She also starred in television serials (including 1987's Nirmala) for almost two decades before her big screen success.
Nirmala Devi, also known as Nirmala Arun (died 1996), was a Punjabi Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana, in far northern India.
With the famous American poet Robert Bly, Nirmala has recorded a cd of poetry and music called Poems of Mirabai.