Meena Kumari
Encyclopedia
Meena Kumari born Mahjabeen Bano, was an Indian movie actress and poetess. She is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses to have appeared on the screens of Hindi Cinema. During a career spanning 30 years from her childhood to her death, she starred in more than ninety films, many of which have achieved classic and cult status today.
Kumari gained a reputation for playing grief-stricken and tragic roles, and her performances have been praised and reminisced throughout the years. Like one of her best-known roles, Chhoti Bahu, in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
(1962), Kumari became addicted to alcohol. Her life and prosperous career were marred by heavy drinking, troubled relationships, an ensuing deteriorating health, and her death from liver cirrhosis in 1972.
Kumari is often cited by media and literary sources as "The Tragedy Queen", both for her frequent portrayal of sorrowful and dramatic roles in her films and her real-life story.
orphanage
, however, he picked her up after a few hours.
Her father, a Shia Muslim, was a veteran of Parsi theater, played harmonium, taught music, and wrote Urdu
poetry. He played small roles in films like Id Ka Chand and composed music for films like Shahi Lutere.
Her mother was the second wife of Ali Baksh
. Before meeting and then marrying Ali Baksh, she was a stage actress and dancer, under the stage name, Kamini.
As Mahjabeen embarked on her acting career at the age of 7, she was renamed Baby Meena. Farzand-e-Watan or Leatherface (1939) was her first movie, which was directed for Prakash Studios by Vijay Bhatt. She became practically the sole breadwinner of her family during the 1940s. Her early adult acting, under the name Meena Kumari, was mainly in mythological movies like Veer Ghatotkach (1949), Shri Ganesh Mahima (1950), and fantasy movies like Alladin and The Wonderful Lamp (1952).
Meena Kumari gained fame with her role as a heroine in Vijay Bhatt's Baiju Bawra (1952). This heroine always negated herself for the material and spiritual advancement of the man she loved and was even willing to annihilate herself to provide him the experience of pain so that his music would be enriched. She became the first actress to win the Filmfare Best Actress Award
in 1953 for this performance.
Meena Kumari highly successfully played the roles of a suffering woman in Parineeta
(1953), Daera (1953), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Sharda
(1957), and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960). Though she cultivated the image of a tragedienne, she also performed commendably in a few light-hearted movies like Azaad (1955), Miss Mary (1957), Shararat
(1959), and Kohinoor
(1960).
One of her best-known roles was in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
(1962), which was produced by Guru Dutt
. Kumari played Chhoti Bahu, an alcoholic wife. The film was a major critical and commercial success, which was attributed by critics to Kumari's performance, which is regarded as one of the best performances of Hindi Cinema. The role was famous for its uncanny similarity to Meena Kumari's own life. At that time, she herself was on a road to gradual ruin in her own personal life. Like her character, she began to drink heavily, though she carried on. In 1962, she made history by getting all the three nominations for Filmfare Best Actress Award
, for her roles in Aarti
, Main Chup Rahungi
, and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
. She won the award for Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. Upperstall.com
wrote about her performance,
(1963), Kaajal
(1965), and Phool Aur Patthar
(1966), all of which earned her Filmfare
nominations, with Kaajal garnering her a fourth and last win of the Best Actress award. However, after divorcing her husband in 1964, her addiction to alcohol became stronger, and she often dulled her senses with liquor. She also relied more and more on intimate relationships with younger men like Dharmendra
. Her subsequent releases, including Chandan Ka Palna
and Majhli Didi
did not do well.
Kumari's heavy drinking had badly damaged her liver, and in 1968 she fell seriously ill. She was taken to London and Switzerland for treatment. Back home, she started settling her debts and made peace with her estranged sister, Madhu, whom she had not spoken to for two years. Because of her heavy drinking, she increasingly lost her good looks, and when she returned, she began playing character roles in movies like Jawab
(1970) and Dushmun
(1972).
She developed an attachment to writer-lyricist Gulzar
and acted in his directorial debut Mere Apne
(1971). Kumari presented an acclaimed portrayal of an elderly woman who got caught between two street gangs of frustrated, unemployed youth and got killed, her death making the youth realise the futility of violence.
