Meena Kumari: I write, I recite

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

Inactive

Posted: 17 years ago

#21

Cho lene do nazuk hothon ko ..

This is a song from the movie kajal starring meena kumari, raaj kumar, dharmendra, padmini, mumtaz, and mehmood. Kajal went on to win several filmfare awards including a best actress award for meena kumari and a best male playback singer award for mohammed rafi for the song cho lene
[YOUTUBE] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgtzRnZEcKc&feature=relat ed[/YOUTUBE]

Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

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Posted: 17 years ago

#22

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Dinesh Raheja Bujh gayee aas chhup gayaa taaraa
thar-tharaataa rahaa dhuaan tanhaa These lines, penned by Meena Kumari in a compilation of her poems titled, I Write I Recite, suggest the actress was well acquainted with melancholy. March 31, 2002, marks 30 years since Meena Kumari passed away. But the moist-eyed actress will always be remembered as Hindi cinema's Tragedy Queen.

Famous songs picturised on Meena Kumari
Song	Film	Singer
Bachpan ki mohabbat	Baiju Bawra	Lata Mangeshkar
Na bole na bole re	Azaad	Lata Mangeshkar
Ajeeb dastaan hain yeh	Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi	Lata Mangeshkar
Do sitaron ka zameen par	Kohinoor	Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi
Jyoti kalash chhalke	Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan	Lata Mangeshkar
Na jao saiyyan	Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam	Geeta Dutt
Sansar se bhage phirte ho	Chitralekha	Lata Mangeshkar
Tora man darpan kehlaye	Kaajal	Asha Bhosle
Duniya kare sawal toh hum	Bahu Begum	Lata Mangeshkar
Chalte chalte	Pakeezah	Lata Mangeshkar

Meena's troubled life was abbreviated at 40 when she succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver. Christened Mahjabeen, she was born to a musician father, Ali Bux. Strained financial circumstances had her and her two sisters Khurshid and Madhu, entering films as child stars. Little Meena got her name in her debut film, Vijay Bhatt's Jairaj-starrer Leather Face in 1939. Later, when Meena started doing mature roles in the late 1940s and early 1950s, she starred opposite the same Jairaj as his heroine in Magroor. And she held the audience captive with her portrayal of the self-sacrificing Gauri in Baiju Bawra (1952), directed by Vijay Bhatt. This blockbuster Naushad musical won Meena the very first Filmfare Best Actress Award. Incidentally, Baiju Bawra came after Meena Kumari's nikaah with director Kamal Amrohi. She was his second wife. Another award followed with Bimal Roy's Parineeta (1953). Meena subsequently acknowledged its hero Ashok Kumar's role in shaping her histrionic abilities. Incidentally, they went onto pair in 14 films. At 20, Meena had become a star. The actress won acclaim for her performances in Daera (as a young woman married to an old man), Ek Hi Raasta (as Sunil Dutt's widow whom Ashok Kumar marries after defying societal norms) and Sharda (as Raj Kapoor's lover who marries his father). In the 1950s, Meena sensibly alternated these high-octane roles with spirited characters. She gave the boisterous Kishore Kumar tit for tat in six films including Ilzaam; she pranced gaily in swashbucklers like Azaad, and made expressive eyes in the