Meenakumari
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Meena Kumari (born Mahjabeen Bano; 1 August 1933 – 31 March 1972) was an Indian actress and poet, who worked in
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
films. Known as "The Tragedy Queen", she is regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history of
Indian cinema The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on p ...
. In a career spanning 33 years, from child actress to adult, Kumari starred in over 90 films. Kumari won four
Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
in the Best Actress category. She was the recipient of the inaugural
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 the female performer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in 1 ...
for ''
Baiju Bawra Baiju Bawra (Lit. "Baiju the Insane", born as Bacchu Nath or Baij Nath) was a dhrupad musician and composer from medieval India. Nearly all the information on Baiju Bawra comes from legends, and lacks historical authenticity. According to the mos ...
'' in 1954 and had a consecutive win in the second
Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
(1955) for '' Parineeta''. Kumari made history at the 10th Filmfare Awards (1963) by receiving all three of the Best Actress nominations, and won for her performance in ''
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' () is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman, and Waheeda Rehman. It is a remake of the 1956 Bengali film '' ...
''. In the 13th Filmfare Awards (1966), she won her last Best Actress award for ''
Kaajal ''Kaajal'' ( ''Kohl'') is a 1965 Bollywood romance drama film produced by Pannalal Maheshwari and directed by Ram Maheshwari. The film stars Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, Dharmendra, Padmini, Mumtaz, Mehmood, Durga Khote, and Helen. The soundtrack ...
''. Critics have noted that her character in ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' is similar to her life. She also went onto appear in other successful films such as - ''
Do Bigha Zamin ( ) is a 1953 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Bimal Roy. Based on Rabindranath Tagore's Bengali poem " Dui Bigha Jomi" and ''Rickshawalla'', a short story written by composer Salil Chowdhury, the film stars Balraj Sahni and Nir ...
'' (1953), ''
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai ''Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai'' () is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film, produced by S. A. Bagar. It was written and directed by Kishore Sahu. The film stars Raaj Kumar, Meena Kumari and Nadira as leads. The film tells the story of a ...
'' (1960), ''
Aarti ''Arti'' () or ''Aarati'' () is a Hindu ritual employed in worship, part of a ''Puja (Hinduism), puja'', in which light from a flame (fuelled by camphor, ghee, or oil) is ritually waved to venerate Hindu deities, deities. ''Arti'' also refers t ...
(1962),
Main Chup Rahungi ''Main Chup Rahungi'' ( English: ''I Shall Remain Silent'') is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language film directed by A. Bhimsingh and produced by A.V. Meiyappan. The film stars Meena Kumari and Sunil Dutt in lead roles. The film was a remake of 1960 ...
'' (1962), ''
Dil Ek Mandir ''Dil Ek Mandir'' () is a 1963 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by C. V. Sridhar and written by Raj Baldev Raj. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar and Mehmood. The film's music is by Shankar Jaikishan. ...
'' (1963), ''
Phool Aur Patthar ''Phool Aur Patthar'' () is a 1966 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed and produced by O. P. Ralhan, and written by Ralhan with Akhtar ul Iman and Ahsan Rizvi. It stars Meena Kumari and Dharmendra as contrasting characters who ...
'' (1966) and ''
Mere Apne ''Mere Apne'' is a 1971 Indian Hindi-language film written and directed by Gulzar in his directorial debut and produced by Romu, Raj and N. C. Sippy. A remake of the 1968 Bengali film '' Apanjan'', it was the first movie of Vinod Khanna as Hero. ...
'' (1971). By late 1960s, Kumari got addicted to alcohol, the effect of which was visible in her subsequent films. Kumari was also a poet and a playback singer. She sang in some of her early films as a child artist and to her poems which came out in an album, ''I Write, I Recite'' (1971). She also designed the costumes in ''Pakeezah''. On 31 March 1972, Kumari died at the age of 38, from
cirrhosis of the liver Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, chronic liver failure or chronic hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease, is a chronic condition of the liver in which the normal functioning tissue, or parenchyma, is replaced ...
, which has been associated with her
alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...
.


Early life and family background


Birth and childhood

Meena Kumari was born with the name Mahjabeen to Ali Bux and Iqbal Begum on 1 August 1933. This was a great disappointment to Ali Bux as he wanted a son. She was the second daughter and had two sisters; the elder named Khursheed Jr. and the younger named Mahliqa (known as Madhu, a former child artist married to actor
Mehmood Mahmud is a transliteration of the male Arabic given name (), common in most parts of the Islamic world. It comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root Ḥ-M-D, meaning ''praise'', along with ''Muhammad''. Given name Mahmood *Mahmood Ali (1928 ...
) Her father could not afford to pay the doctor for her delivery, so he left her at an orphanage, but he changed his mind a few hours later and took her back home. As a child, Kumari was not keen on having a film career, and would rather attend school. Despite this, her parents started taking her to film studios for work opportunities. Director
Vijay Bhatt Vijay Bhatt (born Vrajlal Jagneshwar Bhatt; 12 May 1907 – 17 October 1993) was a producer-director-screenwriter of Hindi cinema, who made such films as '' Ram Rajya'' (1943), '' Baiju Bawra'' (1952), '' Goonj Uthi Shehnai'' (1959) and '' Hi ...
cast Mahjabeen in the film ''
Leatherface Leatherface is a character from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (franchise), ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'' series. He first appeared in ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' (1974) as the mentally disabled member of a family of deranged Human cannibalis ...
'' and on her first day of work, she was paid Rs. 25. ''Leatherface'' was released in 1939. She became the breadwinner in the Bux family at a very young age. In an interview given in 1962, Kumari explained that the fact that she had supported her parents from the age of four gave her immense satisfaction. She was admitted into a regular school, but the demands of work frequently interrupted her curriculum. She did not attend school in any meaningful sense, therefore her education was the result of private tuition and self-education. Kumari's father was a
Sunni Muslim Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
named Master Ali Bux who had migrated from
Bhera Bhera (; ) is a city and a tehsil of Sargodha District, Punjab province of Pakistan. The city is known for wood-carved items, textiles (such as quilts and khussas), and certain desserts (such as pheonian and pateesa). The city is made up ...
(now in
West Punjab West Punjab (; ) was a province in the Dominion of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955. It was established from the western-half of British Punjab, following the independence of Pakistan. The province covered an area of 159,344 km sq (61523 sq mi), i ...
,
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
). He was a veteran of Parsi theater, played harmonium, wrote
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
poetry, composed music and also played small roles in a few films. Kumari's mother Iqbal Begum, whose original name was Prabhavati Devi, was a
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
, who converted to Islam after her marriage. Iqbal Begum was born to a father from
Meerut Meerut (, ISO 15919, ISO: ''Mēraṭh'') is a city in the western region of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Located in the Meerut district, it is northeast of the national capital, New Delhi, and is ...
, Uttar Pradesh and a
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
mother. She was the second wife of Ali Bux. Before meeting and marrying Ali Bux, she was a stage actress and was said to be related to the
Tagore family The Tagore family ( ) has been one of the leading families of Kolkata, West Bengal, India, and is regarded as one of the key influencers during the Bengali Renaissance. The family has produced several people who have contributed substantially ...
of
Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...
.


Connection with Tagore family

Kumari's grandmother, Hem Sundari Tagore, was either the daughter or a widow of
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Thakur (; anglicised as Rabindranath Tagore ; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengalis, Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer, and painter of the Bengal Renai ...
's distant cousin. After the death of her husband, she was forced by his family to leave for Meerut, where she became a nurse, married a Christian named Pyare Lal Shakir Meeruti (1880–1956) who was an Urdu journalist and embraced Christianity. She had two daughters; one of whom was Prabhavati, Kumari's mother.


Career


Early work as Baby Meena (1939–45)

Kumari began acting when she was four. She initially worked mostly in
Vijay Bhatt Vijay Bhatt (born Vrajlal Jagneshwar Bhatt; 12 May 1907 – 17 October 1993) was a producer-director-screenwriter of Hindi cinema, who made such films as '' Ram Rajya'' (1943), '' Baiju Bawra'' (1952), '' Goonj Uthi Shehnai'' (1959) and '' Hi ...
productions; '' Leather Face'' (1939), ''
Adhuri Kahani ''Adhuri Kahani'' (The Unfinished Tale) is an Indian film directed by Chaturbuj Doshi released in 1939. The cast includes Durga Khote, Prithviraj Kapoor, Rose, Keshavrao Date, Ila Devi, Ishwarlal, Meerabai, Yakub, Khatoon, Mirza Musharraf, T. ...
'' (1939), '' Pooja'' (1940) and ''
Ek Hi Bhool ''Ek Hi Bhool'' () is a 1981 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by A. Purnachandra Rao under the Lakshmi Productions banner and directed by T. Rama Rao. The film stars Jeetendra and Rekha, with music composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal. I ...
'' (1940). Bhatt rechristened Mahjabeen as "Baby Meena" during the filming of ''
Ek Hi Bhool ''Ek Hi Bhool'' () is a 1981 Indian Hindi-language drama film, produced by A. Purnachandra Rao under the Lakshmi Productions banner and directed by T. Rama Rao. The film stars Jeetendra and Rekha, with music composed by Laxmikant–Pyarelal. I ...
'' (1940). More films followed, namely '' Nai Roshni'' (1941), '' Bahen'' (1941), ''
Kasauti ''Kasauti'' () is a 1974 Bollywood drama film directed and produced by Aravind Sen. It stars Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Pran in lead roles. Synopsis Sapna, a slum dweller of Bombay seeks refuge from a drunken outburst of her stepfather. ...
'' (1941), '' Vijay'' (1942), '' Garib'' (1942), ''
Pratiggya ''Pratiggya'' (English: The Vow) is an Indian film. It was released in Bollywood films of 1943, 1943.- The cast includes Baby Meena (Meena Kumari) as a child artist. Cast * Motilal (actor), Motilal * Swaran Lata (actress), Swaran lata * Meena ...
'' (1943) and '' Lal Haveli'' (1944).


Early career (1946–52)

She was cast under the name Meena Kumari in Ramnik Production's '' Bachchon Ka Khel'' (1946). One of the major setbacks in Kumari's life was the death of her mother who died on 25 March 1947. '' Duniya Ek Sarai'' (1946), '' Piya Ghar Aaja'' (earlier titled ''Jalan'') (1948) and '' Bichchade Balam'' (1948) were some of her early films in which she not only acted but also sang songs. By the late 1940s, she shifted her focus to mythology or fantasy films. '' Veer Ghatotkach'' (1949), ''
Shri Ganesh Mahima ''Shri Ganesh Mahima'' also called ''Shri Krishna Vivah'' is a 1950 Hindi mythological film directed by Homi Wadia. The film was made under Wadia's Basant Pictures Banner with music composed by S. N. Tripathi. Meena Kumari, after her career as a ...
'' (1950), '' Laxmi Narayan'' (1951), ''
Hanuman Patal Vijay ''Hanuman Patal Vijay'' (, "Hanuman's Victory Over Hell") is a 1951 Hindi mythological film directed by Homi Wadia for his Basant Pictures banner. Meena Kumari starred in this devotional film with S. N. Tripathi playing Hanuman. Following her car ...
'' (1951) and ''
Aladdin Aur Jadui Chirag ''Aladdin And The Wonderful Lamp'' (Aladdin Aur Jadui Chirag) is a List of Bollywood films of 1952, 1952 Indian fantasy film produced and directed by Homi Wadia. Made under the Basant Pictures banner, it had story, scenario and additional dialo ...
'' (1952) were films in which she is credited. Other films, such as '' Magroor'' (1950), '' Hamara Ghar'' (1950), ''
Sanam Sanam may refer to: Places * Sanam, Iran, a village in Iran * Sanam, Niger, a commune in Niger * Sanam, Sudan, a village in Sudan Entertainment * ''Sanam'' (1997 film), a 1997 Hindi drama film * ''Sanam'' (1951 film), a 1951 Bollywood romant ...
'' (1951), '' Madhosh'' (1951), and ''
Tamasha Tamasha () is a traditional form of Marathi theatre, often with singing and dancing, widely performed by local or travelling theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India."Tamasha", in James R. Brandon and Martin Banham (eds), ''The Cambr ...
'' (1952), mostly had an ensemble cast. Kumari's rise came with her mentor
Vijay Bhatt Vijay Bhatt (born Vrajlal Jagneshwar Bhatt; 12 May 1907 – 17 October 1993) was a producer-director-screenwriter of Hindi cinema, who made such films as '' Ram Rajya'' (1943), '' Baiju Bawra'' (1952), '' Goonj Uthi Shehnai'' (1959) and '' Hi ...
's musical, ''
Baiju Bawra Baiju Bawra (Lit. "Baiju the Insane", born as Bacchu Nath or Baij Nath) was a dhrupad musician and composer from medieval India. Nearly all the information on Baiju Bawra comes from legends, and lacks historical authenticity. According to the mos ...
'' (1952).


