Meena Kumari tells her story that my tragedy started even before I came into the world. My birth name was Mahjabeen. When I opened my eyes to this world, my own father decided to leave me in an orphanage.
My mother also surrendered to my father's decision, but then she gave up. My father wanted male children. They wanted to have a son who would support the family in old age.
Then Meena Kumari did more for her parents and siblings than the family thought when a boy was born. Mahjabeen started working in films when she was just four years old.
Little one, after working 16 hours in two shifts, she would fall on the bed when she reached home late at night. He was still not getting enough sleep when in the morning his mother would prepare him for the next shoot and his father would take him to the studio.
As a child star, she became an integral part of the films of the time.
From the age of four to about 11, she worked as a child star. At the age of 14, she was not yet young enough to be given special roles. As a boy, Meena Kumari had to use special make-up and prostheses to play the role of a young girl.
Meena Kumari's father Master Ali Bakhsh belonged to Bheera area of Pakistani Punjab. Master Ali Bakhsh played the harmonium in the Parsi Theater and also taught music.
He wrote the lyrics and composed the music for the movie 'Royal Looters'. Master Ali Bakhsh was an artist of every kind.
She also played small roles as an actor in some films while Meena Kumari's mother Prabhvati was associated with Bengali theater as a dancer and converted from Hinduism to Islam to marry Master Ali Bakhsh.
Although Meena Kumari's parents both worked, she still had difficulty running the house. That is why when another daughter was born to them, they decided to leave her in an orphanage. But he could not act on it and then this girl changed the world of the family.
From 'Sahib Bibi and Ghulam' she was called Tragedy Queen
When the film 'Beju Bawara' was released in 1951, the then superstar Nargis was its heroine, then why did she leave the film?
When Meena Kumari came in the role of Nargis left with Bharat Bhushan, a film magazine of that time said, "This is the mouth and lentils."
Senior actress Baby Tabassum says, "I played the role of Meena Kumari's childhood in the said film. It is true that a lot was said when Nargis left Bejo Bawara and the truth is that I was also very disappointed.
"Nargis was a star actress at the time and she had a lot of respect. Personally, I was very fond of working with Nargis but rest assured that when I worked with Meena Kumari, I was as happy as I could be working with Nargis.
Bejo Bawar was a super hit film of its time. It may be recalled that this film was also made by Vijay Bhatt who cast Meena Kumari as a child star in his film 'Leather Face' in 1939.
Along with 'Leather Face', 'Farzand-e-Watan' was also written on the poster of the said film. After 'Beju Bawara', Meena Kumari showed the charisma of acting in Indian cinema that made her an example for female actors.
After Abrar Alvi and Guru Dutt's film 'Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam' and Kamal Amrohi's film 'Pakeeza', Meena Kumari was called 'Tragedy Queen'.
When Meena Kumari herself was asked which role she found difficult in her career, Meena Kumari said that she had played the role of a rebellious woman in 'Sahib Bibi O Ghulam'.
This role was complicated because this woman was as rebellious on the inside as she was on the outside. It is said that there was no difference between Meena Kumari and the real Meena Kumari of 'Sahib Bibi and Ghulam'.
Although Meena Kumari did four films with Dilip Kumar, she wanted to do a serious role with 'Tragedy King'. She considered Ashok Kumar as her acting guru and among other co-stars, she was very impressed with Nargis.
What did Meena Kumari tell Baby Tabassum?
Those who know Meena Kumari closely say that it is difficult to decide whether Meena Kumari was an artist or a human being.
But the fact is that his personal life was a tidal wave of misery. Baby Tabassum one day asked Meena Kumari, "You have achieved so much in life, but you are still very sad. What is the reason?"
On this Meena Kumari said, "I am the unfortunate plant which was considered as a tree as soon as it sprouted from the ground. The fruits were plucked from this little plant before the seasons." It was not understood that there are no seeds, fruits and crops, crops were sown on it as a field. I am the unfortunate one who has never seen my childhood.
Meena Kumari told Tabassum that as a child she used to earn for her mother, father and sister, brothers and now she is earning for her husband (Kamal Amrohi). Meena Kumari had true love for Kamal Amrohi but her love included selfishness.
Meena Kumari did not want to be an actress
Meena Kumari became involved in the film industry at an age when she did not even have time to go to school. Personally, she was knowledgeable. She said she did not know if she would become a doctor or a lawyer, but she wanted to get an education before becoming anything.
A journalist asked him a strange question: Did you choose acting for yourself at the age of four? Meena Kumari laughed at this and then began to say a little seriously who at the age of four can choose what he will become or what he will do? You could say that my destiny and circumstances chose me to act.
Meena Kumari's inherited deprivation had affected her emotionally and psychologically. Due to poverty, they had to shoot day and night like laborers instead of playing and jumping like normal children and going to school.
The lights and colors of the galleries may bring comfort to many minds, but if a girl who is still old enough to hang on her mother's lap and father's shoulders, the responsibility of the house bar should be placed on her delicate shoulders. What would have been the effect on his immature mind and little soul?
Meena Kumari used to say that she brought her sorrows into the world. Instead of playing with dolls and falling asleep listening to their mother's lullabies, they found themselves in a world of disguise, waking up late at night to the lights, the camera and the sounds of action.
Marriage also added to the suffering
Defeated by her inner sadness and frustrations, Meena Kumari married Kamal Amrohi, who is 15 years older than her, but unfortunately put even more sorrow in her swing. Meena Kumari was married to Kamal Amrohi in her heyday.
Kamal Amrohi was also a great filmmaker of his time. The success of the film 'Mahal' had dramatically increased his stature. He won the Filmfare Award for writing dialogues for films like 'Mughal-e-Azam'.
Meena Kumari's famous film 'Pakeeza' was also created by Kamal Amrohi. Kamal was given Filmfare Awards for 'Pakeeza' in six different categories.
Meena Kumari was given all the notable awards of India including Filmfare in 1954 for her debut film as a heroine 'Beju Bawara'. In 1955, he was awarded the Filmfare for 'Pri Nita' and in 1963, for 'Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'. All three of this year's Best Heroine nominations went to Meena Kumari
Kamal had rejected five-year-old Meena Kumari as a child actor
Meena Kumari also won the 1966 Filmfare. This was his fourth award. She had extraordinary abilities, but still she was made to realize that she was a drop, not a red.
They are just random words, not poems, songs and ghazals. Their status is stone. They are always in need of the stone carving that is the masterpiece that is worshiped.
Meena Kumari was overwhelmed by Kamal Amrohi's academic and family background and personal talent. Meena Kumari was fond of poetry and had the nickname 'Naz'. Kamal Amrohi had always discouraged him by calling his poetry popular.
Sohrab Modi once introduced the Governor of Maharashtra and said that this is the famous actress Meena Kumari and this is her husband Kamal Amrohi. On this Kamal immediately said that I am Kamal Amrohi and this is my wife famous actress Meena Kumari.
'Sahib Bibi and Ghulam' was selected for the Berlin Film Festival in Germany and Meena Kumari was also invited to represent but Kamal Amrohi also refused to go to Germany with Meena Kumari.
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