Veena

Veena

Birth : 1924-07-04, Quetta, Baluchistan Agency, Pakistan

Death : 2004-11-14

History

Veena (4 July 1926 – 14 November 2004), also known as Veena Kumari, real name Tajour Sultana, was an Indian actress. Veena was born as Tajour Sultana on 4 July 1926 in Quetta, Baluchistan, Pakistani. At some point of time, her family shifted to Lahore and she belonged to Lahore's Chuna Mandi.[1] She married actor-hero Al Nasir in 1947 and had two children. She started out playing heroine roles in pre-partition films. She made her debut with Garib and Gawandhi (1942) at around sixteen years of age. Garib was made in Urdu and Gawandhi was made in Punjabi and directed by Mehboob Khan. In Garib, she played the role of Lata and in Gawandhi she played heroine opposite Shyam, who played the hero. She became known for her roles in pre-partition Hindi and Urdu films. Her early years in films came with films such as Najma (1943), Phool (1945) and Humayun (1945). Her last film before the Partition of India was Rajputani (1946), in which she played a supporting role. She decided to remain in India after the partition, and she acted through the mid-to-late-1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. She played roles in big productions such as Halaku (1956), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Taj Mahal (1963) (for which she received the Filmfare's Award for Best Supporting Actress), Do Raaste (1969) and Pakeezah (1972). She retired in 1983 after the release of Razia Sultan (1983) in which she played Empress Shah Turkhan. She died in Bombay in 2004 after 21 years of retirement when she was 78 years old after suffering from a protracted illness. She had appeared in over 70 feature films in a career spanning 41 years (1942 till 1983).

