| | Bollywood's Power Couples | | | | | | | | | Meena Kumari and Kamal Amrohi: Hindi cinema's "Tragedy Queen" is still remembered for her powerhouse performance in Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam. Her personal tragedy though was antithesis to the power she wielded on screen. She married director Kamal Amrohi, 15 years her senior. Soon after marriage, Kamal Amrohi and Meena Kumari produced a film called Daera (1953), which was based on their love story. Their glorious epic, Pakeezah (1972) took 16 years to reach the silver screen.
The Meena Kumari - Kamal Amrohi marriage was wracked by conflicts, both personal and professional, ultimately leading to a divorce. Kamal Amrohi later claimed it was a conspiracy by some people to wreck their home and exploit Meena Kumari for their own advantage. Some producers were desperate for Hindi cinema's bankable superstar to act in their films, which would not be possible with Amrohi in the picture. An epic happens once in a lifetime, sadly the world was not destined to see another Pakeezah. | | | | |
|