Meena Kumari. 

Tell me the name of the films/characters flashing in your mind while remembering her. Deepa would say, for me, she's internal 'Chhoti Bahu'. Agree. In fact can't agree anymore. There are some other timeless movies and immortal characters that she lived to class and perfection. She was one of those grand actors who would carried the whole film on her not - so - delicate shoulders and you would hardly care to notice who the men accompanying were. Still before a couple of years when I was told to write about a movie I never thought that I would choose a Meena Kumari movie. I spent more time to decide 'on what' I would write than actually 'what' I would write. During that process, in one of my transmissions, a listener requested to listen a Bahu Begum song in his letter. I played it and somehow, it got stuck not only to my lips but to my thoughts throughout the day. And at night, I ended up writing on Bahu Begum. I saw movie by forwarding it in between and then started writing. I kept on writing. OMG! I kept on and on and on.... And realised it was getting excessively lengthy!!  Somehow ended it little abruptly and then shared with some like minded and highly knowledgeable friends. I still remember Deepa's exclamation - I never knew you would choose to write on Bahu Begum! I said, me neither!! 😁😁 

And later when I exclaimed same to self, my closed eyes reminded me a video cassette. Yes. A video cassette that was always there in a drawer of our TV cabinet. Little me used to climb on chair to reach there and everything I used to see that video cassette placed there written 'Bahu Begum' on it. 

After writing on Bahu Begum, I kept on thinking and saying, see!! How Bahu Begum came from nowhere!. But no! Bahu Begum was always there in my subconscious since very childhood. 

Now, this too is becoming excessively lengthy so again stopping it abruptly. 

Sharing the write-up below. It would definitely take your precious time and convenience to complete its reading. 

So, aaram se .... 😁

"We are, as a species, addicted to story". This sentence was almost framed in my mind as I used to read it daily as CEO prasar Bharati's pinned tweet when Ruskin Bond's storytelling series Bonding Over the Radio was being broadcasted. From the very childhood when a child starts getting the literal meaning of spoken words, it gets fed the meaning of life with beautiful bedtime stories having simple, digestive morals coming at the end in almost every household. 

"Once there was a princess... " 

And 'what next' was one of the most captivating things that kept many of us  glued at nights first in the form of bedtime stories and then with books. 

This "what next" is the real zing thing of anyone's life which keeps its allure intact.  We don't know what will come in the next second and that keeps us animated or, sometimes, extant. And perhaps that's why as species, we love stories with 'twist and turns' more. And perhaps that's why 'Noukadubi' has a larger mass appeal than 'Gora'. (Gora is personal favourite though) Right now I can remember 2 Hindi and 2 Gujarati movies based on Noukadubi. There can be many more. 

Well, and perhaps considering that, when a legendary lyricist of Golden era ventured out into film producing, he choosed to write quite a riveting story with a Muslim social background. Jan Nisar Akhtar had handpicked the cast & crew for his one and only production 'Bahu Begam', where he could not go wrong. M. Sadiq would be a secure choice for writing screenplay and dialogues after proving his finesse in  similar movies like Noorjehan, Taj Mahal and also Chaudahvin Ka Chand. And as per Jan Nisar's assumption - a cook who knows all the ingredients well can justify the recipe in a better way - direction of the film too fell in the lap of M. Sadiq only. There could be no better choices to play lead characters in a Muslim social than Meena Kumari, Ashok Kumar and Pradeep Kumar considering their previous record including two more love triangle tales they have been part of in 60s only - Aarti (1962) and Bheegi Raat (1965). 

But the bestest decision made by the producer was his selection of composer and lyricist of the film who took over the whole film on their shoulders, IMO. I can watch Bahu begum anytime on account of  my eternal love for Sahir+ Roshan formula. 

The film begins with a beautiful rain song in the country yard of a dilapidated haveli of Nawab Mirza Sultan ( D K Sapru).

पड़ गये झूले सावन रुत आई  रे 

सीने में हूक उठे अल्लाह दुहाई रे .. 

