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Factsheet

• Was raised by her brother and uncle after her parents died in her childhood.
• Taught herself to read and write Hindi and a little bit of Urdu and English though she had no formal schooling.
• Fled to Mumbai at age 13 with the help of a friend.
• Was introduced to many Bollywood producers by Arun Ahuja and Nirmala Devi who were the parents of renowned Bollywood actor Govinda.
• Was named Tun Tun by legendary Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar.
• Became Hindi cinema's first-ever comedienne although she began her career as a singer.
• Sang her first ever cinema song for Wamag Azra (1947).
• Sang Afsana likh rahi hoon, which earned her a fan from Delhi who came down to Mumbai and married her.
• Conceived two sons and two daughters from her marriage.
• Led a retired life in a middle-class residence at Andheri, Mumbai, and passed away at age 80 following a prolonged illness.