Rising star (1952–56)

*1952: ''
Baiju Bawra Baiju Bawra (Lit. "Baiju the Insane", born as Bacchu Nath or Baij Nath) was a dhrupad musician and composer from medieval India. Nearly all the information on Baiju Bawra comes from legends, and lacks historical authenticity. According to the mos ...
'' – Kumari played the female lead in the film. Following its success, she featured as a model for Hindustan Lever products and on the calendar of a popular beauty soap. *1953: '' Parineeta'' – Directed by
Bimal Roy Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 7 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as , '' Parineeta'', ''Biraj Bahu'', '' Devdas'', '' Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' Parakh'' and '' Ba ...
, (featuring
Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...
and Kumari in lead) won Kumari her second Filmfare Best Actress Award. It was based on the 1914 Bengali novel by
Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (anglicised as Sarat Chandra Chatterjee; 15 September 1876 – 16 January 1938) was a Bengali novelist and short story writer of the early 20th century. He generally wrote about the lives of Bengali family and societ ...
. , another
Bimal Roy Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 7 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as , '' Parineeta'', ''Biraj Bahu'', '' Devdas'', '' Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' Parakh'' and '' Ba ...
directorial, won the International Prize at
Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...
in 1954, the first Indian film to do so. This film also marks the only guest appearance of Kumari. '' Foot Path'' – directed by
Zia Sarhadi Zia Sarhadi (; born Fazl-e-Qadir Sethi 1914 in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, North West Frontier Province – 27 January 1997 in Karachi, Sindh) was an Indian and Pakistani screenwriter and Film director, director of films in the Indian Film I ...
, was Kumari's first film with
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
. This movie was featured in Avijit Ghosh's book, ''40 Retakes: Bollywood Classics You May Have Missed''. ''
Daaera ''Daaera'' () is a 1953 Indian film written and directed by Kamal Amrohi, starring Meena Kumari and Nasir Khan. It was released at Bombay's Naaz cinema. Its story is loosely based on Kamal Amrohi and Meena Kumari's own love story. Plot One nig ...
'' – was written and directed by Kamal Amrohi, starring Kumari, Nasir Khan and
Nana Palsikar Nana Palshikar () (1907 – 1 June 1984) was an Indian actor who appeared in over 80 Hindi films. He made his film debut in 1935 with ''Dhuwandhar'', and went on to play character roles in both Hindi mainstream and arthouse films. He was also c ...
in lead roles. Other films included '' Naulakha Haar'' and '' Daana Paani''. *1954: ''
Chandni Chowk The Chandni Chowk (meaning Moonlight Square) is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. There is another location in Pune with the name Chandani Chowk. Located close to the Old Delhi railway station, the Mughal-era Red Fort ...
'' – directed by B. R. Chopra in 1954, a classic
Muslim social The Muslim social is a film genre in Hindi cinema that focuses on the depiction of Islamic culture and traditions in India. It flourished in the 1950s and 1960s and lasted till the early 1980s. These films are characterised by the use of ghazal ...
drama film, was a success at the box office. ''
Baadbaan ''BaadBaan'' () is a 1954 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Phani Majumdar and produced by the Bombay Talkies Workers' Industrial Cooperative Society Limited. Baad means storm and Baan means keeping or safeguarding. The film stars Dev ...
-'' directed by
Phani Majumdar Phani Majumdar was a pioneering Indian film director, who worked in Bengali and Hindi cinema, most known for his film ''Street Singer (1938 film), Street Singer'' (1938) starring K.L. Saigal noted for its song, ''Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye'' ...
, included a star cast of Kumari,
Dev Anand Dev Anand (; born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand; 26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011) was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Indian cinema, Hindi cinema. He is considered as one of the greatest and most succes ...
, Ashok Kumar and
Usha Kiran Usha Kiran (22 April 1929 – 9 March 2000) was an Indian actress. In a career spanning over four decades, she acted in over 50 Hindi and Marathi films, notably '' Daag'' (1952), '' Patita'' (1953), '' Baadbaan'' (1954), '' Chupke Chupke'' (1975 ...
. ''
Ilzaam ''Ilzaam'' () is a 1986 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Shibu Mitra and produced by Pahlaj Nihlani, starring Govinda in his film debut alongside Neelam, Shatrughan Sinha, Anita Raj, Shashi Kapoor and Prem Chopra. The film was de ...
'' – directed by R C Talwar, starring Kumari and
Kishore Kumar Kishore Kumar (born Abhas Kumar Ganguly; ; 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern India ...
, also premiered. *1955: In '' Azaad'', directed by Sriramulu Naidu S.M., Kumari performed with
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
in this comedy. It was the second highest-grossing
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
film of that year and included the song ''"Aplam Chaplam"'', sung by
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar (; born Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. He ...
and
Usha Mangeshkar Usha Mangeshkar is an Indian singer who has recorded many Marathi, Manipuri, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Nepali, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, Odia and Assamese songs. She is the youngest among four Mangeshkar sisters, after Lata Mangeshkar, Meena ...
. '' Adl-e-Jehangir'' – was a Hindi language historical drama film directed by G.P. Sippy. It became a commercial success at the box office. ''Bandish'' - directed by
Satyen Bose Satyen Bose (22 January 1916 – 9 June 1993) was a film director from India. He has directed both Bengali and Hindi language films. Among his most notable films are '' Raat Aur Din, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Dosti'', and ''Jagriti''. ''Jagriti ...
starring Kumari, Ashok Kumar, and Daisy Irani was a box office hit. '' Rukhsana'' - was directed by R.C. Talwar and starred Kumari and Kishore Kumar. *1956: '' Mem Sahib'' – directed by R.C. Talwar, featured Kumari for the first time with
Shammi Kapoor Shammi Kapoor (born Shamsher Raj Kapoor; (pronounced Help:IPA/Hindi and Urdu, ʌmːi kʌpuːɾ 21 October 1931 – 14 August 2011) was an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi cinema. Kapoor is considered one of the greatest and most s ...
. The modern avatar of Kumari was well received by audiences and the film became a box office hit. '' Ek Hi Raasta'' – was a film based on the issue of widow remarriage, directed and produced by B. R. Chopra. It starred Kumari with newcomer
Sunil Dutt Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Raghunath Dutt; 6 June 1929 – 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director, and politician known for his work in Hindi Cinema. He acted in more than 80 films over a career spanning five decades and was t ...
, Ashok Kumar and Daisy Irani. The film proved to be successful at the box office and was screened for more than 25 weeks, which was a "Jubilee Hit". - directed by Hemchandra Chunder, based on the popular Bengali novel ''Mantra Shakti'', starred Kumari and
Pradeep Kumar Pradeep Kumar (4 January 1925 – 27 October 2001) was an Indian actor who is recognized for his work in Hindi, Punjabi and English-language films. (Dinesh RahejaEver the royalRediff.com website, Published 2 June 2003, Retrieved 16 February 2 ...
as leads. It was awarded with a Certificate of Merit in the
National Film Awards The National Film Awards are awards for artistic and technical merit given for "Excellence within the Cinema of India, Indian film industry". Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India ...
. ''
Naya Andaz ''Naya Andaz'' () is a 1956 Indian Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language ...
'' – directed by K. Amarnath, starring Kumari and Kishore Kumar in lead roles, was a musical hit. '' Halaku'' – a historical, was directed by D.D. Kashyap which included Kumari,
Pran PRAN-RFL Group () is a Bangladeshi conglomerate, founded in 1981 by Amjad Khan Chowdhury. It is one of the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh Pran-RFL Group is headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and employs over 1,00,000 people worldwide ...
,
Minoo Mumtaz Minoo Mumtaz (born as Malikunnisa Ali; 26 April 1942 – 23 October 2021) was an Indian actress. She was the sister of India's ace comedian Mehmood and was part of the Mehmood Ali film family. Minoo Mumtaz appeared in many Hindi films of the ...
,
Raj Mehra Raj Mehra (born 20 May 1913 – 10 April 1993) was an Indian character artist and film actor in Hindi language films, especially known for his role as a father of leading actors. During his career, he worked in over 300 Hindi films. Some of hi ...
and Helen. It was a box office hit and celebrated a silver jubilee.


Tragedy queen of Indian cinema (1957)

