MyronMullet1862 at 12:01, 7 March 2026

2026-03-07T12:01:08Z

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{{short description|Indian actress}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Geeta Nizami
| image = GeetaNizami.jpg
| image_size = 225px
| caption = Nizami in 1946
| birth_name = Rashida Begum
| birth_date = 1926
| birth_place = [[British India]]
| death_date = {{death year and age|2008|1926|}}
| death_place = [[Pakistan]]
| burial_place =
| other_names = Geeta Vedi
| occupation = {{Hlist | Actress | dancer}}
| years_active = 1944–51
| spouse = {{marriage|Barkat Nizami|1944|1946|end=divorced}}<br/>{{marriage|B. D. Vedi|1946|1948|end=separated}}
| children =
| relatives = [[Mumtaz Shanti]] (niece; ''through first marriage'')
| known_for =
}}

'''Rashida Begum''',<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=Geeta Nizami |url=https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/geeta-nizami |access-date=2025-10-20 |website=Cinemaazi |language=en}}</ref> better known by stage name '''Geeta Nizami''', was an Indian actress who worked in [[Hindi]]-language films. She was particularly known for her dancing skills.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kapoor |first=Shyamchand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ymyoyBpaIIUC&pg=PA99 |title=Aadhunik Nibandh |publisher=Kitabghar Prakashan |isbn=978-81-88118-65-6 |pages=99 |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S7QqAAAAMAAJ |title=Hindī sinemā kā sunaharā saphara |date=1988 |publisher=Sinevāṇī Prakāśana |language=hi}}</ref> Her notable films include ''[[Panna (film)|Panna]]'' (1944), ''[[Gajre (film)|Gajre]]'' (1948), ''[[Beqasoor]]'' (1950) and ''[[Hulchul (1951 film)|Hulchul]]'' (1951).

== Career ==
[[File:Panna1944.jpg|thumb|200px|Nizami with [[P. Jairaj]] ''(left)'' in the war thriller film ''[[Panna (film)|Panna]]'' (1944)]]

Geeta Nizami began her acting career with a leading role in the war thriller ''[[Panna (film)|Panna]]'' (1944). The film proved to be a runaway success and opened her to public recognition.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/filmindia194814unse/page/n31/mode/1up?q=Panna |title=FilmIndia (1946) |date=1946 |publisher=Bombay |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=30, 91}}</ref> She subsequently appeared in a supporting role in the [[Muslim social|Muslim social drama]] ''[[Gaon Ki Gori]]'' (1945), which was one of the highest grossing films of the year.<ref name=BOI>{{cite web|title=Top Earners 1945|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=150&catName=MTk0NQ==|publisher=Box Office India website|access-date=25 August 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016215819/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/showProd.php?itemCat=150&catName=MTk0NQ==|archive-date=16 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

This initial success was followed by lead roles in the romance ''Sassi Punnu'' and the thriller ''Room No. 9'' (both 1946); the latter being directed by her then-husband B. D. Vedi.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last1=Rangoonwalla |first1=Firoze |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=26dZAAAAMAAJ |title=Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969 |last2=Das |first2=Vishwanath |date=1970 |publisher=J. Udeshi |pages=215 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Premchand |first=Manek |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PZ8tEQAAQBAJ&pg=RA1-PA32 |title=And The Music Lives On |date=2024-10-30 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=979-8-89588-691-5 |pages=32 |language=en}}</ref> She played the titular character in ''Paroo'' (1947), a drama criticising prevalent [[casteism]] in Indian society, to mixed reviews.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/filmindia194915unse/page/n137/mode/1up?q=nizami |title=FilmIndia (1949) |date=1949 |publisher=Bombay |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=139}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rangoonwalla |first1=Firoze |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=26dZAAAAMAAJ |title=Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969 |last2=Das |first2=Vishwanath |date=1970 |publisher=J. Udeshi |pages=228 |language=en}}</ref>

