This was India's first item dancer, worked in over 700 films, was invited by Buckingham Palace for performance, moved to Pakistan at peak of career due to..., her name is..

From Malaika Arora's Hoth Rasiley and Kareena Kapoor Khan's Fevicol Se to Samantha Ruth Prabhu's Oo Antava, Tamannaah Bhatia's Aaj Ki Raat, and Nora Fatehi's Dilbar, item songs have become a trend in films in the past few years. Many also contribute to the film's overall popularity and box office numbers. Not only actresses of this era but yesteryear superstars like Parveen Babi, Helen, and Zeenat Aman have also famously performed on item songs in films. But, do you know which actress is considered the first item dancer of the Indian film industry? We are talking about none other than Anna Marie Gueizelor, better known as Madam Azurie, who was a classical dancer and actress in British India and later Pakistan. Madam Azurie enjoyed a glorious career working in several Indian, Pakistani, and Bengali films. She is often regarded as the first item dancer of the Indian film industry.

Born in Bangalore, British India, Madam Azurie's mother was a Hindu Brahmin nurse, while her father was a Jewish German doctor. When her parents separated, she lived with her father and mastered various dance forms. Madam Azurie made her film debut with Nadira and later worked in several films, including Pardesi Saiyaan, Qatl-e-Aam, The Bombay Talkies, and Naya Sansar. Madam Azurie, throughout her career, starred in over 700 films and gained immense recognition for her dances. Many films were sold because they featured her dance number, making her a well-known item number dancer. Madam Azurie was so popular that she was even invited to Buckingham Palace for a dance performance. 

At the peak of her career, Madam Azurie married a Muslim man named Sayyed Allauddin Ahmed Gelani and settled in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, after independence. Despite the move, Madam Azurie did not give up on her passions. She opened a classical dance academy and taught the art of dance for many years. Madam Azurie also worked in a few Pakistani films but retired soon. 

Madam Azurie died in August 1998.

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