A rare resonance

Timeless Beauty

Though the number was sung by Mohammad Rafi and Geeta Dutt, Nutan insisted that she would recite the first antara as she was a trained singer. Director Mandi Burman agreed and she did so with confidence and a rare resonance which left even her co-star Dev Anand amazed.

The eldest daughter of Kumar Sen Samarth and Shobhana Samarth, Nutan completed her education in Europe and joined films when she was just a teenager. Her first film was Hamari Beti, which was her mother’s production. She showed promise as an actress in her very first venture and achieved stardom with films like Chabili and Laila Majnu.

In Chabili, she starred opposite Karan Dewan and gave a memorable performance, especially in the romantic scenes. Her first song tuned by Snehal Bhatkar, Aye Mere Humsafar, was a big hit. It’s ironic how Nutan could not attend the premiere of one of her own films as it received an adult certificate and she was a minor at that time!

Progressive

Acting with Shammi Kapoor in Laila Majnu, Nutan proved that she could emote beautifully on screen. She also earned encomiums for her performance opposite Balraj Sahni in Seema directed by Amiya Chakrabarty in 1956. Since then, there was no looking back for the tall, photogenic and elegant actress who had a melodious voice and a highly modulative dialogue delivery.

Her eyes, in parlance with her lips, conveyed magnificent expressions as Shubha Khote lipped Baat Baat Pe in Seema and she reacted. Watching her expressions in this song sequence, Dr V Shantaram highly complimented Nutan and predicted that she would garner a lot of appreciation as an actress.

Nutan competed with the likes of Meena Kumari, Nargis, Geeta Bali and Madhubala, holding her own against them. With Kishore Kumar, she appeared in a romantic comedy film that had some elements of a crime thriller — Dilli Ka Thug — and was first seen in a swimming costume. Her gracious figure proved to be a cinematographer’s delight just as her chiselled features on her face were.

Whilst shooting for the song CAT Cat, Cat Mane Billi, she knew it was impossible to match the unpredictable Kishore Kumar in stepping. So, she opted for one particular dance movement, stressing on her toes, and compensated for any lacunae in her performance.

Her pairing with Dev Anand was extremely popular. Their films together were loved by all, especially Baarish, Paying Guest and Manzil. Her pairing with Raj Kapoor was equally successful in Anari, Dil Hi To Hai and Chalia. In Chalia, she played with her eyebrows in three close-ups and even outclassed the unmatchable blank face of Raj Kapoor. Her angular looks also paled Dev Anand’s eternal romanticism in Manzil.

Natural performances

Bimal Ray and Nutan created magic on the silver screen just like actors Kamal Amrohi-Meena Kumari and Mehboob Khan-Nargis did. Based on two powerful screenplays by eminent writer Nabendu Ghosh, Nutan was at her altruistic best as the untouchable in Sujata and the prisoner in Bandini.

Both were adaptations of literary masterpieces by Subodh Ghosh and Jarasandha. Sans makeup, in natural lighting and simple costumes, she spelt a rare class as an actress,
effortless and mature, without following the typical method school of acting.

She was equally effective in a breezy, musical comedy, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, opposite Dev Anand. The film’s director, Vijay Anand, admitted that Nutan was the best actress he had worked with and she was way ahead of a brilliant actress like Waheeda Rehman. Nutan also performed well opposite Sunil Dutt in Sujata, Milan, Khandaan and Meherban.

Be it glamourised, deglamorised or even larger than life characters, she did justice to all. From the 70s, Nutan understood that she should move over to more mature characters and did so gracefully with Saudagar opposite a newcomer, Amitabh Bachchan. Her performance in Main Tulsi Teri Angan Ki opposite Vijay Anand won her laurels, which no other actress of that period received, except Smita Patil, who idolised Nutan.

In the 80s, Nutan realised that commercial cinema was passing through a low ebb and became selective. But her films like Sajan Ki Saheli and Teri Maang Sitaron Se Bhar Doon are not considered memorable. Later, she took to offbeat films with Bimal Dutt’s Kasturi. Nutan came out with flying colours again in Mayuri opposite Basant Chowdhury of Bengal and rendered songs in her own voice.

Satyajit Ray was not only fond of Nutan’s performances but also of her smile, and he relented having not worked with the multi dimensional actress. Nutan was very fond of Arundhuti Mukhopadhyay of Bengal and considered her an actress of international standards.

Once diagnosed with cancer, she stopped signing films and virtually started leading a life of hibernation. Two decades ago, she passed away, creating a vacuum, which is yet to be filled. Fond memories of Nutan still haunt Sophia Loren, who greatly admired her after watching her performance in Sujata at the Venice International Film Festival.