Nirmala Dutt (born Fatima Rashid; June 1, 1929 – May 3, 1981), known by her screen name Nargis, was an Indian film actress, and later politician, regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. During a career that spanned from the 1940s to the 1960s, Nargis appeared in numerous commercially successful as well as critically appreciated films that ranged in genres, from screwball comedies to literary dramas, and became known for playing versatile, independent and dignified women. In 1958, she was awarded a Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, for her contributions in cinema by the Government of India.