Sahir and Roshan start their job right from there to pick and take the story further portraying the mindset of these dancing damsels.. 

आये कोई अलबेले

ऐसी रुत में हमें झुलाने

आये कोई अलबेले

थामे तो छोड़े नहीं नाज़ुक कलाई रे.. 

 Cupid, somewhere from the sky listens and says, "Granted". Along with Nariman Irani's camera, a soft hearted swain peeps into the big portieres of Nawal Sultan Mirza's mansion. 

Yusuf (Pradeep Kumar) is head over heels in love with Zeenat Jahaan Beghum (Meena Kumari), a gorgeous daughter of Navab Sahab, who has played some tongue-in-cheek humour on him a couple of times. His visits to his friend Achchhan Miyan (Johnny Walker) who is a new tenant of Nawab Sahab's haveli, has been almost multiplied just to take a glance of his beloved. A glimpse, a couplet and some drops gravitated to him from beautiful wavy, rain-soaked hair of his lady love makes him dare to go to her terrace for the first time. Zeenat is both bemused and amused by such bravery. Yeah, the film is set in early 60s. The exchanges, the costumes, makeup - everything take you right there.

Pink kurta, mendi green achkan, perfectly done eyebrows, dark blue eyeshadows and nicely applied foundation which is one shade lighter than heroine's. Well.. any taker of Pradeep Kumar's get up now?  

In order to send him back, Zeenat accepts his proposal to meet him somewhere outside. 

Zeenat's father is one of those penurious Nawabs of Lucknow whose only precious belonging left with them is their prestige and which they love to coddle over and on.  It reflects perfectly in Zeenat's exchanges with her aunt - Kariman bua (Leela Mishra). "Bua, khichdi nahin, daal pulaav Kaha Karo! Aakhir kuchh to Nawabi ki shaan tapkna Chahiye khane se!" 

The scene always reminds me 'Aala Khaachar' of our renowned Gujarati poet Ramesh parekh : ).

Bilqis (Zeb Rehman) the confidant of Zeenat and Achchhan Miyan help this lovey dovey couple to set their meet outside. The couple commits to each other with one of the best melodies made in 60s. 

हम इंतज़ार करेंगे तेरा क़यामत तक

ख़ुदा करे के क़यामत हो, और तू आए..

They depart, with one more promise to meet every Friday on Shah Baba's shrine.

Yusuf is too restive to stay away from Zeenat any more and he makes his friend Achchhan Miyan convey his desire of  marrying Zeenat Jahan to his maternal uncle - his mamu Mir Qurban Ali (Balam). Yusuf is too innocent to think that his mamu will go to Zeenat's father with the marriage proposal on his behalf. Mamu is a cunning creature, a termite who has secretly eaten up most of the property of Yusuf's father, taking benefit of a clause in his will that Yusuf will have the access of his property only when he gets married to someone. When Achchhan Miyan tries to persuade him to go to Nawab Sultan Mirza, he agrees. And then takes shape a devastating ploy. 

Here, enters the third corner of the love triangle in the story. Nawab Sikandar Mirza.

 Ashok Kumar looks so convincing as a rich and reputed Nawab with high moral standards who just has a loving little sister, Suraiya (Naaz) in the name of his family.

 Naaz is a sister anyone would love to have. Charming and cherubic. As caring as a mother, as cute as a daughter. She's lost her mother at very tender age and now is seeking for a motherly love from her would- be sis in law which is yet to find by her doting elder brother who has brought her up like a parent. 

After establishing the characters, the screenplay writer now starts fixing the twists in the story on the name of fate.

Due to fate only, Nawab Sikandar Mirza goes to the same goldsmith, on the same day and the same time when Zeenat Jahan joins her friend Bilqis for purchasing some ornaments for her sister's wedding and tries a set of bangles knowing that she is not at all in condition to buy it. Due to fate only, Nawab Sikandar Mirza gets a glimpse of her beautiful angelic face from the narrow gap of two curtains. Something happens for the first time and his eyes gets stuck to the bare and beautiful face of this burka clad baano. 

