Bollywood veteran, Nadira, dies

By Zubair Ahmed
BBC News, Mumbai

She was one of the most famous vamps in 50s and 60s

Veteran Bollywood actress Nadira, 75, has passed away in Mumbai (Bombay) after a prolonged illness.

Tributes have been pouring in for the former star, who is best remembered for her role in the film, Shri 420.

Her real name was Florence Ezekiel and she was one of Bollywood's few Jewish stars. She was famous for her roles as a vamp in the 1950s and 1960s.

She had been admitted to a private hospital following a cardiac arrest on 24 January.

She was said to be suffering from multiple diseases, such as meningitis and tuberculosis.

Nadira's first film was Aan, opposite the legendary Dilip Kumar, but she shot to stardom with her role in Shri 420 opposite superstar Raj Kapoor.

She had won several awards in a career spanning 50 years.

She will be best known for her portrayal of a Westernised woman and her arched eyebrows. Many critics considered her to be far ahead of her times.