Meena Kumari’s Love Life, Disastrous Personal Life That Overshadowed Her Successful Career

Meena Kumari was an Indian film actress who was born in 1933 as Mahjabeen Bano. She was also a poet under the pseudonym, Naaz. Meena Kumari is popularly known as ‘The Tragedy Queen’. She was one of the best actresses in the Hindi film industry. She worked in more than 90 films in her 33 years career span till 1972. But the tough times she went through in her short life span of only 38 years are incomparable.

Though she had a successful career, her personal life was a disaster that overshadowed her prospects. The talented actress who had won four Filmfare Awards in the Best Actress category suffered from depression and alcohol addiction in the later stages of her life.

Let’s give you an insight into the tragic love life of Meena Kumari: 

Tragedy in her life started as soon as she was born, have you heard about ‘Meena Kumari complex’ or ‘Meena Kumari paradox’? You will be shocked to know that Meena Kumari was first abandoned by her own father after she was born as her father didn’t have enough money to pay the doctor after she was delivered. So, her father left her on the doorstep. But after a couple of hours, he took her home.

In Meena Kumari’s biography, her biographer, Vinod Mehta had written:

“I believe that moment remained in her subconscious mind. Here was a traumatised soul. She could not have been a happy person. Life had decided that she will suffer. She was fortunate that this unhappiness was appreciated in her roles. She understood this emotion so well.”

Her biographer, Vinod Mehta also quoted:

“She had many dimensions – she read poetry, had literary friends, aspired to the higher life and was an alcoholic”

The talented actress was no less than a mystery.

Her legendary films like Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam, Parineeta, Foot Path, led her to immense stardom but besides that, her life was deprived of love and she had a tragic love story.

Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi’s tragic love story

Meena Kumari was introduced to the filmmaker, Kamal Amrohi by Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar’s brother. Kamal later offered Meena a part in one of his films. But Meena Kumari suffered a horrific motor accident on May 21, 1951, and was hospitalized for almost four months, so the project was stalled before it could go on floors.

After her tragic accident, Meena suffered from depression and Kamal used to regularly visit her in the hospital. Reports suggest that they even exchanged letters when they were not scheduled to meet each other. You will be astounded to know that Kamal was a married man and had three children from his marriage when he used to interact with Meena Kumari.

Meena Kumari’s failed marriage with Kamal

During her time at the hospital, Kamal helped her get out of depression. The romance didn’t end there, late night-long calls were exchanged between the two soon after Meena was discharged from the hospital.

Meena Kumari husband Kamal signed Meena for Anarkali but when it was finally about to get started the producer suffered a significant financial situation and the film was shut down. Amidst all this, Meena Kumari got married to Kamal Amrohi on February 14, 1952, in a secret nikah ceremony in the presence of Mahliqa, Meena’s sister. Meena was only 18 then and Kamal was 34.

But things weren’t as smooth as young Meena expected. Ali Peter John, a journalist described in one of his writings:

“But Kamal Amrohi was never a good husband to her. She was also escorted everywhere she went by Baqar, Amrohi’s friend who kept a close tab on her.”

Even breaking all the shackles of a predominantly patriarchal society couldn’t help Meena from being subjugated by her husband

Meena Kumari, being a Muslim girl at that time had to break a lot of societal norms to become an actress. But marrying Kamal was a disaster in itself. Kamal was so tough on her that he would ask Meena to come home by 6:30 in the evening, she had to travel only in the car that Kamal had given her, and nobody was allowed in her makeup room.

Reports also suggest that alleged domestic violence was also involved in Meena and Kamal’s married life. Recalling his interaction with Kamal and the news reports, Vinod Mehta wrote in Meena Kumari’s biography:

“When her star start rising, his went down. I asked Kamal Amrohi if indeed he had hit her as per many rumors. He completely denied it, saying that such a thing was totally against his upbringing. But six different people told me that there was physical violence in their relationship. Those were the days when Meena Kumari would come back Rembrandt till late at night.”

Meena Kumari’s divorce was a blow to her mental health

Being under constant dominance by her husband took a toll on Meena’s mental peace. The constant vigil on her whereabouts, and the rules and regulations she had to abide by led to Meena and Kamal’s divorce in 1964.

After her divorce, depression took over her and that is when a doctor prescribed her a small dose of brandy to help her sleep better. It was supposed to be taken once in a while but she became addicted to that medicine which eventually led her to heavy drinking.

After a few years, in 1968, Meena’s health worsened and she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis when she was sent off for treatment to the best hospitals in London and Switzerland. After her recovery, the doctors advised her not to start working immediately but soon she resumed work as soon as she returned to India.

Her struggle with alcohol addiction

When doctors told her that her next drink would kill her she left drinking for a while. Though she recovered temporarily, her health was still fragile. Kamal again knocked at her door, this time for professional gains. Meena was supposed to star in Kamal’s dream project Pakeezah which was delayed because of their divorce. Kamal wrote to Meena:

“Only Pakeezah completion remain unsettled. You have made a condition that unless I give you a divorce you will not complete Pakeezah. Even this knot can be untied … I will free you from your marital ties. After this if you wish to complete your Pakeezah. I would be the most happy to do so. This is my request, that Pakeezah on which the fortune of many people depends, and which had the good wishes of so many people should not be left uncompleted if possible. You have better means. You have box-office appeal, and most of all Pakeezah needs you personally … Pakeezah that is like a sinking ship will reach a shore under your care.”

Meena Kumari’s reply to this appeal was:

“In regard to my working in Pakeezah, I have always been willing and clamoring to work. Pakeezah is my life dream and it will be my greatest pleasure to see it completed. As for my remuneration, I am glad you have given me an opportunity to prove my regards and respect for you. I shall accept only ONE GUINEA as a token of goodwill for my entire work in Pakeezah.”

And as we all know, Pakeezah was completed and was a blockbuster at the box office. The immense success of the film brought the two closer. But a month after the release of the film, Meena was hospitalized at St. Elizabeth’s Nursing Home. She breathed her last on March 31, 1972, after two days of being in a coma. Meena Kumari death was a huge blow to the Hindi film industry, she was just 38 when she died.

Meena Kumari’s alleged affair with Dharmendra

Meena being a popular actress was allegedly linked up with many leading actors in the Hindi film industry including Dharmendra. After her separation from Kamal, there were rumors of Meena and Dharmendra’s intimacy.

Dharmendra never backed out from acknowledging that whatever he is today, is all because of Meena Kumari. When Dharmendra was just a newbie in the industry, Meena was already an established actress. About her alleged link-up with Dharmendra, Vinod had written:

“The popular view is that Meena and Dharam were intimate for three years. The inside view is that the intimacy lasted no more than six months”

Their affair caught the public eye when Dharmendra in a drunken state shouted at the airport authorities who didn’t let him in at the airport on his way back to Mumbai. He was caught screaming:

“But I must get back to Bombay. I must. Meena is waiting for me.”

The next day, this incident was all over the news. There were instances when Meena and Dharmendra were seen together. Once Meena went for a picnic with her friends and Dharmendra was also spotted there.

During their return journey when they were boarding their cars, he had mistakenly sat in another car and that made Meena frantic. She panicked and kept shouting:

“Where is my Dharam? Where is my Dharam?”

to know about his whereabouts.

Meena Kumari’s life was indeed tragic from the very beginning from being dumped by her father after her birth to her premature death due to excessive drinking. Though she had the taste of superstardom from a very young age, she had to go through a lot to live her life with no regrets.