She catches this keek pretty soon and turns off at once. But now Nawab Sahab is absolutely enamored just after the first sight and without wasting any time, he propels one of his mates to find out who that lady is which he discovers in no time. 

And in no time, the pace of the film accelerates. Almost everyone in Navab's  close circle, including his sister Suraiya come to know about his new affection and having no elderly person at his home, the proposal of marriage is taken to Zeenat's father by his friends. Nawab Sultan Mirza is on cloud nine. The proposal has come from the richest and most respected Nawab of Lucknow and there is no point to spare a second thought but accepting the proposal at once. The film is made taking the background and the era wherein asking for daughter's approval for her own marriage, would be the some unworldly practice. 

One the other side, comes the day of the awaited meeting for the love birds - Friday. Yusuf is all eyes, waiting eagerly for Zeenat to come sitting on the corner of a flower shop near Shah Baba's Dargah. Zeenat comes close, ravelling her face from burka, giving him an endering glance and joins him to the holy shrine of Shah Baba. In this over crowded place, the feelings flow through Sahir's pen on behalf of Yusuf, looking at Zeenat with sheer affection. Roshan is absolutely unmatched in this genre and so are Mohammad Rafi and Manna Dey! 

अरज़-ए-शौक़ आँखों में है, अरज़-ए-वफ़ा आँखों में है..

तेरे आगे बात कहने का मज़ा आँखों में है

वाक़िफ़ हूँ खूब इश्क़ के तर्ज़-ए-बयाँ से मैं

कह दूँगा दिल की बात नज़र की ज़ुबाँ से मैं..

मेरी वफ़ा का शौक़ से तू इम्तहान ले

गुज़रूंगा तेरे इश्क़ में हर इम्तहाँ से मैं..

Just after this night,  take place two deadly delusive incidents which scrawl the nemesis of  Zeenat Jahan. Yusuf, while visiting his friend Achchhan Miyan, gets to hear conversation of Zeenat's father and Kariman Khala, and by that he assumes that Nawab Sultan Mirza has accepted his marriage proposal. This frenzied fella, drenched into utter excitement rushs to his mamu and thanks him wholeheartedly. Mamu accepts the credit without hesitating a bit and pretty soon he convinces his naive nephew, now highly obliged,  to go to Allahabad for the recovery of 10,000 rupees which he says, he wants to give him as wedding present. 

Here at her haveli, Zeenat finds her bed  lavishly laden with many new expensive clothing and ornaments.

 When she asks Kariman bua about that, she is informed that her marriage has been fixed. After a little conversation with her she comes to a conclusion that she is getting married with Yusuf only. Her love of life. She is overjoyed.  naturally! 

And comes the wedding day. Achchhan Miyan, wandering in the marketplace, comes to find that Zeenat is getting married to navab sikander Mirza and not his friend Yusuf! He is foxed!! At once he runs to Yusuf's mamu Jaan and asks him if hey really got the commitment from Zeenat's father that he is going to give his daughter's hand in Yusuf's! Mamu is shrewd enough to to get the seriousness of this condition and manages to send him behind the bars so that the marriage can take place without any trouble. 

Nawab Sikandar Mirza comes with a grand Baarat to wed Zeenat Jahan begum with the band playing Naushad Sahab's dhoon in background.. "mere Mehboob mein kya nahin..". And just like it happens in old traditional Indian marriages, the bride sends her bestie to have a look of groom so that her fantasies can get a costume. Bilqis's eyes are searching Yusuf's face in the crowd as she has already met and seen him. She is thunderstruck to discover that  Dulhabhai is not Yusuf but Nawab Sikandar Mirza! 

She rushes to Zeenat, crying, and tells her how the fate has ruined all her dreams. 

Zeenat is stunned. She pleads Bilqis to let her go to Shah Baba's shrine. She wants to meet Yusuf, ask him what happened?! 

Why this?? 

