A character actress for nearly six decades, Nargis Rabadi, popularly known as 'Shammi Aunty' in the industry, died at her home, aged 89.
According to Bollywood personality Ashok Shekhar, she had been ailing for some time. She breathed her last at her Juhu Circle home late on Monday.
Her funeral took place at the Oshiwara cemetery, with celebrities like Asha Parekh, Farida Jalal, Boman Irani, Farah Khan, Annu Kapoor and Priya Dutt in attendance.
She became a popular character artiste portraying supporting roles of aunt, granny, elderly spinster in the family, et al, besides acting in television serials.
Shammi mostly featured in comic roles. The late actress starred in films like "Coolie No. 1", "Mardon Wali Baat" and "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi". She also appeared in many popular television serials such as "Dekh Bhai Dekh", "Zabaan Sambhal Ke", "Shriman Shrimati", "Kabhi Yeh Kabhi Woh" and "Filmi Chakkar".
T 2735 - Shammi Aunty .. prolific actress, years of contribution to the Industry, dear family friend .. passes away ..!!
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 6, 2018
A long suffered illness, age ..
Sad .. slowly slowly they all go away .. pic.twitter.com/WYvdhZqo8X
T 2735 - Prayers and fond remembrances for Shammi Aunty .. so dear to us as family .. lost to us today ..🙏
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 6, 2018
some early pictures as a young entrant to films .. and one with Nargis ji at an event ; Shammi Aunty's real name was also Nargis ! pic.twitter.com/pfgzd1Tff3
Tributes to Shammi, who was a Parsi and the former wife of legendary Bollywood filmmaker, the late Sultan Ahmed, came in from Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, designer Sandeep Khosla, Abhishek Bachchan, Farah and Divya Dutta.
Sharma wrote: "My heartfelt tribute to veteran actor Shammi on her unfortunate demise. Her extensive and inspiring contribution to Indian cinema will always be remembered."
Shammi aunty’s passing away is a sad loss to the film industry and to her fans. My heart felt condolences to her family and close friends. I have always been a fan of her work and will miss her exuberant presence.
— Aamir Khan (@aamir_khan) March 6, 2018
love.ahttps://t.co/tSKPQBwLTo
"Shammi Aunty... Prolific actress, years of contribution to the industry, dear family friend... passes away. A long suffered illness, age... Sad... slowly slowly they all go away," Amitabh, who has "fond remembrances" of her, tweeted.
The actor also shared some photographs of Shammi Aunty.
Amitabh's son Abhishek wrote: "I will really miss you Shammi Aunty... You always gave the warmest hugs and never failed to make everyone smile. So many memories, so much happiness, gone but not forgotten. Rest in peace."
Boman, who worked with Shammi in her last big screen outing "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi", wrote: "Bid farewell to everyone's favourite aunty, Shammi Aunty. Played her grandson a few years ago. She was the most fun person on set. Loved her very much. Will miss her. May her soul rest in peace."
I will really miss you Shammi aunty… You always gave the warmest hugs and never failed to make everyone smile. So many memories, so much happiness, gone but not forgotten. Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/0BxQSNQRIL
— Abhishek Bachchan (@juniorbachchan) March 6, 2018
Anil Kapoor wrote: "A great actress, always happy and smiling... Shammiji will be missed. I was lucky enough to have worked with her in Eeshwar and she was a joy to be around... My condolences to her loved ones."
Shammi was close to adopted son Iqbaal Rizzvi.
Khosla took to Instagram to post an elegant photograph of the late actress, and described her as "special", "guide", "best friend".
Farah wrote: "Our beloved Shammi Aunty is no more... Most wonderful, loving and funny. Working since my dad's films and I was lucky to work beside her in 'Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi'. God bless her."
Our beloved ShammiAunty is no more.. most wonderful, loving n funny.. working since my dads films n i was lucky to work beside her in ShirinFarhadKiTohNikalPadi.. god bless her
— Farah Khan (@TheFarahKhan) March 6, 2018
Divya said Shammi's "talent, warmth and laughter is cherished".
Actor Vindu Dara Singh said he would remember her as "always smiling and peaceful and very gracious".
