This unmarried actress lived as director's widow, gave hits with Dev Anand, Shashi Kapoor, Rajesh Khanna, she was Saira Banu's..., her name is..

This is the story of a captivating actress who shared the screen with several superstars and earned immense fame in her career. But when it came to her personal life, it was filled only with sorrow, pain, and loneliness. Imagine the life of a woman whose marriage was never completed because her fiancé passed away before the wedding.

Yes, this actress got engaged, but fate had other plans; her fiancé died before they could marry, and she lived the rest of her life like a widow. One can only imagine how lonely the personal life of such a successful actress must have been.

This actress was none other than Nanda, who starred opposite Manoj Kumar in the hit film Shor. She appeared in over 70 films in her Bollywood career. Known for her beauty and grace, Nanda was deeply respected in the industry. Even Dilip Kumar’s wife, Saira Banu, once said Nanda was like a family member to her. Sadly, Nanda is no longer with us—she passed away on March 25, 2014, in Mumbai at the age of 75.

About Nanda

Nanda’s real name was Nandini Karnataki. She was born on January 8, 1939, and became known to the world as Nanda. In addition to Hindi films, she also acted in Marathi cinema. She came from a Maharashtrian family deeply rooted in the film industry—her father was a Marathi actor and filmmaker. While her brothers were also part of the industry, they worked behind the scenes as cinematographers, not actors.

Nanda also had a family connection with renowned filmmaker V. Shantaram, who was her paternal uncle. Life took a tragic turn when Nanda was just seven years old—her father passed away, leaving the family in financial distress. To support them, Nanda began working as a child artist in films, and the money she earned helped her family get through those difficult times.

Debut:

Nanda made her debut in the 1948 film Mandir. From 1948 to 1956, she worked as a child artist. Her big break as a lead actress came in 1956, thanks to her uncle and renowned filmmaker V. Shantaram, who cast her in Toofan Aur Deeya, a film based on the bond between a brother and sister.

She soon transitioned to adult roles and gained critical attention with the film Bhabhi, which earned her a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress. From there, her career took off, and she went on to appear in several hit films such as Chhoti Bahen, Hum Dono, Kanoon, Aanchal, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Aashiq, Beti, Ittefaq, Shor, Umeed, Parineeta, Adhikar, Mazboor, and Prem Rog.

At her peak, Nanda was among the highest-paid actresses of her time. One of her most memorable roles was in Jab Jab Phool Khile, opposite Shashi Kapoor. The film told the story of a rich girl and a poor boy, and it became a classic love story of its time.

Personal life:

Nanda's professional career was a huge success, but her personal life was filled with its own set of emotions. In the 1970s, Nanda fell in love with a married director and producer, none other than the famous masala film king, Manmohan Desai. He was married to Jivanprabha, who passed away in April 1979. They had a son, Ketan Desai, who later entered the film industry. Ketan married Kanchan Kapoor, the daughter of Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali.

Once, Nanda's brother Jayprakash spoke about Nanda and Manmohan Desai's love story. In an interview with Pinkvilla, he revealed that Waheeda Rehman also played a role in their love story. She had planned a dinner to bring the two together and left them alone so that the filmmaker could express his feelings to Nanda. During that dinner, Manmohan Desai confessed to Nanda that he wanted to marry her.

Lived as a widow:

Nanda's brother revealed that the marriage proposal from Manmohan Desai was made simply and humbly. After some contemplation, Nanda called Waheeda Rehman and agreed to the relationship.

After the engagement, tragedy struck as Nanda's fiancé, Manmohan Desai, passed away. The engagement with Manmohan was finalized in 1992, and Nanda, who was a very private and shy person, had envisioned a happy life with him. However, just two years after the engagement, Manmohan Desai's sudden death shattered Nanda completely, leaving her heartbroken.

Saira Banu and Nanda's relationship:

Saira Banu and Nanda shared a close bond, both personally and professionally, despite being in different generations of the Bollywood industry. Saira, a prominent actress of the 60s and 70s, had great admiration for Nanda, who was one of the leading actresses of her time, known for her beauty, grace, and versatile performances.

Saira once expressed how she always looked up to Nanda, considering her not only as a co-actor but also as a part of her family. Saira referred to Nanda as a member of her own family, highlighting the warmth and affection they shared. Their friendship was strengthened by the mutual respect they had for each other's work in the industry.