Meena Kumari is an iconic actress of Indian cinema, who is remembered even today for her unforgettable performances in films like Pakeezah, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, and Baiju Bawra. She was born on August 1, 1933 and is remembered as the Tragedy Queen of Indian cinema. On her birth anniversary, let’s learn more about this legendary actress, who had six different names.
1. Introduction to Meena Kumari
Meena Kumari was an Indian actress, singer and poet, who worked in Hindi films. She was one of the most popular actresses of the 1950s and 1960s, and is remembered as the Tragedy Queen of Indian cinema. She was born on August 1, 1933 as Mahjabeen Bano in Bombay (now Mumbai).
2. Birth and Early Life of Meena Kumari
Meena Kumari was born in a family of actors. Her father, Ali Bux, was an actor and her mother, Iqbal Begum, was a singer and actress. As a child, she was known by the name Mahjabeen Bano, but later changed her name to Meena Kumari. She started her career as a child artiste at the age of four.
3. Meena Kumari’s Rise to Fame
Meena Kumari rose to fame with her performance in the film Baiju Bawra (1952). She went on to work in more than 70 films in her career, and her performances in films like Pakeezah (1972) and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) remain iconic. She was also an accomplished poet, and her ghazals and nazms are still remembered.
4. Meena Kumari’s 6 Names
Meena Kumari had six different names in her lifetime. She was born as Mahjabeen Bano, but changed her name to Baby Meena. She was then known as Mahjabeen, and later changed her name to Meena Kumari after her debut in the film Kajal (1947). She was also known as Meenakshi, Meena Devi and Meena Bano.
5. Tragedy Queen Meena Kumari
Meena Kumari was known as the Tragedy Queen of Indian cinema due to her ability to portray tragic characters on the silver screen. She imbued her characters with a rare poignancy and subtlety and was acclaimed for her performances in films like Pakeezah and