Pakeezah
, starring Kumari and directed by her ex-husband Kamal Amrohi
, took 14 years to reach the silver screen. First planned by Amrohi in 1958, the film went on the studio floors in 1964, but the shooting came to a standstill after their separation in March 1964, when it was more than halfway complete. In 1969, Sunil Dutt
and Nargis
previewed some reels of the shelved film and convinced the estranged Amrohi and Kumari to complete it. Hindustan Times
described the meeting which Dutt had organised between the two:
Gravelly ill, Kumari was determined to complete the film and, well aware of the limited time left for her to live, went out of her way to complete it at the earliest. Despite her rapidly deteriorating health, she gave the finishing touches to her performance. Initially, after its release in February 1972, Pakeezah opened to a lukewarm response from the public; however, after Meena Kumari's death less than two months later, people flocked to see it, making it a major box-office success. The film has since gained a cult and classic status, and Kumari's performance as a golden-hearted Lucknow prostitute drew major praise. She posthumously received her twelfth and last Filmfare nomination.
Throughout her life, Kumari had a love-hate relationship with movies, and besides being a top-notch actress, she was a talented poetess, and recorded a disc of her Urdu poems, I write, I recite with music by Khayyam
.
, who was fifteen years elder than her and was already married. She wrote about Amrohi:
Soon after marriage, Kamal Amrohi
and Meena Kumari produced a film called Daera (1953), which was based on their love story. They also planned another film, Pakeezah. However, it took sixteen years (1956 to 1972) before Pakeezah reached the silver screen. (The scenes in Pakeezah
's popular song, Inhi logon ne, were originally filmed in black and white, and were later reshot in color.)
It is said that Amrohi did not want children with Meena Kumari because she was not a Syed. They raised Kamal Amrohi's son, Tajdaar, who was greatly attached to his chhoti ammi (younger mother).
Due to their strong personalities, however, Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi started to develop conflicts, both professionally and in their married life. Their conflicts led to separation in 1960, and ultimately divorce in 1964. Highly affected Meena Kumari, who, once a happy woman, became depressed and found solace in heavy drinking. They remarried, but Meena Kumari had become an alcoholic by then.
She expressed her sorrows prominently in her poetry. About Kamal Amrohi she wrote:
At the time of the divorce, she wrote:
(BFJA)
in the year 1972. It was simply titled Meena Kumari.
Kumari gained a reputation for playing grief-stricken and tragic roles, and her performances have been praised and reminisced throughout the years. Like one of her best-known roles, Chhoti Bahu, in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Hindi film produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Abrar Alvi. It is based on a Bengali novel, Shaheb Bibi Golam by Bimal Mitra, and is a look into the tragic fall of the haveli-dom and feudalism in Bengal during the British Raj...
(1962), Kumari became addicted to alcohol. Her life and prosperous career were marred by heavy drinking, troubled relationships, an ensuing deteriorating health, and her death from liver cirrhosis in 1972.
Kumari is often cited by media and literary sources as "The Tragedy Queen", both for her frequent portrayal of sorrowful and dramatic roles in her films and her real-life story.
Early life
Meena Kumari was the third daughter of Ali Baksh and Iqbal Begum; Khursheed and Madhu were her two elder sisters. At the time of her birth, her parents were unable to pay the fees of Dr. Gadre, who had delivered her, so her father left her at a MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
, however, he picked her up after a few hours.
Her father, a Shia Muslim, was a veteran of Parsi theater, played harmonium, taught music, and wrote Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
poetry. He played small roles in films like Id Ka Chand and composed music for films like Shahi Lutere.
Her mother was the second wife of Ali Baksh
Ali Baksh
Ali Baksh or Ali Baksh Khan was a Pakistani classical singer. He, together with his friend Fateh Ali Khan founded the Patiala Gharana. Patiala Gharana is a relatively new gharana. This gharana is claimed to combine the musical traditions of Delhi gharana, Gwalior Gharana and Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana...
. Before meeting and then marrying Ali Baksh, she was a stage actress and dancer, under the stage name, Kamini.
