The legendary Nutan holds the record of winning the Filmfare Award 6 times – 5 times in the Best Actor In A Leading Role (Female) category and once in the Best Actor In A Supporting Role (Female) category. Hence, it was fitting that she was honoured at the 70th Hyundai Filmfare Awards 2025 held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on October 11. Nutan’s actor-son, Mohnish Bahl, and actress-granddaughter Pranutan Bahl were present for this tribute session. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Pranutan Bahl spoke about this honour, her grandmother and a lot more.
EXCLUSIVE: Pranutan Bahl opens up on Filmfare honouring Nutan and hails her choice of films and STARDOM: “She was shooting for Bandini when she was pregnant with my father…filmmakers saw that she could carry films on her shoulders”
When did you learn about the Filmfare honour and what was your first reaction?
I learned about it three weeks ago. We all felt extremely emotional and happy. The legacy she’s left behind for me is very precious. It comes with a deep sense of responsibility – to perform well and carry myself with the same grace and dignity that she did. It’s a high standard to live up to.
I believe, you never met her. Is that right?
I did not, unfortunately. She passed away in 1991, while I was born in 1993. But I had heard about her a lot growing up. I spent my entire childhood with my dada (grandfather), who told me so many stories about her. Whenever her name comes up, people talk highly; it’s so engraved in my memory. Interestingly, I was drawn to her movies. I remember I was 11 when I watched Bandini (1963). Now, when I look back, I wonder that for an 11-year-old child, to watch Bandini and be moved is such a rarity (smiles). Bandini was a film that made me want to be an actor. By the time I was 18, I had probably covered her filmography. I didn’t know that it was one of the first few signs that I was so interested in being an actor (laughs).
While watching films of Nutan ji like Bandini, Sujata (1959) etc, did you get a feeling that these films were far more progressive than many of our current movies?
Absolutely, especially considering the kind of films being made and the risks being taken. And there was no stereotype. Moreover, for the family I belong to, it was very weird to hear questions like ‘Now that she’s married, will she work?’ or ‘Will you be allowed to work after marriage?’. My dadi was shooting for Bandini when she was pregnant with my father! In fact, when my dada and dadi were getting married, someone asked my dada at a social gathering, ‘Will you allow Nutan to work after marriage?’. It was so normal to talk like this then. He replied, ‘I am no one to allow her. Had she been a painter, would I not have been okay with her painting? Then why would I not be okay with her acting?’! These are the people I have grown up with. I am getting goosebumps while saying this because it’s a huge thing in the 50s to be talking in this manner (smiles).
No wonder then that she got drawn to such films or rather, those films were drawn to her…
I guess it was a perfect blend of opportunity, talent and destiny. Filmmakers also saw that she could carry the film on her shoulders. She did such different genres like Bandini, Seema (1955), Sujata, Dilli Ka Thug (1958), Anari (1959), Paying Guest (1957), Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978), Saudagar (1973) etc. To justify these roles in the presence of such brilliant co-actors like Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand saab, Amitabh Bachchan etc. was also a feat.
Her style has also left a mark. In fact, costume designer Veera Kapur Ee had confirmed that Nutan ji was one of the inspirations behind Katrina Kaif’s look in Bharat (2019)…
That’s great. I didn’t know about it. I must add here that I had visited the sets of Bharat many times. My film Notebook (2019) was under production. We needed to have a lot of meetings with Salman Khan sir at that time. Hence, we used to go on the sets to talk about it. In fact, we even used to joke that ‘Ali (director Ali Abbas Zafar) is going to feel like we want to AD with him’ because we kept coming on the sets rather frequently (laughs)!
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