Nargis, born Fatima Rashid on June 1 1929, is regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. Pictured: Nargis with a very young Sanjay Dutt. (All photos/mid-day archives)

Nargis made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting career began in 1942 with Tamanna (1942). Pictured: The actress with hubby Sunil Dutt with Baby Sanju!

Nargis, who was also the younger sister of well-known actor Anwar Hussain, appeared in numerous commercially successful as well as critically appreciated films, in a career that spanned from the 1940s to the 1960s, many of which featured her alongside actor Raj Kapoor. Pictured: Nargis standing behind son Sanjay and husband Sunil Dutt (crouching) at a party.

Nargis won the Best Actress trophy at the Filmfare Awards for her performance as Radha in the iconic 1957 film Mother India, which was also nominated for an Academy Award. Pictured - The Dutt family: Nargis with hubby Sunil and son Sanjay.

Nargis and Mother India co-star, actor Sunil Dutt tied the knot in 1958. She would appear infrequently in films during the 1960s, some of which include the drama Raat Aur Din (1967), for which she was given the inaugural National Film Award for Best Actress. Pictured: Nargis at her Marine Drive residence.

Nargis and Raj Kapoor on the occasion of the silver jubilee of Boot Polish. They worked together in 14 films. Honourable mentions include Shree 420, Bewafa, Anhonee, Dhoon, Anari, Andaz and others.

Nargis on the sets of Mehboob Khan's Mother India. The legendary Raaj Kumar played her on-screen husband in the film, while future hubby Sunil Dutt portrayed her rebellious younger son and Rajendra Kumar her older son.

Nargis (second from left) with fellow actresses Neelam, Nirupa Roy and Shyama at an event. The actress and husband Sunil Dutt formed the Ajanta Arts Cultural Troupe and held stage shows featuring performances by several leading actors and singers of the time.

A still from the film Andaz starring Nargis, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor. The 1949 film was the highest-grossing Indian film at the time of its release until its record was broken by Raj Kapoor's Barsaat that same year.

The iconic still from Shree 420 starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis. It was the highest-grossing Indian film of 1955, with the song Mera Joota Hai Japani (My Shoes are Japanese), sung by Mukesh, becoming popular and a patriotic symbol of the newly independent India. This picture is however from another popular song from the classic, Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua.

A still from the film Barsaat starring Raj Kapoor and Nargis. The 1949 classic was one of Kapoor's first major hits as a director, which allowed him to buy RK Studios the next year. In fact, one of the film's posters illustrated by the master artist Dr S. M. Pandit, showing the heroine dangling on the arm of the hero would go on to inspire the R K Studios' famous logo.

Nargis with daughters Priya Dutt and Namrata Dutt. Priya is a former Member of Parliament representing the Indian National Congress party. She is married to Owen Roncon. They have two sons Sumair and Siddharth. Namrata wed actor Kumar Gaurav and has two daughters Saachi and Siya.

A visibly-ill Nargis, during the days she was battling cancer. She succumbed to the illness on 3rd May 1981. The Nargis Dutt Memorial Charitable Trust (NDMCT) was started by Sunil Dutt in her memory.

Nargis with Meena Kumari. Nargis converted to Hinduism following her marriage to Sunil Dutt and renamed herself, Nirmala Dutt. A well know fact, she was saved from a fire by her husband during the filming of Mother India.

Nargis with Raj Kapoor. They famously starred together in films like Awara and Shree 420 among others.

Nargis with Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar in Mother India. The film was a remake of director Mehboob Khan's 1940 film Aurat. Its title was chosen to counter American author Katherine Mayo's controversial 1927 book titled Mother India, which vilified Indian culture.

Nargis was portrayed on screen by Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala in son Sanjay Dutt's biopic, Sanju, with Ranbir Kapoor essaying Dutt.

When Sanjay Dutt made his Bollywood debut on May 7, 1981, with Rocky, opposite Tina Munim Ambani, a seat was kept vacant for Nargis at the premiere of the film.

Nargis worked for the cause of spastic children and became the first patron of The Spastics Society of India, which got her recognition as a social worker.

Nargis' body was carried to the crematorium by husband Sunil Dutt and son Sanjay Dutt. The actress was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent treatment for the disease in New York but her condition deteriorated on her return to India after which she was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. She went into a coma on May 2, 1981, and passed away the next day.