Fashion

The movie career of Meena Kumari began when she was a child as she had to back her family. In her childhood, she wanted to attend school exactly like other children but fate had other plans for her. She became one of the most appreciated female stars of Indian film industry and even after various years of her death, film lovers and critics regard her as an elegant actress ever in the industry. She also has some of the classic films to her name.

Baiju Bawra

Though audience saw her in twenty movies as a child artist, in her full fledged career the first film to be successful was Baiju Bawra released in 1953. She easily enacted the character of a lover who negates herself because she wanted to make way for the growth of her lover. She took pains for her lover to make good music and be famous. For this movie, Meena Kumari won the 1st award for best actress in Filmfare Awards (1954) and became popular instantly.

Parineeta

In Parineeta, her enchanting performance continued. This socially inclined movie depicted the division on the basis of financial status in society and how a dutiful wife protects the secret of her marriage with a rich man. Ashok Kumar and Meena Kumari gave memorable performances in this movie. In 1955, she got the award for Best Actress in Filmfare. She was winning this for the second time.

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam

Once again Filmfare Best Actress Award was conferred on her for the film Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962). Her seductive and captivating enactment was appreciated widely. She played the character of Chhoti Bahu, making attempts to bring back her spouse, Chhote Babu, from brothels. She was a devoted and dutiful wife, who wants to look after her husband and love him. She resorts to alcohol to attract her spouse, although, she did not like it. She skillfully portrays the dilemmas, sadness and desires of a wife who is caught between customs and traditions of a family of Hindus and her husband.

Pakeezah.

For several reasons, this film is considered to be a cult film in the film industry. Her name was put forward for best actress for the film, though it was released after her demise. She performs the character of a singer in kothas who falls in love with a forest ranger and they run away. In this film she is daughter of Shahabuddin. But, people recognize her as she is well known even when she is renamed as Pakeezah – of good heart. Leaving her lover (son of Shahabuddin), she comes back to the brothel again. Her lover gets married to somebody else and to that ceremony she is called to perform.

For Kaajal, she received best actress award (it was her fourth award). Among the roles she did, many were sorrowful. As Tragedy Queen, Meena Kumari is still thought of in Bollywood.