Latest news with #Vimi
News18
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
A Star Once, She Died Penniless At 34; Was Taken To The Crematorium On A Handcart
Meena Kumari is often remembered as Bollywood's original 'Tragedy Queen', but few know that another actress shared a similarly heartbreaking fate. That actress is Vimi, a stunning and talented performer who passed away tragically at just 34. Vimi captured the attention of both audiences and filmmakers with her debut in B.R. Chopra's Hamraaz (1967), acting alongside legends like Raj Kumar and Sunil Dutt. Hailed as a promising new star, she was graceful, educated, and trained in music, qualities that made her stand out. However, as her professional star began to rise, her personal life began to crumble. Despite initial support from her husband, Shiv Agarwal, the son of a wealthy industrialist, Vimi faced opposition from her family who disapproved of her decision to enter films. She had married young, against her parents' wishes, and had two children. At a social gathering in Kolkata, she was introduced to music director Ravi, who recognised her potential and urged her to try acting. With Ravi's recommendation, she and Shiv were introduced to BR Chopra, who cast her in Hamraaz. Although she signed a three-film deal with BR Chopra, tensions eventually arose, leading to her release from the contract. Sadly, her subsequent films underperformed at the box office, and producers began distancing themselves. Financial difficulties followed. Her husband became an alcoholic, grew violent, and pushed her to accept lesser roles in lower-budget productions. The relationship broke down, and Vimi moved to Kolkata, where she began living with a film distributor named Jolly. Hoping for a comeback, Vimi instead found herself sinking further. In an episode of Tabassum Talkies, veteran actress Tabassum claimed that Jolly not only introduced Vimi to alcohol but also coerced her into prostitution, ultimately destroying her spirit and career. In 1977, her liver failed, and she died while receiving treatment at Nanavati Hospital. Her death was not only tragic but also deeply humiliating. According to The Times of India, no family or film industry members were present to carry her body. With no money left, her remains were taken to the crematorium on a handcart. Only Sunil Dutt is reported to have attended her funeral. In a bitter postscript to her life, a media person wrote in Anandabazar Patrika that her death was a relief, dismissing her cruelly as a 'girl with wandering eyes.' During her short and tumultuous career, Vimi starred in films such as Aabroo (1968) opposite Ashok Kumar, the Punjabi classic Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai (1969) with Prithviraj Kapoor and I.S. Johar, and appeared briefly in Jaya Bhaduri's Guddi (1971). Her final film, Krodhi (1981) (featuring Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor), was released posthumously. In a world that celebrates glamour and success, Vimi's story remains a stark reminder of the darker, forgotten side of the film industry, a tale of dreams, downfall, and devastating loneliness.
India.com
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
This actress was born into a rich family, became sex worker to earn a living, was taken to cremation on a cart, her name is…
The world of cinema has heard different stories of artists about how they managed to make their way into the film industry. It is difficult for heroines to achieve a position in Bollywood, but it is even more difficult to maintain that position. In the film industry, many actresses who once dominated the hearts of people with their beauty and style disappeared overnight. Today, we will tell you about an actress who became popular after starring in Humraaz. But you will be surprised to know that her career took such a drastic turn that she ended up in prostitution. Scroll down to know which actress we are talking about. This actress saw misery in the last days of her life and died at the age of 34 while battling alcohol addiction. Even after death, bad luck did not leave her, and her body was pushed on a handcart to the crematorium. We are talking about the actress, Vimlesh Wadhawan, popularly known as Vimi. Vimlesh Wadhawan was born in a rich family Vimlesh Wadhawan, aka Vimi was born to a Punjabi family in Jalandhar in 1943. Vimi was trained to be a singer. However, she was fond of acting in plays and regularly participated in the children's programme of Akashvani Bombay. At her early age, she was married to Shiv Agarwal, a Marwari businessman from Calcutta. It was a love marriage and due to their age and caste difference, her family was against the marriage, and according to reports, she was disowned after the marriage. How did Vimlesh Wadhawan get her first film? Vimi settled in Calcutta with her husband and had two children. It was music director Ravi who introduced her to BR Chopra, who gave her the lead actress role in 'Humraaz' opposite Sunil Dutt and Rajkumar. The film was a huge box office success, and Vimi became an instant star. For a while, it seemed like she had everything: an apartment in Pali Hill, designer clothes, and a sports car. Her husband supported her unconditionally, although her parents and in-laws disowned her as they were against her entering films. Vimi's career came to an end after Humraaz; Here's how Vimlesh's film Humraaz became a huge success at the box office, despite being beautiful, Vimlesh couldn't add films to her portfolio. Within two years, Vimi was forgotten. Her husband became an alcoholic and began interfering in her career, angering several big producers over unreasonable terms. A few films with her in the lead role were released, but they flopped at the box office. Due to financial constraints, the couple moved out of their plush house in Juhu and moved to a small locality. How did Vimi end up in prostitution? After separating from her husband, Vimlesh met a small-time producer, Jolly, who promised to make a film with her in the lead role. Jolly's promised film never got made, and Vimi's dream of seeing herself as a heroine again was shattered. Soon, Jolly found herself pushed into prostitution for men. A tragic end to Vimi's career After being exploited by men, Vimi got addicted to alcohol. On 22 August 1977, Vimlesh passed away in Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital due to excessive alcohol consumption. Her body was wrapped in a dirty cloth and was carried on a cart for cremation. According to reports, only nine people were present at her funeral.
