Meena Kumari's retro

Actress-poetess Meena Kumari aka Mahjabeen Bano, starred in over 90 classic, cult films in the 30 years from her childhood to her death. Now, the Tragedy Queen of Indian cinema is back on the silver screen. Osianama as part of its ongoing Womanhood festival  brings to the Indian audiences, rare original publicity material and priceless memorabilia from Meena Kumari’s films and a retro of her best films, Pakeezah, Parineeta and Daayra,  straight out of Osian's Archive & Library Collection on February 25 at Osianama At Liberty.

Besides the film, Osianama at Liberty will display the Pakeezah and Daera paintings, Kohinoor and Benazir Portraits, besides the Poster of Meena Kumari ki Amar Kahani,  Behana, Phool Aur Pathar and the images of Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam among others, an opportunity that is unmisseble.

"The memories of Meena Kumari reflect a deeply complex and contradictory soul which reaches out to the world to be understood and loved anew; a true creative spirit and individual, and yet rooted in tradition, wanting to just be a simple child once upon a time like all, but forced into becoming Baby Meena, her childhood stolen and thereafter it always seemed that she pursued love and freedom to be herself with an innocence and depth which can only be called tragic and brave. She is a true icon for Womanhood & Cinema, absorbing all, breaking all, in the search to be herself. Her life truly represents the ironic truth of - from dust to dust - but what a full life in those short 41 years. Along with Nargis and Madhubala she represents the feminine iconicity just as Mother India, Mughal-E-Azam and Pakeezah represents a different trinity of Indian cinema,” avers Neville Tuli, Chairman, Osian’s Group and  the driving force behind Osianama.

Meena Kumari’s portrayal of Chhoti Bahu, in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) is one of her most memorable films, that bought her critical and commercial success, alike,  besides winning her the coveted Filmfare Award, that had eluded her with nominations earlier with Aarti and Main Chup Rahungi. Meena Kumari’s other memorable films include Baiju Bawra (1952), Parineeta (1953), Azaad (1955), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Miss Mary (1957), Sharada (1957), Kohinoor (1960), Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960). And of course, her last memorable film  Pakeezah.