*1957: '' Sharada'' – directed by L.V. Prasad, was Kumari's first venture with
Raj Kapoor Raj Kapoor (; born as Shrishti Nath Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influen ...
. She won best actress at Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for her work. The film gained great critical success and was the ninth highest grossing film at the Indian box office in 1957. '' Miss Mary'' – a comedy film directed by L.V. Prasad, starred Kumari and
Gemini Ganesan Ramasamy Ganesan (17 November 1920 – 22 March 2005), better known by his stage name Gemini Ganesan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He was referred as Kaadhal Mannan (King of Romance) for his romantic roles in films. G ...
. The film was one of the biggest hits of that year. *1958: For ''
Sahara The Sahara (, ) is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of , it is the largest hot desert in the world and the list of deserts by area, third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Ar ...
'' – directed by Lekhraj Bhakri, Kumari received a
Filmfare ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of India's most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, ...
nomination. ''
Yahudi ''Yahudi'' () is a 1958 Hindi-language epic romantic historical drama film directed by Bimal Roy. It stars Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, Sohrab Modi, Nazir Hussain, Nigar Sultana among others. It is based on the play '' Yahudi Ki Ladki'' by ...
'', directed by
Bimal Roy Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 7 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as , '' Parineeta'', ''Biraj Bahu'', '' Devdas'', '' Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' Parakh'' and '' Ba ...
starred Kumari,
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
,
Sohrab Modi Sohrab Merwanji Modi (2 November 1897 – 28 January 1984) was an Indian stage and film actor, director and producer. His films include ''Khoon Ka Khoon'' (1935), a version of Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', ''Sikandar (1941 film), Sikandar'', '' ...
,
Nazir Hussain Nazir Hussain (15 May 1922 – 16 October 1987) was an Indian actor, director and screenwriter. He was famous as a character actor in Hindi cinema and was a pioneer of Bhojpuri cinema. He acted in almost 500 films, with Dev Anand starring in ...
and Nigar Sultana. It was based on the play ''
Yahudi Ki Ladki ''Yahudi Ki Ladki'' (The Jew's Daughter) is a historical Urdu play by Agha Hashar Kashmiri, on the theme of persecution of Jews by the Romans. It was first published in 1913. The play became his best known work, and a classic in Parsi-Urdu theat ...
'' by
Agha Hashar Kashmiri Agha Hashar Kashmiri ( born Muhammad Shah; 3 April 1879 – 1 April 1935) was an Urdu poet, playwright and dramatist. A number of his plays were Indian Shakespearean adaptations. Early life Muhammad Shah (Agha Hashar Kashmiri was his pen n ...
, a classic in
Parsi The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, w ...
– Urdu theatre, about the persecution of Jews in the Roman Empire. The film was a box office hit with the song ''"Yeh Mera Diwanapan Hai"'' sung by
Mukesh Mukesh is an epithet for the Hindu god Shiva, and literally means "conqueror of the Muka demon". It is commonly used as a male given name in India. People with the name Mukesh include: * Mukesh (singer) (1923–1976), Indian playback singer from ...
. ''
Farishta Fereshteh or Ferishteh or Freshteh or Freshte, ''fereshteh/fereshtah'') is a feminine given name of Persian origin meaning angel, one of the most popular names in the Persian-speaking world. It is also transliterated as Freshteh or Fereshta or Far ...
'' and '' Savera'' (directed by
Satyen Bose Satyen Bose (22 January 1916 – 9 June 1993) was a film director from India. He has directed both Bengali and Hindi language films. Among his most notable films are '' Raat Aur Din, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Dosti'', and ''Jagriti''. ''Jagriti ...
) had Ashok Kumar and Kumari as protagonists. The films were rated as above average. *1959: ''
Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan ''Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language film directed and produced by Devendra Goel. The film stars Rajendra Kumar as the protagonist Dr Anand and Meena Kumari, Honey Irani and Madan Puri in pivotal roles. The film wa ...
'', directed and produced by
Devendra Goel Devendra Goel (3 March 1919 – 26 February 1979) was an Indian film director and producer of Bollywood films and best known for his work in the 1950s and early 1960s. He directed Aankhen on his debut. Devendra Goel also directed the Marath ...
, stars Kumari with
Rajendra Kumar Rajendra Kumar (born as Rajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999), was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar was on ...
and
Honey Irani Honey Irani is an Indian actress and screenwriter, who works in Hindi cinema. She started her career as a child actor with roles in films such as Mahesh Kaul’s Pyar ki Pyas. She was probably four to five years old when the shooting of the m ...
. The film was a huge hit at the box office and Kumari received a
Filmfare ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of India's most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, ...
nomination for her performance in the Best Actress category. ''
Char Dil Char Rahen ''Char Dil Char Rahen'' (English title: ''Four Hearts, Four Roads'') is a 1959 Hindi film directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, and starring two big stars of the era, real-life brothers Shammi Kapoor and Raj Kapoor. The movie is based on a novel of t ...
'' – was directed by
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (7 June 1914 – 1 June 1987) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, novelist, and journalist in Urdu, Hindi and English. He won four National Film Awards in India. Internationally, his films won the ( Golden Palm Gr ...
, with a star cast including Kumari,
Raj Kapoor Raj Kapoor (; born as Shrishti Nath Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influen ...
,
Shammi Kapoor Shammi Kapoor (born Shamsher Raj Kapoor; (pronounced Help:IPA/Hindi and Urdu, ʌmːi kʌpuːɾ 21 October 1931 – 14 August 2011) was an Indian actor known for his work in Hindi cinema. Kapoor is considered one of the greatest and most s ...
,
Kumkum Kumkuma is a powder used for social and religious markings in India. It is made from turmeric or any other local materials. The turmeric is dried and powdered with a bit of slaked lime, which turns the rich yellow powder into a red color. In ...
and
Nimmi Nimmi (born as Nawab Bano; 18 February 1933 – 25 March 2020), was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi and Urdu films. Considered as one of the leading actresses of the "golden era" of Indian cinema, Nimmi was among the highest paid actresses ...
. The film received warm reviews from critics. '' Shararat'' – was a 1959 romantic drama film written and directed by Harnam Singh Rawail, starring Kumari,
Kishore Kumar Kishore Kumar (born Abhas Kumar Ganguly; ; 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern India ...
,
Raaj Kumar Raaj Kumar (born Kulbhushan Pandit; 8 October 1926 3 July 1996) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi films. In a career that spanned over four decades, he went on to star in 70 films and is regarded as one of the most successful actors of ...
and
Kumkum Kumkuma is a powder used for social and religious markings in India. It is made from turmeric or any other local materials. The turmeric is dried and powdered with a bit of slaked lime, which turns the rich yellow powder into a red color. In ...
in lead roles, with ''"Hum Matwaley Naujawan"'' sung by
Kishore Kumar Kishore Kumar (born Abhas Kumar Ganguly; ; 4 August 1929 – 13 October 1987) was an Indian playback singer, musician and actor. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest, most influential and dynamic singers in the history of modern India ...
. Film '' Chand'' directed by Lekhraj Bhakri focused on the effects of
polygamy Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more tha ...
prior to
The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 The Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) is an act of the Parliament of India enacted in 1955. Three other important acts were also enacted as part of the Hindu Code Bills during this time: the Hindu Succession Act (1956), the Hindu Minority and Guardia ...
. The film stars Kumari with
Balraj Sahni Balraj Sahni (born Yudhishthir Sahni; 1 May 1913 – 13 April 1973) was an Indian film and stage actor, who is best known for (1946), '' Do Bigha Zameen'' (1953), '' Chhoti Bahen'' (1959), '' Kabuliwala'' (1961), Waqt (1965) and '' Garm Hava'' ...
,
Pandari Bai Pandari Bai (18 September 1928 – 29 January 2003) was an Indian actress who worked in South Indian cinema, mostly in Kannada cinema during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. She is considered Kannada cinema's first successful heroine. She has acted ...
and newcomer
Manoj Kumar Manoj Kumar (born Harikrishan Giri Goswami; 24 July 1937 – 4 April 2025) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful actors in t ...
in lead roles. Her other films released in 1959 were '' Ardhangini,
Satta Bazaar ''Satta Bazaar'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language film starring Meena Kumari and Balraj Sahni in lead roles. The music of the film was composed by Kalyanji Anandji. Plot Ramesh (Balraj Sahni) is a widower who lives with his young daughter Ka ...
,
Madhu Madhu (Sanskrit: ) is a word used in several Indo-Aryan languages meaning ''honey'' or ''sweet''. It is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European language, Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/médʰu, ''*médʰu'', whenc ...
'' and ''Jagir''. *1960: ''
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai ''Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai'' () is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film, produced by S. A. Bagar. It was written and directed by Kishore Sahu. The film stars Raaj Kumar, Meena Kumari and Nadira as leads. The film tells the story of a ...
'' was a Hindi romantic drama written and directed by
Kishore Sahu Kishore Sahu (22 November 1915 – 22 August 1980) was an Indian actor, film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He appeared in 22 films between 1937 and 1980, and he directed 20 films between 1942 and 1974. His directorial ven ...
. The film starred Kumari,
Raaj Kumar Raaj Kumar (born Kulbhushan Pandit; 8 October 1926 3 July 1996) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi films. In a career that spanned over four decades, he went on to star in 70 films and is regarded as one of the most successful actors of ...
and
Nadira Nadira is a given name common in Asian countries. It may refer to Given name * Nadira (Indian actress) (1932-2006), an Indian actress of the 1950s and 1960s, best known for her roles as a temptress * Nadira (Pakistani actress) (1968-1995), Pakista ...
as leads. The film narrates the story of a surgeon who is obligated to marry the daughter of a family friend, while he is in love with a colleague nurse, played by Kumari. It is one of her noted acting performances. The film's music is by
Shankar Jaikishan Sankar or Shankar is a Sanskrit word meaning "beneficent" or "giver of bliss" and may refer to: People * Shankar (name) **Ravi Shankar, Indian sitarist and composer **Shankar (actor), Indian actor ** Shankar (Tamil militant), Tamil rebel ** Shan ...
, and features the Hawaiian-themed ''"Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh"'' sung by
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar (; born Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 6 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. He ...
.'' Bahana'' – directed by Kumar, had a star cast including Kumari, Sajjan,
Mehmood Mahmud is a transliteration of the male Arabic given name (), common in most parts of the Islamic world. It comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root Ḥ-M-D, meaning ''praise'', along with ''Muhammad''. Given name Mahmood *Mahmood Ali (1928 ...
, Helen, Pramila,
Sulochana Latkar Sulochana Latkar (born Rangu Diwan; 30 July 1928 – 4 June 2023), better known by her screen name Sulochana, was an Indian actress of Marathi and Hindi cinema, who acted in 50 films in Marathi and around 250 films in Hindi. She was most known ...
and Sheela Vaz. ''
Kohinoor The ; ), also spelled Koh-e-Noor, Kohinoor and Koh-i-Nur, is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, weighing . It is currently set in the Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The diamond originated in the Kollur mine in present d ...
'' – directed by S. U. Sunny featured Kumari,
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
,
Leela Chitnis Leela Chitnis (''née'' Nagarkar; 9 September 1909 – 14 July 2003) was an Indian actress in the Indian film industry, active from the 1930s to the 1980s. In her early years she starred as a romantic lead, but she is best remembered for her lat ...
and
Kumkum Kumkuma is a powder used for social and religious markings in India. It is made from turmeric or any other local materials. The turmeric is dried and powdered with a bit of slaked lime, which turns the rich yellow powder into a red color. In ...
. A film of lighter tone like '' Azaad'', it lacked the intense characterisations of earlier films of both
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
and Kumari. *1961: ''
Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan is a 1961 Hindi-language drama film directed by Sadashiv J. Row Kavi, starring Meena Kumari and Balraj Sahni. It is a remake of the 1953 Marathi film ''Vahinichya Bangdya''. Plot Geeta (Meena Kumari) is married to Shyam (Balr ...
'' was a family drama directed by Sadashiv J. Row Kavi with Kumari and
Balraj Sahni Balraj Sahni (born Yudhishthir Sahni; 1 May 1913 – 13 April 1973) was an Indian film and stage actor, who is best known for (1946), '' Do Bigha Zameen'' (1953), '' Chhoti Bahen'' (1959), '' Kabuliwala'' (1961), Waqt (1965) and '' Garm Hava'' ...
in the lead roles. The film was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. '' Zindagi aur Khwab'' – directed S. Bannerjee, starring Kumari and
Rajendra Kumar Rajendra Kumar (born as Rajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999), was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar was on ...
, was a hit at the Indian box office. '' Pyaar Ka Saagar'' – was directed by
Devendra Goel Devendra Goel (3 March 1919 – 26 February 1979) was an Indian film director and producer of Bollywood films and best known for his work in the 1950s and early 1960s. He directed Aankhen on his debut. Devendra Goel also directed the Marath ...
with Kumari and
Rajendra Kumar Rajendra Kumar (born as Rajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999), was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar was on ...
.


Critical acclaim (1962)

;Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ''
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' () is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman, and Waheeda Rehman. It is a remake of the 1956 Bengali film '' ...
'', a film produced by
Guru Dutt Guru Dutt (born Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone; 9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964; also known as Gurudatta Padukone) was an Indian film actor, director, producer, choreographer, and writer.Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. 9941998 ...
and directed by
Abrar Alvi Abrar Alvi (1 July 1927 – 18 November 2009) was an Indian film writer, director and actor. Most of his notable work was done in the 1950s and 1960s with Guru Dutt. He wrote some of the most respected works of Indian cinema, including '' Sah ...
featured Kumari in the role of ''Chhoti Bahu''. It is based on the Bengali novel "''
Saheb Bibi Golam ''Saheb Bibi Golam'' is a 1953 Bengali novel written by Bimal Mitra (1912–1991) and is set in Calcutta, India during the last years of the nineteenth century. It was serialised in the Bengali-language literary magazine '' Desh'' in Novem ...
''" by Bimal Mitra. The film stars Kumari,
Guru Dutt Guru Dutt (born Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone; 9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964; also known as Gurudatta Padukone) was an Indian film actor, director, producer, choreographer, and writer.Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. 9941998 ...
, Rehman and
Waheeda Rehman Waheeda Rehman (born 3 February 1938) is an Indian actress. Regarded among the most accomplished actresses of Hindi cinema, she has worked in more than Waheeda Rehman filmography, 90 feature films, in a career spanning over five decades. Her ac ...
. Its music is by
Hemant Kumar Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (16 June 1920 – 26 September 1989), known professionally as Hemanta Mukherjee and Hemant Kumar, was an Indian music director and a playback singer who primarily sang in Bengali and Hindi, along with several other India ...
and the lyrics are by
Shakeel Badayuni Shakeel Badayuni (3 August 1916 – 20 April 1970) was an Indian Urdu poet, lyricist and songwriter in Hindi / Urdu language films. Early life Shakeel Badayuni was born in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Mohammed Jamaal Ahmed Sokhta Qadi ...
. The film is also noted for its cinematography by V. K. Murthy and the songs ''"Na Jao Saiyaan Chhuda Ke Baiyan"'' and ''"Piya Aiso Jiya Mein"'', both sung by
Geeta Dutt Geeta Dutt (born Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri; 23 November 1930 – 20 July 1972) was an Indian Indian classical music, classical and playback singer. She found particular prominence as a playback singer in Hindi cinema and Bengali cinema (India) ...
. For ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'', to give the heavy appearance associated with excessive consumption of alcohol, she applied concentrated
Eau de Cologne Eau de Cologne (; German: ''Kölnisch Wasser'' ; meaning "Water from Cologne") or simply cologne is a perfume originating in Cologne, Germany. Originally mixed by Johann Maria Farina (Giovanni Maria Farina) in 1709, it has since come to be a gene ...
under her nose. The irritation helped her to achieve the visual appearance of an alcoholic. The film won four
Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
, including the
Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress award ...
award and was nominated for the
Golden Bear The Golden Bear () is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival and is, along with the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion, the most important international film festival award. The bear is the heraldic an ...
at the
13th Berlin International Film Festival The 13th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 21 June to 2 July 1963. The Golden Bear was jointly awarded to '' To Bed or Not to Bed'' directed by Gian Luigi Polidoro and '' Bushido, Samurai Saga'' directed by Tadashi Imai. ...
, where Kumari was selected as a delegate. It was chosen as
India's official entry to the Oscars India has submitted films for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (formerly Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film) since 1957, a year after the incorporation of the category. The award is given annually by the United St ...
.Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences *1962: ''
Aarti ''Arti'' () or ''Aarati'' () is a Hindu ritual employed in worship, part of a ''Puja (Hinduism), puja'', in which light from a flame (fuelled by camphor, ghee, or oil) is ritually waved to venerate Hindu deities, deities. ''Arti'' also refers t ...
'', directed by
Phani Majumdar Phani Majumdar was a pioneering Indian film director, who worked in Bengali and Hindi cinema, most known for his film ''Street Singer (1938 film), Street Singer'' (1938) starring K.L. Saigal noted for its song, ''Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaye'' ...
, stars Kumari in the title role of Aarti, with Ashok Kumar,
Pradeep Kumar Pradeep Kumar (4 January 1925 – 27 October 2001) was an Indian actor who is recognized for his work in Hindi, Punjabi and English-language films. (Dinesh RahejaEver the royalRediff.com website, Published 2 June 2003, Retrieved 16 February 2 ...
and
Shashikala Shashikala Saigal (née Jawalkar; 4 August 1932 – 4 April 2021), better known by her first name, was an Indian film and television actress, who played supporting roles in hundreds of Bollywood films beginning in the 1940s. Early years Shas ...
appearing in pivotal roles. Kumari won a Best Actress award for this film from the
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards commonly referred as BFJA Awards, is given by The Bengal Film Journalists' Association. The BFJA is the oldest association of film critics in India, founded in 1937 to serve the developing film journalism ...
. ''
Main Chup Rahungi ''Main Chup Rahungi'' ( English: ''I Shall Remain Silent'') is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language film directed by A. Bhimsingh and produced by A.V. Meiyappan. The film stars Meena Kumari and Sunil Dutt in lead roles. The film was a remake of 1960 ...
'' – directed by A. Bhimsingh with Kumari and
Sunil Dutt Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Raghunath Dutt; 6 June 1929 – 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director, and politician known for his work in Hindi Cinema. He acted in more than 80 films over a career spanning five decades and was t ...
in lead roles was one of the biggest hits of the year and Kumari received a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance. *1963: ''
Dil Ek Mandir ''Dil Ek Mandir'' () is a 1963 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by C. V. Sridhar and written by Raj Baldev Raj. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar and Mehmood. The film's music is by Shankar Jaikishan. ...
'', directed by
C. V. Sridhar Chithamur Vijayaraghavalu Sridhar (22 July 1933 – 20 October 2008) was an Indian screenwriter and film director. He has directed nearly 60 films in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu languages. Career Entry In 1951, 18-year-old Sridhar went to A ...
, starring Kumari,
Rajendra Kumar Rajendra Kumar (born as Rajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999), was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar was on ...
,
Raaj Kumar Raaj Kumar (born Kulbhushan Pandit; 8 October 1926 3 July 1996) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi films. In a career that spanned over four decades, he went on to star in 70 films and is regarded as one of the most successful actors of ...
and
Mehmood Mahmud is a transliteration of the male Arabic given name (), common in most parts of the Islamic world. It comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root Ḥ-M-D, meaning ''praise'', along with ''Muhammad''. Given name Mahmood *Mahmood Ali (1928 ...
, was a commercial success. '' Akeli Mat Jaiyo'' – directed by Nandlal Jaswantlal, is a romantic comedy with Kumari and
Rajendra Kumar Rajendra Kumar (born as Rajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999), was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar was on ...
. '' Kinare Kinare'' was directed by Chetan Anand with Kumari,
Dev Anand Dev Anand (; born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand; 26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011) was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Indian cinema, Hindi cinema. He is considered as one of the greatest and most succes ...
and Chetan Anand in lead roles. *1964: '' Sanjh Aur Savera'' – is a
romantic drama film Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...
directed by
Hrishikesh Mukherjee Hrishikesh Mukherjee (30 September 1922 – 27 August 2006) was an Indian film director, editor and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. Popularly known as ''Hrishi-da'', he directed 42 films during his car ...
, starring Kumari,
Guru Dutt Guru Dutt (born Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone; 9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964; also known as Gurudatta Padukone) was an Indian film actor, director, producer, choreographer, and writer.Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. 9941998 ...
and
Mehmood Mahmud is a transliteration of the male Arabic given name (), common in most parts of the Islamic world. It comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root Ḥ-M-D, meaning ''praise'', along with ''Muhammad''. Given name Mahmood *Mahmood Ali (1928 ...
. '' Benazir'' – is a
Muslim social The Muslim social is a film genre in Hindi cinema that focuses on the depiction of Islamic culture and traditions in India. It flourished in the 1950s and 1960s and lasted till the early 1980s. These films are characterised by the use of ghazal ...
film directed by S. Khalil, starring Kumari,
Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...
,
Shashi Kapoor Shashi Kapoor (pronounced əʃi kəpuːɾ born Balbir Raj Kapoor; 18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017) was an Indian actor and producer known primarily for his work in Hindi films. He is considered as one of the greatest and most successful acto ...
and
Tanuja Tanuja Mukherjee (née Samarth), known mononymously as Tanuja, (born 23 September 1943) is an Indian actress who predominantly works in the Hindi film industry. Part of the Mukherjee-Samarth family, she is the daughter of actress Shobhna Sam ...
. '' Chitralekha'' directed by
Kidar Sharma Kidar Nath Sharma (12 April 1910 – 29 April 1999), also known as Kedar Sharma, was an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and lyricist of Hindi films. While he had great success as a director of movies including '' Neel Kamal'' (1947 ...
, starring Kumari,
Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...
and
Pradeep Kumar Pradeep Kumar (4 January 1925 – 27 October 2001) was an Indian actor who is recognized for his work in Hindi, Punjabi and English-language films. (Dinesh RahejaEver the royalRediff.com website, Published 2 June 2003, Retrieved 16 February 2 ...
, is based on the 1934 Hindi novel by the same name by
Bhagwati Charan Verma Bhagwati Charan Verma (30 August 1903 – 5 October 1981) was a Hindi author. He wrote many novels, his best work was '' Chitralekha'' (1934), which was made into two successful Hindi films in 1941 and 1964 respectively. He was awarded Sa ...
. ''
Gazal ''Ghazal'' is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry that often deals with topics of spiritual and romantic love. It may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss, or separation from the beloved, and t ...
'' featuring Kumari and
Sunil Dutt Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Raghunath Dutt; 6 June 1929 – 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director, and politician known for his work in Hindi Cinema. He acted in more than 80 films over a career spanning five decades and was t ...
, is a
Muslim social The Muslim social is a film genre in Hindi cinema that focuses on the depiction of Islamic culture and traditions in India. It flourished in the 1950s and 1960s and lasted till the early 1980s. These films are characterised by the use of ghazal ...
film about the right of young generation to the marriage of their choice. '' Main Bhi Ladki Hoon'' was directed by
A. C. Tirulokchandar A. C. Thirulokachandar (11 June 1930 – 15 June 2016), also known as A. C. Tirulokchandar, was an Indian film director and screenwriter who worked mainly in Tamil films from the 1960s to 1988. He also directed a few films in Hindi and Telugu. ...
. The film stars Kumari with newcomer
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
. *1965: ''
Kaajal ''Kaajal'' ( ''Kohl'') is a 1965 Bollywood romance drama film produced by Pannalal Maheshwari and directed by Ram Maheshwari. The film stars Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, Dharmendra, Padmini, Mumtaz, Mehmood, Durga Khote, and Helen. The soundtrack ...
'' directed by Ram Maheshwari, stars Kumari,
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
,
Raaj Kumar Raaj Kumar (born Kulbhushan Pandit; 8 October 1926 3 July 1996) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi films. In a career that spanned over four decades, he went on to star in 70 films and is regarded as one of the most successful actors of ...
, Padmini, Helen,
Mehmood Mahmud is a transliteration of the male Arabic given name (), common in most parts of the Islamic world. It comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root Ḥ-M-D, meaning ''praise'', along with ''Muhammad''. Given name Mahmood *Mahmood Ali (1928 ...
and Mumtaz. The film was listed in the Top 20 films of 1965. Kumari won her fourth Filmfare award for ''
Kaajal ''Kaajal'' ( ''Kohl'') is a 1965 Bollywood romance drama film produced by Pannalal Maheshwari and directed by Ram Maheshwari. The film stars Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, Dharmendra, Padmini, Mumtaz, Mehmood, Durga Khote, and Helen. The soundtrack ...
''. The film was originally based on the novel "Maadhavi" by
Gulshan Nanda Gulshan Nanda (1919 – 16 November 1985) born in Rawalpindi, British India was an Indian novelist and screenwriter. Many of his novels were adapted into Hindi films in the 1960s and 1970s, including more than a dozen big hits of the period — ' ...
. ''
Bheegi Raat ''Bheegi Raat'' () is a 1965 in film, 1965 Bollywood film produced and directed by Kalidas. The film was a semi hit at the box office. Roshan (music director), Roshan was the music director. Hit songs from the movie include'' 'Dil Jo Na Keh Sa ...
'', directed by Kalidas, with Kumari, Ashok Kumar and Pradeep Kumar in lead roles, was one of the biggest hits of the year. The film ''
Purnima Pūrṇimā () is the word for full moon in Sanskrit. The day of Purnima is the day ('' Tithi'') in each month when the full moon occurs, and marks the division in each month between the two lunar fortnights (paksha), and the Moon is aligned exac ...
'', directed by Narendra Suri, features Kumari and
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
in lead roles. *1966: ''
Phool Aur Patthar ''Phool Aur Patthar'' () is a 1966 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed and produced by O. P. Ralhan, and written by Ralhan with Akhtar ul Iman and Ahsan Rizvi. It stars Meena Kumari and Dharmendra as contrasting characters who ...
'', directed by O. P. Ralhan, stars Kumari and
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
in lead roles. This film became a golden jubilee hit, catapulting Dharmendra to stardom and was the highest-grossing movie of the year. Kumari's performance in the film earned her a nomination in the Best Actress category in the Filmfare awards for that year. The film ''
Pinjre Ke Panchhi ''Pinjre Ke Panchhi'' () is a 1966 Indian Hindi-language film starring Meena Kumari, Balraj Sahni and Mehmood in lead roles. The film marks the directorial debut of ace music director Salil Chowdhury who also gave its music. It was a commercial ...
'' was directed by
Salil Choudhury Salil Chowdhury (19 November 1925 – 5 September 1995) was an Indian music director, songwriter, lyricist, writer and poet who predominantly composed for Bengali, Hindi and Malayalam films. He composed music for films in 13 languages. This inc ...
, with Kumari,
Balraj Sahni Balraj Sahni (born Yudhishthir Sahni; 1 May 1913 – 13 April 1973) was an Indian film and stage actor, who is best known for (1946), '' Do Bigha Zameen'' (1953), '' Chhoti Bahen'' (1959), '' Kabuliwala'' (1961), Waqt (1965) and '' Garm Hava'' ...
and
Mehmood Mahmud is a transliteration of the male Arabic given name (), common in most parts of the Islamic world. It comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root Ḥ-M-D, meaning ''praise'', along with ''Muhammad''. Given name Mahmood *Mahmood Ali (1928 ...
in main roles. *1967: ''
Majhli Didi ''Majhli Didi '' is a 1967 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, based on the Bengali language story, ''Mejdidi'' (Middle Sister) by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, which was earlier filmed in Bengali in 1950 as '' Mejdidi''. ''Majhli D ...
'' was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and stars Kumari along with
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
. The film was India's entry to the 41st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. The film ''
Bahu Begum ''Bahu Begum'' is a 1967 Hindi film directed by M. Sadiq, and starring Pradeep Kumar, Meena Kumari and Ashok Kumar. The film has music by Roshan and lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi. This film is known for songs, "Hum Intezaar Karenge Tera Qayamat ...
'' was directed by M. Sadiq, starring Kumari, Pradeep Kumar and Ashok Kumar. The film features music by Roshan and lyrics by
Sahir Ludhianvi Abdul Hayee (8 March 1921 – 25 October 1980), popularly known by his pen name (takhallus) Sahir Ludhianvi, was an Indian poet who wrote primarily in Urdu in addition to Hindi. He is regarded as one of the greatest film lyricists and poet ...
. ''
Noor Jehan Noor Jehan (21 September 192623 December 2000) was a Pakistani playback singer and actress who worked in both British India and later in Pakistan's cinema of Pakistan, cinema. Her career lasted over six decades, during which she recorded 10,00 ...
'', directed by Mohammed Sadiq, is a historical film starring Kumari and
Pradeep Kumar Pradeep Kumar (4 January 1925 – 27 October 2001) was an Indian actor who is recognized for his work in Hindi, Punjabi and English-language films. (Dinesh RahejaEver the royalRediff.com website, Published 2 June 2003, Retrieved 16 February 2 ...
, with Helen and Johnny Walker in minor roles. It dramatises the epic love story of Empress Nur Jehan and her husband, the Mughal Emperor Jehangir. The film ''
Chandan Ka Palna ''Chandan Ka Palna '' is a 1967 Bollywood film starring Dharmendra and Meena Kumari. Plot No joy in the world can equal the happiness a man derives from watching his own child at play. Not all the riches in the world can compensate for the v ...
'' was directed by Ismail Memon, starring Kumari and
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
. ''After the Eclipse'', a 37 minutes color documentary directed by S. Sukhdev and shot in the suburbs of
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
features Kumari's voice along with the voice of actor
Shashi Kapoor Shashi Kapoor (pronounced əʃi kəpuːɾ born Balbir Raj Kapoor; 18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017) was an Indian actor and producer known primarily for his work in Hindi films. He is considered as one of the greatest and most successful acto ...
. *1968: '' Baharon Ki Manzil'' a suspense
thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...
, directed by Yakub Hassan Rizvi, stars Kumari,
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
, Rehman and
Farida Jalal Farida Jalal (born Farida Sami; 18 May 1950) is an Indian actress who primarily worked in Hindi films. In a film career spanning almost fifty years, Jalal appeared in over 200 films. Best known for her character-driven roles in independent cin ...
. The film was one of the major hits of the year. The film '' Abhilasha'' was directed by Amit Bose. The cast includes Kumari,
Sanjay Khan Sanjay Khan (born as Shah Abbas Ali Khan, 3 January 1940) is an Indian actor, producer and director known for his works in Hindi films and television. Sanjay Khan made his debut in Rajshri Productions, Rajshri film ''Dosti (1964 film), Dosti'' ...
and
Nanda Nanda, including Nanda (南大), may refer to: Education * Nanchang University (南昌大学), a public university in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China * Nanhua University (南华大学), a public university in Hengyang, Hunan, China * Nanjing Universi ...
.


