Vimi (1968)
She was an actress with a bright future but she couldn't capitalise on her early success. She had a troubled relation with her husband and she had to face a lot of problems in maintaining her career, facing a lot of pressure from her family who disowned her for choosing a career in movies. Actually a dwindling career and a bad relationship led her to alcoholism which drive her to penury and tragic death at the age of 34.
Vimi entered Bollywood with a dream debut in the 1967 hit film Hamraaz, which made her an overnight star. She later worked with big names like Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor, and Raaj Kumar in movies like Vachan and Aabroo. Despite being married and a mother of two when she started her career, Vimi quickly became one of the most sought-after actresses, reportedly earning Rs 3 lakh per film in the 1960s. She had a bungalow at Pali Hill and had an elite lifestyle that time. But she couldn't sustain her career and lifestyle beyond few years.
However, her personal life was full of struggles. She separated from her husband, Shiv Agarwal, a wealthy industrialist, and later got into a relationship with a small-time producer named Jolly. This relationship proved disastrous, as Jolly pushed her into prostitution. Her family had already disowned her when she switched paths from singing to acting. So she didn't had any social capital to bank upon.
After escaping this toxic relationship, Vimi was left heartbroken and turned to alcohol. Her attempts to start fresh, including a small business in Calcutta, failed, leaving her completely bankrupt. Within just ten years, her career and life were in ruins. In her final years when she couldn't afford high quality scotch and whisky she started drinking cheap country liquid which caused irreparable damage to her liver and caused her untimely death.
At 34, Vimi's health declined due to her alcohol addiction. She was admitted to a hospital but passed away from liver complications. Tragically, she had no one by her side, and her financial struggles were so severe that her body was taken to the cremation ground on a handcart.