Biography of Meena Kumari

(1932 - March 31, 1972)

The droop of her kiss curl, the anguish-laden voice and the image of an unblemished tragedy queen marked the persona of Meena Kumari. The image of a lonely, sorrowful woman, whose desires remain unfulfilled, remained with her for throughout her life.

Meena Kumari's real name was Mahajabeen Ali Bux. She was the daughter of the Parsee theatre actor and music teacher Ali Bux and dancer Iqbal Begum. Her first film was Vijay Bhatt directed Baiju Bawra'. Since then she was renamed Baby Meena.

Her early films were mainly mythological like 'Veer Ghatotkach', "Shri Ganesh Mahima' and fantasies like Aladin and the Wonderful Lamp. She hit the big time with Vijay Bhatt's 'Baiju Bawra' in 1952. With Baiju Bawra', the suffering Indian woman found a new face in Meena Kumari. Later she gave many hit films like 'Daera', 'Ek Hi Rasta' and 'Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi'. Her greatest ever performance came in the film 'Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam' and 'Pakeezah'.