimmi (Nawab Bano) details
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nawab Bano |
| Screen Name | Nimmi |
| Date of Birth | February 18, 1933 |
| Place of Birth | Agra, United Provinces, British India (now Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Date of Death | March 25, 2020 |
| Place of Death | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Age at Death | 87 years |
| Cause of Death | Cardiac arrest following prolonged illness (breathing difficulties) (Times of India, March 26, 2020) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Indian (Muslim background) |
| Father | Abdul Hakim (military contractor for British Army) |
| Mother | Wahidan (singer, actress, tawaif, known as Wahidan Bai) |
| Maternal Aunt | Jyoti (actress, married to playback singer G.M. Durrani) |
| Grandfather | Small zamindar; named her “Nawab” aspiring for the title (Filmfare, 1993) |
| Grandmother | Called her “Bano”; moved with Nimmi to Mumbai post-Partition (Wikipedia) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | S. Ali Raza (screenwriter, married 1965 until his death on November 1, 2007) |
| Children | None biologically; adopted and raised her late sister’s son as per her dying wish (India.com, 2025) |
| Height | 5’2″ (1.57 m, per IMDb) |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown (noted for expressive “saucer-shaped” eyes) |
| Profession | Actress |
| Active Years | 1949–1965 (main career); last film 1986 |
| Debut Film | Barsaat (1949, Hindi, second lead) |
| Total Films | Over 50 |
| Breakout Role | Neela in Barsaat (1949, innocent mountain shepherdess) |
| Major Hits | Barsaat (1949), Deedar (1951), Aan (1952), Daag (1952), Amar (1954), Basant Bahar (1956) |
| Last Film | Love and God (1986, incomplete, released posthumously) |
| Awards | Critics’ Award for Best Actress (Bhai Bhai, 1957) |
| Nickname | “The Unkissed Girl of India” (after rejecting Hollywood kissing scenes, India.com, 2025) |
| Discovered By | Raj Kapoor (renamed her from Nawab Bano to Nimmi) |
| First Technicolor Film | Aan (1952, India’s first color film) |
| Net Worth (Estimated) | $1-5 million (₹7-35 crore) at peak, per DecadesLife (2022); no updated figures post-death |
| Salary Per Film (Peak) | Among highest-paid actresses of 1950s (₹7,000 for Barsaat, spent on a car, Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Residence (Later Life) | Mumbai, Maharashtra (Juhu area, per MissKyra, 2020) |
| Languages Spoken | Hindi, Urdu (presumed from upbringing and film dialogues) |
| Hobbies | Limited info; enjoyed rural life in youth (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Early Life | Born in Agra; mother died when Nimmi was 11; moved to Abbottabad with grandmother |
| Partition Impact | Fled Abbottabad (now Pakistan) to Mumbai in 1947 due to Partition (Wikipedia) |
| Film Entry | Visited Andaz (1949) set with aunt Jyoti; spotted by Raj Kapoor (Filmfare, 1993) |
| Raj Kapoor Connection | Became his rakhi sister after tying rakhi during Barsaat shoot (StarsUnfolded) |
| Hollywood Offers | Rejected 4 offers, including from Cecil B. DeMille, due to kissing scenes (X, @4331Subhash, March 19, 2025) |
| Iconic Feature | Expressive eyes; known for intense, emotional roles (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Frequent Co-Stars | Dilip Kumar (Deedar, Daag, Amar), Raj Kapoor (Barsaat), Dev Anand (Sazaa, Aandhiyan) |
| Singing | Sang her own songs in Bedardi (1951) (Wikipedia) |
| Notable Directors | Mehboob Khan (Aan), Chetan Anand (Anjali), K.A. Abbas (Char Dil Char Rahen) |
| Filmfare Recognition | No official wins, but critically acclaimed for Bhai Bhai (1956) |
| 1950s Stardom | One of the leading actresses alongside Nargis, Madhubala, Meena Kumari (BookMyShow) |
| Social Media | None (pre-digital era actress) |
| Health (Later Years) | Suffered prolonged illness; admitted to Sarla Nursing Home, Juhu, before death (MissKyra, 2020) |
| Funeral | Buried at Chandanwadi cemetery, Mumbai, on March 26, 2020 (Hindustan Times, March 26, 2020) |
| Family Ties | Niece of actress Jyoti; mother Wahidan worked with Mehboob Khan in 1930s (Wikipedia) |
| Marriage Details | Met S. Ali Raza during Aan (he wrote it); married in 1965; no children (StarsUnfolded) |
| Husband’s Career | S. Ali Raza wrote Mother India (1957), Saraswatichandra (1968), Reshma Aur Shera (1971) |
| Adopted Son | Raised sister’s son after her early death; fulfilled her last wish (India.com, 2025) |
| Rakhi Tradition | Tied rakhi to Raj Kapoor annually after Barsaat (Filmfare, 1993) |
| Personality | Shy, emotional, unaffected; qualities that won Raj Kapoor’s attention (Cinestaan, 2018) |
| Career Peak | 1950s-early 1960s; selective post-1957 for quality roles (Wikipedia) |
| Controversial Role | Played a prostitute in Char Dil Char Rahen (1959) (Wikipedia) |
| Box Office Success | Barsaat (1949) was a blockbuster; Aan (1952) premiered in London (India.com, 2025) |
| International Fame | Dubbed “The Unkissed Girl” after refusing Aaron Flynn’s hand kiss at Aan London premiere (India.com, 2025) |
| Cultural Impact | Known for village belle roles; brought innocence to screen (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Film Rejections | Turned down supporting roles post-Barsaat to wait for leads (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Song Highlights | “Jiya Beqarar Hai” (Barsaat), dubbed by Lata Mangeshkar in later films (X, @FilmHistoryPic, 2020) |
| Legacy | Icon of Hindi cinema’s golden era; remembered for emotional depth (BookMyShow) |
