Heeramandi Is Streaming On Netflix & Tells The Tale Of Shahi Mohalla Of Tawaifs From Lahore (Photo Credit – IMDb)
Advertisement
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi which was recently released on Netflix opened the grey doors that lead to the part of Cinema that is less talked about. The show that traced the history of courtesans from Lahore led us to the history of Tawaifs in India and in Pakistan. And how all these doors silently led to a life in Cinema, honoring their skill set and their art.
The other day, we told you how a tawaif from the actual Heeramandi in Pakistan shot to fame in Pakistani films as the highest-paid item dancer till she met a tragic end. And today, we bring you the story of India’s one of the most famous tawaif who ruled Bollywood!
During the early 1900’s, it was Jaddanbai who rose to prominence for her Ghazal singing, and gradually, she started becoming a more famous tawaif than her mother, Mia Jaan, who died when Jaddanbai was just 5. She was trained in Calcutta and also recorded her ghazals with a company from Calcutta!
While it was Niggojaan from Lahore’s Heeramandi who became Pakistan’s superstar in India, it was Jaddanbai who was about to rule Bollywood after she was cast in a film in 1933. After a few roles, Jaddanbai started her own production company in 1935, which produced Talaashe Haq, where she acted and composed music.In fact, she even introduced India’s biggest female superstar as a child artist.
Nargis – The Daughter Who Ruled
Jaddanbai introduced her daughter Nargis in 1935 as a child artist. Later, Nargis ruled Bollywood and RK Films. She made her full-fledged debut in 1943 with Taqdeer. Later, she became synonymous with Raj Kapoor‘s female lead after she made her RK Films debut in 1948 with Aag.
Jaddanbai died in 1949, aged 56, a year after her daughter stepped into the kingdom she was about to rule! Thanks to Heeramandithat we started digging out about those who have been almost forgotten. The Queens who ruled!
