When Hema Malini was chosen over Meena Kumari for a Filmfare Award 


Hema was chosen Best Actress for 'Seeta Aur Geeta' over the late Meena Kumari for 'Pakeezah' 


By Rajesh Ahuja 


Winning a Filmfare award is considered as a matter of prestige for artists in the Hindi film industry.. However, the Filmfare awards, the topmost awards in the annals of Bollywood, have often been marred with controversy.


 One such controversy marred the awards in the year 1973 when the organizers chose Hema Malini, then a relative newcomer, over the talented Meena Kumari for the Best actress award. 


In the 1973 awards, the jury for the awards bypassed Meena Kumari, who had the same year given a memorable performance in Kamal Amrohi's classic Pakeezah, and selected Hema Malini, then a relative newcomer, for her performance in 'Seeta aur Geeta'. 


When Hema Malini was chosen over Meena Kumari for a Filmfare Award 




The episode finds mention in the biography of legendary actor Pran. The biography titled 'And Pran ', revealed that the legendary villain refused to accept the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting actor for his performance in 'Beimaan ' in protest against the Filmfare awards committee ignoring music director Ghulam Mohammad for his music direction in Pakeezah and the late Meena Kumari for her performance in the memorable classic. 


In an interview to the journal of the film industry, published in the biography,  the then editor of Filmfare B K Karanjia, giving an explanation for choosing Hema Malini over the late Meena Kumari, explained that  the  purpose  of the awards  was  not only to honour the 'bests' but also  to encourage the 'newcomers'. 


'That is why the judges preferred to give the award to Hema Malini (for 'Seeta aur Geeta ') instead of giving it to the late Meena Kumari (for 'Pakeezah '). When the issue of Best Music was being discussed, the judges felt that though the 'Pakeezah ' music was very good, the award will not be given to the late Ghulam Mohammad as it was not  given to the late Meena Kumari,'Karanjia said. 


It appeared from Mr Karanjia's explanation that the awards committee was not in favour of giving awards to the 'dead'. 


This is perhaps why in the case of the Award for Best Color Photography,  the name of the late Joseph Wirschung,  who did the photography for 'Pakeezah' was name of the the cinematographer was not considered by the judges. 


'In the case of Best 'Color Photography', two names,  including that of the late Joseph Wirschung,  were recommended by the Association of Cinematographers. The matter was referred to the judges and they felt that since the award was not given to the late Meena Kumari and the late Ghulam Mohammad,  it should also not be given to the late Joseph Wirschung for his photography of 'Pakeezah ',''Karanjia said  

(Also Read: 

https://raju0568.blogspot.com/2025/01/when-pran-refused-filmfare-award-for-be.html) 

Written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi, 'Pakeezah', released in the year 1972, stars Meena Kumari as the eponymous lead, alongside Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar. 


It tells the story of Sahibjaan, a Lucknow-based tawaif. While asleep on a train, Sahibjaan receives a note from a stranger praising her beauty. Later, evacuating from a broken boat, she takes shelter in a tent and finds out its owner, a forest ranger named Salim, wrote the letter. Sahibjaan and Salim plan to get married, causing conflicts with Sahibjaan's professional background . 


Made on a budget of Rs 12.5 million to  Rs 15 million, 'Pakeezah emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year, grossing Rs 60 million  after a theatrical run of over 50 weeks. 


Meena Kumari died a month after its release. The film earned her a then record-setting nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress . The film also received nominations for Best  Music  director for late  Ghulam  Mohammad,  Best Film and Best Director (for Kamal Amrohi). The film won N. B. Kulkarni the Filmfare Award for Best Art Direction. 


The film is considered to be a milestone of the Muslim social genre. Although initial critical reception to the film was unfavourable, it greatly improved in the years after its release. The film earned widespread praise for its luxurious, sophisticated sets and costumes. Pakeezah is also known for being Meena Kumari's last film to be released during her lifetime. 


Her performance in it has been regarded as one of the best of her career. 


Also Read 


When Pran charged just one rupee from Raj Kapoor for Bobby 



Pran and Dev Anand: a lucky combination in Bollywood 









Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
 Nafisa Ali, not Padmini Kolhapure, was the first choice for Nasir Hussain's Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai  By Rajesh Ahuja   Padmini Kolhapure may today seem the obvious choice for Nasir Hussain's musical thriller Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai with her natural beauty and vivacity but not many are aware that she was not the original choice for the film.  The original choice for the female lead in Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai , which created a buzz for its chartbuster music,  was former Miss India Nafisa Ali, it has been revealed in Rishi Kapoor's autobiography Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor uncensored.  Writing in his autobiography,  Rishi Kapoor,  who was the male lead for the film, said, 'around the same time as Junoon (which was the debut cinematic venture of Nafisa Ali) , Nasir Hussain was drawing up a contract with Nafisa Ali to work with me in Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai . '  Opposition by Nafisa Ali's father,  however,  put a spanner in her casting for ...
Read more
Image
 When Jeetendra refused the offer to do Tinnu Anand's Shahenshah  Jeetendra was offered the film after Amitabh's accident on sets of Coolie  By Rajesh Ahuja  Shahenshah ,  a film which marked the comeback of megastar Amitabh Bachchan after a brief gap due to his foray in politics,  was also offered to Bollywood actor Jeetendra.  In his autobiography Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor uncensored , Rishi Kapoor revealed that after Amitabh's accident on the sets of Coolie ,  Tinnu Anand and his brother Bittu Anand had approached Jeetendra, who was then a  top ranking star, for Coolie.  Writing in his autobiography, Rishi Kapoor said, 'many years ago, I remember, when my closest buddy Bittu Anand fell on hard times and needed to be bailed out,  I did a couple of films for him but they were all flops.  Jeetendra was a very big star at the start of the 1980s, getting second billing after Amitabh Bachchan.  Jeetendra was offered the l...
Read more
Image
 Raj Kapoor wanted to cast Nafisa Ali for Henna  Though Nafisa agreed to do Henna, her father disapproved of her joining films  By Rajesh Ahuja  Henna , the film on India Pakistan relations envisioned by  Raj Kapoor,  may today be remembered as Pakistani actress Zeba Bakhtiyar's debut in Bollywood but it is a little known fact that the legendary actor Director had envisioned former Miss India Nafisa Ali as the female lead of the film.  In his autobiography Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor uncensored ,  the late Rishi Kapoor revealed that his father Raj Kapoor always wanted to cast Nafisa Ali as the female lead of Henna . But it was not to be!  Writing in his autobiography,  Rishi Kapoor said that though Raj Kapoor wanted to cast Nafisa Ali in Henna , and even she had agreed to do the film,  her father was against her joining the film business.  Raj Kapoor wanted to cast Nafisa Ali in Henna  Talking about Nafisa Ali,  Rish...
Read more