Early work
When Mahjabeen was born, Ali Bakhsh aspired to get roles as an actor in Rooptara Studios. At the urging of his wife, he got Mahjabeen too into movies despite her protestations of wanting to go to school. Young Mahjabeen is said to have said, "I do not want to work in movies; I want to go to school, and learn like other children."As Mahjabeen embarked on her acting career at the age of 7, she was renamed Baby Meena. Farzand-e-Watan or Leatherface (1939) was her first movie, which was directed for Prakash Studios by Vijay Bhatt. She became practically the sole breadwinner of her family during the 1940s. Her early adult acting, under the name Meena Kumari, was mainly in mythological movies like Veer Ghatotkach (1949), Shri Ganesh Mahima (1950), and fantasy movies like Alladin and The Wonderful Lamp (1952).
Breakthrough
Filmfare Best Actress Award
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
in 1953 for this performance.
Meena Kumari highly successfully played the roles of a suffering woman in Parineeta
Parineeta (1953 film)
Parineeta is a 1953 film based upon the 1914 novel by Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. The film was directed by Bimal Roy. This version of the film is considered by many to be the most faithful adaptation of the novella, particularly due to Meena Kumari's interpretation of the role of...
(1953), Daera (1953), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Sharda
Sharda
Sharda Rajan Iyengar or Sharda was a playback singer in Hindi films in the 1960s and 70s. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for the cabaret "Baat Zara Hai Aapas Ki" in Jahan Pyar Miley , though she is most remembered for her song "Titli Udi" in Suraj...
(1957), and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960). Though she cultivated the image of a tragedienne, she also performed commendably in a few light-hearted movies like Azaad (1955), Miss Mary (1957), Shararat
Shararat
Shararat is a Pakistani Urdu film which was released in early 2003 across theaters in Pakistan. The movie was Samina Peerzada's sophomore directorial venture, but unlike her hit debut Inteha it was met with a rather mixed reaction at the theaters...
(1959), and Kohinoor
Kohinoor (1960 film)
Kohinoor is a 1960 Bollywood film produced by Dr V. N. Sinha and directed by S U Sunny. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, Leela Chitnis and Kumkum. The films music is by Naushad....
(1960).
One of her best-known roles was in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Hindi film produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Abrar Alvi. It is based on a Bengali novel, Shaheb Bibi Golam by Bimal Mitra, and is a look into the tragic fall of the haveli-dom and feudalism in Bengal during the British Raj...
(1962), which was produced by Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
. Kumari played Chhoti Bahu, an alcoholic wife. The film was a major critical and commercial success, which was attributed by critics to Kumari's performance, which is regarded as one of the best performances of Hindi Cinema. The role was famous for its uncanny similarity to Meena Kumari's own life. At that time, she herself was on a road to gradual ruin in her own personal life. Like her character, she began to drink heavily, though she carried on. In 1962, she made history by getting all the three nominations for Filmfare Best Actress Award
Filmfare Best Actress Award
The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1954.-Superlatives:...
, for her roles in Aarti
Aarti (film)
Aarti is a 1962 Indian Bollywood film directed by Phani Majumdar and produced by Tarachand Barjatya. The film stars Meena Kumari in the title role of Aarti, with Ashok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar and Shashikala appearing in pivotal roles...
, Main Chup Rahungi
Main Chup Rahungi
Main Chup Rahungi is a 1962 Indian Bollywood film directed by A. Bhimsingh and produced by A.V. Meiyappan. The film stars Meena Kumari and Sunil Dutt in lead roles.-Plot:...
, and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Hindi film produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Abrar Alvi. It is based on a Bengali novel, Shaheb Bibi Golam by Bimal Mitra, and is a look into the tragic fall of the haveli-dom and feudalism in Bengal during the British Raj...
. She won the award for Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. Upperstall.com
Upperstall.com
Upperstall.com is a web site on Indian cinema that focuses on classic and independent Indian cinema and its luminaries. It is owned and run by Karan Bali, Saumil Gandhi and Karan Anshuman and launched on 7 July 2000, heralding the 104th anniversary of the first ever motion picture screenings in India...
wrote about her performance,
Later work
For four more years, Kumari performed successfully in Dil Ek MandirDil Ek Mandir
Dil Ek Mandir is a 1963 Hindi movie directed by C. V. Sridhar. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar and Mehmood. The film's music is by Shankar Jaikishan. Almost all the songs of the film were big hits and so was the film too. The film was a remake of Tamil film, Nenjil Ore...
