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Not only was legendary actress Meena Kumari called “The Tragedy Queen” because of her pensive and intense roles, but her personal life was also a harrowing reflection of her tag. From her troubled marriage with filmmaker Kamal Amrohi to her becoming an alcoholic while battling depression, and finally succumbing to liver cirrhosis in March 1972 at the age of 38. However, even after her sad demise, her family had to undergo a struggle to even get hold of her mortal remains.
The Actress’s Family Struggled To Pay Rs 3,500 To Release Her Mortal Remains From The Hospital
Meena Kumari passed away just a month after the release of her cult classic film, Pakeezah after a prolonged battle with liver cirrhosis on March 31, 1972. According to Bollywood Shaadi, in a throwback 2014 interview with Reddit, director Bimal Roy’s daughter Rinki Roy Bhattacharya recalled a sad incident after Kumari’s death. Rinki revealed how the late actress’s family struggled to pay Rs 3,500 to release her mortal remains from the hospital.
This was because the Baharon Ki Manzil actress was suffering from extreme financial difficulties at the time of her death. Rinki Roy was quoted to reveal, “When this actress of high calibre, the reigning Goddess of cinema breathed her last on the afternoon of March 31, 1972, at 3:25 pm in St Elizabeth’s nursing home, she did not have Rs 3,500 required to release her body.”
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