News18
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
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)
Time of India
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
She became an overnight star at 24. Passed away just 10 years later, penniless
Vimi's journey through the Hindi film industry was a brief yet haunting saga, filled with glamour, heartbreak, and isolation. Though she acted in only ten films and died tragically young at just 34, her story is remembered for the devastating contrasts between her early promise and her eventual in 1943, Vimi initially trained in classical singing. However, she pivoted to acting—a decision that earned her fierce disapproval from her conservative family. Facing intense backlash, she was disowned and left to navigate the complexities of the film world alone. Despite this, she seemed poised for stardom. Vimi had an elegant lifestyle that reflected her refined tastes—she lived in a stylish bungalow in Mumbai's upscale Pali Hill, enjoyed golf during her leisure hours, and drove a sleek car. Her debut in B.R. Chopra's Humraaz in 1968 catapulted her into the limelight, sparking hope that she would soon be counted among the top actresses of her fame proved fleeting. Soon after her promising start, her life began to unravel. Vimi moved to Kolkata under distressing circumstances, and gradually found herself sinking into alcoholism. The glitter of her initial success faded, replaced by the harsh shadows of rejection and financial one episode of Tabassum Talkies, veteran host Tabassum recalled details of Vimi's personal life. She had been married to Shiv Agarwal, a businessman from Kolkata. The union led to Shiv being cut off by his own family. Vimi was already married when she entered films, and in a 1968 interview, she had revealed that her husband intended to produce a movie for her, while she had already signed three other projects—Rangeela, Sandesh, and Appointment. But fate was unkind. Eventually, Shiv abandoned her under pressure from his parents, especially as her film career began to her first director, B.R. Chopra, once remarked that Vimi was bright, educated, and quick to learn, he never cast her again after Humraaz. The films she did after her debut failed at the box office. She managed to remain somewhat visible through magazine features and public appearances, but by the early 1970s, she had completely faded from the public eye. When news broke of her death in 1977, the tragic details of her downfall were finally made her separation from Shiv, Vimi began living with a film distributor named Jolly. Believing that proximity to him could help resurrect her fading career, she placed her trust in the wrong person. To make ends meet, she launched a textiles venture, but that too collapsed, forcing her to sell it off to repay mounting debts. Tabassum later revealed that Vimi had earned a poor reputation in the industry as an ineffective performer, which only compounded her difficulties. With offers drying up, she turned to alcohol to cope with her still, her association with Jolly turned exploitative. Reports suggested that he coerced her into sex work, framing it as the only viable path back into films. This psychological and emotional toll broke her spirit. Vimi spiraled deeper into alcohol dependency, resorting to cheap liquor in her final years. In 1977, she died of liver failure at Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital. Her body was taken to the cremation ground on a handcart, pushed by Jolly. No notable film personalities attended her funeral, though some claim that Sunil Dutt may have made a quiet after her passing, Vimi's dignity was not left untouched. A man named Krishna, who presented himself as a friend, penned a demeaning obituary in Anand Bazar Patrika. He mockingly referred to her death as a relief and disparaged her attempts to find work through personal connections, painting a cruel picture of a woman desperate and her short-lived career, Vimi featured in films like Aabroo alongside Ashok Kumar, and Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai, sharing the screen with Prithviraj Kapoor and I.S. Johar. She even had a brief appearance in Guddi, starring Jaya Bhaduri. Her final film, Krodhi, directed by Subhash Ghai and starring Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor, was released posthumously—several years after she had passed life stands as a somber reflection of the brutal realities that lurk behind the dazzling façade of show business. Her legacy endures not through awards or acclaim, but as a cautionary tale of dreams extinguished too soon.
