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Bollywood Actress Meena Kumari
The words Pakeezha and Kohinoor, brings back to your mind a young, beautiful and prominent actress, Meena Kumari who reached the peak in her short life span. Birth: The actress came into the world as a third daughter, to the second wife(iqbal Begum) ,of a poor father Ali baksh at Mumbai on 1st of August, 1932. . she was left in a Muslim orphanage by her father for few hours after her birth, for being unable to pay the hospital fees due to poverty.She was addressed as Mahjabeen Banu Her father, a Sunni Muslim, was a veteran of Parsi theater, played harmonium, taught music, and wrote Urdu poetry. He played small roles in films like Id Ka Chand and composed music for films like Shahi Lutere. Her mother Prabhawati Devi was a Hindu lady, a stage dancer and actress, under the stage name Kamini. After marriage she was converted as a Muslim. Career: She started her career reluctantly as a child artist,as baby Meena at the age of 7, in her first and foremost movie Farzand-e-Watan or Leatherface (1939) directed by Vijay Bhat, against her wish of going to school. She too was very much interested to get good education and be like other kids of her age. But her fate led her into film industry in which she was not interested and became practically bread earner of her poor family during the 1940s. As an adult, she began her career, as Meena Kumari. And her first role was in the mythological movies like Veer Ghatotkach (1949), Shri Ganesh Mahima (1950), and fantasy movies like Alladin and The Wonderful Lamp (1952). Her performance in the film Baiju Bawra (1952) as a heroine gained her fame, and she became the first actress to win the FilmFare Best Actress Award in 1953. She worked upon many more successful movies like Daera (1953), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Sharda (1957), and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960), Azaad (1955), Miss Mary (1957), Shararat (1959), and Kohinoor (1960). Later the movies like Parineet(1953), Aarti(1962) and Kaajal fetched her FilmFare Best Actress Awards for her excellent performance as a suffering woman and tragedy roles. She was the one to create history by being nominted for three Filmfare Best Actress Awards for her roles in Aarti (1962 film), Main Chup Rahungi, and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam(co-starring with Guru Datt and Waheeda Rehman). Her performance was admirable in the movies like Dil Ek Mandir(1963)(co-starring with Rajendra Kumar and Mehmood) and Phool Aur Pathar(1966)(co-starring with Dharmendra). Later due to consumption of heavy liquor she lost her good looks and began playing character roles in movies like Jawab(1970) and Dushman(1971). she recognized that she was counting her days on earth. Finally she acted in Pakeezha before her last breath. . Married Life: In 1952, she was drowned by love and she entered the married life with a already married man, and 15yrs elder to her is none other than the film director Kamal Amrohi. Based on their love story they shot a movie Daera(1953), as a sweet memory soon after their marriage. Simultaneously thoughts were getting progressed in their minds for the next movie Pakeezha, on which they worked on for 16yrs (1956 to 1972) and hit the screen later. Songs of this movie became very popular with heart touching music and lyrics which made people chant it even now and then. The difference in caste stood as a wall between their relationship and led her far from motherhood. But still she was an affectionate mother for Kamal Amrohi’s son Taajdaar, who was very fortunate to be blessed with the affection of his step mother. Later conflicts between them developed into separation which finally ended up with divorce in 1964. Lady who had already cultivated drinking, fell into the regular habit out of depression and sorrow which became the main cause for her death. Death: After the release of Pakeezha, she fell seriously ill of cirrhosis of the liver.and was collapsed on 31st of March, 1972. Her death was again with the lack of finance, similar to her birth. Even the hospital bills couldnot be paiyed. Her birth and death remained a tragic memory. But she retained in each and every heart as a good actress and became immortal by the name Meena Kumari.
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