Meet actress who became India’s first item dancer, her mother was Brahmin, husband was Muslim; She’s not Helen, Bindu, or Zeenat

Bollywood movies are often considered incomplete without item songs. From Malaika Arora’s ‘Hoth Rasiley’ and Kareena Kapoor’s ‘Fevicol Se’ to Samantha’s ‘Oo Antava’ and Nora Fatehi’s ‘Dilbar Dilbar’, you’ve probably seen many superhit item numbers over the years. Many top actresses have performed item songs. But do you know who was India’s first item girl? If you’re thinking of Zeenat Aman, Helen, or Bindu, you’re mistaken. So, who was the actress who first made a mark through dance and created history? Let us introduce you to India’s first item number star.

It was because of Madam Azurie that dancers became an essential part of Indian and Pakistani films, distinct from the main heroines in 1930s. Born in Bangalore, her mother was a Hindu Brahmin nurse while her father was a Jewish German doctor. When her parents separated, she lived with her father, who encouraged her to study ballet but not Eastern dance.

Cinema lovers thought the trend of item dance was started by Cuckoo in films like Awaara (1951), Aan (1952) and Shabistan (1951). Item numbers had been featured in Bollywood from as early as the 1930s.

Azurie learnt different dance forms and soon became a part of the Bombay film industry. Her first film was Nadira. After that, She starred in many films like Pardesi Saiyaan, Qatl-e-Aam, The Bombay Talkies and Naya Sansar. She worked in more than 700 films and was well known for her dances. Do you know, she was also invited to Buckingham Palace for a dance performance.

Madam Azuri married a Muslim man and settled in Rawalpindi, Pakistan after independence. She was also a part of a few Pakistani films. There she opened the academy of classical dance where Azurie taught for many years.

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