Career slump and final works

By the early 1970s, Kumari eventually shifted her focus to more 'acting oriented' or character roles. *1970: '' Jawab'' was directed by Ramanna, starring Kumari,
Jeetendra Jeetendra (born Ravi Kapoor ; 7 April 1942) is an Indian actor who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Hindi cinema. He is noted for his acting, style and dance. He has worked in more than Je ...
,
Leena Chandavarkar Leena Chandavarkar (born 29 August 1950) is an Indian actress who appeared in Hindi films as a leading actress and now appears in reality shows. She was active during the late 1960s and early 1970s. She played the leading heroine opposite almos ...
and
Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...
. ''
Saat Phere Saat may refer to: *Beren Saat Beren Saat (; born 26 February 1984) is a Turkish actress. Since the beginning of her career, she has received critical acclaim and numerous accolades for her acting. While studying at Başkent University, she pa ...
'' was directed by Sundar Dhar, with Kumari,
Pradeep Kumar Pradeep Kumar (4 January 1925 – 27 October 2001) was an Indian actor who is recognized for his work in Hindi, Punjabi and English-language films. (Dinesh RahejaEver the royalRediff.com website, Published 2 June 2003, Retrieved 16 February 2 ...
and
Mukri Mohammed Umar Mukri (5 January 1922 – 4 September 2000), popularly known as Mukri, was an Indian actor, who worked as a comedian in Hindi films. Born as Muhammad Umar Mukri in Uran. He started his film career with the film ''Pratima'' along ...
in pivotal roles. *1971: ''
Mere Apne ''Mere Apne'' is a 1971 Indian Hindi-language film written and directed by Gulzar in his directorial debut and produced by Romu, Raj and N. C. Sippy. A remake of the 1968 Bengali film '' Apanjan'', it was the first movie of Vinod Khanna as Hero. ...
'' written and directed by
Gulzar Gulzar (born Sampooran Singh Kalra; 18 August 1934) is an Indian Urdu poetry, Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this era. He starte ...
, was his first directorial venture. The film stars Kumari,
Vinod Khanna Vinod Khanna (6 October 1946 – 27 April 2017) was an Indian actor, film producer, and politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Hindi cinema. Recognised as a style and fashion icon, he wa ...
and
Shatrughan Sinha Shatrughan Prasad Sinha (born 15 July 1946) is an Indian actor and politician. He is a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Asansol constituency as a member of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Earlier he was elected as Member of Parliament ...
in lead roles along with
Deven Verma Deven Verma (23 October 1937 – 2 December 2014) was an Indian film and television actor, particularly known for his comic roles, with Bollywood directors like Basu Chatterji, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Gulzar. He also produced and directed fi ...
,
Paintal Paintal is an Indian surname. "Paintal" (Gotra) is a surname of Ahluwalias amongst Sikhs. This surname is native to Punjab. Persons having this surname include: Notable people * Paintal (comedian) (born 1948), Indian comedian * Autar Singh Paint ...
, Asit Sen,
Asrani Govardhan Asrani (born 1 January 1941), known popularly by mononym Asrani, is an Indian actor and director whose Bollywood career has spanned over five decades. He has acted in over 350 Hindi films. Asrani has played the lead roles, character ...
,
Danny Denzongpa Danny Denzongpa (born Tshering Phintso Denzongpa; 25 February 1948) is an Indian actor, playback singer, film director, and liquor baron. His film career was primarily in Hindi, but also occasionally in Bengali, Nepali, and Tamil films. In a ...
,
Keshto Mukherjee Keshto Mukherjee (7 August 1925 – 3 March 1982) was an Indian actor and comedian. He was born in Kolkata, Bengal Presidency, British India. He specialised in comic drunkard roles in Hindi films. Though he was famous for his drunkard typecast ...
,
A. K. Hangal Avtar Kishan Hangal (1 February 1914 – 26 August 2012) was an Indian freedom fighter and actor. His most notable roles are as Ram Shastri in '' Aaina'' (1977), as the Inder Sen in '' Shaukeen'', as Bipinlal Pandey in '' Namak Haraam'', as I ...
,
Dinesh Thakur Dinesh Thakur (1947 – 20 September 2012) was an Indian theatre director, actor in theatre, television and Hindi film, where most notably he appeared as one of the leads in '' Rajnigandha'' 1974 and directed by Basu Chatterjee, which won bot ...
,
Mehmood Mahmud is a transliteration of the male Arabic given name (), common in most parts of the Islamic world. It comes from the Arabic triconsonantal root Ḥ-M-D, meaning ''praise'', along with ''Muhammad''. Given name Mahmood *Mahmood Ali (1928 ...
and
Yogeeta Bali Yogeeta Bali (born 13 August 1952) is a former Indian Bollywood actress. She was active from the early 1970s to the late 1980s. Biography Yogeeta Bali was born on 13 August 1952, to actors Syed Irshad Hussain and Hardarshan Kaur. A cousin of ...
. '' Dushman'', directed by Dulal Guha, stars Kumari, Rehman and
Rajesh Khanna Rajesh Khanna (; born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who worked in Hindi films. Considered as one of the greatest and most successful actors in the history of Indian cinema, h ...
with Mumtaz in lead roles. The film became a "super-hit" at the box office. * 1972: '' Gomti Ke Kinare'' directed by
Saawan Kumar Tak Saawan Kumar Tak (9 August 1936 – 25 August 2022) was an Indian film director, producer, and lyricist. He directed many Bollywood, Hindi films, including successful films like ''Saajan Bina Suhagan'', ''Souten'', ''Souten Ki Beti'', ''Sanam B ...
in his directorial debut, stars Kumari,
Sanjay Khan Sanjay Khan (born as Shah Abbas Ali Khan, 3 January 1940) is an Indian actor, producer and director known for his works in Hindi films and television. Sanjay Khan made his debut in Rajshri Productions, Rajshri film ''Dosti (1964 film), Dosti'' ...
and Mumtaz. '' Gomti Ke Kinare'' was released on 22 November 1972, after Kumari's death and was a tribute to her.


Completion of Pakeezah (1956–72)

The idea for ''Pakeezah'' came into existence in 1954, followed by its muhrat in 1956. Kumari was determined to complete the film and, aware of having limited time left to live, went out of her way to complete it early. Despite the rapid deterioration of her health, she made the finishing touches to her performance. ''Pakeezah'' had a grand premiere on 3 February 1972 at
Maratha Mandir Maratha Mandir is a cinema hall located in Maratha Mandir Marg, Reserve Bank of India Staff Quarters Byculla, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Maratha Mandir was opened on 16 October 1945 and has 1000 seats. In the 1960s and 1970s, Maratha Mandir w ...
theatre in central
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
, and the prints were carried on a decked-up palanquin. The film was finally released on the following day, 4 February 1972. ''Pakeezah'' enjoyed a successful run of 33 weeks and even celebrated its silver jubilee. Kumari posthumously received her twelfth and last
Filmfare ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of India's most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, ...
nomination for ''Pakeezah''.
Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards commonly referred as BFJA Awards, is given by The Bengal Film Journalists' Association. The BFJA is the oldest association of film critics in India, founded in 1937 to serve the developing film journalism ...
bestowed the Special Award to Kumari for ''Pakeezah'' in 1973.


Career as a playback singer

Kumari was also a playback singer. She sang as a child artist for films like '' Bahen'' until 1945. As a heroine, she sang for films like '' Duniya Ek Sarai'' (1946), '' Piya Ghar Aaja'' (1948), '' Bichchade Balam'' (1948) and ''
Pinjre Ke Panchhi ''Pinjre Ke Panchhi'' () is a 1966 Indian Hindi-language film starring Meena Kumari, Balraj Sahni and Mehmood in lead roles. The film marks the directorial debut of ace music director Salil Chowdhury who also gave its music. It was a commercial ...
'' (1966). She also sang for ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'' (1972), however, the song was not used in the film and was later released in the album '' Pakeezah-Rang Ba Rang'' (1977).


Personal life


Marriage to Kamal Amrohi (1952)

Kamal Amrohi met Kumari in 1938, while searching for a child actor for the film ''Jailor''. Years later, on the sets of ''
Tamasha Tamasha () is a traditional form of Marathi theatre, often with singing and dancing, widely performed by local or travelling theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India."Tamasha", in James R. Brandon and Martin Banham (eds), ''The Cambr ...
'',
Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...
introduced him to Kumari, who later offered her a lead role in his upcoming film ''Anarkali''. The contract was signed on 13 March 1951 but on 21 May 1951, Kumari was involved in a car accident while returning from
Mahabaleshwar Mahabaleshwar () is a small town and a municipal council in Satara district, Maharashtra, India. It is a place of pilgrimage for Hindus because the Krishna River has its origin here. The British colonial rulers developed the town as a hill sta ...
to
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
. She was admitted to
Sassoon Hospital Sassoon General Hospital () is a large state-run hospital in Pune, India with over 1500 beds. The B. J. Medical College, Pune and a Nurses training School is attached to it. The Jewish philanthropist David Sassoon from Mumbai made a generous do ...
in
Poona Pune ( ; , ISO 15919, ISO: ), previously spelled in English as Poona (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1978), is a city in the state of Maharashtra in the Deccan Plateau, Deccan plateau in Western ...
for an injury to the left hand and Amrohi visited her regularly. This hospital love affair continued for four months. The accident left Kumari with a banded left little finger for life. She covered her left hand with a dupatta or saree during shoots. The film ''Anarkali'' was eventually shelved. On 14 February 1952, Kumari and Amrohi secretly married in a simple "Niqah" ceremony in the presence of a
Qadi A qadi (; ) is the magistrate or judge of a Sharia court, who also exercises extrajudicial functions such as mediation, guardianship over orphans and minors, and supervision and auditing of public works. History The term '' was in use from ...
and Kumari's younger sister, Mahliqa (Madhu). After the ceremony, the newlyweds parted. Amrohi left for Sion and Kumari and Madhu returned home. The marriage was kept secret from the family and media, although Amrohi was already married and had three children from his previous wife. After several months, the marriage was leaked and Ali Bux recommended a divorce. Kumari remained adamant on her decision, but stayed in her father's house. Meanwhile, Amrohi planned a film called ''
Daaera ''Daaera'' () is a 1953 Indian film written and directed by Kamal Amrohi, starring Meena Kumari and Nasir Khan. It was released at Bombay's Naaz cinema. Its story is loosely based on Kamal Amrohi and Meena Kumari's own love story. Plot One nig ...
'' in 1953 and decided to cast Kumari, now his wife. She unsuccessfully asked for her father's permission, then left for her husband's residence at Sion.


Separation from husband and addiction to alcohol (1964)

After their marriage, Amrohi allowed Kumari to continue her acting career on certain conditions. She agreed, but with passing time she kept breaking them.
Abrar Alvi Abrar Alvi (1 July 1927 – 18 November 2009) was an Indian film writer, director and actor. Most of his notable work was done in the 1950s and 1960s with Guru Dutt. He wrote some of the most respected works of Indian cinema, including '' Sah ...
, director of ''
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' () is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman, and Waheeda Rehman. It is a remake of the 1956 Bengali film '' ...
'', recounts how Amrohi would have his spy and right-hand man Baqar Ali present even in the makeup room while his wife's makeup was being done. According to
Vinod Mehta Vinod Mehta (31 May 1941 – 8 March 2015) was an Indian journalist, editor and political commentator. He was also the founder editor-in-chief of ''Outlook'' from 1995 to 2012 and had been editor of publications such as '' The Pioneer'', ''The S ...
, writer of her biography, Kumari was subjected to physical abuse in her marriage. He points out that although Amrohi repeatedly denied any such allegations, he learned from six different sources that she suffered. Events shared by actress
Nargis Nargis Dutt (born Fatima Rashid, also known as Nirmala Dutt; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) known mononyomusly as Nargis was an Indian actress and politician who worked in Hindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the ...
pointed to the same. Such rumours found their base on the mahurat of ''
Pinjre Ke Panchhi ''Pinjre Ke Panchhi'' () is a 1966 Indian Hindi-language film starring Meena Kumari, Balraj Sahni and Mehmood in lead roles. The film marks the directorial debut of ace music director Salil Chowdhury who also gave its music. It was a commercial ...
'' where Amrohi's assistant, Baqar Ali had a violent argument with Kumari. She immediately called for Amrohi who instead insisted that she return home. An enraged Kumari went to her sister, Madhu's home and never returned to Amrohi's. Kumari had chronic
insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep for as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low ene ...
. Upon her physician's advice, she started taking a small peg of brandy as a sleeping pill alternative. This prescribed peg of brandy turned into heavy drinking after her separation from her husband in 1964. After that, Kumari's name was associated with
Gulzar Gulzar (born Sampooran Singh Kalra; 18 August 1934) is an Indian Urdu poetry, Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this era. He starte ...
,
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
and
Sawan Kumar Tak Saawan Kumar Tak (9 August 1936 – 25 August 2022) was an Indian film director, producer, and lyricist. He directed many Bollywood, Hindi films, including successful films like ''Saajan Bina Suhagan'', ''Souten'', ''Souten Ki Beti'', ''Sanam B ...
.


