31st March is the 39th Death Anniversary of the legendary Meena Kumari – an actor par excellence to ever illuminate the silver screen of Hindi Cinema with her presence.
The blog dedicates 30th and 31st March to the loving presence of Meena Kumari amidst our movie lore.
I can’t imagine my film experience without the luminous presence of Mahajabeen Bano.
What would Golden Era of Hindi Cinema have been without Gauri, Lalita, Sharda, Karuna, Benazir, Kajaal, Aarti, Sahibjaan and above all, Chhoti Bahu?
Who would have given fame to these names, if not her?
Who would have penned and rendered those pathos-laden proses of longing and sufferings if not the husky voiced Naaz?
Who would have lived upto the title of ‘Tragedy Queen’ if not Meena Kumari?
And who would have dragged me to this euphoric world of Golden Oldies if not the magnetic personality of Meena ji?
Yes. It was She, as Gayatri of ‘Main Chup Rahungi’ who made me sit up and take notice while surfing channels a few years ago.
She was the catalyst to my eager entry to movie watching of yore. She was the magnet behind my jaw-dropping and super-awed movie experiences. She was the anchor to my ever wandering mind.
Whenever I would get annoyed by the superficial and shoddy works of the present cinema, I would go back to her. Her soothing presence blissfully engulfed me and transported to her enigmatic world – coloured by the sepias and the black & whites.
I laughed when she laughed.
I cried when she cried.
We formed a bond, She and I.
She is the axis around which my filmdom exists.
There have been many personalities of that time whom I adore and enjoy. But there is only one who makes me return to her every few weeks.
She is ‘Chhoti Bahu’.
I admire your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteShe is immortal for bllywood.
@MD Meraj - No doubt about that!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. :)
one issue where both my wife and my mother agree....Meena Kumari is the greatest.
ReplyDeleteRavi Pipal
Yes, indeed! The immortal diva. THE Meena Kumari.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading. :)