(1963), Kaajal
Kaajal
Kaajal is a 1965 Bollywood film produced by Pannalal Maheshwari and directed by Ram Maheshwari. The film stars Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, Dharmendra, Padmini, Helen, Durga Khote, Tun Tun , Mehmood and Mumtaz. The films music is by Ravi-Plot:...
(1965), and Phool Aur Patthar
Phool Aur Patthar
Phool Aur Patthar was O.P. Ralhan's 1966 Hindi film that made Dharmendra a star in the Hindi Film Industry. It starred Meena Kumari along with Dharmendra who played a villainous character whose inner good being is drawn out by Meena Kumari...
(1966), all of which earned her Filmfare
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
nominations, with Kaajal garnering her a fourth and last win of the Best Actress award. However, after divorcing her husband in 1964, her addiction to alcohol became stronger, and she often dulled her senses with liquor. She also relied more and more on intimate relationships with younger men like Dharmendra
Dharmendra
Dharmendra Singh Deol |Punjab]]), better known as Dharmendra, is an award-winning Hindi film actor who has appeared in more than 247 Hindi-language films as of 2011. In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Hindi cinema and also another Lifetime...
. Her subsequent releases, including Chandan Ka Palna
Chandan Ka Palna
Chandan Ka Palna is a 1967 Bollywood film starring Dharmendra....
and Majhli Didi
Majhli Didi
Majhli Didi is a 1967 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, based on Bengali language story, Mejdidi by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, and starring Dharmendra and Meena Kumari....
did not do well.
Kumari's heavy drinking had badly damaged her liver, and in 1968 she fell seriously ill. She was taken to London and Switzerland for treatment. Back home, she started settling her debts and made peace with her estranged sister, Madhu, whom she had not spoken to for two years. Because of her heavy drinking, she increasingly lost her good looks, and when she returned, she began playing character roles in movies like Jawab
Jawab
Jawab is 1995 Hindi movie directed by Ajay Kashyap and starring Raaj Kumar, Harish Kumar, Karishma Kapoor.Other cast include Prem Chopra, Mukesh Khanna, Annu Kapoor, Farida Jalal.-Cast:* Raaj Kumar ... Ashwani Kumar Saxena* Karishma Kapoor ... Suman...
(1970) and Dushmun
Dushmun
Dushman is a 1971 Hindi film produced by Premji and directed by Dulal Guha. It is based on a novel by Veerendra Sharma. The film stars Rajesh Khanna in the title role and for which he received a Filmfare nomination as Best Actor, the only nomination for the film.Meena Kumari, Mumtaz, Bindu,...
(1972).
She developed an attachment to writer-lyricist Gulzar
Gulzar (lyricist)
Sampooran Singh Kalra , known popularly by his pen name Gulzar , is an Indian poet, lyricist and director. He primarily writes in Hindi-Urdu and has also written in Punjabi and several dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari.Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in...
and acted in his directorial debut Mere Apne
Mere Apne
Mere Apne is a 1971 Hindi film produced by Romu, Raj, and N. C. Sippy. Written and directed by Gulzar, the film was remake of Apanjan starring Meena Kumari, Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Deven Verma, Paintal, Asit Sen, Asrani, Danny Denzongpa, Keshto Mukherjee, A. K. Hangal, Dinesh Thakur,...
(1971). Kumari presented an acclaimed portrayal of an elderly woman who got caught between two street gangs of frustrated, unemployed youth and got killed, her death making the youth realise the futility of violence.
Pakeezah
Pakeezah
Pakeezah is a 1972 Indian film. It was directed by Kamal Amrohi who was known for his perfectionism. The music is by Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad...
, starring Kumari and directed by her ex-husband Kamal Amrohi
Kamal Amrohi
Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi popularly known as Kamal Amrohi or Amrohvi in Urdu was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and dialogue writer. He was a Shi'a Muslim and an Urdu and Hindi poet. He is most known for his Hindi films such as Mahal , Pakeezah and Razia Sultan...
