Nirmal Rishi

Nirmal Rishi (born 1943) is an Indian Punjabi film and television actress. She is most remembered for her role as Gulabo Maasi in her first movie Long Da Lishkara. She is best known for appearing in Punjabi movies like Nikka Zaildar, Nikka Zaildar 2 and The Great Sardar. In 2024, she was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri award by the Government of India.

Early life and film career Rishi was born in 1943 in the village Khiva Kalan of Mansa district. Her father was Sarpanch Baldev Krishan Rishi and mother name was Bachni Devi. She was very passionate about theatre right from her school days. She chose to be a physical education instructor and joined Government College Patiala for Physical Education. During her studies at Govt College for Physical education she came into contact with Harpal & Nina Tiwana and joined their theatre group Punjab Kala Manch, she was one of there first students and her compatriot during her time then was Late Shri Om Puri. She has been associated with the Tiwana family since then and has been a part of all the plays. She is the founder trustee of the Harpal Tiwana Foundation.

She acted in more than 60 films, including Long Da Lishkara (1983) Ucha Dar Babe Nanak Da (1985), Diva Bale Sari Raat, Suneha, Love Punjab (2015), Death on Wheels, Woman from the East, Nikka Zaildar (2016), Angrej (2015), Lahoriye (2017), and Nikka Zaildar 2 (2017) and a cameo appearance in Hindi-language film Dangal (2016).

Filmography