| Fan Base | Massive following in 1950s; admired by Biswajit Chatterjee (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Posthumous Tributes | Rishi Kapoor called her “Nimmi aunty” of RK family (X, March 25, 2020) |
| Prem Nath Memory | Played tragic lover in Barsaat; fans sympathized with her character (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Dilip Kumar Pairing | Popular on-screen duo in Deedar, Daag, Amar (Wikipedia) |
| Technicolor Milestone | Aan shot in both color and black-and-white for safety (India.com, 2025) |
| London Premiere (Aan) | Attended with Aan team; met Douglas Fairbanks, Aaron Flynn (India.com, 2025) |
| Hollywood Refusal Reason | Avoided kissing scenes; said, “I am an Indian girl” (India.com, 2025) |
| Critical Acclaim | Bhai Bhai (1956) role won her critics’ praise at age 24 (Wikipedia) |
| Career Decline | Became selective post-1957; rejected BR Chopra’s Sadhna (LiveHindustan, 2021) |
| Last Public Mention | X post by @4331Subhash (March 19, 2025) on Hollywood offers |
| Physical Stats (Peak) | Petite frame, doe-eyed, noted for expressive face (DecadesLife, 2022) |
| Education | Limited formal education; grew up in rural settings (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Early Struggles | Lost mother at 11; father had another family in Meerut (Wikipedia) |
| Partition Journey | Moved from Abbottabad to Mumbai with grandmother during 1947 chaos (Wikipedia) |
| Mehboob Khan Link | Mother’s connection with Khan led to Andaz set visit (Cinestaan, 2018) |
| First Audition | Cried during Barsaat screen test; Raj Kapoor saw it as emotion (Filmfare, 1993) |
| 1950 Film Rush | Jalte Deep, Banwra, Raj Mukut, Wafaa released in one year (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Emotional Roles | Excelled in tragedy; Deedar’s blind lover role iconic (Wikipedia) |
| Peer Respect | Biswajit Chatterjee called her a matinee idol (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Marriage Influence | Quit acting post-1965 marriage to focus on family (BookMyShow) |
| Sister’s Death | Younger sister died young; Nimmi honored her by raising her son (India.com, 2025) |
| Husband’s Death | S. Ali Raza passed away in 2007; Nimmi lived alone thereafter (IMDb) |
| Late Life | Lived quietly in Juhu; visited by few friends (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Ramanand Sagar Tie | Part of Sagar family; attended his funeral in 2005 (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Fan Quote (X) | “NIMMI passes away… doe-eyed star of 50s-60s” (@FilmHistoryPic, March 25, 2020) |
| Cultural Roots | Tied to Agra’s musical heritage via mother Wahidan (Wikipedia) |
| Acting Style | Unique, mannered, polished over time (Wikipedia) |
| Film Retirement | Chose family over career post-marriage (StarsUnfolded) |
| Public Persona | Innocent, emotional, resilient (Mumbai Mirror, 2020) |
| Health Decline | Breathing issues worsened in 2020; hospitalized days before death (MissKyra, 2020) |
| Posthumous Legacy | Remembered as Raj Kapoor’s first discovery (ZeeNews, March 25, 2020) |
| Fan Sentiment (2025) | “Nimmi’s beauty outshone even Madhubala” (X posts, February 2025) |
| Film Preservation | Barsaat, Aan still celebrated in archives (Cinestaan, 2018) |
| Historical Note | Rejected Hollywood to preserve Indian values (X, @4331Subhash, March 19, 2025) |
| Last Interview | 2013; spoke of Aan premiere and Hollywood offers (X, @4331Subhash, March 19, 2025) |
| Golden Era Rank | Among top actresses with Nargis, Madhubala (BookMyShow) |
| Final Resting Place | Chandanwadi cemetery, Mumbai; simple burial per Islamic rites (Hindustan Times, March 26, 2020) |
Behind Dilip Kumar, Actress Nimmi and Madhubala fight.
In an interview, Nimmi stated, “We had developed a deep friendship on the sets of the film Amar” (1954). We also started talking about Dilip Kumar, who was playing the lead role in that film. Madhubala, who was in love with Dilip Kumar, began to have doubts about me.
Madhubala had a natural question: ‘Why does Nimmi take as much care of Dilip as I do?’ If that’s the case, what should I do?’
‘Nimmi, can I ask you a question?’ Madhubala asked one day. I am confident you will not deceive me and will not hide anything from me.’
When Nimmi reassures her, she says that if you have the same feelings about Dilip Kumar as I do, I will leave him for your sake and for your sake alone. Nimmi was taken aback when she heard this. Then Nimmi, in a friendly tone, told Madhubala that she does not want a husband in charity.’
Nimmi later met actor Raj Kapoor on the sets of the film ‘Andaz.’ In those days, Raj Kapoor was looking for a new face for his film ‘Barsaat,’ and he chose Nargis as the lead actress. Raj Kapoor, who was taken with Nimmi’s beauty, offered her a role as a supporting actress in the film, which she accepted. Nimmi made her mark in the film industry with the release of ‘Barsaat’ in 1949. Nimmi has appeared in approximately 50 films over the course of her four-decade career. Nimmi then said her final goodbyes to the film industry.
Marriage
She got married to Ali Raza who was working as a scriptwriter with Mehboob Khan. After marriage, Nimmi stopped taking film offers and was more involved in the household.
Death
Actress Nimmi died on March 25, 2020, at the age of 87. After a long illness, the actor was rushed to the Juhu hospital with complaints of breathing. Doctors confirmed her death the following evening. Her sickness caused her to be in and out of the hospital throughout her last years.