A 30-second sample of "Tanha Chand", from I Write, I Recite, 1971.
Musical artist
Signature
Meena Kumari[1] (bornMahjabeen Bano; 1 August 1933[2] – 31 March 1972) was an Indian actress and poet, who worked inHindi films. Known as "The Tragedy Queen",[3] she is regarded among the finest and greatest actresses in the history ofIndian cinema.[4] In a career spanning 33 years, from child actress to adult, Kumari starred inover 90 films.[5]
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 inPakeezah. On 31 March 1972, Kumari died at the age of 38, fromcirrhosis of the liver, which has been associated with heralcoholism.[7]
Early life and family background
Birth and childhood
Kumari was born in one such chawl, namelyMithawala Chawl in 1933.
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.[8] 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 actorMehmood)[8] 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.[9][10]
As a child, Kumari was not keen on having a film career, and would rather attend school.[11] Despite this, her parents started taking her to film studios for work opportunities. DirectorVijay Bhatt cast Mahjabeen in the filmLeatherface and on her first day of work, she was paid Rs. 25.
Leatherface was released in 1939.[12] 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.[8] 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 aSunni Muslim named Master Ali Bux who had migrated fromBhera (now inWest Punjab,Pakistan).[13] He was a veteran ofParsi theater, played harmonium, wroteUrdu poetry, composed music and also played small roles in a few films.[13] Kumari's mother Iqbal Begum, whose original name was Prabhavati Devi, was aChristian, who converted to Islam after her marriage. Iqbal Begum was born to a father fromMeerut, Uttar Pradesh and aBengali mother. She was the second wife of Ali Bux.[13] Before meeting and marrying Ali Bux, she was a stage actress and was said to be related to theTagore family ofBengal.[13]
Connection with Tagore family
Kumari's grandmother, Hem Sundari Tagore, was either the daughter or a widow ofRabindranath Tagore's distant cousin.[14][15] 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.[16] She had two daughters; one of whom was Prabhavati, Kumari's mother.[8]
1952:Baiju Bawra – 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 byBimal Roy, (featuringAshok Kumar and Kumari in lead) won Kumari her second Filmfare Best Actress Award. It was based on the 1914 Bengali novel bySharat Chandra Chattopadhyay.Do Bigha Zamin, anotherBimal Roy directorial, won the International Prize atCannes in 1954, the first Indian film to do so. This film also marks the only guest appearance of Kumari.Foot Path – directed byZia Sarhadi, was Kumari's first film withDilip Kumar. This movie was featured in Avijit Ghosh's book,40 Retakes: Bollywood Classics You May Have Missed.Daaera – was written and directed by Kamal Amrohi, starring Kumari,Nasir Khan andNana Palsikar in lead roles.[18] Other films includedNaulakha Haar andDaana Paani.
1955: InAzaad, directed by Sriramulu Naidu S.M., Kumari performed withDilip Kumar in this comedy. It was the second highest-grossingHindi film of that year[20][21] and included the song"Aplam Chaplam", sung byLata Mangeshkar andUsha Mangeshkar.Adl-e-Jehangir – was a Hindi language historical drama film directed byG.P. Sippy. It became a commercial success at the box office.[22]Bandish - directed bySatyen Bose starring Kumari, Ashok Kumar, andDaisy 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 withShammi Kapoor. 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 byB. R. Chopra. It starred Kumari with newcomerSunil Dutt, 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".[23]Bandhan - directed by Hemchandra Chunder, based on the popular Bengali novelMantra Shakti, starred Kumari andPradeep Kumar as leads. It was awarded with a Certificate of Merit in theNational Film Awards.Naya Andaz – directed by K. Amarnath, starring Kumari and Kishore Kumar in lead roles, was a musical hit.Halaku – a historical, was directed byD.D. Kashyap which included Kumari,Pran,Minoo Mumtaz,Raj Mehra andHelen. It was a box office hit and celebrated a silver jubilee.