, took 14 years to reach the silver screen. First planned by Amrohi in 1958, the film went on the studio floors in 1964, but the shooting came to a standstill after their separation in March 1964, when it was more than halfway complete. In 1969, Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt
Sunil Dutt , born Sunil Balraj Dutt, was an Indian Hindi movie actor , producer, director and politician. He was the cabinet minister for Youth Affairs and Sports in the Manmohan Singh government...
and Nargis
Nargis
Nargis Dutt , born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting carer began in 1942 with Tamanna...
previewed some reels of the shelved film and convinced the estranged Amrohi and Kumari to complete it. Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
described the meeting which Dutt had organised between the two:
Gravelly ill, Kumari was determined to complete the film and, well aware of the limited time left for her to live, went out of her way to complete it at the earliest. Despite her rapidly deteriorating health, she gave the finishing touches to her performance. Initially, after its release in February 1972, Pakeezah opened to a lukewarm response from the public; however, after Meena Kumari's death less than two months later, people flocked to see it, making it a major box-office success. The film has since gained a cult and classic status, and Kumari's performance as a golden-hearted Lucknow prostitute drew major praise. She posthumously received her twelfth and last Filmfare nomination.
Throughout her life, Kumari had a love-hate relationship with movies, and besides being a top-notch actress, she was a talented poetess, and recorded a disc of her Urdu poems, I write, I recite with music by Khayyam
Mohammed Zahur Khayyam
Mohammed Zahur "Khayyam" Hashmi, better known as Khayyam, is an Indian music composer whose career spanned four decades .He has won three Filmfare Awards for Best Music in 1977 for Kabhi Kabhie and 1982 for Umrao Jaan, and a lifetime achievement award in 2010...
.
Death
Three weeks after the release of Pakeezah, Meena Kumari became seriously ill, and died on 31 March 1972 of liver cirrhosis. At her death, she was in more or less the same financial circumstance as her parents at the time of her birth: It is said that when she died in a nursing home, there was no money to pay her hospital bills. She was buried at Rahematabad Qabristan located at Narialwadi, Mazgaon, Mumbai.Relationship with Kamal Amrohi
In 1952, on the sets of one of her films, Meena Kumari fell in love with and married film director, Kamal AmrohiKamal Amrohi
Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi popularly known as Kamal Amrohi or Amrohvi in Urdu was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and dialogue writer. He was a Shi'a Muslim and an Urdu and Hindi poet. He is most known for his Hindi films such as Mahal , Pakeezah and Razia Sultan...
, who was fifteen years elder than her and was already married. She wrote about Amrohi:
"Dil saa jab saathi paya
Bechaini bhi woh saath le aaya"
(When I found someone like my heart
He also brought sorrow with him)
Soon after marriage, Kamal Amrohi
Kamal Amrohi
Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi popularly known as Kamal Amrohi or Amrohvi in Urdu was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and dialogue writer. He was a Shi'a Muslim and an Urdu and Hindi poet. He is most known for his Hindi films such as Mahal , Pakeezah and Razia Sultan...
and Meena Kumari produced a film called Daera (1953), which was based on their love story. They also planned another film, Pakeezah. However, it took sixteen years (1956 to 1972) before Pakeezah reached the silver screen. (The scenes in Pakeezah
Pakeezah
Pakeezah is a 1972 Indian film. It was directed by Kamal Amrohi who was known for his perfectionism. The music is by Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad...
's popular song, Inhi logon ne, were originally filmed in black and white, and were later reshot in color.)
It is said that Amrohi did not want children with Meena Kumari because she was not a Syed. They raised Kamal Amrohi's son, Tajdaar, who was greatly attached to his chhoti ammi (younger mother).
Due to their strong personalities, however, Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi started to develop conflicts, both professionally and in their married life. Their conflicts led to separation in 1960, and ultimately divorce in 1964. Highly affected Meena Kumari, who, once a happy woman, became depressed and found solace in heavy drinking. They remarried, but Meena Kumari had become an alcoholic by then.
She expressed her sorrows prominently in her poetry. About Kamal Amrohi she wrote:
"Tum kya karo ge sun kar mujh se meri kahani
Bay lutf zindagi ke qissay hain pheekay pheekay"
(Why do you want to listen to my story:
Colourless tales of a joyless life)
At the time of the divorce, she wrote:
"Talaaq to day rahay ho
Nazar-e-qehar ke saath
Jawani bhi meri lauta do
Mehar ke saath"
(You are divorcing me with rage in your eyes
Return to me, also, my youth along with the alimony!)