Profile

Veena

Movies

Mazloom
Purnima's mother
While returning home via train, Purnima gets sexually assaulted by a stranger, keeps it to herself, but her parents eventually find out and the shock kills her dad. Since it was too late to abort the baby boy, her mother gives it away to a stranger. Purnima gets married to her sweetheart, Vijay, a Chief Engineer, but ironically the very same child ends up in their care, and they name him Rajan. Years later, Purnima gives birth to Aman. The two boys grow up, siblings rivalry prevails to such an extent that eventually they end up falling in love with the same woman, Meena. Things keep on getting complicated so much so that a member of their family ends up getting killed, and another getting arrested.
Jaanwar
A young woman (Zeenat Aman), who grows up in the wild, knows the secret of a lost treasure, and is also the heir to the throne. She meets with a young man (Rajesh Khanna) and both fall in love. Then the people find out that she actually is the heir to the throne, so she re-locates to the palace. Once there, she is brainwashed into forgetting who she is, and the man she loves. Notable song: "Pyar me nazar churai nahin jati, apno se koi baat chupai nahin jati, dilbar janam janam, janam janam...";
Payal Ki Jhankaar
Shyama is an orphaned young woman who lives with her aunt, uncle and several cousins, two of who are girls of marriageable age. Her passion is dancing, which is frowned upon by her uncle and aunt. One day she, along with a young man named Gopal, go to see the dance by an international artiste named Veena. They ask Veena and her mentor, Dinanath, for help but are shunned and asked to leave. Crestfallen, she returns home and sleeps outside the door as it was very late. The next day her aunt finds out about her overnight excursion and beats her up severely, followed by another beating by her uncle. Humiliated, she decides to run away with Gopal to another town in order to learn dancing at the hands of well-known Guru Kishinchand Sharma. They do find Kishin, who initially rejects them, but relents when he witnesses Shyama abilities.
The Chess Players
Queen Mother
It is the year 1856. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is the king of Awadh, one of the last independent kingdoms of India. The British colonialists, intent on controlling this rich land, have sent general Outram on a secret mission to clear the way for an annexation. Pressure is mounting amidst intrigue and political manoeuvres, but the Nawab whiles away his time in pursuit of pleasure and religious practice. The court is of no help either—Court nobles Mir and Mirza, ignoring the situation of their country and all their duties towards their families, spend their days playing endless games of chess. The film is based on Munshi Premchand's short story of the same name.
5 Rifles
Maharani
An Indian ruler struggles to rescue her family and liberate her land from the British.
Madhosh
Raj's Mother
Raj is wealthy and a womanizer and his lifelong friend Goldie is a self made pop singer. Goldie tries to make Raj realize that women are not mere objects of desire, but with no results. Raj...
Parichay
Satidevi
An unemployed young man (Jeetendra) takes a job to tutor unruly grandkids of Rai Sahab (Pran) and brings out respect, appreciation and hard work hidden deep inside them.
Shehzada
In this musical melodrama from 1972, optimistic and determined truck driver Shehzada (Rajesh Khanna) sets out to prove that his mother deserves to be accepted back into the wealthy family that drove her away decades ago. With help from his soon-to-be wife, Chanda (Rakhee Gulzar), Shehzada embarks on a mission to reverse his maternal grandmother's cruel decision to disown her own daughter. Karan Dewan, Madan Puri and Pandharibai co-star.
Pakeezah
Nawabjaan
A beautiful courtesan is unable to break away from the cycle of prostitution until a forest ranger falls in love with her. Unfortunately, his wealthy parents oppose the union.
Do Raaste
Mrs. Gupta
Navendu was a young motherless boy when his father married again. The step-mother saw the fear and doubt in the eyes of the boy and she promised him that he will be like a real son to her. Many years later his father on his death-bed took another promise from young Navendu, a promise to look after his step-brothers and sisters and step-mother, as if they were all of one blood. Navendu kept up his promise till they all grew up and he was like a father to them. Soon the day, came when the young brothers and sisters stood at the same window of life from where they have to select the Road of Sacrifice And the Road of Selfishness. The story of Do Raaste is the Drama of those brothers and sisters who take the different roads.
Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai
Gurmukh Singh's wife
In this classic drama, bachelor Prem (Suresh) enjoys a good life, with a successful business and a loving family. But when he marries the manipulative Ratan (Nishi), his once-blissful existence becomes fraught with tension. Ratan drives a wedge between Prem and his brother, Gurmukh (Prithviraj Kapoor), and tries to destroy Gurmukh's relationship with his wife, Channi (Vimi). Will Channi's strong Sikh faith be enough to restore peace to the family?
Aashirwad
Leela S. Choudhary
Aashirwad is a 1968 Bollywood film. Produced by N.C. Sippy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, it is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Ashok Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar.
Saathi
Rajni's Mother
