Famous Indian actress Meena Kumari was famously known as “Tragedy Queen” for many reasons -some related to her life, and some to her art of acting and performing. Meena Kumari was a classic movie actress who defined the art of acting in India.
Born on this day, that is, 1st of August, in 1933, she joined the world of Indian cinema at a very early age. Her career spans from 1939 to 1972. In 1972, Meena Kumari died because of liver cirrhosis.
Meena Kumari’s real name was Mehzabi Bano and along with acting she possessed the talent of poetry. Till the age of 30, she had done more than 90 movies out of which Pakeeza and Kaajal are the most loved and famous ones. Film Pakeeza, which took 14 years in making, was Meena Kumari’s last movie.
Mainly, she was popular for enacting tragic roles in movies. Perhaps it was the tragedy and trauma of her personal experiences that was mirrored in her art so perfectly that each one of her performances was no less than a masterpiece. The way she projected tragic personas on screen earned her the title of “Tragedy Queen”, and rightly so.
Some of the movies of Meena Kumari that are par excellence are:
• Farzad-e-Watan (1939)
• Baiju Bawra (1952)
• Parineeta (1953)
• Azad (1955)
• Ek Hi Raasta (1956)
• Shaarda (1957)
• Saheb Biwi Aur Gulaam (1962)
• Kaajal (1965)
• Pakeeza (1972)