1960:Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai was a Hindi romantic drama written and directed byKishore Sahu. The film starred Kumari,Raaj Kumar andNadira 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.[26] The film's music is byShankar Jaikishan, and features the Hawaiian-themed"Ajeeb Dastan Hai Yeh" sung byLata Mangeshkar.[27]Bahana – directed by Kumar, had a star cast including Kumari,Sajjan,Mehmood,Helen, Pramila,Sulochana Latkar and Sheela Vaz.Kohinoor – directed by S. U. Sunny featured Kumari,Dilip Kumar,Leela Chitnis andKumkum. A film of lighter tone likeAzaad, it lacked the intense characterisations of earlier films of bothDilip Kumar and Kumari.
ForSahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, to give the heavy appearance associated with excessive consumption of alcohol, she applied concentratedEau de Cologne under her nose. The irritation helped her to achieve the visual appearance of an alcoholic.
1965:Kaajal directed by Ram Maheshwari, stars Kumari,Dharmendra,Raaj Kumar,Padmini,Helen,Mehmood andMumtaz. The film was listed in the Top 20 films of 1965.[34] Kumari won her fourth Filmfare award forKaajal. The film was originally based on the novel "Maadhavi" byGulshan Nanda.Bheegi Raat, directed by Kalidas, with Kumari, Ashok Kumar and Pradeep Kumar in lead roles, was one of the biggest hits of the year. The filmPurnima, directed by Narendra Suri, features Kumari andDharmendra in lead roles.
1966:Phool Aur Patthar, directed byO. P. Ralhan, stars Kumari andDharmendra in lead roles. This film became a golden jubilee hit, catapulting Dharmendra to stardom and was the highest-grossing movie of the year.[35] Kumari's performance in the film earned her a nomination in the Best Actress category in the Filmfare awards for that year. The filmPinjre Ke Panchhi was directed bySalil Choudhury, with Kumari,Balraj Sahni andMehmood in main roles.
The idea forPakeezah 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 atMaratha Mandir theatre in centralBombay, and the prints were carried on a decked-up palanquin.[8][37] 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 lastFilmfare nomination forPakeezah.Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards bestowed the Special Award to Kumari forPakeezah in 1973.[citation needed]
Kamal Amrohi met Kumari in 1938, while searching for a child actor for the filmJailor. Years later, on the sets ofTamasha,Ashok Kumar introduced him to Kumari,[8] who later offered her a lead role in his upcoming filmAnarkali. The contract was signed on 13 March 1951 but on 21 May 1951, Kumari was involved in a car accident while returning fromMahabaleshwar toBombay.[8] She was admitted toSassoon Hospital inPoona for an injury to the left hand and Amrohi visited her regularly.[8]
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 filmAnarkali was eventually shelved.[8] On 14 February 1952, Kumari and Amrohi secretly married in a simple "Niqah" ceremony in the presence of aQadi and Kumari's younger sister, Mahliqa (Madhu).[8] After the ceremony, the newlyweds parted. Amrohi left for Sion and Kumari and Madhu returned home.[8] 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.[8] Kumari remained adamant on her decision, but stayed in her father's house. Meanwhile, Amrohi planned a film calledDaaera in 1953 and decided to cast Kumari, now his wife.[8] She unsuccessfully asked for her father's permission, then left for her husband's residence at Sion.[8]
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.[39]Abrar Alvi, director ofSahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, 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 toVinod Mehta, 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.[8] Events shared by actressNargis pointed to the same.[40] Such rumours found their base on the mahurat ofPinjre Ke Panchhi where Amrohi's assistant, Baqar Ali had a violent argument with Kumari.[41] She immediately called for Amrohi who instead insisted that she return home.[40] An enraged Kumari went to her sister, Madhu's home and never returned to Amrohi's.[8]
Kumari hadchronicinsomnia. Upon her physician's advice, she started taking a small peg of brandy as a sleeping pill alternative.[8] This prescribed peg of brandy turned into heavy drinking after her separation from her husband in 1964.[42] After that, Kumari's name was associated withGulzar,Dharmendra andSawan Kumar Tak.[8]
Deteriorating health and treatment in London (1968)
In 1968, Kumari was diagnosed withcirrhosis 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.[8] 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
Meena Kumari's grave
Three weeks after the release ofPakeezah, Kumari became seriously ill. On 28 March 1972, she was admitted to St Elizabeth's Nursing Home.[41]
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,Bombay.[41] 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."[41] 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 anUrdu poet under the pseudonym Naaz.[43] HistorianPhilip Bounds and researcherDaisy 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."[44]
I write, I recite – an album consisting of Kumari's poems under the label of LP Vinyl Record was released in 1971, for whichMohammed Zahur Khayyam gave music.[45] The poetry in the album (nazms) has been written, recited and sung by the poet herself.[46] The album was re-released on 19 September 2006.