ASHA PAREKH BREAKS DOWN ON 'BEST FRIEND' SHAMMI'S DEMISE
Veteran actress Asha Parekh was barely able to contain her sobs after the news of the demise of her best friend and "guardian angel" Nargis Rabadi, universally known in the film industry as Shammi Aunty, broke on Tuesday morning.
Shammi had no relatives except an adopted son Iqbal Rizvi, who stayed closeby but not in the same apartment as his foster-mother. She was alone when the end came.
Shammi, who lost her only sister -- the famous designer Mani Rabadi -- a few years ago, had rapidly become immobile and forgetful.
Asha, who had been her best friend for more than 50 years, said: "I haven't wept so much since I lost my parents. I called her Shammi Aunty. She was much older than me. But we were best friends for years. She shared everything with me. It was a natural-born trait in her to win people'e confidence.
"She was close to many actresses who poured their heart out to her. With me, it was special. We had spent decades together. She was my closest friend, confidante and, after my parents' death, a guardian angel. Now she's gone."
Asha broke down while trying to remember the good memories with the ever-jovial Shammi who made so many people laugh on and off screen
Reliving Bollywood's favourite #ShammiAunty's best moments from our film #HumSaathSaathHain! pic.twitter.com/2XwYN5P3Hm
— Rajshri (@rajshri) March 6, 2018
Rakhee, who was also very close to Shammi (and had in fact played the lead in 'Pighalta Aasman', the film that Shammi produced in 1985 with Raakhee and Shashi Kapoor in the lead), said: "Shammi Aunty taught me how to laugh out. To not hold back my laughter. You see, as girls we were always taught not to laugh loudly. Shammi Aunty made me realise there was nothing unwomanly about loud laughter. She made my happiness come out of my throat."
In 1970, Shammi married filmmaker Sultan Ahmed. She described it as the biggest mistake of her life. The two parted acrimoniously.
Asha recalled: "I did Sultan Ahmed saab's 'Heera' only because of Shammi Aunty. The laughter stopped when she was about 80. The last 8-9 years of Shammi Aunty's life were miserable. Her health was failing. And she often had no domestic help. She would come and stay with me. We couldn't share as much laughter as we did earlier since her hearing faculties were affected."
Born in 1929 into a family of Parsi priests, Shammi began her career in films in 1949 with a film called "Ustad Pedro" with Sheikh Mukhtar who was then quite a name. It was a hit. And there was no looking back thereafter -- Shammi went on to do all kind of roles.
When her role in K. Asif's "Musafirkhana" as a comedienne clicked, she got typecast in ‘funnygirl' roles.
"Mujhe comedy mein bada maza aata hai. Main hoon hi waisi," Shammi had once told this writer at Asha's place.
"I want to continue acting. It's the only thing I know how to do. But movie offers have stopped coming for a while. I was doing television. But that too dwindled lately. So I was sitting idle. At my age, to be workless is to be worthless. Lekin main aaj tak kabhi kissi se kaam maangne nahin gayi (I never went to anyone to ask for work).
Bid farewell to everyone’s favourite aunty, #Shammi aunty...Played her grandson a few years ago. She was the most fun person on set. Loved her very much. Will miss her. May her soul rest in peace.
— Boman Irani (@bomanirani) March 6, 2018
"Why should I do so now? I am happy getting what comes to me. And grateful to God I still get work. He has been very kind to me. Otherwise, why would I still be getting work? It is unimaginable for me to be not working. Boman Irani once asked me how many films I had done. I had no clue! Recently someone Googled on me and found out I had done nearly 200 films. I was amazed. When did I do all these films? Time just flew by!"
Shammi's last film was Bela Segal's "Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi".
R I P. Shammi Aunty bids good bye. pic.twitter.com/g1bagsyaSk
— Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) March 6, 2018
RIP #ShammiAunty a familiar likable face seen in many classic films and TV serial. She was the contemporary and friend of Nargis Dutt ji. Immense loss for the Art world. pic.twitter.com/O2TdUTmCZy
— Faridoon Shahryar (@iFaridoon) March 6, 2018
Grieved at the news of demise of #ShammiAunty. Indian Film Industry has lost a versatile actor. My condolences to the family members and friends. https://t.co/VyAil3rhTX
— ShivrajSingh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) March 6, 2018