Economic Times
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
She became an overnight star at 24. Passed away just 10 years later, penniless
Synopsis Vimi's story is a sad one. She was a promising actress in the Hindi film industry. Her debut in 'Humraaz' brought her fame. However, her career declined. Personal problems and alcoholism took a toll. She died young and in poverty. Her life serves as a cautionary tale about the dark side of Bollywood. No one attended her funeral. Agencies The Rise and Fall of Vimi: A Life That Burned Too Bright, Too Fast Vimi's journey through the Hindi film industry was a brief yet haunting saga, filled with glamour, heartbreak, and isolation. Though she acted in only ten films and died tragically young at just 34, her story is remembered for the devastating contrasts between her early promise and her eventual in 1943, Vimi initially trained in classical singing. However, she pivoted to acting—a decision that earned her fierce disapproval from her conservative family. Facing intense backlash, she was disowned and left to navigate the complexities of the film world alone. Despite this, she seemed poised for stardom. Vimi had an elegant lifestyle that reflected her refined tastes—she lived in a stylish bungalow in Mumbai's upscale Pali Hill, enjoyed golf during her leisure hours, and drove a sleek car. Her debut in B.R. Chopra's Humraaz in 1968 catapulted her into the limelight, sparking hope that she would soon be counted among the top actresses of her fame proved fleeting. Soon after her promising start, her life began to unravel. Vimi moved to Kolkata under distressing circumstances, and gradually found herself sinking into alcoholism. The glitter of her initial success faded, replaced by the harsh shadows of rejection and financial one episode of Tabassum Talkies, veteran host Tabassum recalled details of Vimi's personal life. She had been married to Shiv Agarwal, a businessman from Kolkata. The union led to Shiv being cut off by his own family. Vimi was already married when she entered films, and in a 1968 interview, she had revealed that her husband intended to produce a movie for her, while she had already signed three other projects—Rangeela, Sandesh, and Appointment. But fate was unkind. Eventually, Shiv abandoned her under pressure from his parents, especially as her film career began to her first director, B.R. Chopra, once remarked that Vimi was bright, educated, and quick to learn, he never cast her again after Humraaz. The films she did after her debut failed at the box office. She managed to remain somewhat visible through magazine features and public appearances, but by the early 1970s, she had completely faded from the public eye. When news broke of her death in 1977, the tragic details of her downfall were finally made her separation from Shiv, Vimi began living with a film distributor named Jolly. Believing that proximity to him could help resurrect her fading career, she placed her trust in the wrong person. To make ends meet, she launched a textiles venture, but that too collapsed, forcing her to sell it off to repay mounting debts. Tabassum later revealed that Vimi had earned a poor reputation in the industry as an ineffective performer, which only compounded her difficulties. With offers drying up, she turned to alcohol to cope with her still, her association with Jolly turned exploitative. Reports suggested that he coerced her into sex work, framing it as the only viable path back into films. This psychological and emotional toll broke her spirit. Vimi spiraled deeper into alcohol dependency, resorting to cheap liquor in her final years. In 1977, she died of liver failure at Mumbai's Nanavati Hospital. Her body was taken to the cremation ground on a handcart, pushed by Jolly. No notable film personalities attended her funeral, though some claim that Sunil Dutt may have made a quiet after her passing, Vimi's dignity was not left untouched. A man named Krishna, who presented himself as a friend, penned a demeaning obituary in Anand Bazar Patrika. He mockingly referred to her death as a relief and disparaged her attempts to find work through personal connections, painting a cruel picture of a woman desperate and her short-lived career, Vimi featured in films like Aabroo alongside Ashok Kumar, and Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai, sharing the screen with Prithviraj Kapoor and I.S. Johar. She even had a brief appearance in Guddi, starring Jaya Bhaduri. Her final film, Krodhi, directed by Subhash Ghai and starring Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor, was released posthumously—several years after she had passed life stands as a somber reflection of the brutal realities that lurk behind the dazzling façade of show business. Her legacy endures not through awards or acclaim, but as a cautionary tale of dreams extinguished too soon.