She assures her that if she will not be able to meet him, she will come back, surrender to her fate and sacrifice all her emotions on the name of pride and  prestige of her family. In the context of 60s movies, this was a suicidal step. But then the life without Yusuf is nothing but death for her.

 And she leaves home on her wedding day - having a baraat already arrived at her home and waiting for the rituals to take place in presence of almost half of the town -  saying, "marne se pahele ek baar mujhe jeene ki Koshish kar lene de"! 

 She arrives at Shah Baba's shrine as today too is jumme raat - Friday. Their anticipated day of meetings. 

अब जां-ब-लब हुॅं  शिद्दत-ए - दर्द - ए - निहां से मैं..

ऐसे में तुझको ढूंढ के लाऊं कहां से मैं... 

Something that could have come from Sahir's pen only. To me, these are one of the most engrossing couplets ever written   by Sahir after "mere shauke khana kharab ko teri raheguzar ki talaash hai". 

Rafi, Manna Dey and chorus repeat the words on and on revealing the state of this poor girl searching her man insanely.. 

ढूंढ के लाऊं कहां से मैं

ढूंढ के लाऊं कहां से मैं.. 

The pain takes over, hammering hard at every passing moment. And she falls off.. loses her senses.. fate. 

Bilqis, here tries to cover it up by arranging the pillows on the bed and covering them with bridal clothes. She anyways, keeps the ladies out of the room by saying Zeenat is fainted because of excessive heat. Rituals of marriage start, kazi comes to take the brides approval as per the custom along with some other gentleman and Zeenat's father. He keeps on repeating the question. But on the other side of curtain, there is no one to answer. Kariman bua cries, curses Bilqis, asking where the hell she has let go the bride at the time of her wedding. Finally, Nawab Sultan Mirza comes in to ask and assist her daughter who is perhaps feeling 'shy' to say "yes" to vakil Sahab. He is horror-struck after discovering that his daughter is missing.!!  And the only person who knows where Zeenat has gone is Bilqis. He comes close in order to touch her feet where he feels, the honour and prestige of his family is lying.

 Bilqis, poor Bilqis, hyperventilates with "hhhhaaa..."

"Han ho gai.." .. declares the vakil standing outside restlessly to listen just one word from the other side of the curtain. 

And somehow Kariman bua decides to cover it up. 

How.. ?? 

And somehow Kariman bua decides to cover it up. 

Kazi Sahab proceeds with the wedding rituals and declares that Zeenat, far away from these going-ons, laid unconscious at Dargah, is now married to Nawab Sikandar Mirza! 

Nawab Sikandar Mirza's baraat is back rejoicing with one more Naushad tune being played by band!! "chhod babul Ka Ghar mohe pi ki dagar..."

All the ladies at his haweli are pretty excited to see 'Bahu Begum'  including Suraiya who has been waiting for all these years for this moment. Palanquin enters inside and Suraiya impels Nawab Sahab to bring her Bhabhi Jaan out of it. Nawab Sahab sits beside it, waits for a moment, looks at Suraiya, bashfully, and opens the sliding of the palanquin. 

The next moment is all dismay...

He is flabbergasted, nonplussed to find that the palanquin is empty!!! Within moments, he gets himself back and declares that Bahu begum has been fainted because of heat. He sends the palanquin direct in the room. He is furious, frustrated, pained and above all, clueless. What has happened and specially, what would happen when everyone outside will come to know!

 Here comes Suraiya, his motherly younger sister to assure him. Says they will tell everyone that Bahu begum is ill. She will not be able to meet anyone. Nawab Sahab isn't sure about till when they will be able to cover it up. And she assures again with the most sublime words anyone would need to listen in lifetime at any critical situations : "Kal ka Allah malik hai". 

Zeenat, at Shah Baba's shrine, gets her consciousness back and asks the ladies around her, where am I? What would be the time? And they say it's midnight. She shrieks in panic, hastens back to her haveli. Sees her father. Absolutely shattered. Devastated. What else she would expect? Still she gathers courage, regrets her unforgivable offence, blubs hard, saying, it was all fate. But there could be no mercy for the daughter who has ravaged the pride and prestige of two families and she is thrown out on roads. 