Tanha Chand (Lonely Moon), a collection of Kumari's poems, was compiled byGulzar and published after her death in 1972.[47]
Meena Kumari, the Poet: A Life Beyond Cinema consisting of the late actress's poems andnazms was also published in 2014.
Public image
Kumari set fashion trends which are still in high demand.[48]Javed Akhtar points out that women in the 1950s used to follow her sober and dignified fashion trends ranging from the hair bun to the traditionalbindi.[49] DirectorSanjay Leela Bhansali has said that he appreciates the aesthetics ofPakeezah and the way Kumari played the role with grace and beauty. Her floral or traditionalBanarasi silk andKanjeevaram saris have never gone out of fashion and continue to be a favourite of designers likeSabyasachi Mukherjee.[50][51] Tajdar Amrohi said: "When the shooting ofPakeezah started again in 1969, the first song shot was "Mausam Hai Ashiqaana". With this song, Kumari set a new fashion trend of girls wearingLungi.[52]
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.[53] 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.[54] 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.[55]
In 2010,Filmfare included Kumari's performances inSahib Bibi Aur Ghulam andPakeezah in its list of Bollywood's "80 Iconic Performances".[56] Two of her films, namelyBaiju Bawra andDo Bigha Zameen, have been considered among the greatest films in a poll by theBritish Film Institute.[57] On the occasion of the centenary of Indian cinema, in a poll conducted byNews18 her filmsPakeezah,Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam andDo Bigha Zameen featured in the list of 100 best films ever made.[58] She was featured inBox Office India's "Top Actresses" list from 1952 to 1961.[59] Various publications includingHindustan Times mentioned her among the topmost sex symbols of Bollywood.[60] In 2011,Rediff listed her as the fourth-greatest Indian actress of all time, noting, "Her performanceSahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, 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."[61] In 2012, Kumari was placed at No. 3 byNDTV in the listing of "The most popular Bollywood actresses of all time".[62] In 2021,Time Out placed her 3rd in its "The ten best Bollywood actresses" list.[63] In 2022, she was placed inOutlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actresses" list.[64] In 2023,Rajeev Masand listed her in a similar list.[65]
Artistry and legacy
Acting style and reception
"Had she lived, it is possible she could have inspired the more intelligent of our writers and directors to put together a film worthy of her talents. Now she is gone, that source of inspiration is gone."[8]
—Khwaja Ahmad Abbas on Meena Kumari (Meena Kumari The Classic Biography)
Kumari was credited for never using products likeglycerin to shed tears, but always shed genuine tears while acting.[8] At the peak of her career, she was the highest-paid actress of her generation, and was the first to buy anImpala car.[66] Indian Film CriticBhawana Somaaya said: "There was a time when top heroes were not willing to work with Meena Kumari, because she played the powerful roles".Vinod Mehta 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 likeRajendra Kumar inChirag Kahan Roshni Kahan and withSunil Dutt inEk Hi Raasta."[8] Another critic Afeefa Banu described her as "an object of fantasy and a motif of melancholy".[67] Kumari helpedDharmendra enormously in the initial stages of his career, and established his acting career inIndian Cinema.[8] The Kathak master PanditLachhu Maharaj 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."[68]Ashok Kumar 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."[69] In 1953, soon after the success ofBaiju Bawra, Kumari appeared inDream House, an advertisement by Dunlopillo UK along withAshok Kumar.[70] According to Indian Film CriticBhawana Somaaya: "Pakeezah is just like poetry on celluloid, I cannot imagine anybody else in this movie except Meena Kumari."[52]
