The role of Meena Kumari as a Tawaif in Pakeeza

Have you ever felt so lost in life that you just stopped in your tracks and let the world go by? That's how I felt when I first heard "Chalte Chalte Yun Hi Koi Mil Gaya Tha." It's a song about finding yourself, and it spoke to me in a way no other song ever has.

So, if you have not heard this song yet, listen to it before the world collapses. It is never too late!

 

Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah is something about telling the story of a woman whose whole life was wrapped up in performing, it only works if the film itself is the whole life of the woman who is starring in it? Pakeezah was Meena Kumari’s whole life, for years.

Meena is not your average Tawaif. When love comes to her, she does not rush out of her safe life into the unknown. She stays and waits. Most of the plot is about the essence of intezaar.  Even when Rajkummar attempts to marry her, she resists. On my first watch, I was irritated by her for running away simply because he was concerned about the shame having a Tawaif in the family would bring to him. But on the second watch, it made sense to me, and it was the right choice. He was marrying her in a hurry, in a passion of love. Much later, when he realizes his mistake, he comes back to her, but it is too late.

This film is a nuanced portrayal of the tawaif lifestyle and Meena Kumari brings her characteristic intensity to the role. Pakeezah is the story of a woman who is fighting for her right to be accepted by society. She is learning how to be a 'moral' person, even though society doesn't accept her for who she is. The actress proves her billing as the most versatile actress ever in the history of Indian Cinema by a quiver of a voice, a sudden fall of her tresses, a look that mesmerizes and a stare that penetrates. Nothing is more potent than her expression, while she observes a bird trying to desperately fly from a cage where it has been imprisoned – never before and never after has the feeling of a loss of freedom been better expressed than that one scene which despite the absence of dialogues speaks more eloquently than Shakespeare. 

Aapke paaon dekhe, Bahut haseen hain, Inhe zameen par mat utariiyega...Mele ho jaenge –Aapkaa ek humsafar…”

[“I have seen your feet. They are beautiful. Please do not place them on the ground. They will become dirty. –A fellow traveler…”

To add: Bollywood has always been fascinated with the tawaifs of India. From the early days of Indian cinema, bollywood has been drawn to the glamour and elegance of these women. And while the portrayal of tawaifs has changed over the years, the fascination remains.

So what is it about tawaifs that has captivated bollywood for so long? Perhaps it is the mystery and allure of these women that draws filmmakers and actors to them. Or maybe it is the challenge of portraying these complex characters on the big screen.

So, if you think that a tawaif was a bechari aurat, she was certainly not! Infact, she had more treasures than others. 

Well, I must have got derailed from what I really wanted to convey. You see, That’s what Meena Kumari’s charm does to you. I would be glad to know your views. 

Happy Reading! :)