Dr. Ravi returns from abroad and takes up position as Chief Surgeon in a hospital. He then meets with Nurse Shanti, who lives an impoverished lifestyle with her ailing mother, and decides to perform surgery, but she passes away, and a guilt-ridden Ravi marries Shanti much to the chagrin of his mentor, Kaka, who had hoped that he would marry his daughter, Rajni. The couple then travel to Kashmir for their honey-moon, and then settle down to a harmonious relationship. Hoping to travel even more, their plans are interrupted by the hospital's head doctor, who wants Ravi to focus on cancer research. The couple drop all travel plans and immerse themselves in research so much so that Shanti herself becomes ill.
Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon
Due to a growing marital rift between Jamuna and her husband, she decides to leave him. He does not permit her to take their son, so she arranges his abduction, and disappears from her husband's life. Years later, Jamuna's son, Mohan, has grown up, and together they live a middle-class existence. One day, Mohan meets with Mona and both are attracted to each other. But Mona's guardian would like her to marry Biharilal alias Difu, who is foreign returned and comes from a very wealthy family. Mona and her friends embark on a trip to Srinagar, and Mohan follows her there. Then Jamuna's overjoyed husband announces the return of his son, Mohan, back to his household.
Kaagaz Ke Phool
Veena Varma / Veena Sinha
The film tells, in flashback, the story of Suresh Sinha, a famous film director and his relationship with an aspiring actress.
Younger Sister
Chhoti Bahen is the story about the delicate but powerful bond of love. Rajendra and Shekhar lose their parents, and the all they have is each other, and their younger sister Meena. Though in love, Rajendra swears that he will not marry till his younger brother and sister are settled. Shekhar falls in love with a rich girl Shobha. Meanwhile, Meena's marriage is fixed. Misfortune strikes when Meena meets with an accident and is blinded forever. Shekhar, pressed on by an impatient Shobha, marries her and they go away to live with her rich father. Rajendra loses his job. To support his poor blind sister, he is desperate for a job.
Khota Paisa
Geeta
M. Sadiq’s drama about a professional hunter who aims to locate a beautiful young girl. Starring Johnny Walker, Shyama, Jeevan, Veena and Dhumal. In Hindi with English subtitles.
Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
Three woman-hating brothers face changes in their respective lifestyles when two of them fall in love.
Mehndi
Based on Umrao Jaan Ada by Mirza Hadi Ruswa.
Halaku
Maharani
Halaku (Pran), the powerful emperor of Iran, rules the country wisely and with an iron hand. When he comes upon one of his subjects, Niloufer (Meena Kumari), he stakes his claim on her and wants her to be his wife, despite of his wife (Minoo Mumtaz), who opposes his marriage plans. Niloufer, who loves Pervez (Ajit), refuses to submit to Halaku, he turns his wrath on both Niloufer, Pervez, and his wife. Will Niloufer and Pervez survive the ruthless Halaku?
Afsana
Meera
Ratan and Chaman are twins brothers who love the same girl, Meera. During a fair, all three are separated. While Chaman and Meera are found, Ratan is untraceable. Years later, Chaman is no longer attracted to Meera, but in a dancing girl named Rasily, while Meera awaits word of her childhood sweetheart Ratan, who she feels is still alive. Then the unexpected happens, Chaman gets into a fight with another man, killing him, and is on the run from the police. Misunderstandings are clarified, and the law declares this to be an accidental death, and as a result Chaman returns. But this is not the same Chaman any more. For one thing, he has lost interest in Rasily, and is more interested in Meera - could it be that Ratan has returned in place of Chaman? If so, what has happened to Chaman?
Dastan
Rani
Indira (Suraiya) is an orphan brought up the strict and uprighteous Rani (Veena). Indira grows up to be a beauty and is sought by three suitors Raj (Raj Kapoor), Kundan (Al Nasir), and Ramesh (Suresh). Rani does not like Indira to marry into her family as both Raj and Kundan are her brothers, and she wants Indira to marry Ramesh, and as such arranges a meeting with Ramesh's mom (Pratima Devi) and finalizes the marriage. Indira does not appreciate this and refuses to marry Ramesh. Raj speaks of his love with Rani, and Rani warns him that Indira is to marry Ramesh, but also has an on-going affair with his brother Kundan. Who does Indira really love? Will she ever marry her dream man?
Humayun
Rajkumari (as Veena Kumari)
Humayan (Hindi: हुमायूँ) is a 1945 Indian Bollywood historical epic film directed by Mehboob Khan. It was the seventh highest grossing Indian film of 1945.
Phool
An Amrohi drama set in a Muslim family. Safhar's inheritance is lost, thanks to his sister-in-law, but he is still expected to complete his late father's work of building a mosque. If he cannot complete the work, then Salim must take over, but he goes off to fight in the Balkans, leaving the sister-in- law's orphaned daughter to complete the task. In doing so, she will lose her freedom, so she has a difficult decision to make.
Najma
Najma is a 1943 Indian film directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Ashok Kumar and Veena. The film's music is by Rafiq Ghaznavi with lyrics by Anjum Pilibhiti. Najma was the first film under Mehboob Khan's Mehboob Productions banner. Due to its financial success upon release, the film became a blueprint for Muslim socials that followed.