Nargis Rabadi was born into a Parsi family. |
Her father, a Parsi fire temple priest, passed away when she was three years old. |
Her sister, Mani Rabadi, was a renowned fashion designer in Hindi films. |
She stumbled into acting when introduced by family friend Chinnu Mama to Sheikh Mukhtar. |
Sheikh Mukhtar signed her for a three-year contract and suggested she change her name to Shammi to avoid confusion with another actress. |
At 18, she starred in her debut film, 'Ustad Pedro' (1949), which became a box office hit. |
Earning Rs. 500, she supported her family entirely. |
After the failure of 'Sangdil' in 1952, she took a seven-month break. |
She was married to director Sultan Ahmed for seven years, enduring two miscarriages before they divorced. |
Despite her close friendship with Nargis Dutt and Asha Parekh, she never had children. |
Shammi was also friends with legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan. |
She acted in over 200 films throughout her career. |
In 1971, she won the BFJA Award for 'Best Supporting Actress' for 'Samaj Ko Badal Dalo.' |
Shammi passed away on March 6, 2018, after battling chronic illness. |