light-hearted Miss Mary. By the 1960s, Meena's screen image had crystallised into that of a stoic victim. The very successful Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (where her love Raaj Kumar marries Nadira) in 1960 can be seen as the Rubicon line. Meena looked beautiful when there was a big teardrop suspended on her eyelashes. In real life, Meena never got startled even if someone were to enter the room suddenly and shout. She'd slowly turn around. Perhaps this explains the control she could exercise over her tragic roles. Moreover, Meena now embodied the 'women's pictures' era. She did films that revolved around her --- even if it meant not signing films with the Raj [Kapoor]-Dilip [Kumar]-Dev [Anand] trio. Gratifyingly, most of her hits were fuelled by her own star power. In 1962, Meena cornered all the three nominations in Filmfare's Best Actress category with Aarti, Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam and Main Chup Rahungi. She won for Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam as the doomed (and drunk) chhoti bahu who slurs Na jao saiyaan in an anguished plea for love. Meena took the audience on an unforgettable odyssey into the inner recesses of the mind of an emotionally and physically cloistered woman. The much-publicised split with Amrohi in 1964 added to Meena Kumari's tear-soaked image. Instead of fighting the image, Meena thrived on it. In this heady yet tumultuous phase of her career Meena made a regular pair with Raaj Kumar, Pradeep Kumar and Dharmendra. She was romantically linked with Dharmendra, but scandals could not distract the public's adoration of her. The Meena-Dharmendra pair sparkled in Kaajal (1965) where her purely fraternal feelings for him are misunderstood; in the superhit Phool Aur Patthar (1966), she is a weeping widow who comes under his protection. But the euphoria was short-lived. Films like Chandan Ka Palna and Majhli Didi didn't do well. Worse, in 1968, Meena fell seriously ill and had to be flown to England for treatment. When she returned, she found herself caught in a morass of character roles like the rape victim in Jawab (1970) and the widow in Dushman (1971). Meena turned poetry, old wine and new friendships. She worked with new directors like Gulzar (Mere Apne) and Saawan Kumar Tak (Gomti Ke Kinare). But in the spirit of the maxim that the fame burns brightest before it is snuffed, the best was round the corner. Amrohi's Pakeezah, for which Meena was paid the princely sum of a gold asharfi, was earmarked by destiny to prove a gold mine. Sunil Dutt and Nargis previewed some reels of Amrohi's lavishly conceived and executed Pakeezah and convinced the estranged Amrohi and Meena to complete the film, launched in 1956. Despite her rapidly deteoriating health, she gave the finishing touches to her performance as a nautch girl who dares to dream of a life as a married woman. Pakeezah was a perfect swan song for Meena. Her voice caressed each pathos-laden word (few people know that her much-revered vocal inflections were honed to perfection on the sets of Sharda with the help of Raj Kapoor on a tinny tape recorder). Even as the nation marvelled at her ability to infuse life into her role in Pakeezah, Meena Kumari breathed her last. Within a couple of months of Pakeezah's release, Meena Kumari died on March 31, 1972. And left behind a film befitting her legend.