Deteriorating health and treatment in London (1968)

In 1968, Kumari was diagnosed with
cirrhosis Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, chronic liver failure or chronic hepatic failure and end-stage liver disease, is a chronic condition of the liver in which the normal functioning tissue, or parenchyma, is replaced ...
of the liver and received treatments in London and Switzerland in June 1968. Upon recovery, Kumari returned to India in September 1968 and resumed work. She temporarily recovered but was now frail. After returning from London, Kumari for the first time purchased her own home, which was on the eleventh floor of a building called "Landmark", situated at Carter Road, Bandra.


Final days and death

Three weeks after the release of ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'', Kumari became seriously ill. On 28 March 1972, she was admitted to St Elizabeth's Nursing Home. She slipped into a coma two days later and died shortly afterwards on 31 March 1972. She was 38 years old. The cause of her death was determined to be liver cirrhosis. As per her husband's wish, she was buried at Rehmatabad Cemetery, located at Narialwadi,
Mazagaon Mazagaon, also spelled Mazgaon and Mazagon (Portuguese era Mazagão), and pronounced by the Christian Bombay East Indians as 'Mazgon' or 'Maz-a-gon' and Marathi-speakers as Mazhgav. It was one of the seven islands of Bombay. It is now a part ...
,
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
. Kumari requested the following prose for her tombstone: "She ended life with a broken fiddle, with a broken song, with a broken heart, but not a single regret." As per his wish, upon his death on 11 February 1993 in Bombay, her husband was buried next to her.


The poet Naaz

Kumari was an
Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...
poet under the pseudonym Naaz. Historian
Philip Bounds Philip Bounds was a Marxist historian, journalist and critic. He held a PhD in Politics from the University of Wales and wrote a number of books, including ''Orwell and Marxism'' and ''British Communism and the Politics of Literature, 1928–19 ...
and researcher Daisy Hasan wrote of Kumari's poetry: "Poetry was the medium through which Kumari distanced herself from her public image and criticized the industry that had brought her to public attention in the first place. In that sense, her poems tell us as much about Bollywood as they do about herself." *''I write, I recite'' – an album consisting of Kumari's poems under the label of LP Vinyl Record was released in 1971, for which
Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi (18 February 1927 – 19 August 2019), better known mononymously as Khayyam, was an Indian music director and background score composer whose career spanned four decades. He won three Filmfare Awards: for B ...
gave music. The poetry in the album (nazms) has been written, recited and sung by the poet herself. The album was re-released on 19 September 2006. *''Tanha Chand'' (''Lonely Moon''), a collection of Kumari's poems, was compiled by
Gulzar Gulzar (born Sampooran Singh Kalra; 18 August 1934) is an Indian Urdu poetry, Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this era. He starte ...
and published after her death in 1972. * ''Meena Kumari, the Poet: A Life Beyond Cinema'' consisting of the late actress's poems and ''nazms'' was also published in 2014.


Public image

Kumari set fashion trends which are still in high demand.
Javed Akhtar Javed Akhtar (born 1945) is an Indian screenwriter, lyricist and poet. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007, two of India's highest civili ...
points out that women in the 1950s used to follow her sober and dignified fashion trends ranging from the hair bun to the traditional ''bindi''. Director
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (born 24 February 1963) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and music composer, who works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including seven National Film Awards and twelve Filmf ...
has said that he appreciates the aesthetics of ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'' and the way Kumari played the role with grace and beauty. Her floral or traditional Banarasi silk and Kanjeevaram saris have never gone out of fashion and continue to be a favourite of designers like
Sabyasachi Mukherjee Sabyasachi Mukherjee (born 23 February 1974) is an Indian fashion designer, jewellery designer, retailer and couturier from Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Since 1999, he has sold designer merchandise using the label Sabyasachi. Mukherjee is one ...
. Tajdar Amrohi said: "When the shooting of ''Pakeezah'' started again in 1969, the first song shot was "Mausam Hai Ashiqaana". With this song, Kumari set a new fashion trend of girls wearing
Lungi The lungi is a clothing similar to the sarong that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The lungi, which usually multicoloured, is a men's skirt usually tied around the lower waist below the navel. It can be worn as casual wear and night wear. ...
. On 24 February 2016, Kumari's original publicity material and memorabilia, including paintings and portraits of her films, were displayed at the Womanhood Festival at Osianama Liberty, Mumbai, India. Due to the contrast between her stardom and troubled private life, Kumari is closely linked to broader discussions about modern phenomena such as mass media, fame, and consumer culture. Every year, on her birthday, numerous articles are printed and television programmes aired to commemorate her, and modern magazines continue to publish stories on her personal life and career. In 2010, ''
Filmfare ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of India's most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, reviews, events, ...
'' included Kumari's performances in ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' and ''Pakeezah'' in its list of Bollywood's "80 Iconic Performances". Two of her films, namely ''Baiju Bawra'' and ''Do Bigha Zameen,'' have been considered among the greatest films in a poll by the ''
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
''. On the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema, in a poll conducted by ''
News18 Network18 Media & Investments Limited, ( d/b/a Network18 Group) is an Indian media conglomerate owned by the Reliance Industries, headed by Mukesh Ambani. Rahul Joshi is the managing director, chief executive officer and group editor-in-chief ...
'' her films ''Pakeezah'', ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' and ''Do Bigha Zameen'' featured in the list of 100 best films ever made. She was featured in ''
Box Office India Box Office India is an Indian film website dedicated to tracking, reporting, and analyzing the financial performance of films released in the Hindi entertainment industry. Established in 2003, Box Office India has become a prominent source of ...
''s "Top Actresses" list from 1952 to 1961. Various publications including ''
Hindustan Times ''Hindustan Times'' is an Indian English language, English-language daily newspaper based in Delhi. It is the flagship publication of HT Media Limited, an entity controlled by the Birla family, and is owned by Shobhana Bhartia, the daughter o ...
'' mentioned her among the topmost sex symbols of Bollywood. In 2011, ''
Rediff Rediff.com, stylized as rediff.com, is an Indian news, information, entertainment, and shopping website. Founded by Ajit Balakrishnan in 1996, it was the first Indian website to become a mainstream news media organization. It is headquartered i ...
'' listed her as the fourth-greatest Indian actress of all time, noting, "Her performance ''
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' () is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman, and Waheeda Rehman. It is a remake of the 1956 Bengali film '' ...
'', is one of the finest by any leading lady in any motion picture, one where the craft is so perfect that it becomes impossible to draw a line between actress and character." In 2012, Kumari was placed at No. 3 by ''
NDTV New Delhi Television Ltd is an Indian news media company focusing on broadcast and digital news publication. It was founded in 1984 by economist Prannoy Roy and journalist Radhika Roy. NDTV began as a production house for news segments, ...
'' in the listing of "The most popular Bollywood actresses of all time". In 2021, '' Time Out'' placed her 3rd in its "The ten best Bollywood actresses" list. In 2022, she was placed in ''
Outlook India ''Outlook'' is a weekly general interest English and Hindi news magazine published in India. History and profile ''Outlook'' was first issued in October 1995 with Vinod Mehta as the editor in chief. It is owned by the Rajan Raheja Group. Th ...
''s "75 Best Bollywood Actresses" list. In 2023,
Rajeev Masand Rajeev Masand (born 13 March 1976) is an Indian film critic and journalist. He has worked for Noida based English language news channel CNN-Indian Broadcasting Network (CNN-IBN). He usually reviews Bollywood films and major Hollywood films rel ...
listed her in a similar list.


Artistry and legacy


Acting style and reception

Kumari was credited for never using products like
glycerin Glycerol () is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting, viscous liquid. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known as glycerides. It is also widely used as a sweetener in the food industry and as a humectant in pha ...
to shed tears, but always shed genuine tears while acting. At the peak of her career, she was the highest-paid actress of her generation, and was the first to buy an
Impala The impala or rooibok (''Aepyceros melampus'', lit. 'black-footed high-horn' in Ancient Greek) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The only extant member of the genus '' Aepyceros'', and tribe Aepycerotini, it ...
car. Indian Film Critic
Bhawana Somaaya Bhawana Somaaya is an Indian film journalist, critic, author and historian. She has been honoured with the Padma Shri in the year 2017 by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee. Starting her career as film reporter in 1978, she went to work w ...
said: "There was a time when top heroes were not willing to work with Meena Kumari, because she played the powerful roles".
Vinod Mehta Vinod Mehta (31 May 1941 – 8 March 2015) was an Indian journalist, editor and political commentator. He was also the founder editor-in-chief of ''Outlook'' from 1995 to 2012 and had been editor of publications such as '' The Pioneer'', ''The S ...
said: "Meena Kumari became so powerful that she would make or break stars, Kumari adopted an attitude of guardian, artistic mentor towards the newcomers who worked opposite her like
Rajendra Kumar Rajendra Kumar (born as Rajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999), was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar was on ...
in ''
Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan ''Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language film directed and produced by Devendra Goel. The film stars Rajendra Kumar as the protagonist Dr Anand and Meena Kumari, Honey Irani and Madan Puri in pivotal roles. The film wa ...
'' and with
Sunil Dutt Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Raghunath Dutt; 6 June 1929 – 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director, and politician known for his work in Hindi Cinema. He acted in more than 80 films over a career spanning five decades and was t ...
in '' Ek Hi Raasta''." Another critic Afeefa Banu described her as "an object of fantasy and a motif of melancholy". Kumari helped
Dharmendra Dharmendra Kewal Krishan Deol (born 8 December 1935), known mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer, and politician who is primarily known for his work in Hindi films. Dharmendra is widely considered one of the greatest, most h ...
enormously in the initial stages of his career, and established his acting career in
Indian Cinema The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on p ...
. The Kathak master Pandit
Lachhu Maharaj Pandit Bajinath Prasad also known as Pandit Lachhu Maharaj (1901–1978) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer of Kathak dance. He came from a family of illustrious Kathak exponents in Lucknow, and also worked as film choreographer, ...
praised Kumari's dancing skills. He said, "The way in which she would turn, the angles of her shoulders, come naturally to her and cannot be taught."
Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...
said: "Meena was a natural actress. She was very choosy, but once she accepted a role, she put her heart into it and it's not surprising that she's still remembered for her sensitive portrayals. Sometimes when saying a dialogue I'd add a line not in the script and even as I worried about how Meena would react, she'd surprise me with just the right response." In 1953, soon after the success of ''
Baiju Bawra Baiju Bawra (Lit. "Baiju the Insane", born as Bacchu Nath or Baij Nath) was a dhrupad musician and composer from medieval India. Nearly all the information on Baiju Bawra comes from legends, and lacks historical authenticity. According to the mos ...
'', Kumari appeared in ''Dream House'', an advertisement by Dunlopillo UK along with
Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001), was an Indian actor who attained iconic status in Indian cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first Super-st ...
. According to Indian Film Critic
Bhawana Somaaya Bhawana Somaaya is an Indian film journalist, critic, author and historian. She has been honoured with the Padma Shri in the year 2017 by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee. Starting her career as film reporter in 1978, she went to work w ...
: "Pakeezah is just like poetry on celluloid, I cannot imagine anybody else in this movie except Meena Kumari."
Vinod Mehta Vinod Mehta (31 May 1941 – 8 March 2015) was an Indian journalist, editor and political commentator. He was also the founder editor-in-chief of ''Outlook'' from 1995 to 2012 and had been editor of publications such as '' The Pioneer'', ''The S ...
(writer of Meena Kumari – The Classic Biography) was told by a director: "Even
Dilip Kumar Dilip Kumar (born Muhammad Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor and film producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering method acting in cinema, he dominated Hindi cinema from the 1950s throughout t ...
(the tragedy king) found it difficult to keep his calm in front of her".
Raaj Kumar Raaj Kumar (born Kulbhushan Pandit; 8 October 1926 3 July 1996) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi films. In a career that spanned over four decades, he went on to star in 70 films and is regarded as one of the most successful actors of ...
would often forget his dialogues while working with Kumari on set.
Madhubala Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. She is considered as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. One of the country ...
was also a fan of Kumari and said: "She has the most unique voice. No other heroine has it."
Satyajit Ray Satyajit Ray (; 2 May 1921 – 23 April 1992) was an Indian film director, screenwriter, author, lyricist, magazine editor, illustrator, calligraphy, calligrapher, and composer. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influ ...
described her as "undoubtedly an actress of the highest calibre".
Amitabh Bachchan Amitabh Bachchan (; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema. He is often considered one of the greatest, most accomplished and commercially successful actors in the history of Indian cinema.* * * * * With a cinemati ...
said "No one, not any one, ever spoke dialogues the way Meena Kumari did .. no one .. not anyone to date.. and perhaps never will". Music Director
Naushad Naushad Ali (25 December 1919 – 5 May 2006) was an Indian composer for Hindi films. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest and foremost music directors of the Hindi film industry. He is particularly known for popularising the use of ...
said "Hindi film industry may produce great actresses but there would never be another Meena Kumari". Actress
Kangana Ranaut Kangna Amardeep Ranaut (; born 23 March 1986) is an Indian actress, filmmaker, and politician serving as a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, Mandi since June 2024. Known for her portrayals of strong-willed, u ...
commented, "In her heydays, media and film industry called Meena Kumari the actress among heroines". During the filming of ''
Heeramandi ''Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar'' is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language period drama television series created and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Set in the red-light district of Heera Mandi in Lahore during the Indian independence movement, th ...
'', a webseries which chronicles the life of courtesans of
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
, filmmaker
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (born 24 February 1963) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and music composer, who works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including seven National Film Awards and twelve Filmf ...
and actress
Richa Chadha Richa Chadha (born 18 December 1986) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi cinema. She made her acting debut with a small role in the comedy film ''Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!'' (2008). Chadha's breakthrough came in 2012 with the crime film ''Gangs ...
clearly cited Kumari and her film ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'' as their inspiration. Actress
Alia Bhatt Alia Bhatt (; born 15 March 1993) is a British actress of Indian descent who predominantly works in Hindi films. Known for Alia Bhatt filmography, her portrayals of women in challenging circumstances, she has received List of awards and nomin ...
also mentioned watching Kumari's films for preparing for the role of a brothel madame in ''
Gangubai Kathiawadi ''Gangubai Kathiawadi'' is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language biographical crime drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Bhansali and Jayantilal Gada. Based on the book '' Mafia Queens of Mumbai'' by S. Hussain Zaidi, it tells ...
''. Kumari empathized greatly with
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
, and the fact that Marilyn's husband,
Arthur Miller Arthur Asher Miller (October 17, 1915 – February 10, 2005) was an American playwright, essayist and screenwriter in the 20th-century American theater. Among his most popular plays are '' All My Sons'' (1947), '' Death of a Salesman'' (1 ...
, had some passing similarities to her husband
Kamal Amrohi Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi (17 January 1918 – 11 February 1993), popularly known as Kamal Amrohi, was an Indian film director and screenwriter. He was also an Urdu and Hindi poet. His Hindi films include '' Mahal'' (1949), (1972) and ''R ...
, made the identification closer.


