
Meena Kumari
Acting
Biography
Meena Kumari (born Mahjabeen Bano; August 1, 1933 – March 31, 1972) was an Indian actress, as well as an occasional poet, playback singer and model. She was described by critics as a historically incomparable actress of Hindi Cinema. Though best known for her sensitive portrayals of struggling women, earning her the title "The Tragedy Queen", she starred in over 90 films that varied in genres, from traditional melodramas, mythological adventures, comedies, historicals and Muslim socials. At the peak of her career, she was the highest-paid actress, and set fashion trends for women in the 1950s.
Known For

During a ceremony, Nanda gets amnesia after an explosion. She claims to be Radha. Dr. Rajesh treats her. They visit Bombay to uncover her past but are trailed by a goon. Rajesh investigates further to unravel the mystery.
Baharon Ki Manzil

Circumstances have made Shaka a career criminal. When plague empties a town of its inhabitants, he takes the opportunity to burgle a house. He finds nothing except Shanti, a widowed daughter-in-law who has been left to die by her cruel relatives. Shaka nurses her back to health. When her relatives return they are not pleased to find her alive and even less pleased to discover that someone has tried to rob them. Shanti gets the blame and a beating. Shaka saves her from worse, at the hands of brother-in-law, and the pair flee. They set up home in Shaka's house, much to the displeasure of the respectable neighbours who are all too ready to think the worst.
Phool Aur Patthar

Halaku (Pran), the powerful emperor of Iran, rules the country wisely and with an iron hand. When he comes upon one of his subjects, Niloufer (Meena Kumari), he stakes his claim on her and wants her to be his wife, despite of his wife (Minoo Mumtaz), who opposes his marriage plans. Niloufer, who loves Pervez (Ajit), refuses to submit to Halaku, he turns his wrath on both Niloufer, Pervez, and his wife. Will Niloufer and Pervez survive the ruthless Halaku?
Halaku

A beautiful courtesan is unable to break away from the cycle of prostitution until a forest ranger falls in love with her. Unfortunately, his wealthy parents oppose the union.
Pakeezah

Three love stories that take place simultaneously but do not intersect, because the characters do not interact with each other, even though they all live in the same neighborhood. Govinda, a gloomy Airai boy who was cruelly separated from his beloved girlfriend, Chalvi, who was expelled from the village. Johnny Braganza, a waiter who has just been released from prison after being unjustly accused of falsifying the accounts of the hotel owner, Ferrara, who successfully seduces Johnny's girlfriend, Stella. Now he is setting up a car garage at the same intersection.
Char Dil Char Rahen

Old woman Anandi moves to the city with her relatives and finds out their material side. She develops fondness for two rival street gangs of unemployed youth. These gangs are headed by two former friends turned foes in a time when society, politics and education are all losing their bearings in 1970s India.
Mere Apne

Meena, a wealthy, educated girl, has been promised in marriage to Sunder, a sheltered young man who has received an extremely traditional religious education. Displeased, Meena sets out to find a more suitable candidate, but is taken in by Manohar, a gold-digging conman. Finding Sunder to be clueless about the world, Manohar is soon manipulating him as well as Meena in his schemes to gain possession of Meena's fortune.
Mem Sahib

When Vikraman returns home after completing his studies, he finds out that his brother has illegally acquired all the property leaving his widowed sister in poverty and decides to set things right.
Viruthan Shanku

Chand, a poet and lyricist who leaves home due to differences with his father, finds great success as an artist in the city. He falls in love with Mala, a first-class dancer. But the scheming theatre owner plans to separate them.
Naya Andaz

On the day of her marriage, the bride goes missing. She ends up in a brothel, compelling her wealthy husband to pretend that all is well to keep the family's honor intact.
Bahu Begum

A struggling artist accidentally kills a man on a "wet night." Unbeknownst to him, a wealthy witness falls for his sister. Their love blossoms, but the hidden truth of the murder threatens to unravel everything, forcing them to confront a dark past that could shatter their future.
Bheegi Raat

In ancient Rome, a mourning Jewish man raises the kidnapped daughter of Roman royalty as his own - and she grows up without learning her true identity. Years later, she falls in love with a Roman prince.
Yahudi

When Kamal Kumar meets the young, beautiful Gayatri on a train he instantly falls in love, and despite the fact that he is the son of a wealthy landowner, Rattan Kumar, and she the daughter of a farmer, Narayan, he convinces her to marry him. But when Kamal has to go to Singapore for business, his father finds out about the wedding and makes Gayatri swear she will never reveal her relationship with Kamal to anyone. When Gayatri discovers she is pregnant with Kamal's child, she and her father are forced to leave the village.
Main Chup Rahungi

Raised by a kind matriarch, Madhavi (Meena Kumari) shares a close bond with her foster brother Rajesh (Dharmendra). When Rajesh marries the insecure Bhanu (Padmini), Madhavi faces false accusations and attempts suicide. Rescued by Moti (Raaj Kumar), she marries him, only to discover his manipulative and exploitative true nature, leaving her trapped in a life of further sorrow.
Kaajal

A debauchee Zamindar greatly neglects his wife. The decadence of the Bengali Zamindar milieu in the late 19th century, seen through the eyes of a young upward mobile rustic seeking fortune in Calcutta, fascinated by the lonely lady of the house.
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam

A rich girl marries a doctor. Differences crop up between the two and starts to snowball wherein she returns to her father's house. Months later she returns only to find he is in love with a nurse.
Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai

Agra-based atheist and revolutionary poet/editor of Inquilab, Ejaz, falls head-over-heels in love with Naaz Ara Begum after he hears her sing, and then ends up losing his job. With the assistance of his lovely sister, Kausar Ara Begum, Ejaz and Naaz meet secretly. This does not auger well with Akhtar Nawab, Naaz's paternal cousin, who plans to marry her. To make matters worse, their meeting is witnessed by her enraged dad, Nawab Bakar Ali Khan, who initially asks Ejaz to leave, and then decides to teach him a lesson - with two loaded rifles.
Gazal

When Sita’s husband, Ram, is diagnosed with cancer, their lives are thrown into a tailspin—only to be further complicated when his treating physician turns out to be Dharmesh, Sita’s former lover.
Dil Ek Mandir

Noor Jahan, the empress of the Mughal empire, becomes the favourite wife of Emperor Jahangir and steadily begins to exert more influence on the throne through her love for him.
Noorjehan

Amar and Malti live an idyllic, loving life with their son Raja. However, Amar makes enemies in his job and is killed, forcing Malti to remarry.