Vinod Mehta (writer of Meena Kumari – The Classic Biography) was told by a director: "EvenDilip Kumar (the tragedy king) found it difficult to keep his calm in front of her".[71]Raaj Kumar would often forget his dialogues while working with Kumari on set.[72]Madhubala was also a fan of Kumari and said: "She has the most unique voice. No other heroine has it."[73]Satyajit Ray described her as "undoubtedly an actress of the highest calibre".[8]Amitabh Bachchan said "No one, not any one, ever spoke dialogues the way Meena Kumari did .. no one .. not anyone to date.. and perhaps never will".[74] Music DirectorNaushad said "Hindi film industry may produce great actresses but there would never be another Meena Kumari".[75] ActressKangana Ranaut commented, "In her heydays, media and film industry called Meena Kumari the actress among heroines".[76] During the filming ofHeeramandi, a webseries which chronicles the life of courtesans ofLahore, filmmakerSanjay Leela Bhansali and actressRicha Chadha clearly cited Kumari and her filmPakeezah as their inspiration.[77][78] ActressAlia Bhatt also mentioned watching Kumari's films for preparing for the role of a brothel madame inGangubai Kathiawadi.[79] Cultural professorRachel Dwyer noted, "Meena Kumari was a heroine of the post-Independence cinema [just as] Alia Bhatt is of today’s post-Bollywood".[80] ActressTara Sutaria termed Meena Kumari "fascinating" and said that her generation misses out on Kumari's "adaa and nazaaqat".[81] Kumari empathized greatly withMarilyn Monroe, and the fact that Marilyn's husband,Arthur Miller, had some passing similarities to her husbandKamal Amrohi, made the identification closer.[8]
Legacy
"In her youth, her eyes emitted fire. She was stunning. Her complexion had a sensuous quality to it. When you saw her, you felt like grabbing her in your arms."[82]
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 asMohammed Zahur Khayyam andJaved Akhtar.[49] Her portrayal of "Sahibjaan", a nautch girl with a golden heart inPakeezah under Amrohi's direction became a historical document.[83]
Cine Icon award for her enduring legacy in Hindi cinema.[84]
Honoured
Records
In 70 editions of theFilmfare Awards, Kumari's unusual feat of garnering all nominations in the Best Actress category remains unaccomplished by any other actress. She reached this pinnacle 62 years, 163 days ago at the10th Filmfare Awards in 1963.[8]
Her record for the highest number of nominations in the Best Actress category (12) was eventually broken after 35 years byMadhuri Dixit at the53rd Filmfare Awards, 2008.[86]
She is the only actress to be nominated posthumously. Kumari got a posthumous nomination forPakeezah at the20th Filmfare Awards in 1973.[86]
Kumari not winning an award for her performance inPakeezah stirred controversy at the20th Filmfare Awards. Filmfare, however, defended their decision by stating that according to their rules, posthumous awards were not allowed then;[87]Filmfare's editorB. K. Karanjia said bothGhulam Mohammad (the music director ofPakeezah) andJosef Wirsching (cinematographer) lost for the same reason.[88]
On the day that Kumari died, her 1952 filmBaiju Bawra was re-released atBombay's Super cinema, drawing a full audience, which wept copiously while remembering the actress.[7] Shortly after her death, fellow actressNargis wrote a personal essay in an Urdu magazine –Shama, titled"Meena – Maut Mubarak Ho" (English:Congratulations on your death Meena).[90] In October 1973, she also established the Meena Kumari Memorial for the Blind in her memory and was the chairman of this trust.[91] In 1979,Meena Kumari Ki Amar Kahaani (English:The immortal story of Meena Kumari), a film dedicated to the late actress was released. It was directed bySohrab Modi and featured exclusive interviews of various film personalities, such asRaj Kapoor andRajendra Kumar. The music for the film was composed byKhayyam. The following year,Shaira (alternatively titledSahira) (English:Poetess) was released. It was a short documentary about Kumari and was directed by S Sukh Dev along withGulzar. This documentary was produced by Kanta Sukhdev. A postal stamp of face value 500 paise was issued in her honour on 13 February 2011 byIndia Post.[92]
In 2012,Walk of the Stars, a section of theBandstand Promenade inBandra,Mumbai 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.[93] In May 2018,Ajeeb Dastaan Hai Yeh, a play depicting her life was staged at Rangayan auditorium ofJawahar Kala Kendra inJaipur.[94] On 1 August 2018, search engine Google commemorated Kumari with aDoodle on her 85th birth anniversary.[95] 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".[96] In 2023, an exhibition atKiran Nadar Museum of Art, named "Sitaare Zameen Par", had portraits of Kumari that were captured by JH Thakkar.[97] Her souvenirs were auctioned online, along with that of other actresses, in the same year.[98] On the occasion of Meena Kumari's 91st birth anniversary, sculptor Pankaj Bhargava unveiled a sculpture dedicated to her inJaipur.[99]
In popular culture
Film dedicated to Kumari which was released in 1981
Biographies
One of the first biographies of Kumari was written just after her death byVinod Mehta in October 1972. The official biography of Kumari was titledMeena Kumari: The Classic Biography. The biography was re-published in May 2013.