Legacy

The greatest hallmark of Kumari is her ability to depict the struggle of Indian women existing especially in the 1950s and 1960s. Her onscreen persona is described as a perfect example of an "ideal Indian woman" by the Indian film fraternity, such as
Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi (18 February 1927 – 19 August 2019), better known mononymously as Khayyam, was an Indian music director and background score composer whose career spanned four decades. He won three Filmfare Awards: for B ...
and
Javed Akhtar Javed Akhtar (born 1945) is an Indian screenwriter, lyricist and poet. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007, two of India's highest civili ...
. Her portrayal of "Sahibjaan", a nautch girl with a golden heart in ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'' under Amrohi's direction became a historical document.


Work and accolades


Filmfare Award for Best Actress

* Records # In 69 editions of the
Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Indian cinema.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were introduced by Filmfare magazine of The Times G ...
, Kumari's unusual feat of garnering all nominations in the Best Actress category remains unaccomplished by any other actress. She reached this pinnacle ago at the
10th Filmfare Awards The 10th Filmfare Awards were held on 13 June 1963, honoring the best films in Hindi Cinema of the year 1962. '' Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' led the ceremony with 8 nominations, followed by '' Bees Saal Baad'' with 7 nominations, ''Professor'' w ...
in 1963. # Kumari's record for the highest number of
Filmfare Award for Best Actress The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by '' Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise the female performer who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first given in ...
remained unbroken for 13 years (1966–1979) until it was finally broken by
Nutan Nutan Samarth-Bahl ( Samarth; 4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991), known mononymously as Nutan was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, Nutan was noted for her natu ...
at the
26th Filmfare Awards The 26th Filmfare Awards were held in April 6, 1979. ''Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki'' and ''Muqaddar Ka Sikandar'' led the ceremony with 9 nominations each, followed by ''Satyam Shivam Sundaram'' with 6 nominations, and '' Don'' and ''Trishul'' ...
, 1979. # Her record for the highest number of nominations in the Best Actress category (12) was eventually broken after 35 years by
Madhuri Dixit Madhuri Dixit Nene (Maiden and married names, née Dixit, ; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian actress and television personality. She has appeared in Madhuri Dixit filmography, over 70 Hindi films. Praised by critics for her performances and danc ...
at the
53rd Filmfare Awards The 53rd Filmfare Awards organized by Filmfare, honored the best Bollywood films of 2007. It took place on 16 February 2008 at the Yash Raj Studios, Mumbai. ''Guru'' led the ceremony with 14 nominations, followed by '' Chak De! India'' with ...
, 2008. # She is the only actress to be nominated posthumously. Kumari got a posthumous nomination for ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'' at the
20th Filmfare Awards The 20th Filmfare Awards were held in 1973, awarding the films made in 1972. ''Amar Prem'' and ''Be-Imaan'' led the ceremony with 8 nominations, followed by Shor (film), ''Shor'' with 7 nominations and ''Pakeezah'' with 5 nominations. ''Be-Im ...
in 1973. # Kumari not winning an award for her performance in ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'' stirred controversy at the
20th Filmfare Awards The 20th Filmfare Awards were held in 1973, awarding the films made in 1972. ''Amar Prem'' and ''Be-Imaan'' led the ceremony with 8 nominations, followed by Shor (film), ''Shor'' with 7 nominations and ''Pakeezah'' with 5 nominations. ''Be-Im ...
. Filmfare, however, defended their decision by stating that according to their rules, posthumous awards were not allowed then; ''Filmfare'' editor
B. K. Karanjia Burjor Khurshedji Karanjia (21 December 1919 – 25 June 2012) was an Indian film journalist and editor. He was the editor of ''Filmfare'' for 18 years, followed by '' Screen'' which he edited for 10 years. He also remained the chairman of the Na ...
said both Ghulam Mohammad (the music director of ''Pakeezah'') and
Josef Wirsching Josef Wirsching (22 March 1903 – 11 June 1967) sometimes credited as Joseph Wirsching, was a German cinematographer, who became a pioneer in cinematography in India and who contributed to the heritage of Cinema of India and still photography i ...
(cinematographer) lost for the same reason.


Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards


Shama-Sushma Film Awards


Tributes and honors

On the day that Kumari died, her 1952 film ''
Baiju Bawra Baiju Bawra (Lit. "Baiju the Insane", born as Bacchu Nath or Baij Nath) was a dhrupad musician and composer from medieval India. Nearly all the information on Baiju Bawra comes from legends, and lacks historical authenticity. According to the mos ...
'' was re-released at
Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
's Super cinema, drawing a full audience, which wept copiously while remembering the actress. Shortly after her death, fellow actress
Nargis Nargis Dutt (born Fatima Rashid, also known as Nirmala Dutt; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) known mononyomusly as Nargis was an Indian actress and politician who worked in Hindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the ...
wrote a personal essay in an Urdu magazine – Shama, titled ''"Meena – Maut Mubarak Ho"'' (). In October 1973, she also established the Meena Kumari Memorial for the Blind in her memory and was the chairman of this trust. In 1979, ''Meena Kumari Ki Amar Kahaani'' (), a film dedicated to the late actress was released. It was directed by
Sohrab Modi Sohrab Merwanji Modi (2 November 1897 – 28 January 1984) was an Indian stage and film actor, director and producer. His films include ''Khoon Ka Khoon'' (1935), a version of Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', ''Sikandar (1941 film), Sikandar'', '' ...
and featured exclusive interviews of various film personalities, such as
Raj Kapoor Raj Kapoor (; born as Shrishti Nath Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influen ...
and
Rajendra Kumar Rajendra Kumar (born as Rajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999), was an Indian actor who starred in Bollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he appeared in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar was on ...
. The music for the film was composed by
Khayyam Ghiyāth al-Dīn Abū al-Fatḥ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm Nīshābūrī (18 May 1048 – 4 December 1131) ( Persian: غیاث الدین ابوالفتح عمر بن ابراهیم خیام نیشابورﻯ), commonly known as Omar Khayyam (), was ...
. The following year, ''Shaira'' (alternatively titled ''Sahira'') () was released. It was a short documentary about Kumari and was directed by S Sukh Dev along with
Gulzar Gulzar (born Sampooran Singh Kalra; 18 August 1934) is an Indian Urdu poetry, Urdu poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter, and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of greatest Urdu poets of this era. He starte ...
. This documentary was produced by Kanta Sukhdev. A postal stamp of face value 500 paise was issued in her honour on 13 February 2011 by
India Post The Department of Posts, d/b/a India Post, is an Indian Public Sector Undertakings in India, public sector postal system statutory body headquartered in New Delhi, India. It is an organisation under the Ministry of Communications (India), Minist ...
. In 2012, Walk of the Stars, a section of the
Bandstand Promenade The Bandstand Promenade, also known as Bandra Bandstand is a 1.2 kilometer long walkway along the sea on the western coast of Mumbai, India in the neighborhood of Bandra. It is simultaneously a popular hangout spot, a jogging track and a park. ...
in
Bandra Bandra ( æːɳɖɾa is a coastal suburb located in Mumbai, the largest city of the Konkan division in Maharashtra, India. The area is located to the immediate north of the River Mithi, which separates Bandra from the Mumbai City district. It ...
,
Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...
was opened to honour film artists from Hindi film industry. Kumari's autograph was also featured along with statues, handprints and autographs of other artists. Walk of the Stars was however, dissolved in 2014. In May 2018, ''Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh'', a play depicting her life was staged at Rangayan auditorium of
Jawahar Kala Kendra The Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) is a multi-arts center located in the city of Jaipur, India. It was built by the Government of Rajasthan to preserve Rajasthani arts and crafts. The center has eight blocks housing museums, an amphitheater, a clos ...
in
Jaipur Jaipur (; , ) is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the List of cities and towns in Rajasthan, largest city of the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had ...
. On 1 August 2018, search engine Google commemorated Kumari with a
Doodle A doodle is a drawing made while a person's attention is otherwise occupied. Doodles are simple drawings that can have concrete representational meaning or may just be composed of random and abstract art, abstract lines or shapes, generally w ...
on her 85th birth anniversary. Google commented: "Kumari captivated audiences with her beautiful, expressive eyes and portrayed strong yet vulnerable women who made their own way through life, often devastated by romance. Today, her screen appearances are studied for flawless moments and the complex emotions she could evoke without uttering a word". In 2023, an exhibition at
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art The Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) is a private modern and contemporary art museum with locations in New Delhi and Noida. Established in 2010, it is India's first private museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art. History The museum s ...
, named "Sitaare Zameen Par", had portraits of Kumari that were captured by JH Thakkar. Her souvenirs were auctioned online, along with that of other actresses, in the same year. On the occasion of Meena Kumari's 91st birth anniversary, sculptor Pankaj Bhargava unveiled a sculpture dedicated to her in
Jaipur Jaipur (; , ) is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the List of cities and towns in Rajasthan, largest city of the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had ...
.


In popular culture


Biographies

* One of the first biographies of Kumari was written just after her death by
Vinod Mehta Vinod Mehta (31 May 1941 – 8 March 2015) was an Indian journalist, editor and political commentator. He was also the founder editor-in-chief of ''Outlook'' from 1995 to 2012 and had been editor of publications such as '' The Pioneer'', ''The S ...
in October 1972. The official biography of Kumari was titled '' Meena Kumari: The Classic Biography''. The biography was re-published in May 2013. * ''Simply Scandalous'' authored by
Mohan Deep Mohan Deep (born Mohan Kishinchand Chandirramani in 1948), is an Indian writer. He has written multiple books on Bollywood film personalities, including the books: ''The Mystery and Mystique of Madhubala'', ''Simply Scandalous: Meena Kumari'', ...
was an unofficial biography published in 1998. It was serialized in Mumbai's Hindi daily Dopahar Ka Saamna. * Another biography about Kumari, ''Aakhri Adhai Din'' was written in Hindi by Madhup Sharma. The book was published in 2006.