She gathers herself, heaves to knock one more door at midnight. She is unaware that Yusuf is not in town and his mamu Jaan  breaks her one last hope by saying, Yusuf is a womanizer. He is fond of playing with the emotions of many innocent girls like her. He tries to molest her but she manages to scram from there. 

Now the last door is left. Nawab Sikandar Mirza's. 

Nawab Sahab is bearing up the unforseen blows of despair sitting inbetween a mehfil arranged for the guests of wedding.  Sahir's words so effectively depicts his mindset. 

सिर्फ अपने ख्यालों की परछाई है

या कोई जलवा ए नाज़ पर्दे में है.. 

बार-बार उस तरफ उठ रही है नज़र

क्या खबर कौन सा राज़ पर्दे में है..

When the mehfil gets over, he listens a faint, distant voice from a bare corner. 

"Nawab Sahab, main kuchh arz karna chahti hun".  He is quite bewildered finding Zeenat hiding her self behind a pillar! He almost yells at her. But before he could ask something and she could reply, a big crowd comes there and Nawab Sahab has to leave with them saying there is none except a mad beggar lady. He manages to come back to her within moments, only to find she is disappeared. 

Zeenat is on road. Alone, severed, dispensed by just everyone. Path ahead is full of dark and despair and she is straying to nowhere.. adrift..

She collpses and again when she opens her eyes, she finds herself at a deadly, deleterious place - a brothel. 

Pathos in Sahir's poetry tears you apart.. 

निकले थे कहाँ जाने के लिये, 

पहुंचे है कहाँ मालूम नहीं 

अब अपने भटकते क़दमों को, 

मंजिल का निशान मालूम नहीं 

हमने भी कभी इस गुल्शन में, 

एक ख्वाब-ए-बहारां देखा था 

कब फूल झरे, कब गर्द उड़ी, 

कब आई खिज़ां मालूम नहीं 

दिल शोला-ए-ग़म से खाक हुआ, 

या आग लगी अरमानों में 

क्या चीज़ जली क्यूं सीने से 

उठता है धुआं मालूम नहीं 

बरबाद वफ़ा का अफ़साना 

हम किसे कहें और कैसे कहें 

खामोश हैं लब और दुनिया को 

अश्कों की ज़ुबां मालूम नहीं.. 

Well.. to me this is peak of melancholy..

Future and film has many more twists left for Zeenat Jahan which she has yet to been through. But leaving the thread here only. You will have to watch the film to discover  "what next". 

As I mentioned in the beginning only, the film is all about the songs. Despite having all adept actors, the ridges of the story are said through songs only! Check the list of songs and you will find what film is all about! 

1 : Pad gaye jhoole sawan rut aai re.. Portrays the mindset of a dreamy damsel. 

2: Hum intezar karenge... A love story has begun. 

3: Vakif hun khoob ishq ke tarz e bayaan se main.. A commitment. 

4 : Ab Jaan-b-lab hun shiddt e soze nihaan se main..She looses him at the most critical time. 

5 : Sirf apne khayaalon parchhai hai.. A mystery is being covered up. 

6 : Nikle the Kahan jaane ke liye.. she's ended at a ghastly point. 

7: Duniya kare sawal to hum kya jawab den.. Her shunned heart is moaning... 

8 : Hum intezar karenge.. and the past is back to daze her again!! 

In my humble opinion, songs narrates the story far more effectively than the dialogues and screenplays here. And that's why we call it the golden era of film music, where lyricists and music directors were mightier than the actors in most of cases. We can make a long list of the actors who should have owed their entire careers to the MDs and lyricists. Their careers mostly sum up in songs to remember instead of scenes to remember.  And of course, besides Meena Kumari,  this post is also  a humble tribute to all those gods of music - our composers and lyricists whose names were capable enough to help out some stony faces to float on and over in the sea of cinematic world.