[5][6] Nirmala Devi was born as Nazim on 7 June 1927, in Varanasi (then known as Banares), Uttar Pradesh, in a Muslim family.
[7] She later converted to Hinduism, adopted the name Nirmala Devi, and married actor Arun Kumar Ahuja in 1942.
Nirmala took to acting during the period of her betrothal and her first film to be released was Savera (meaning ‘Dawn), with husband Arun as co-star.
She has five children, including Govinda and film director Kirti Kumar.
Nirmala Devi died on 15 June 1996, at the age of 69, in Mumbai.