Nagma

Nagma Arvind Morarji (born Nandita Arvind Morarji; 25 December 1974), known mononymously as Nagma. is an Indian politician and former actress. She gained prominence as a leading actress in the 1990s and appeared in films across various Indian languages, primarily in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil and Bhojpuri.

Nagma made her film debut in Baaghi (1990) opposite Salman Khan, which was the seventh highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. She went on to star in several notable films, including Gharana Mogudu (1992), King Uncle (1993), Varasudu (1993), Suhaag (1994), Kaadhalan (1994), Baashha (1995), and Lal Baadshah (1999).

Early and personal life Nagma was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, as Nandita Arvind Morarji Her father is Arvind Morarji, whose forefathers hailed from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, later migrating to Porbandar, Gujarat, and finally Mumbai. After divorcing Morarji in August 1974, Nagma's mother married Chander Sadanah, a film producer, in March 1975, with whom she had three children, including two daughters, actresses Jyothika and Roshini (born Radhika).

Nagma was educated at Mount Mary Convent High School in Mumbai. She then did her graduation in Commerce from R. D. National College of Mumbai University.

Nagma is a practising Christian. She was baptised in the year 2007.

Acting career

Nagma's debut film Baghi: A Rebel for Love, opposite Salman Khan was Hindi cinema's seventh highest-grossing film in 1990.

After moving back to Mumbai, she focused on supporting roles in Hindi films like the 2000s Chal Mere Bhai, which reunited her with former co-stars Karisma Kapoor, Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt. While based in Mumbai, she continued to work in some Telugu and Tamil films, such as Allari Ramudu and Citizen, as well as taking leading roles in some Malayalam films including Chathurangam.

Nagma has acted in Bhojpuri films, including films with the Big Boss participant Ravi Kishan. She won a Best Actress award at the 2005 Bhojpuri Film Awards for her performance in Dulha Milal Dildar. In 2006's Ganga, she starred in the title role opposite Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. When asked why she shifted to Bhojpuri films, she said "I wanted to do films in different languages. I have already done films in 10 languages. My first Bhojpuri film Panditji Bataayina Biyaah Kab Hoii was a huge hit. After that, the offers poured in and they were too good to be ignored." When interviewed by The Hindu in Delhi in April 2007, she indicated that another important reason for her decision to focus on Bhojpuri films was to help with her political campaigning.

In 2006, she made her Punjabi film debut, starring alongside Raj Babbar in Ek Jind Ek Jaan.

Discussing her career in a Mid-Day interview in September 2006, Nagma said "I have learned nine languages, so I want to do films in all languages. On the Hindi film front, I am in the process of signing a very big period thriller. I am getting to do a variety of roles with content, so I am satisfied." While noting her commitment to complete several Bhojpuri films she was involved with, in March 2007, she expressed her intention to next focus on returning to Hindi films after wrapping up her projects. In her 2007 Hindustan Times interview, in which she discusses her future plans for cinema and politics, Nagma responded to a question about her reputation for controversy by saying "You need guts to deal with controversies. Of course, whether it's for negative or positive reasons, I’ve always been in the news."

Politics

It was reported that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wanted to field Nagma as a candidate from Hyderabad for the 2004 General Lok Sabha Elections. But she decided to join Congress in 2004 and campaigned in Andhra Pradesh. She cited Congress party's "commitment towards secularism and welfare of the poor and weaker sections" as her reason for joining it. After joining the Congress, Nagma has reportedly said that she first supported the Congress party because of her admiration for Rajiv Gandhi.

She contested 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Meerut as Congress candidate, securing fourth position with 42,911 votes. She lost her deposit.

In a 2006 interview, she made a direct link between her family history and her political activism: "My mom is Muslim and my dad is Hindu. We were brought up to respect all religions. She said "I personally experienced the Love of Jesus Christ from early on and His uniqueness and identifies herself as a Christian. Communal riots pained me. I wanted to do something. So I joined politics." She had to turn down an offer to run for India's Lok Sabha in 2003 due to her many film commitments. "If I wanted to become a member of Parliament I would need to give 100 per cent to my constituency — which I could not at that point of time." In an interview with the Hindustan Times in 2007, she said "politics will continue".