Meena Kumari's Landmark Films
Year	Film	Hero
1952	Baiju Bawra	Bharat Bhushan
1955	Azaad	Dilip Kumar
1957	Sharda	Raj Kapoor
1960	Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi	Raaj Kumar
1962	Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam	Guru Dutt
1962	Aarti	Ashok Kumar, Pradeep Kumar
1963	Dil Ek Mandir	Rajendra Kumar, Raaj Kumar
1965	Kaajal	Raaj Kumar, Dharmendra
1972	Pakeezah	Raaj Kumar

You might also want to read:
Dev Anand: The man who never said never

http://www.rediff.com/entertai/2002/mar/30dinesh.htm

Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago

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Bob Chowdhury

@Qwest

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Posted: 17 years ago

#23

Meena Kumari

All Time Greats
Meena Kumari: The Tragedy Queen
The late Meena Kumari was the epitome of sadness and loneliness. In her lifetime (August 1, 1932- March 31, 1972) she essayed many roles as "Tragedy Queen": Baiju Bawra (1952), Daera (1953) and Sharda (1957),among others.

Take the case of Baiju Bawra. In this popular film she enacted the part of a long suffering Indian woman willing to sacrifice herself for the material and spiritual advancement of the man she loves. The heroine went to the extent of choosing the path of annihilation--to provide him the experience of pain so that his music would be enriched! It was a powerful performance and fetched her the inaugural Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Meena became synonymous with tragedy, a pity according to the critics, since she displayed a refreshing lack of inhibition in the few light-hearted films she did in between such as Azaad/ (1955), Miss Mary (1957), Shararat (1959) and Kohinoor (1960). Says an internet article, " In these films, her physical movements are free and unrestrained and her dialogue delivery absolutely normal - a stark contrast to the studied mannerisms and passive postures of her tragic roles." However, it was a tragedy which marked the pinnacle of her film career. The film was Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962). Produced by Guru Dutt, the film tells the story of Choti Bahu, the youngest bride in an aristocratic zamindar family, who strives to make her errant husband return to her even at the risk of self-destruction. That year Meena made history as she garnered all the three Best Actress nominations for the Filmfare Award - for Aarti (1962), Main Chup Rahoongi (1962) and of course Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam for which she won the award. While on the professional front, the resounding success of Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Kajal (1965) and Phoor Aur Pathar (1966) kept her a top star, her marriage with Kamal Amrohi ended in 1964. Meena increasingly turned for comfort towards younger men such as Dharmendra and often dulled her senses with liquor. Her image grew in dimension as she was now widely seen as the eternal martyr. Meena spent the last years of her life playing the doomed diva. With heavy drinking, her appearance suffered and she began playing character roles, albeit strong ones, in potboilers like Jawab (1970) and Dushman (1971). A talented poetess in her own right, she recorded a disc of her Urdu poems - I write, I recite. Thankfully her exquisite speaking voice remained intact. In Gulzar's debut directorial venture Mere Apne (1971), she gave a powerful portrayal of an old woman caught between two street gangs of frustrated, unemployed youth, whose killing finally makes them realise the futility of violence. Realising that time was running out, she immersed herself in completing the timeless classic, Pakeezah (1972). Jointly planned by Meena and her then husband Kamal Amrohi in 1958, the film took 14 years to finally reach the silver screen. Filming came to a halt when the couple split but Meena was determined to complete it. Pakeezah was finally released in February 1972 and opened to a lukewarm response. However, after her death on March 31, 1972, the film went on to become a huge success at the box-office with Meena playing the part of mother and daughter. Pakeezah now is reckoned as her best known film.
Meena Kumari's last film was Gomti ke Kinare (1972). Tanha Chand, a collection of her poems under the pseudonym Naaz, was compiled by Gulzar and published after her death

