Geeta Nizami

Geeta Nizami
Geeta in Din Raat (1945)
Born
Rashida Begum

1926
Lahore, British India
Died2008 (aged 81–82)
Pakistan
Other nameGeeta Vedi
Occupations
  • Actress
  • dancer
Years active1944–51
Spouse(s)
Barkat Nizami
​
​
(m. 1940; div. 1946)​

B. D. Vedi
​
​
(m. 1946; sep. 1948)​
RelativesMumtaz Shanti (niece; through first marriage)

Rashida Begum (1926–2008), better known by the stage name Geeta Nizami, was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi-language films. She was particularly known for her dancing skills. Her notable films include Panna (1944), Gajre (1948), Beqasoor (1950) and Hulchul (1951).

Geeta won the BFJA Award for Best Actress (Hindi) for her performance in Panna (1944). For the same film, according to the 1946 book Filmdom: The All-India Film Directory & Who's Who in the Indian Film Industry, Geeta became the first artiste on the Indian screen to be rewarded a sum of ₹9,000 by the Government of India.

Early life

Geeta was born as Rashida Begum in 1926, in a family based in Lahore, British India.

Career

Geeta with P. Jairaj in the war thriller Panna (1944)
Geeta with Shyam in her husband's thriller Room No. 9 (1946)

Geeta began her acting career with the successful Mann Ki Jeet (1944). She had her breakthrough in the war thriller Panna (1944). The film proved to be a runaway success and opened her to public recognition. For her performance in Panna, Geeta received a sum of ₹9,000 as a reward from the Government of India. She also won the BFJA award for Best Actress (Hindi) for her work.

Geeta subsequently appeared in a supporting role in the Muslim social drama Gaon Ki Gori (1945), which was one of the highest grossing films of the year. 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. She played the titular character in Paroo (1947), a drama criticising prevalent casteism in Indian society, to mixed reviews.

Geeta later shifted to supporting roles in high-profile productions, which included Gajre (1948), Beqasoor (1950) and Hulchul (1951). 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.

Geeta migrated to Pakistan in 1952, where she continued working on stage.

Personal life

Geeta in 1945

In 1940, Geeta married film director Barkat Nizami (the uncle of actress Mumtaz Shanti), whom she divorced quickly.

In 1946, Geeta married film director B. D. Vedi in Kolhapur after converting from Islam to Hinduism. The couple was separated by 1948. She briefly used the name "Geeta Vedi" during this period.

She reportedly shifted to the newly-created Pakistan in April 1952.

Geeta died in 2008.

Filmography

YearFilmRoleNotes
1944Man Ki Jeet
PannaPanna
1945Gaon Ki Gori
1946Sassi Punnu
Room No. 9
1947ParooParoo
1948GajreTara
1949Karwat
1950BeqasoorRadha
1951Hulchul

Awards

Year Award Work Result Ref.
1946 Bengal Film Journalists' Association – Best Actress Award (Hindi) Panna (1944) Won

References

  1. 1 2 "Geeta Nizami". Cinemaazi. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
  2. ↑ Kapoor, Shyamchand. Aadhunik Nibandh (in Hindi). Kitabghar Prakashan. p. 99. ISBN 978-81-88118-65-6.
  3. ↑ Hindī sinemā kā sunaharā saphara (in Hindi). Sinevāṇī Prakāśana. 1988.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Shaikh, R. A. (1946). Filmdom: The All-India Film Directory & Who's Who in the Indian Film Industry. p. 67.
  5. ↑ FilmIndia (1946). New York The Museum of Modern Art Library. Bombay. 1946. pp. 30, 91.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. 1 2 "1946 – 9th Annual BFJA Awards– Awards For The Year 1945". www.bfjaawards.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Top Earners 1945". Box Office India website. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  8. ↑ Rangoonwalla, Firoze; Das, Vishwanath (1970). Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969. J. Udeshi. p. 215.
  9. ↑ Premchand, Manek (30 October 2024). And The Music Lives On. Notion Press. p. 32. ISBN 979-8-89588-691-5.
  10. ↑ FilmIndia (1949). New York The Museum of Modern Art Library. Bombay. 1949. p. 139.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. ↑ Rangoonwalla, Firoze; Das, Vishwanath (1970). Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969. J. Udeshi. p. 228.
  12. ↑ Collections. Update Video Publication. 1991. p. 57.
  13. ↑ FilmIndia (1949). New York The Museum of Modern Art Library. Bombay. 1949. p. 214.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. ↑ Rangoonwalla, Firoze; Das, Vishwanath (1970). Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969. J. Udeshi. p. 274.
  15. ↑ Reuben, Bunny (1993). Follywood Flashback: A Collection of Movie Memories. Indus. p. 119. ISBN 978-81-7223-106-4.
  16. ↑ Rangoonwalla, Firoze; Das, Vishwanath (1970). Indian Filmography: Silent & Hindi Films, 1897-1969. J. Udeshi. p. 253.
  17. ↑ Division, Publications. LEGENDS OF INDIAN SILVER SCREEN. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. ISBN 978-81-230-2116-4.
  18. ↑ Selvan, M. Ponnein (2015). Legends of Indian Silver Screen: The Winners of Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1992-2014). Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. ISBN 978-81-230-2039-6.
  19. 1 2 3 Patel, Baburao (1952). Filmindia. Filmindia Publications. p. 25.
  20. 1 2 Khatun, Nadira (2024). Postcolonial Bollywood and Muslim Identity: Production, Representation, and Reception. Oxford University Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-19-889101-7.
  21. ↑ Manṭo, Saʻādat Ḥasan; Jalal, Hamid (2001). A Wet Afternoon: Stories, Sketches, Reminiscences. Alhamra. p. 627. ISBN 978-969-516-040-4.
  22. ↑ Hasan, Khalid (1984). Scorecard. Wajidalis. p. 22.
  23. ↑ FilmIndia (1946). New York The Museum of Modern Art Library. Bombay. 1946. p. 682.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  24. ↑ FilmIndia (1948). New York The Museum of Modern Art Library. Bombay. 1948. p. 718.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)