Filmography Year Film Role Language Notes 1990 Baaghi: A Rebel for Love Kaajal aka Paro Hindi Debut film 1991 Peddinti Alludu Geeta Telugu Debut in TeluguKiller Priya 1992 Gharana Mogudu Uma Devi Nominated-Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu Bewaffa Se Waffa Nagma Hindi Dilwale Kabhi Na Hare Anjali Oberoi Police Aur Mujrim Meena Khanna Yalgaar Anu Singhal Aswamedham Sowjanya Telugu 1993 King Uncle Kavita Hindi Major Chandrakanth Seetha Telugu Varasudu Keerthi Hasti Neena Narang Hindi Kondapalli Raja Subbalakshmi Telugu Dhartiputra Lisa Hindi Allari Alludu Sravani Telugu Rendilla Poojari Green Snake Bharatanatyam dancer CantoneseMandarin Chinese credited as Najma 1994 Mugguru Monagallu Rani Telugu Super Police Roja Gang Master Sandhya Aavesam Kaadhalan Sruthi Tamil Nominated — Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Tamil Suhaag Madhu Hindi 1995 Baashha Priya Tamil Mounam Manjari Telugu Ragasiya Police Raji Tamil Villadhi Villain Janaki Anna Malayalam Unreleased Rikshavodu Rani Telugu Adavi Dora Priya Bharatha Simham 1996 Love Birds Mridula Tamil Saradha Bullodu Nirmala Devi Telugu Mettukudi Indhu Tamil 1997 Kaun Rokega Mujhe Nisha Hindi Periya Thambi Selvi Tamil Aravindhan Anu Surya Putrulu Telugu Janakiraman Indhu Tamil Pistha Venilla 1998 Sreekrishnapurathe Nakshathrathilakkam Yamuna Rani Malayalam Kurubana Rani Rani Kannada Vaettiya Madichu Kattu Pooja Jaiprakash Tamil 1999 Maya Lakshmi Dubbed in Hindi as Sai Teri MayaJayasoorya Kannada Lal Baadshah Hindi Special appearance Ravimama Kannada 2000 Kunwara Sharmila Singh Hindi Chal Mere Bhai Sonia Guest appearance Papa The Great Pooja Jai Prakash 2001 Dheena Tamil Special appearance in the song "Vathikuchi Pathikadhuda" Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love Hindi Special appearance Citizen CBI Sarojini Harichandran Tamil Yeh Teraa Ghar Yeh Meraa Ghar Anupama Verma Hindi Special appearance 2002 Chathurangam Nayana Pillai Malayalam Allari Ramudu Chamundeswari Telugu Ninu Choodaka Nenundalenu Special appearance 2003 Hrudayavantha Kannada 2004 Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyo Aarti V. Singh Hindi 2005 Dulha Milal Dildar Bhojpuri - Bhojpuri Film Award for Best Actress Panditji Batai Na Byah Kab Hoi Parinam Nisha Bengali 2006 Ek Jind Ek Jaan Nimmi Punjabi Ganga Ganga Bhojpuri - Bhojpuri Film Award for Best Actress Ab Ta Banja Sajnwa Hamaar Mai Baap Dil Diwana Tohar Ho Gayil Raja Thakur 2007 Back To Honeymoon Hindi Thamb Lakshmi Thamb Lakshmi Marathi Tu Hamaar Hou Bhojpuri Janam Janam Ke Saath 2008 Hanuman Bhakt Hawaldaar Thela No 501

Awards and nominations She is a recipient of Bhojpuri Film Awards two times. She won Best Actress at the first Bhojpuri Film Awards for her performance in Dulha Milal Dildar. Later in 2007, she was honoured again for the same for the 2006 film Ganga, in which she played the titular role.

She was nominated at Filmfare Awards South for her work in Telugu and Tamil film industry. She was seen as the female lead in Gharana Mogudu, Telugu-language film directed by K. Raghavendra Rao, opposite Chiranjeevi, for which she was nominated her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Telugu. She lost the award to Revathy for Ankuram . Second time, she was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil at 42nd Filmfare Awards South, for her role in Kaadhalan, but lost to Revathi again for Priyanka (1994 film), but the team won Best Director – Tamil for S. Shankar & Music Director – Tamil for A. R. Rahman.

In 2013, the Jaipur International Film Festival (JIFF) decided to honour Nagma with a lifetime achievement award, but issued the award to Sharmila Tagore instead. Nagma, who was 39 years old at the time, said, "I thought I was too young for the award, but they convinced me. They said I had been selected because of my contribution to Indian cinema". JIFF's director, Hanuman Chaudhary, said that the change was due to Nagma not responding to their invitation, but Nagma recounted to Times of India that she accepted their invitation officially.

Year Award Category Film Result 1992 Filmfare Awards South Best Actress – Telugu Gharana Mogudu 1994 Best Actress – Tamil Kaadhalan 2006 Bhojpuri Film Awards Best Actress Dulha Milal Dildar 2007Ganga