02-08-2025
This Shashi Kapoor Heroine Was Forced Into Prostitution By Her Alcoholic Partner, Died Alone At 34
At the age of 34, Vimi passed away in 1977, her final journey not in an ambulance or flower-draped hearse, but on a hand-pulled cart. There was no crowd of mourning stars, no sobbing fans, no grieving family. Just silence, and a story Bollywood barely remembers. (News18 Hindi)
Vimi debuted in the 1967 film 'Humraaz', directed by the legendary BR Chopra, opposite stalwarts like Raj Kumar and Sunil Dutt. With her sharp features, polished diction, and regal charm, she instantly caught the industry's eye. Chopra signed her for a three-film deal, and the media whispered that a new Meena Kumari had arrived. (News18 Hindi)
Before Bollywood, Vimi had already made a dramatic life choice by marrying Shiv Agarwal, the son of an influential industrialist, against her parents' wishes. The couple had two children. It was at a Calcutta party with Shiv that music director Ravi noticed her striking looks and suggested she consider films. Vimi's initial hesitation of "Who will cast a mother of two?" was dismissed when Ravi introduced her to BR Chopra. (News18 Hindi)
The deal was made. But Vimi's in-laws strongly objected to her joining films. When Shiv sided with his wife, he was disinherited. Vimi now bore the burden of supporting the family. Her film career began just as her personal life started to unravel. (News18 Hindi)
As the money dried up, Shiv turned violent and alcoholic. Unable to cope, Vimi separated from him and moved to Kolkata, seeking solace and perhaps a second chance at stardom. In Kolkata, Vimi entered a relationship with a film distributor known as 'Jolly'. Friends later said she saw in him a partner who might help her revive her career. But Jolly had other plans. (News18 Hindi)
According to veteran actress Tabassum, who recounted Vimi's ordeal on her show 'Tabassum Talkies', Jolly introduced Vimi to alcohol and eventually pushed her into prostitution when all else failed. Her health deteriorated. Work dried up. Friends disappeared. Vimi, once a starlet on magazine covers, was now a recluse lost in addiction and despair. (News18 Hindi)
Adding insult to injury, a so-called friend, Krishna, later wrote in 'Anandabazar Patrika' that "her death was a relief" and called her a "girl with wandering eyes". Vimi's short career included films like 'Aabroo' with Ashok Kumar, 'Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai' with Prithviraj Kapoor and IS Johar, and a cameo in 'Guddi' alongside Jaya Bhaduri. Her final appearance came in 'Krodhi' (1981), released posthumously, where she shared the screen, perhaps for the last time, with Shashi Kapoor. (News18 Hindi)
Though often compared to Meena Kumari, Vimi's tragedy lacked even the poetic dignity Bollywood afforded to its most iconic fallen stars. Her story was not romanticised, her pain barely remembered. But in the crevices of Bollywood's forgotten tales, Vimi's life remains a stark reminder of how fame can be fleeting, and how the same city that lifts can also leave behind without a trace. (News18 Hindi)
