In 1915, her father’s untimely death at the hands of Germans during World War I prompted the family’s move to Peshawar (now in Pakistan).

Astrova’s troupe performed for British soldiers at military bases, for Indian royalty, and for other crowd in small towns and villages.

was bemused at Mary's insistence on trying out for the movies, but he took a gamble by giving her a cameo as a slave girl (in a hand-painted colour sequence that accentuated her blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes) in the film Desh Deepak, and then as Princess Parizaad in Noor-e-Yaman.

Nadia proved a huge hit with the audience, whereupon, considering her skills at performing circus and other stunts, J.B.H., by then joined by his younger brother Homi, chose to develop her into a star.

[10] In 1993, Nadia's grandnephew, Riyad Vinci Wadia, made a documentary of her life and films, called Fearless: The Hunterwali Story.

[14][15] In the same year, the University of Melbourne and the Australia India Institute published a collection of original essays entitled Fearless Nadia Occasional Papers.