Simply Scandalous authored byMohan Deep was an unofficial biography published in 1998. It was serialized in Mumbai's Hindi dailyDopahar 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[100][101] It was directed bySohrab Modi and had the music composed byKhayyam.Kumari has always been a subject of interest among present day filmmakers. ActressSridevi parodied Meena Kumari in the 1990 song"Main Lagti Hoon Sridevi" from the filmNaaka Bandi. In 2004, a modern-day adaption of her filmSahib Bibi Aur Ghulam was to be made by Pritish Nandy Communications in whichAishwarya Rai and laterPriyanka Chopra[102] were to portray her role ofChhoti Bahu. However, the film got shelved and paved the way for a TV series helmed by directorRituparno Ghosh in which actressRaveena Tandon took this role.[103]
In 2007,Priyanka Chopra parodied Kumari,Nargis andMadhubala in the filmSalaam-e-Ishq.[104] In 2015, it was reported thatTigmanshu Dhulia was to make a film on her, which was to be a screen adaptation of Vinod Mehta's book, "Meena Kumari – The Classic Biography".[105] ActressKangana Ranaut 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 2018, producer and former child artistKutty Padmini announced a biopic on Kumari in the form of a web series along with singerMohammed Rafi and actor-directorJ.P. Chandrababu. Padmini worked with Kumari in the filmDil Ek Mandir and wanted to honour the late actress with this biopic.[118]
In 2019,Sanjay Leela Bhansali announced the remake of Kumari's 1952 classicBaiju Bawra withAlia Bhatt reprisingGauri's character, a role which was originally played by Kumari.[119] ActressDeepika Padukone also expressed her desire to essay Kumari's role in the same film.[120] The shooting of the film however hasn't started, as of January 2024[121]
In 2020, Almighty Motion Pictures announced a web series on Kumari's life which is to be based on the bookStarring..Mahjabeen as Meena Kumari written by journalist Ashwini Bhatnagar.[122] 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.[123] 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.[124] The series which will be followed by a feature film will be helmed by producer Prabhleen Kaur Sandhu.[122]
In March 2022, it was reported thatKriti Sanon has been approached to play Kumari in a biopic planned byT–Series.[125] By April 2022, the makers choseHansal Mehta to be the director of the film,[126] who was later replaced by designerManish Malhotra in July 2023.[127] This film was however shelved, as of November 2024.[128]
In 2023, a Pakistani remake of the filmPakeezah was also announced in which actress Meera Jee was confirmed to play the central character, which was portrayed by Kumari in the original.[129]
Mahjabeen, a documentary based on the late star and her impact on the masses, came into the picture by late 2024. Helmed by filmmaker Geetika Narang Abbasi, the documentary features Maanik Mahna, who presents the film from a fan's point of view. The film was a work-in-progress project which featured in Cinevesture Chandigarh that took place in March 2025.[130]
In 2025,Chalte Chalte, a play based on Kumari and her love for poetry was staged atDelhi's LTG Auditorium. It was directed by M Sayeed Alam, with Tarannum Ahmed playing the titular role.[131]
In February 2022, music labelSaregama 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 filmPakeezah. The series which will be helmed byYoodlee films is expected to go on floors in 2023.[132] In September 2024, directorSiddharth P. Malhotra, announcedKamal Aur Meena, an official biopic focusing on the tumultuous relationship between Kumari and her husbandKamal Amrohi in collaboration with the Amrohi family. The film which will be written byBhavani Iyer andKausar Munir with lyrics penned byIrshad Kamil and music byA. R. Rahman, is expected to release in 2026.[133] By November 2025, actressKiara Advani was finalized to play Meena Kumari onscreen in the same project.[134]
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