Filmography
- Gomti Ke KinareGomti Ke KinareGomti Ke Kinare is a 1972 Bollywood drama film directed by Saawan Kumar Tak. The film stars Meena Kumari and Mumtaz . This was Kumari's last film, released in November 1972, more than nine months after Pakeezah, which is famously credited with that distinction. Pakeezah was the last movie Kumari...
(1972) .... Ganga - PakeezahPakeezahPakeezah is a 1972 Indian film. It was directed by Kamal Amrohi who was known for his perfectionism. The music is by Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad...
(1972) .... Nargis/Sahibjaan - Dushmun (1971) .... Malti R. Din
- Mere ApneMere ApneMere Apne is a 1971 Hindi film produced by Romu, Raj, and N. C. Sippy. Written and directed by Gulzar, the film was remake of Apanjan starring Meena Kumari, Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Deven Verma, Paintal, Asit Sen, Asrani, Danny Denzongpa, Keshto Mukherjee, A. K. Hangal, Dinesh Thakur,...
(1971) .... Anandi Devi/Auaji (Aunt) - Jawab (1970) .... Vidya
- Saat Phere (1970)
- Abhilasha (1968) .... Mrs. Meena Singh
- Baharon Ki ManzilBaharon Ki ManzilBaharon Ki Manzil may refer to:* Baharon Ki Manzil , 1968 Indian film directed by Yakub Hassan Rizvi and starring Meena Kumari, Dharmendra, and Rehman...
(1968) .... Nanda S. Roy/Radha Shukla - Bahu Begum (1967) .... Zeenat Jahan Begum
- Chandan Ka Palna (1967) .... Shobha Rai
- Majhli DidiMajhli DidiMajhli Didi is a 1967 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, based on Bengali language story, Mejdidi by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, and starring Dharmendra and Meena Kumari....
(1967) .... Hemangini 'Hema' - Noorjehan (1967)
- Phool Aur PattharPhool Aur PattharPhool Aur Patthar was O.P. Ralhan's 1966 Hindi film that made Dharmendra a star in the Hindi Film Industry. It starred Meena Kumari along with Dharmendra who played a villainous character whose inner good being is drawn out by Meena Kumari...
(1966) .... Shanti Devi - Pinjre Ke Panchhi (1966) .... Heena Sharma
- Bheegi Raat (1965)
- Jadui Angoothi (1965)
- Kaajal (1965) .... Madhavi
- Purnima (1965) .... Purnima V. Lal
- Maain Bhi Ladki Hun (1964) .... Rajni
- Benazir (1964) .... Benazir
- Chitralekha (1964) .... Chitralekha
- Gazal (1964) .... Naaz Ara Begum
- Sanjh Aur Savera (1964) .... Gauri
- Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963) Seema
- Dil Ek Mandir (1963) .... Sita
- Kinare Kinare (1963)
- Aarti (film)Aarti (film)Aarti is a 1962 Indian Bollywood film directed by Phani Majumdar and produced by Tarachand Barjatya. The film stars Meena Kumari in the title role of Aarti, with Ashok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar and Shashikala appearing in pivotal roles...
(1962) .... Aarti Gupta - Main Chup Rahungi (1962) .... Gayetri
- Sahib Bibi Aur GhulamSahib Bibi Aur GhulamSahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Hindi film produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Abrar Alvi. It is based on a Bengali novel, Shaheb Bibi Golam by Bimal Mitra, and is a look into the tragic fall of the haveli-dom and feudalism in Bengal during the British Raj...
(1962) .... Chhoti Bahu - Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan (1961) .... Geeta, Shyam's wife
- Pyaar Ka Saagar (1961) .... Radha/Rani B. Gupta
- Zindagi Aur Khwab (1961) .... Shanti
- Bahaana (1960)
- Dil Apna Aur Preet ParaiDil Apna Aur Preet ParaiDil Apna Aur Preet Parai is a 1960 Hindi movie produced by S. A. Bagar and directed by Kishore Sahu. The film stars Raaj Kumar, Meena Kumari, Nadira, Tun Tun, Helen and Om Prakash. The films music is by Shankar Jaikishan. One of the most famous songs in the film is Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh sung by...
