When The Making Of Pakeezah Was Surrounded By Dark Tragedies (Photo Credit – Youtube)
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Meena Kumari is a name synonymous with tragedy. It is not unnatural that she was bestowed with the title of ‘tragedy queen’. Not only were her roles full of pathos and intensity but even her personal life was marred by a sad darkness. One such story includes the making of her cult classic 1972 movie, Pakeezah. The movie is considered to be one of the most timeless classics of Hindi cinema but the story behind it is marred with tragedy.
Pakeezah Was Kamal Amrohi’s Passion Project
According to a report in Mensxp, Meena Kumari tied the knot with Kamal Amrohi on February 14, 1952, who was 19 years elder to her. Not only this but Amrohi was already married at that time to his first wife with whom he also had children. However, the Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam actress found solace in the director, having had a deeply troubled childhood due to financial constraints.
However, fate had other plans as soon as problems seeped into their marriage. Reportedly, Meena Kumari used to experience a lack of privacy and over-possessiveness from her husband, which soon led to a sense of suffocation and toxicity for her. Despite this, Kamal Amrohi soon embarked on his passion project, Pakeezah, which he had envisioned for his wife. Thus, the shooting began for the film despite their marriage falling into shambles.
Pakeezah Was Made Amid A Storm In Meena Kumari And Kamal Amrohi’s Marriage
The film took 15 years to complete amid Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi’s marriage going downhill. The former couple also parted ways in 1964 after 12 years of marriage. During this phase, the Bheegi Raat actress also suffered from acute depression and insomnia. To ensure a proper sleep, her doctor suggested her a small peg of brandy. But this resulted in the late actress getting addicted to the same.
Her addiction led to the actress suffering from liver cirrhosis. During this time, she also visited Switzerland and London for her treatment. Despite her doctor forbidding her to strain herself, she resumed shooting for Pakeezah after returning to India. This deteriorated her health even more and ultimately, the film was released on February 4, 1972. The movie became a success but at what cost? Just a month later, on March 31, 1972, Meena Kumari passed away after a prolonged battle with liver cirrhosis. Well, the making of this classic musical romantic drama indeed had a devastating back story to it.