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

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Posted: 17 years ago

#24

http://www.rbcradio.com/meenakumari.html

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE MOVIE NOW

Meena Kumari lived through an era that brought forward the advancement of the Indian cinema from the Golden era to modern times in a magical career that would become the envy of today's film artists. An era that meticuously painted a canvas larger than life yet subtly, as real as life itself. A time when film artists portrayed characters true to the struggles and triumphs of the common man. By the time Meena Kumari graced the silver screen, India had already advanced in technology from silent films to talkies. This technical advancement would lend to the cinema the sound of a tremulous voice belonging to an actress who would eventually give rise to a certain culture of cinema like none other before or after her. Meena Kumari was simply unique. Born in Bombay as Mahjabeen Bano to theater actor Ali Box and dancer Iqbal begum on August 1st, 1933, Meena Kumari's Artistic rise to prominence would become an inspiration for years to come. Yet personally, this very prominence would become her life long struggle in a race for survival amidst a distinct backdrop of wine, relationships and stardom. Her journey through films would begin while living next to the Rooptara studios and her father was determined to have her in films and become the breadwinner for her family's immediate survival. In 1939, at age 6, Meena begun essaying roles and characters that would paint a canvas that looked like none other. Her first film, Leatherface, was made at Prakash studios and directed by Vijay Bhatt. She would journey onto a trail of mythologicals such as Shri Ganesh Mahima and the fantasy tale of Alice and the Wonder Lamp. More than a decade had passed and Meena Kumari had been constantly in search for a role, a character, that would challenge her sensibilities and stimulate her artistic abilities. This would come to her in the form of the film Baiju Bawra. Released on the 5th of October, 1952, Baiju Bawra brought forward the spirit of Gauri, a woman whose purpose serves her lover's achievements regardless of her sufferings. Meena Kumari would excell in her performance as Gauri and Baiju Bawra would become one of India's biggest films, celebrating Diamond Julilee status. On her part, Meena Kumari became India's most celebrated leading lady and won the Filmfare Award for her stunning performance as Gauri. On Sunday, March 21st, 1954, as the first ever Filmfare Awards were held at the Metro, some 1000 film personalities and dignataries came to attendance. In the moments leading to the Awards ceremony, fans took their place in history by packing the streets and roadsides leading to the Metro that night. A mere glimpse of the screen goddess could easily cherish a life time of memories. In a proud moment of glory, India's leading lady of celluoid rose to thunderous applause and ovation when accepting the first ever Filmfare Award in the category of Best Actress in a film. At this historical juncture of her career, her tremulous voice remained true to her emotions in accepting the award. A nation had showered her with love and appreciation and returned their devotion to her. Many years have come and gone and many others have graced the stage in acceptance of the award but yet to captured the spirit of triumph and victory as Meena Kumari did that night. With her that night was Kamal Amrohi. Amrohi had become a member of an elite group of India's brilliant craftsmen. During the nineteen forties he had brought forth one of the earliest of psychodramas screened for the Indian nation in the form of the now classic film Mahal, released in 1949. Armed with the confidence of a director and the success of his very first film, Amrohi would cast Meena Kumari in his next directorial venture, Daera and she would marry him. Together they would conceptualize and launch one of India's best known contemporary costume drama and named it Pakeezah. Although Meena would gave brilliant performances in lighter romantic roles in films such as Azaad, Miss Mary and Kohinoor, it is in the role of the great tragedienne that she is best remembered. Should the wind fingle her curls, then her lashes would flicker, her eyes would lay still and her lower lip would fold backwards, her nostrils becomes widened, and her voice cuts through the moment, upheld by her very own creation...the embodiedment of a woman. By 1962, Meena Kumari's career had peaked like none other. That year she had swept the Filmfare awards with 3 nominations for her performances in the films Aarti, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam and Main Chup Rahoongi and took home the award for her performance in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam. Professionally, Meena Kumari was India's great screen goddess. Personally, she craved inner peace, personal satisfaction and fulfillment. True to her desires and bravery, she would embark on rampages that made headlines across India but never for a moment did her fans lost any adoration for her as a talent.
Meena Kumari had sought fulfilment. It is unfortunate that destiny willed it differently for her. She would divorce Amrohi in 1964 but continued working with him on Pakeezah, the film that would eventually epitomized Meena Kumari as India's greatest cinematic tragedienne. Meena Kumari's love - lorn screen image was no less her real life persona. Her journey through films mirrored her journey through life and are legendary. Everything Meena did was huge. Her relationship with Dharmendra spanned two of her finer films Kaajal and Phool Aur Patthar. As the Nineteen Sixties progressed Meena Kumari would continue to thrive on her sensibilities as a love - lorn woman both on screen as well as in real life. She would spend time drinking, in search of satisfaction and writing Urdu poetry under the pen name Naaz. By 1968 Meena Kumari was 35 years old and alcohol abuse had caught up with her. She would continue work on Pakeezah and a few other films but mostly struggled to find a balance between reel and real life. Something that had been alluding her for almost all of her professional life. Pakeezah was premiered in Bombay on the 4th of February, 1972. In attendance that night was the who's who of the film Industry. Meena Kumari sat through the film and was mostly pleased especially since the film had been in production for 15 years. Up on the screen was the essence of a woman that perhaps only she could understand. As the curtains came back down that night and the lights went up, Meena Kumari heard the familiar voice of the legendary composer Khaiyyam saying " Shahkar ban gaya. " ( the film has become priceless ). Words that brought tears to her. Words that remained true. On the last day of March, 1972, one of India's most beloved screen icons breathed her last. Meena Kumari died from cirrhosis of the liver. Musically yours,
- the Music Merchant
Rohit Jagessar Top
In 1962, Meena cornered all the three nominations in Filmfare's Best Actress category
with Aarti, Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam and Main Chup Rahungi.
She won for Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam

1953
Baiju Bawra

1954
Parineeta

1962
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam

1965
Kaajal
Filmography

1939
Leatherface
Veer Ghatotkach

1940
Ek Hi Bhool
Pooja

1941
Bahen
Kasauti

1942
Garib

1943
Pratigya

1944
Lal Haveli

1946
Bachchon Ka Khel
Duniya Ek Sarai

1947
Piya Ghar Aaja

1948
Bhichhade Balam

1949
Veer Ghatotkach

1950
Anmol Ratan
Hamara Ghar
Magroor
Shri Ganesh Mahima

1951
Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp
Hanuman Pataal Vijay

1951
Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp
Hanuman Pataal Vijay
Lakshmi Narayan
Madhosh
Sanam

1952
Baiju Bawra
Tamasha

1953
Daera
Dana Pani
Do Bhiga Zameen
Foot Path
Naulakha Haar
Parineeta

1954
Baadbaan
Chandini Chowk
Ilzaam

1955
Adl - E - Jahangir
Azad
Bandish
Rukhsana

1956
Bandhan
Ek Hi Raasta
Halaaku
Memsaahib
Naya Andaz
Shatranj

1957
Miss Mary
Sharada

1958
Farishta
Sahara
Savera
Yahudi

1959
Ardhangini
Chand
Char Dil Char Raahein
Chirag Kahan Roshini Kahan
Jagir
Madhu
Satta Bazaar
Sharaarat

1960
Bahana
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai

1961
Bhabhi Ki Chuudiyaan
Pyar Ka Saagar
Zindagi Aur Khwab

1962
Aarti
Main Chup Rahungi
Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam

1963
Akeli Mat Jaiyo
Dil Ek Mandir
Kinare Kinare

1964
Benazir
Chitralekha
Ghazal
Main Bhi Ladki Hoon
Saanjh Aur Savera

1965
Bheegi Raat
Kaajal
Phool Aur Patthar
Purnima

1966
Pinjre Ke Panchhi

1967
Bahu Begum
Chandan Ka Palna
Manjhili Didi
Noorjehaan

1968
Abhilasha
Baharon Ki Manzil

1970
Jawaab
Saat Phere

1971
Dushman
Mere Apne
Pakeezah
Saat Sawaal

1972
Gomti Ke Kinare

1979
Meena Kumari Ki Amar Kahani

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Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

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Posted: 17 years ago

#25

http://in.movies.yahoo.com/artists/Meena-Kumari/artiststills /slideshow-8427.html

Home > Meena Kumari > Gallery > Artist Stills >

Meena Kumari

Artist Stills

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Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

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Posted: 17 years ago

#26

http://www.surfbollywood.com/imgbrowser.pl?CAT=Bollywood& ; ; ; ; ; ;CELEBRITY=Meena%20Kumari&FROM=0&GENRE=Photo%20Galle ry&VIEW=SLIDESHOW

Meena Kumari >

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Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

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Posted: 17 years ago

#27

Thanks dada for posting a great article!

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

Inactive

Posted: 17 years ago

#28

Miss Mary

O Raat ke musafir..

[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=E0KQQB82QMQ[/YOUTUBE]

Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

Inactive

Posted: 17 years ago

#29

Meena Kumari Naz

Meena Kumari was an Indian actress par-excellence and won many awards and numerous admirers for her acting. She was born as Mahjabiin Bano in Bombay on August 1, 1932. She also used to compose poetry under the nom-de-plume, "Naaz". She died on 31st March, 1972, soon after the release of her last movie, 'Pakeezah'. 'Tanha Chand', a collection of her Urdu poems under the pseudonym Naaz was compiled by Gulzar and published after her death. Pakeezah became a box-office superhit after her death and she has since acquired the legendary status and Pakeezah is regarded as her best film.

Ghazals & Nazms of Meena Kumari Naz

aabalaapaa koii is dasht meN aayaa hogaa
aaGhaaz to hotaa hai anjaam nahiiN hotaa
chaaNd tanhaa hai aasmaaN tanhaa
meraa maazii
puuchhte ho to suno kaise basar hotii hai
tukre tukre din biitaa, dhajjii dhajjii raat milii
ye nuur kaisaa hai

yuuN terii rah-guzar se diivaanaa-vaar guzre

aaGhaaz to hotaa hai anjaam nahiiN hotaa

Listen to the gazal in Meena Kumari's voice

[YOUTUBE] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7_ZUr9kSzQ&feature=relat ed[/YOUTUBE]

aaGhaaz to hotaa hai anjaam nahiiN hotaa
jab merii kahaanii meN vo naam nahiiN hotaa

jab zulf kii kaalikh meN ghul jaaye ko'ii raahii
bad-naam sahii lekin gum-naam nahiiN hotaa

haNs haNs ke javaaN dil ke ham kyouN na chune TukRe
har shaKhs kii qismat meN ina'am nahiiN hotaa

bahte hu'e aaNsuu ne aaNkhoN se kahaa tham kar
jo mae se pighal jaaye vo jaam nahiiN hotaa

din Duube haiN yaa Duubii baaraat liye kashtii
saahil pe magar ko'ii kohraam nahiiN hotaa

Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago

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sur_sangam

@Sur_Sangam

Inactive

Posted: 17 years ago

#30

tukre tukre din biitaa, dhajjii dhajjii raat milii..

Listen to the gazal in Meena Kumari's voice.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm6Be8-qDlk&feature=relat ed[/YOUTUBE]

tukre tukre din biitaa, dhajjii dhajjii raat milii
jiskaa jitnaa aaNchal thaa, utnii hii saugaat milii

jab chaahaa dil ko samjheN, hansne kii aavaaz sunii
jaise ko'ii kahtaa ho, le phir tujh ko maat milii

maateN kaisii, ghaateN kyaa, chalte rahnaa aaTh pahar
dil saa saathii jab paayaa, be-chainii bhii saath milii

Edited by Sur_Sangam - 17 years ago