Vinod Khanna, reflecting on “Mere Apne”, the classic Gulzar work from 1971, spoke about Meena Kumari with reverence. They had acted together in the movie which is rated one of the finest on issues related to disillusioned youth and unemployment among the educated. The film was acknowledged for the matured treatment of a difficult subject by Gulzar, making his debut as a director, but what stood out was Meena Kumari, as the nani maa of the youngsters.
“I learnt so much,” Khanna had remarked of his association with Meena Kumari. “She was in poor health but completed the movie. We would be happy sitting at her feet and just listen to stories of her experience in Indian cinema. She was an institution.”
She indeed was. Tragedy queen was an often-used expression to portray Meena Kumari’s image. She had figured in a series of movies which focused on melancholic subjects with “Sahib, Bibi Aur Ghulam” being the most memorable.
It is said that her personal life influenced her on screen performance. She brought the anguish of a tormented soul remarkably well in her stellar shows. As we are celebrating her 85th birth anniversary this week, let’s rewind to one of her lesser known performances. Meena Kumari was at her best in “Majhli Didi”, based on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhya’s novel by the name of “Mejdidi”.
Meena Kumari dominated the movie which pitted her against another stalwart — Lalita Pawar, who played the role of a tyrant with natural ease. There is not a frame when Meena Kumari concedes space to Lalita Pawar and their confrontation adds to the intensity of director Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Only he could have extracted such brilliant performances with Lalita Pawar giving vent to her vocal chords and Meena Kumari responding with a calm countenance.
It was a pity the movie did not appeal to the masses despite Meena Kumari’s flawless show. She played the title role with the finesse that marked her acting which began at the age of four. She was born to act and left an indelible mark with some unforgettable performances in “Pakeezah”, “Bhabi Ki Chudiyan”, “Mai Chup Rahoongi”, “Aarti”, “Dil Ek Mandir”, “Sharada”, “Azaad”, “Baiju Bawra”, “Parineeta”, “Kaajal”...
She commanded respect from most of her male co-actors, some of who dreaded sharing the space with Meena Kumari on screen. She was adept at playing all characters and earned adulation from her fans for her versatility. She would slip into the role as if the script was written keeping just her skills in mind. And she rarely disappointed.
“Majhli Didi” featured two child actors — Sachin and Sarika, who won hearts with their cameos before coming together as the lead pair eight years later in “Geet Gata Chal”, a superhit. Here they are part of a narrative which focusses on Hemangini (Meena Kumari), the kind-hearted Majhli Didi, who strives to improve the life of an orphan Kishan (Sachin).
Lalita Pawar
Kishan, after losing his mother, seeks refuge with his elder cousin Kadambini (Pawar), who accommodates him reluctantly but treats him shabbily. Majhli Didi steps in and convinces husband Bipin (Dharmendra) to adopt Kishan.
There was not much scope for Hemant Kumar to showcase his musical charm. But Hrishikesh Mukherjee was lauded for his deft handling of a despondent subject where an orphan pines for affection before finding it outside his immediate family.
Meena Kumari is the central character and the overwhelming influence on the movie. The film received rave reviews for its screenplay an art direction but it was Meena Kumari who swept the audience with her disarming performance.
