By Jagmohan Singh Barhok
On Her 90th Birth Anniversary
दूर हुआ गम का नशा
मुझको ख़ुशी मिल गयी
झूम उठी दुनियां मेरी
दिल की कली खिल गयी
दिल मेरा लेने लगा अंगड़ाइयाँ
आ गए वो आ गए
वो मिट गयी तन्हाईयाँ
दिल में बजी प्यार की शहनाइयाँ
If Dilip Kumar was called ‘Tragedy King’, Meena Kumari could well be called the “Tragedy Queen” of Hindi films. Infact, she was a ‘Brand’ in her own right. An actress who made many a million smile with her acting prowess, symbolized pity or sadness throughout her career spanning more than thirty-years, and so successfully ,too. Tears came naturally in her eyes. She never used Glycerin.
Her failed marriage , coupled with emotional discontentment, turned her into a virtual recluse. She tried to find happiness in the arms of young Dharmendra. Unfortunately, it did not work as he, too, was married & had children. Her brief liaison with Sawan Kumar Tak, towards the fag end of her career, ignited a thin ray of hope but here too luck eluded her. Sawan Kumar Tak was also married. “Gomti Ke Kinare” , produced & directed by Tak, was Meena Kumari’s last film.
She died before the release of the film. Her other film, former husband Kamaal Amrohi’s magnum-opus, “Pakeezah” received positive reviews and was declared a hit with some of the best ‘mujras’ & luxurious sets to boast.
Meena Kumari hit the limelight with Vijay Bhatt’s “Baiju Bawra” (1952) opposite Bharat Bhushan , winning her first Best actress Filmfare Award. It was followed by another for her role in “Parineeta” (1953), directed by Bimal Roy featuring Ashok Kumar. Meena Kumari who later did hits like- “Azaad”,”,”Yahudi”, “Kohinoor”, “Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai”, “Miss marry”, “Foot Path”, “Dil Ek Mandir”, “Shararat”, “Ek Hi Raasta” , “Kaajal” & Guru Dutt’s “Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam”, became a potential threat to most actors as many of them refused to work opposite her lest they lose recognition and lustre. She was seen as a ‘Star Maker’ as well as ‘Star Breaker’.
Her portrayal of ‘Chhoti Bahu’ in the classic “Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam” reflected sufferings and unhappiness she endured in her life. The film won four Filmfare Awards, including the Best Actress Award . I was lucky enough to have seen the actress shoot at Nainital during the making of “Bheegi Raat” & later at Kashipur, in Uttar Pradesh (where my father was then posted), during the making of “Majhli Didi” starring Dharmendra at the farm house of P. N. Mehta, Director Escorts Limited. Dharmendra later purchased a farm house at Kashipur.
