When Meena Kumari spoke about starting acting at age of 4: I wanted to go to school, become a doctor or lawyer

Meena Kumari was unanimously described by critics as a ‘historically incomparable actress’ of Hindi cinema. However, another popular title that the actor earned was that of a ‘tragedy queen.’ Meena Kumari faced a number of struggles in her life, starting from her childhood, that earned her the infamous title. Also Read| Gulzar recalls Meena Kumari was ‘grievously ill’ during Mere Apne

Meena Kumari was born as Mahjabeen Bano to artists Ali Bux and Iqbal Begum on August 1, 1933. When Meena was just four-years-old, Ali Bux started taking her to studios and asking for work for her, making her the breadwinner in her family at a very young age.

When asked if it’s true that she started working in films at the mere age of 4, Meena said, “Yes, that’s completely true.” She further clarified that it was not her choice to start going to film studios instead of schools like other children. She said, “Maine muntakhab nahi kiya, yun samajhiye ki haalat ne muntakhab kar diya mujhe. Aur mai khud chahti thi ki main school jaaun, padhu-likhu. Doctor banu ya waqil banu ya kuch bhi banu. Lekin haalat ne mujhe muntakhab kiya ki main ek film actress banu (I never chose it, I was pushed to choose it because of the circumstances. I personally wanted to go to school and study, become a doctor or a lawyer or something. But circumstances made me a film actress).”

Meena’s first credit appearance was in Vijay Bhatt’s Leatherface, which was released in 1939 when she was six years old. It was Vijay Bhatt who changed her name from Mahjabeen Bano to Baby Meena during the filming of his 1940 drama Ek Hi Bhool. She was cast under the name Meena Kumari for the first time in Bachchon Ka Khel (1946).

By the time of her premature death at the age of 38 in March 1972, Meena had already starred in over 90 movies in a career spanning nearly 34 years. She died of liver cirrhosis. After Meena died, her close friend and actor Nargis had famously written a note congratulating her on her death, citing it as her freedom from the difficult life she led.