Raj Kapoor and Nargis shared one of the most iconic partnerships in Indian cinema, marked by a deep personal and professional bond. The duo also shared a romantic relationship despite Raj being a married man at the time.
In the book Raj Kapoor: The One and Only Showman, written by his daughter Ritu Nanda, Raj reminisced about his first encounter with Nargis when he was 22 and she was just 16.He recalled how he rang the doorbell of her flat in Marine Drive, intending to meet her mother, Jaddan Bai.
However, it was Nargis who answered the door. He described the moment vividly, expressing that she appeared to him like an angel, saying, “She was no less than an angel!” He noted her short hair and how a strand fell over her left eye, making it seem as if she was looking at him with just one eye.
Raj later recreated this memorable first meeting in the film Bobby, where Dimple Kapadia’s character opens the door in a similar fashion for Rishi Kapoor’s Raja when they first encounter each other.
Raj expressed that women have always held significant importance in his life, but Nargis meant more to him than anyone else. He mentioned that he would often tell her that while Krishna was his wife and the mother of his children, he wanted Nargis to be the mother of his films. He emphasized that this was exactly what she became for him, and he cherished beautiful memories of their work together.
Raj noted that there was a unique charm in Nargis’s looks, gait, and speech, stating that she couldn’t be cast in just any role despite her remarkable adaptability. He reflected on her exceptional calibre, remarking that such a kind of person is no longer found in films today.
For the unversed, the affair soon ended and Nargis tied the knot with Sunil Dutt. She never worked with Raj Kapoor again, but their relationship caused a rift between the Dutts and the Kapoors. This went on for 24 years till she was invited to Rishi Kapoor’s wedding with Neetu Kapoor.