Pakeezah: The Most Misunderstood Film ...🪞

Pakeezah was released on the 4th February 1972. It took 15 years to make this film.  Upon its release, Pakeezah received mild and mixed responses. A review from The Times of India called Pakeezah “a lavish waste” and a critic at Filmfare Magazine gave it a one-star rating. The Urdu press, however, praised the film, calling it “sensitive”, “historic”, “moving” and “beautiful.” On the 31st March 1972, Meena Kumari tragically died. Only in her late 30s, her death came as a shock to her family, the Bollywood film fraternity and – most of all – her fans. As a result of this tragedy, many paid their respects to Meena Kumari by watching her last film, Pakeezah. Watching the film became a tribute to the great “tragedienne” of Indian cinema.

And so it is that, Meena Kumari and Pakeezah are intrinsically linked.  Although Kamal Amrohi was the visionary and creator of Pakeezah; its iconic cult status rests heavily with the star of the film, Meena Kumari. Pakeezah had many rewrites, the songs and dances had an immense impact on Indian cinema and Meena Kumari took on the role as the costume designer for her costumes in the film. In this video essay, I discuss how Pakeezah is not really a “radical” take on the historical courtesan genre, and highlight the elements of the film, that make it so iconic. I also discuss the tributes contained in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Netflix series, Heeramandi (2024) to Pakeezah and Meena Kumari. I also discuss how Pakeezah is a film highlighting women and the interesting symbolism weaved throughout the story of Pakeezah. This film is a cult classic and deserves this in-depth analysis. Let me know your thoughts on Pakeezah and Meena Kumari, and your favourite song from the film, in the comments below – and as always, thank you for being here!

NB edit & update to this video: Meena Kumari was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, & she did not win the award in that year.

#pakeezah #meenakumari

CHAPTERS

Introduction: 00:00–07:40
Heeramandi x Pakeezah: 07:57–13:11
Part 2 – the making of Pakeezah: 13:14–16:39
Part 3 – A Women’s Film: 16:40–21:45
Part 4 – Story and Symbolism: 21:48–36:33
Final Thoughts –36:34 -END



SOURCES AND REFERENCES
1. Pakeezah: An Ode to A Bygone era by Meghnad Desai
2. https://www.firstpost.com/blogs/the-l...
3. Nawabi Lineage: Exploring the Nawabi Lineage and Its Cultural Legacy in Lucknow | Lucknow News - Times of India (indiatimes.com)
4. Meena Kumari unknown facts (nationalheraldindia.com)
5. Meena Kumari-Kamal Amrohi's intense love story on the backdrop of 'Pakeezah' to be turned into a web series - The Economic Times (indiatimes.com)
6. An Archive of Urdu Feminist Fiction and Bombay “Gaanewalis” by A Waheed (2014) Vol. 49 Economic and Political Weekly  
7. Afternoons in the kothas of lucknow by VT Oldenberg
8. From Tawa 'if to Wife? Making Sense of Bollywood's Courtesan Genre by T Hubel (2012)
9. Pakeezah: Dreamscape of Desire by R Allen and I Bhaskar Volume 3; Issue 2 (2009) Berghahn Journals
10. Reading the “Tawaif” : A Study of Pakeezah, Umrao Jaan, Tawaif and Devdas by J Ganguly. Middle Flight Vol 7 No.1
11. 100 Iconic Bollywood Costumes by Sujata Assomull
12. Meena Kumari: The Poet: A Life beyond Cinema translated by Noorul Hasan
13. Meena Kumari: The Classic Biography by Vinod Mehra
14. The Quint – Meena Kumaris Death Anniversary Special: Journey of Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah (2022)
15. Afternoons in the Kothas of Lucknow by Dr V Oldenberg
16. Pakeezah is that rare film whose making is as much of a story as the actual plot (theprint.in)
17.  Death and The Maiden: The Floating Courtesan in Pakeezah by H Rios
18. Medium: fifty-years-of-pakeezah-the-grand-old-dame-of-indian-cinema
19.  The Movie Mujra: The Trope of the Courtesan in Urdu-Hindi Film by J Caldwell