Nazneen (born 23 February 1958) is an Indian Bollywood actress who was active in the 1970s and 1980s.
Early Life She was born on 23 February 1958 in Calcutta and studied in Lucknow before moving to Mumbai with her parents. She was cast in Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa (1972) after meeting an assistant to director Satyen Bose at a party. She subsequently played in the hit films Kora Kagaz (1974), Chalte Chalte (1976) and Dildaar (1977). Nazneen starred in the hit television series Mahabharat produced by B.R Chopra as Kunti, the mother of the Pandava brothers.
Nazneen was born into a Muslim family. Her father owned a printing press. She did her schooling from Hill Grange High School. Actress Neetu Singh went to the same school as her. Neetu used to invite her to her mother's flat for lunch.
Her aunt was the actress Mumtaz Begum.
Career At a party hosted by a relative of hers, producer Yusuf Teendarwajawalla, who made Mere Humsafar (1970), and director Satyen Bose offered her a role in Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-Pa (1972), which he directed.
Nazneen was signed for two more films to be directed by Satyen Bose but they were never made. But working under the veteran director did help her a lot. Satyen Bose also wanted Nazneen to have a screen name. He had suggested Suparna, and then somebody suggested Sonali. However, she chose to be herself, Nazneen.
In 1974 she acted in Kora Kagaz, which won her critical acclaim. In the film she played Jaya Bachchan's sister. After Kora Kaagaz she got several offers, but everyone said "there was a wonderful role of a sister". "They all thought I was good only for goody-goody roles", Nazneen said in an interview conducted in 1976.
Nazneen declined all those offers. She was already playing the leading lady in a few "B" class films and the producers of these films told Nazneen if she accepted the sisters’ roles their films would suffer at the box office. She played role of Zeenat Mahal, wife of Bahadurshah Jafar in doordarshan TV serial titled Bahadurshah Zafar, produced and directed by veteran film maker B. R. Chopra.
Filmography Year Title Role Language Notes1972Sa-Re-Ga-Ma-PaHindiDebut film1972Jawani DiwaniHindi1972Jai JwalaHindi1973Mere Gharib NawazHindi1973NirdoshHindi1974Naya Din Nai RaatHindi1974Kora KagazHindi1974Call GirlHindi1974Woh Main NahinHindi1975Ranga KhushHindi1975PhandaHindi1975AndolanHindi1976Chalte ChalteHindi1976FaujiHindi1976Yaari ZindabadHindi1977Pandit Aur PathanHindi1977Chaalu Mera NaamHindi1977DildaarHindi1977HaiwanHindi1978Adventures of AladdinHindi1979Bin Phere Hum TereHindi1979Sukhi PariwarPunjabi1980Ram BalramHindiGuest Appearance1980Oh BewafaaHindi1981Ek Duuje Ke LiyeHindi1981Ek Hi BhoolHindi1981Khuda Kasam Geeta SinghHindi1981Waqt Ki DeewarHindi1982Chambal Ke DakuHindi1982Do UstadHindi1983Shekhar Mera NaamHindi1983Chor PoliceSoniHindi1986AadamkhorHindi1989Ajeeb IttefaqHindi
Television Mahabharat as Kunti (TV Series) Bahadur Shah Jafar as Zeenat Mahal.
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