Fashion designer Manish Malhotra, is all geared up to embark on a new creative journey as a director, and his debut couldn’t be more captivating – a biopic that pays tribute to the legendary actress, Meena Kumari. Portraying the leading lady is Kriti Sanon. The news of this collaboration has set the entertainment world abuzz, capturing everyone’s attention.
As we anticipate this cinematic marvel, let’s take a moment to remember the enigmatic Meena Kumari and delve into the details of her untimely departure.
Following the release of her magnum opus “Pakeezah,” Meena Kumari’s life took a turn for the worse. In the late 1960s, she found solace in alcohol, a crutch that began to cast its shadow on her later films. However, even amidst her struggles, she managed to deliver spellbinding performances in films like “Phool Aur Patthar” (1966), “Mere Apne” (1971), and the iconic “Pakeezah” (1972), which would ultimately become her swan song.
Tragically, just three weeks after the release of “Pakeezah,” Meena Kumari fell gravely ill, leading to her admission to St Elizabeth’s Nursing Home in March 1972.
Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she slipped into a coma two days later, passing away on 31st March 1972, at the tender age of 38. The cause of her untimely demise was liver cirrhosis, a consequence of her alcohol addiction. Following her husband’s wishes, she was laid to rest at Rehmatabad Cemetery, nestled in Narialwadi, Mazagaon, Bombay.
Meena Kumari’s tombstone holds poignant words, reflecting the essence of her tumultuous life: “She ended life with a broken fiddle, with a broken song, with a broken heart, but not a single regret.” Her husband, too, wished to be reunited with her, and upon his passing on 11th February 1993 in Bombay, he was laid to rest beside her.
Beyond her mesmerizing performances on screen, Meena Kumari was a multitalented artist, gifted with poetry and the ability to lend her voice as a playback singer. Her mellifluous voice graced some of her early films as a child artist, and her poems were immortalized in a heartfelt album.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Meena Kumari portrayed powerful women characters, reflecting the trials and tribulations faced by Indian women of that era. Her notable works include “Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai” (1960), where she portrayed “the other woman” with depth, “Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam,” portraying the role of an alcoholic wife desperate for her husband’s affection, as well as “Aarti,” “Main Chup Rahungi” (all 1962), “Dil Ek Mandir” (1963), and “Kaajal” (1965).
Meena Kumari’s life and work continue to resonate with audiences and are intrinsically linked to broader discussions about fame, media, and the complexities of human experiences.