Jaddanbai, the start of the family, began as a singer and eventually became a filmmaker. Her husband was Abdul Rashid. Their daughter Nargis began her film career at age six when cast by her mother in one of her films. Nargis went on to become a major star in the 1940s and 1950s. Sunil Dutt also acted in the industry in the 1950s. Nargis went into semi-retirement after their marriage in 1958, and full retirement in 1967, but Sunil continued to act until the early 1990s. Their son Sanjay has pursued a successful film career since 1981 and continues to act today. Nargis died from cancer in the year her son made his debut and Sunil Dutt died in May 2005.