Geeta later shifted to supporting roles in high-profile productions, which included ''[[Gajre (film)|Gajre]]'' (1948),<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q5UqAAAAYAAJ |title=Collections |date=1991 |publisher=Update Video Publication |pages=57 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/filmindia194915unse |title=FilmIndia (1949) |date=1949 |publisher=Bombay |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=214}}</ref> ''[[Beqasoor]]'' (1950) and ''[[Hulchul (1951 film)|Hulchul]]'' (1951).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rangoonwalla |first1=Firoze |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=26dZAAAAMAAJ |title=Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969 |last2=Das |first2=Vishwanath |date=1970 |publisher=J. Udeshi |pages=274 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Reuben |first=Bunny |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YrwaAQAAIAAJ&q=geeta+nizami |title=Follywood Flashback: A Collection of Movie Memories |date=1993 |publisher=Indus |isbn=978-81-7223-106-4 |pages=119 |language=en}}</ref> Her only film in lead role during this period was ''Karwat'' (1949), produced by [[B. R. Chopra]] and directed by Vedi. The film was a box office flop.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rangoonwalla |first1=Firoze |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=26dZAAAAMAAJ |title=Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969 |last2=Das |first2=Vishwanath |date=1970 |publisher=J. Udeshi |pages=253 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Division |first=Publications |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=elzjCwAAQBAJ&dq=gita+nizami&pg=PT66 |title=LEGENDS OF INDIAN SILVER SCREEN |publisher=Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting |isbn=978-81-230-2116-4 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Selvan |first=M. Ponnein |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ENSoz8OPpwcC&q=gita+nizami |title=Legends of Indian Silver Screen: The Winners of Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1992-2014) |date=2015 |publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India |isbn=978-81-230-2039-6 |language=en}}</ref>

Geeta migrated to [[Pakistan]] in 1952, where she continued working on stage.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />

== Personal life ==
Geeta Nizami was first married to film director Barkat Nizami (the uncle of actress [[Mumtaz Shanti]]), whom she divorced quickly.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Manṭo |first1=Saʻādat Ḥasan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=08NjAAAAMAAJ&q=geeta+nizami |title=A Wet Afternoon: Stories, Sketches, Reminiscences |last2=Jalal |first2=Hamid |date=2001 |publisher=Alhamra |isbn=978-969-516-040-4 |pages=627 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hasan |first=Khalid |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RNULAAAAIAAJ |title=Scorecard |date=1984 |publisher=Wajidalis |pages=22 |language=en}}</ref> In 1946, Geeta married film director B. D. Vedi in [[Kolhapur]] after converting from [[Islam]]<ref name=":5" /> to [[Hinduism]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/filmindia194814unse |title=FilmIndia (1946) |date=1946 |publisher=Bombay |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=682}}</ref> The couple was separated by 1948. She briefly used the name "Geeta Vedi" during this period.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/filmindia194612unse |title=FilmIndia (1948) |date=1948 |publisher=Bombay |others=New York The Museum of Modern Art Library |pages=718}}</ref>

She reportedly shifted to the newly-created [[Pakistan]] in April 1952.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=Khatun |first=Nadira |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XKPrEAAAQBAJ&dq=geeta+nizami+muslim&pg=PA50 |title=Postcolonial Bollywood and Muslim Identity: Production, Representation, and Reception |date=2024 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-889101-7 |pages=50 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Patel |first=Baburao |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fLTXZUO2SYsC |title=Filmindia |date=1952 |publisher=Filmindia Publications |publication-date=1952 |pages=25 |language=en}}</ref> She died in 2008.<ref name=":7" />

== Filmography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Film !! Role !! Notes
|-
| 1944 || ''[[Panna (film)|Panna]]'' || Panna||
|-
| 1945 || ''[[Gaon Ki Gori]]'' || ||
|-
| 1946 || ''Sassi Punnu'' || ||
|-
| 1946 || ''Room No. 9'' || ||
|-
| 1947 || ''Paroo'' || Paroo||
|-
| 1948 || ''[[Gajre (film)|Gajre]]'' || Tara||
|-
| 1949 || ''Karwat'' || ||
|-
| 1950 || ''[[Beqasoor]]'' || Radha||
|-
| 1951 || ''[[Hulchul (1951 film)|Hulchul]]'' || ||
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name|id=0633298}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nizami, Geeta}}
[[Category:Indian female dancers]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Indian former Muslims]]
[[Category:Converts to Hinduism from Islam]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]

Geeta Nizami - Revision history

MyronMullet1862 at 12:01, 7 March 2026