In film

''Meena Kumari ki Amar Kahani'', one of the earliest biopics ever made on any cine artist in India came out in 1981. Dedicated to Meena Kumari, this docu-drama featured interviews of various artists who worked with her. The film featured Dolly playing Meena Kumari and Sona Mirza playing her contemporary,
Madhubala Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. She is considered as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. One of the country ...
It was directed by
Sohrab Modi Sohrab Merwanji Modi (2 November 1897 – 28 January 1984) was an Indian stage and film actor, director and producer. His films include ''Khoon Ka Khoon'' (1935), a version of Shakespeare's ''Hamlet'', ''Sikandar (1941 film), Sikandar'', '' ...
and had the music composed by
Khayyam Ghiyāth al-Dīn Abū al-Fatḥ ʿUmar ibn Ibrāhīm Nīshābūrī (18 May 1048 – 4 December 1131) ( Persian: غیاث الدین ابوالفتح عمر بن ابراهیم خیام نیشابورﻯ), commonly known as Omar Khayyam (), was ...
. Kumari has always been a subject of interest among present day filmmakers. Actress
Sridevi Sridevi Kapoor (née Shree Amma Yanger Ayyapan; 13 August 1963 – 24 February 2018), known mononymously as Sridevi, was an Indian actress who worked in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada language films. She is regarded as one of ...
parodied Meena Kumari in the 1990 song ''"Main Lagti Hoon Sridevi"'' from the film ''Naaka Bandi''. In 2004, a modern-day adaption of her film ''
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' () is a 1962 Indian Hindi-language drama film directed by Abrar Alvi and produced by Guru Dutt, who also co-stars in it alongside Meena Kumari, Rehman, and Waheeda Rehman. It is a remake of the 1956 Bengali film '' ...
'' was to be made by Pritish Nandy Communications in which
Aishwarya Rai Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (; Rai; born 1 November 1973) is an Indian actress who is primarily known for her work in Hindi and Tamil language, Tamil films. Rai won the Miss World 1994 pageant and later established herself as one of the most-popu ...
and later
Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra Jonas (; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress and producer. The winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, Chopra is India's highest-paid actress and has received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awards and fiv ...
were to portray her role of ''Chhoti Bahu''. However, the film got shelved and paved the way for a TV series helmed by director
Rituparno Ghosh Rituparno Ghosh (; 31 August 1963 – 30 May 2013) was an Indian film director, actor, writer and lyricist. After pursuing a degree in economics, he started his career as a creative artist at an advertising agency. He received recognition for h ...
in which actress
Raveena Tandon Raveena Tandon (born 26 October 1972) is an Indian actress primarily known for her work in Hindi films. Considered as one of the leading actresses of the 1990s and early 2000s, Tandon is a recipient of several awards, including a National Film ...
took this role. In 2007,
Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra Jonas (; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress and producer. The winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant, Chopra is India's highest-paid actress and has received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awards and fiv ...
parodied Kumari,
Nargis Nargis Dutt (born Fatima Rashid, also known as Nirmala Dutt; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) known mononyomusly as Nargis was an Indian actress and politician who worked in Hindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the ...
and
Madhubala Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. She is considered as one of the greatest and finest actresses in the history of Indian cinema. One of the country ...
in the film ''
Salaam-e-Ishq ''Salaam-e-Ishq'' () also known as ''Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love'', is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Nikkhil Advani, marking his second directorial venture after ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' (2003). An unofficial remake ...
''. In 2015, it was reported that
Tigmanshu Dhulia Tigmanshu Dhulia (born 3 July 1967) is an Indian film dialogue writer, director, actor, screenwriter, producer and casting director known for his works in Hindi cinema and Television. He wrote the dialogue for the 1998 film ''Dil Se..'', the fir ...
was to make a film on her, which was to be a screen adaptation of Vinod Mehta's book, "Meena Kumari – The Classic Biography". Actress
Kangana Ranaut Kangna Amardeep Ranaut (; born 23 March 1986) is an Indian actress, filmmaker, and politician serving as a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, Mandi since June 2024. Known for her portrayals of strong-willed, u ...
was approached to portray Kumari but the film was shelved yet again due to lack of authentic facts and after a strong protest by Kumari's stepson Tajdar Amrohi. In 2017, director
Karan Razdan Karan Razdan (born 25 April 1961) is an Indian actor, writer and director, who works in Bollywood. Career He began his writing career with an unforgettable television show named ‘’Rajni’’ and then wrote produced and made his debut as dir ...
also decided to direct an official biopic on Kumari. For this, he approached
Madhuri Dixit Madhuri Dixit Nene (Maiden and married names, née Dixit, ; born 15 May 1967) is an Indian actress and television personality. She has appeared in Madhuri Dixit filmography, over 70 Hindi films. Praised by critics for her performances and danc ...
and
Vidya Balan Vidya Balan (pronounced ; born 1 January 1979) is an Indian actress. Known for pioneering a change in the portrayal of women in Hindi cinema with her roles in female-led films, she is the recipient of several awards, including a National Fil ...
to portray her onscreen but due to a variety of reasons, both of them declined the offer. He later turned to actress
Sunny Leone Karenjit "Karen" Kaur Vohra (born May 13, 1981), known by her stage name Sunny Leone, is a Canadian American actress, model, and former pornographic actress. She was named ''Penthouse (magazine), Penthouse'' Pet of the Year in 2003, was a co ...
who showed great interest. Various other actresses including
Richa Chadha Richa Chadha (born 18 December 1986) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi cinema. She made her acting debut with a small role in the comedy film ''Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!'' (2008). Chadha's breakthrough came in 2012 with the crime film ''Gangs ...
,
Jaya Prada Jaya Prada Nahata (born Lalitha Rani Rao; 3 April 1962) is an Indian actress and politician known for her works majorly in Telugu cinema and Hindi cinema as well as in Tamil films in late '70s, '80s and early '90s. Jayaprada is the recipient ...
,
Janhvi Kapoor Janhvi Kapoor (born 6 March 1997) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi and Telugu language, Telugu films. Born to film actress Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor, she made her acting debut in 2018 with the romantic drama ''Dhadak'', which w ...
,
Karishma Sharma Karishma Lala Sharma (born 22 December) is an Indian actress and model known for portraying Ragini in '' Ragini MMS: Returns'', Aaina in '' Ujda Chaman'', Tina in '' Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2'' and Isha in ''Hum - I'm Because of Us''. Early life S ...
,
Anupriya Goenka Anupriya Goenka (born 29 May 1987) is an Indian actress and model who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She first shot to fame in 2013 as the face of UPA government's '' Bharat Nirman''. Goenka made her on-screen debut with the 2013 Telugu fi ...
,
Bhumi Pednekar Bhumi Pednekar ( born 18 July 1989) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. Known for her portrayals of headstrong small-town women, she is the recipient of several awards, including three Filmfare Awards. After working as an assistant ...
,
Divya Dutta Divya Dutta (born 25 September 1977) is an Indian actress. She has appeared primarily in Hindi and Punjabi language, Punjabi cinema, and has received accolades including a National Film Award and a Filmfare OTT Awards, Filmfare OTT Award. Dutt ...
,
Kriti Sanon Kriti Sanon (born 27 July 1990) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. She has received a National Film Award and two Filmfare Awards, and was featured in ''Forbes India'' Forbes Celebrity 100, Celebrity 100 list of 2019. Af ...
,
Nithya Menon N. S. Nithya (born 8 April 1990), known professionally as Nithya Menen is an Indian actress and singer who works predominantly in Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu films . She has also acted in few Kannada films. Having appeared in over 59 fil ...
,
Tripti Dimri Triptii Dimri (born 23 February 1994) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She made her acting debut in the thriller ''Mom'' (2017) and had her first lead role in the romantic drama ''Laila Majnu'' (2018). She gained critical recogni ...
, and
Rasika Duggal Rasika Dugal (born 17 January 1985) is an Indian actress known for her roles in several Bollywood, Indian movies and television productions. She made her screen debut with a small role, in the film ''Anwar (2007 film), Anwar'' (2007) and went ...
have also expressed their wish to be cast as Kumari in her biopic. In 2018, producer and former child artist
Kutty Padmini Kutty Padmini is an Indian actress who mainly works in Tamil cinema. She was a child star in her debut movie ''Abalai Anjugam'' (1959). She has also acted in Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi movies. She made her debut in Tamil cinema at ...
announced a biopic on Kumari in the form of a web series along with singer
Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and range of voice ...
and actor-director J.P. Chandrababu. Padmini worked with Kumari in the film ''
Dil Ek Mandir ''Dil Ek Mandir'' () is a 1963 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by C. V. Sridhar and written by Raj Baldev Raj. The film stars Rajendra Kumar, Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar and Mehmood. The film's music is by Shankar Jaikishan. ...
'' and wanted to honour the late actress with this biopic. In 2019,
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (born 24 February 1963) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and music composer, who works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including seven National Film Awards and twelve Filmf ...
announced the remake of Kumari's 1952 classic ''
Baiju Bawra Baiju Bawra (Lit. "Baiju the Insane", born as Bacchu Nath or Baij Nath) was a dhrupad musician and composer from medieval India. Nearly all the information on Baiju Bawra comes from legends, and lacks historical authenticity. According to the mos ...
'' with
Alia Bhatt Alia Bhatt (; born 15 March 1993) is a British actress of Indian descent who predominantly works in Hindi films. Known for Alia Bhatt filmography, her portrayals of women in challenging circumstances, she has received List of awards and nomin ...
reprising ''Gauri's'' character, a role which was originally played by Kumari. Actress
Deepika Padukone Deepika Padukone (; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Hindi films. She is India's highest-paid actress, as of 2023, and List of awards and nominations received by Deepika Padukone, her accolades include thre ...
also expressed her desire to essay Kumari's role in the same film. The shooting of the film however hasn't started, as of January 2024 In 2020, Almighty Motion Pictures announced a web series on Kumari's life which is to be based on the book ''Starring..Mahjabeen as Meena Kumari'' written by journalist Ashwini Bhatnagar. This was followed by Tajdar Amrohi's objection who accused the journalist of not only writing the late actress' biography without his consent but also portraying Kamal Amrohi as a tormentor. Bhatnagar later clarified that the book never portrayed Amrohi in a negative light and primarily focused on Kumari's professional career. He later argued that Kumari was a public figure and no one has the right to grant permission for creating a work of art. The series which will be followed by a feature film will be helmed by producer Prabhleen Kaur Sandhu. In February 2022, music label
Saregama Saregama India Ltd is an Indian music record label and content company headquartered in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is the oldest music label in India, established in 1901 as the Indian branch of the British Gramophone Company. It later became ...
and actor Bilal Amrohi (grandson of Kamal Amrohi) announced a web series about the love story of Kumari and her filmmaker husband Kamal Amrohi against the backdrop of making the film ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
''. The series which will be helmed by
Yoodlee films Yoodlee Films is an Indian film production company, a division of Saregama India Limited. Founded in 2017, it is headquartered in Mumbai and is headed by Siddharth Anand Kumar. The studio credits itself for "fearless filmmaking". Their films a ...
is expected to go on floors in 2023. In September 2024, director
Siddharth P. Malhotra Siddharth P. Malhotra is an Indian film director who works in Hindi cinema, Hindi films. He has directed the films ''We Are Family (2010 film), We Are Family'' (2010), ''Hichki'' (2018) and ''Maharaj (2024 film), Maharaj'' (2024). Personal li ...
, announced ''Kamal Aur Meena'', an official biopic focusing on the tumultuous relationship between Kumari and her husband
Kamal Amrohi Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi (17 January 1918 – 11 February 1993), popularly known as Kamal Amrohi, was an Indian film director and screenwriter. He was also an Urdu and Hindi poet. His Hindi films include '' Mahal'' (1949), (1972) and ''R ...
in collaboration with the Amrohi family. The film which will be written by
Bhavani Iyer Bhavani Iyer is an Indian screenwriter and novelist from Mumbai. Career Bhavani Iyer started her career with advertising as a trainee copywriter. She then moved to journalism and had worked as the editor for the film magazine ''Stardust. ''Sh ...
and
Kausar Munir Kausar Munir is an Indian lyricist and dialogue writer who works in Hindi cinema. Biography Munir was born and brought up in Bandra, Mumbai. She graduated in English Literature from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Munir married actor Nirmal Pa ...
with lyrics penned by
Irshad Kamil Dr. Irshad Kamil (born 5 September 1971) is an Indian poet and lyricist. His songs appeared in Bollywood films including ''Jab We Met'', '' Chameli'', '' Love Aaj Kal'', '' Rockstar'', '' Laila Majnu'', ''Aashiqui 2'', ''Raanjhanaa'', ''Highw ...
and music by
A. R. Rahman Allah Rakha Rahman (; born A. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967), also known by the initialism ARR, is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and philanthropist known for his works in Indian cinem ...
, is expected to release in 2026. In March 2022, it was reported that
Kriti Sanon Kriti Sanon (born 27 July 1990) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. She has received a National Film Award and two Filmfare Awards, and was featured in ''Forbes India'' Forbes Celebrity 100, Celebrity 100 list of 2019. Af ...
has been approached to play Kumari in a biopic planned by T–Series. By April 2022, the makers chose
Hansal Mehta Hansal Mehta (born 29 April 1968) is an Indian filmmaker. He started his career with television show '' Khana Khazana'' (1993–2000) and later moved on to directing films like '' Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar!!'' (2000), '' Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai?'' (2002) ...
to be the director of the film, who was later replaced by designer
Manish Malhotra Manish Malhotra (born 5 December 1966) is an Indian fashion designer, couturier, costume stylist, entrepreneur, filmmaker, and revivalist based in Mumbai, India. The founder of the eponymous label, Manish Malhotra, he sometimes took part in t ...
in July 2023. This film was however shelved, as of November 2024. In 2023, a Pakistani remake of the film ''
Pakeezah Pakeezah (; ) is a 1972 Indian musical romantic drama written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. The film stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-base ...
'' was also announced in which actress Meera Jee was confirmed to play the central character, which was portrayed by Kumari in the original.


Notes


References


Bibliography

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External links

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Meena Kumari
at Manas: Culture of India {{DEFAULTSORT:Kumari, Meena Indian film actresses 1933 births 1972 deaths Deaths from cirrhosis Actresses from Mumbai Actresses in Hindi cinema Poets from Maharashtra Alcohol-related deaths in India 20th-century Indian actresses 20th-century Indian poets Urdu-language poets from India Women writers from Maharashtra Indian women poets 20th-century Indian women writers Filmfare Awards winners