Google Doodle Remembers Meena Kumari "Tragedy Queen" On Her 85th Birthday

Starting the career just at four Meena Kumari made her first debut “the Leather Face” produced and directed by Vijay Bhatt. Meena Kumari’s career spanned to 33 years, starring in near 92 films. Pakeezah, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Baiju Bawra and Parineeta are some of her best movies, remembered yet.

Image Credit:Google

Today Google Doodle celebrates the 85th birth anniversary of Meena Kumari, the actress remembered as the "tragedy queen". Meena Kumari was born on August 1, 1933, to Ali Baksh and Iqbal Begum, family named her as Mahjabeen Bano. Born in a family of theatre artist, she had to face a poverty-stricken childhood. She was just six years old when she made her first debut in "the Leather Face", produced and directed by Vijay Bhatt.

The iconic actress has inspired millions of people with her memorable performances in her movies like "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam", "Pakeezah", "Baiju Bawra", "Yahudi", "Bahu Begam', and many others. In her career spanning 30 years, she acted in over 90 movies. She symbolised love and loneliness on screen.

Meena Kumari was not just a talented actress but she had a passion for poetry too. She wrote under the pseudonym "Naaz". "Tanha Chand", a collection of her poems were published after her death in 1972. The book was compiled by famous writer Gulzar.

In the album "I write, I recite", one can listen to Meena Kumari recite her poems.

Interestingly, Meena Kumari is the only Indian actress to have won three Filmfare nominations for the Best Actress category in the same year. This was in the year 1963 when she was nominated for her performances in Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam, Main Chup Rahoongi and Aarti.

Meena Kumari was just 38 years old when she died of liver failure, weeks after the release of the movie "Pakeezah". In today's Google Doodle, she is remembered as a courtesan, the role she played in "Pakeezah".