Shammi

Shammi Biography

Shammi is a legendary actress of Bollywood known for portraying character roles. She has appeared on screen several times playing Grandma and mother roles and has been associated with television serials. Associated with Bollywood since late 1940s, she made a cameo appearance in Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi in 2013 after a long break, marking her association with Bollywood for more than 6 decades. She has been one of the top demanding actress in the 1990s in grandmother roles and Coolie No 1, Hum, Mardon Wali Baat, Gurudev, Gopi Kishan,Hum Saath-Saath Hain and Imtihaan are her best movies during this period. Shammi is still in touch with almost all veteran actors of Bollywood like Asha Parekh, Mala Sinha, Shakeela, Waheeda Rehman etc.

 
Shammi is best known for portraying goofy and comic roles and she has been highly in demand for such roles. She played lead actress role between 1949 and 1955 and moved to character roles later. Since 1980s she is regular in Bollywood and also appeared in popular television serials and sitcoms like Dekh Bhai Dekh, Zabaan Sambhal Ke, Filmy chakkar, Shriman Shrimati, Kabhi Yeh Kabhi Who etc. Ilzam, Pehli Jhalak, Bandish, Azaad. Halaku, Half Ticket, Ishaara, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Preet Na Jane Reet, Aamne - Saamne, Upkar, Ittefaq, Sajan, Doli, Raja Saab, The Train, Raj Tilak , Khazanchi, Ghar Sansar, Kangan, Bhai-Bahen and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai are some of her noted character roles.

 
She was born in Mumbai to a Parsi priest in 1931. She lost her father at the age of 3. Her real name is Nargis Rabadi. Her elder sister, Mani Rabadi, who was a fashion designer used to design costumes for film heroines. Rabadi worked in Johnson and Johnson company in the packing department before she reached movies. Rabadi got a film offer through a family friend Chinuu Mama. Sheikh Mukhtar was looking for a second lead actress for the movie starring Begum Para in the female lead. She appeared the screen test of the movie, got selected as well. But her name was changed to Shammi, as already there was an actress in Bollywood with the same name.

 
She played main and parallel lead in many movies throughout 1950s and with 1970s she moved towards mother roles. Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt and Asha Parekh were her good friends. She was married to film director, Sultan Ahmed known for the movies, Heera, Dharam Kanta, and Daata. She accepted only the roles of her husband’s movies. But after her divorce in 1980s, she became active in Bollywood once again. The couple had no children.

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Updated: October 24, 2014