(1960) .... Karuna - Kohinoor (1960)
- Ardhangini (1959) .... Chhaya
- Chand (1959)
- Char Dil Char Raahein (1959) .... Chavli
- Chirag Kahan Roshni KahanChirag Kahan Roshni KahanChirag Kahan Roshni Kahan is an Indian Bollywood film directed and produced by Devendra Goel, released in 1959...
(1959) .... Ratna - Jagir (1959)
- Madhu (1959)
- Satta Bazaar (1959) .... Jamuna
- Shararat (1959)
- Farishta (1958)
- Sahara (1958) .... Leela
- Savera (1958)
- Yahudi (1958) .... Hannah
- Miss Mary (1957) .... Miss Mary/Laxmi
- Sharada (1957) .... Sharada Ram Sharan
- BandhanBandhanBandhan is a Bollywood drama/action film starring Salman Khan, Rambha, Jackie Shroff and Ashwini Bhave. The film was released in 1998. Salman Khan plays an orphan who gets help from his sister's husband...
(1956) - Ek-Hi-Rasta (1956) .... Malti
- Halaku (1956) .... Niloufer Nadir
- Mem Sahib (1956) .... Meena
- Naya Andaz (1956)
- Shatranj (1956)
- Adl-E-Jahangir (1955)
- Azaad (1955) .... Shobha
- Bandish (1955) .... Usha Sen
- Rukhsana (1955)
- Baadbaan (1954)
- Chandni Chowk (1954) .... Zarina
- Ilzam (1954)
- Daera (1953) .... Sheetal
- Dana Paani (1953)
- Do Bigha Zamin (1953) .... Thakurain
- Foot Path (1953) .... Mala
- Naulakha Haar (1953) .... Bijma
- Parineeta (1953) .... Lalita
- Aladdin Aur Jadui Chirag (1952)
- Baiju BawraBaiju BawraBaiju Bawra is an award-winning 1952 Hindi movie directed by Vijay Bhatt. It stars Bharat Bhushan and Meena Kumari.The movie is based on the legend of Baiju Bawra from the days of Mughal Emperor Akbar in India. Baiju is the son of a musician who also grows up to be a musician...
(1952) .... Gauri - Tamasha (1952) .... Kiran
- Hanumaan Pataal Vijay (1951)
- Lakshmi Narayan (1951)
- Madhosh (1951) .... Soni
- Sanam (1951)
- Anmol Ratan (1950)
- Hamara Ghar (1950)
- Magroor (1950)
- Shri Ganesh Mahima (1950)
- Veer Ghatotkach (1949) .... Surekha
- Bichchade Balam (1948)
- Piya Ghar Aaja (1947)
- Bachchon Ka Khel (1946)
- Duniya Ek Sarai (1946)
- Lal Haveli (1944)
- Pratiggya (1943)
- Garib (1942)
- Bahen (1941) (as Baby Meena) .... Bina
- Kasauti (1941)
- Nai Roshni (1941)
- Ek Hi Bhool (1940)
- Pooja (1940)
- Leatherface (1939)
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards
Meena Kumari has won several awards at the Bengal Film Journalists' Association AwardsBengal Film Journalists' Association Awards
The Bengal Film Journalists' Association is the oldest Association of Film critics in India, founded in 1937, by the inspiration and determination of the handful of pioneers amongst the then thin section of scribes that were drawn to film journalism with a lofty mission to serve the developing...
(BFJA)
- 1963 Best Actress (Hindi): Aarti
- 1965 Best Actress (Hindi): Dil Ek Mandir
- Special Award: Pakeezah
Biography
One of the first biographies of Meena Kumari was written just after her death by Vinod MehtaVinod Mehta
Vinod Mehta is the editor-in-chief of Outlook India.Mehta was born in Rawalpindi, in Pakistan. His family fled to India when he was three. He attended La Martinere school in Lucknow and the university there. He has published three books, including a biography of Sanjay Gandhi. He took over as...
in the year 1972. It was simply titled Meena Kumari.
External links
- Meena Kumari at Manas: Culture of India
- Collection of verses by Meena Kumari