Meena Shorey

Meena Shorey
Meena Shorey in Actress (1948)
Born	Khurshid Jehan 17 November 1921 Raiwind, Punjab, British India
Died	9 February 1989 Lahore, Pakistan
Resting place	Lahore
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1941–1979
Religion	Islam
Spouse(s)	Zahur Raja Al Nasir Roop K. Shorey Raza Mir Asad Bokhari

Meena Shorey (1921–1989) was an Indian cinema and later Pakistani cinema actress, who worked in Hindi/Urdu and Punjabi films. Credited in films by her mononym, Meena, her real name was Khurshid Jehan. She started her acting career playing a character role, as Ambhi, Raja of Taxila's sister in Sohrab Modi's Sikandar (1941). Married to her third husband, Roop K. Shorey, by the mid-1940s, she found fame when she acted in her husband's film Ek Thi Ladki (1949), opposite actor Motilal. The story was written by I. S. Johar, who also starred in the film. The "foot-tapping" music composed by Vinod became a "huge hit", with Meena becoming an "icon" for the "new liberated" young women. Meena was acclaimed as the "Lara Lappa Girl", from the song of same title in the film.^[1] She was one of the first women to be recognised in Indian cinema as a "comedienne of calibre".^[2]

In 1956, she went to Lahore, Pakistan with her husband, where they were invited by Pakistani producer J.C. Anand to make a film there following her mass popularity with the public in both India and Pakistan.. The film Shorey made was Miss 56, a copy of the Guru Dutt-Madhubala starrer Mr. & Mrs. '55.^[3] Instead of returning to India when her husband did, she decided to stay back in Pakistan, continuing her acting career there.^[4] Some of her best films in India included the Punjabi film Chaman (1948), Actress (1948), Ek Thi Ladki (1949), Dholak (1951), and Ek Do Teen(1953).

Early life

Meena was born Khurshid Jehan, on November 17, 1921, in Raiwind, Punjab, British India, the second of four children. Her family was poor and her father squandered what little property they had. He then worked at a dyeing business in Lahore, which also failed. Meena's elder sister, Wazir Begum, who was married and lived in Bombay, had their mother and siblings come there. Sohrab Modi noticed Meena at the launch of his film Sikandar (1941), which she attended with her brother-in-law, and offered her a supporting role in the film, giving her the name, Meena.^[3]

Career

In India

Ek Thi Ladki ad in Filmindia August 1949

Sikandar in 1941 was the first film Meena acted in, which had her in the small role of the King of Taxila's sister.^[2] The film was a historical about the invasion of India in the Jhelum region by Alexander (Sikandar). It was directed by Modi and starred Prithviraj Kapoor as Sikandar.^[5] The film became "an all-India hit" and provided an instant launching pad for her.^[3] She then went on to act as the second lead in three more films under Modi's Minerva Movietone banner, Phir Milenge (1942), Prithvi Vallabh (1943) and Pattharon Ka Saudagar.^[6]

Roop K. Shorey, who was based in Lahore migrated to Bombay and wanted to sign Meena for his film, Shalimar (1946). However Meena had signed a contract with Sohrab Modi, which prevented her from working not only in Shalimar, but also in Mehboob Khan's Humayun (1945). On a visit to Lahore, she was signed by producer Dalsukh Pancholi, for two films Shehar Se Door (1946) and Arsi (1947). She finally freed herself from the contract by taking Modi's wife Mehtab's help, getting the amount of money asked for by Modi, lowered.^[7]

In 1948, Chaman (Garden) in Punjabi, was directed by Roop K. Shorey, who having suffered a loss of the family business in Lahore had moved to Bombay following the partition. There he set up his banner Shorey Films and produced the film Chaman with the help of his wife's finances.^[1] It had Meena act in the "first post—Partition, Punjabi film in India". It co-starred Karan Dewan, Kuldip Kaur and Majnu, and became a "major hit". The "melodious music", which was composed by Vinod became "instantly popular".^[8] One of the famous songs from the film was "Chan Kithan Guzari Aai Raat Way" sung by Pushpa Hans and chorus. It was the debut of Pushpa Hans as a singer.^[9]

In 1949, came Ek Thi Ladki, produced and directed by Roop K. Shorey, with story written by I. S. Johar. The music was composed by Vinod whose song "Lara Lappa Lara Lappa Laayi Rakhdi" became the "highlight of the film". A "trendsetter", the song continued to remain popular over the years. The playback singing was provided by Lata Mangeshkar, and though it's counted as one of Lata's earliest hits, the person mainly remembered for the song is the actress lip-syncing it in the film, Meena, who became "known thereafter as the La-ra-Lappa Girl".^[10] The film was stated to be "the biggest runaway- hit" making Roop K. Shorey one of the top comedy film directors.^[11]

In 1950, she acted in the Karan Dewan Production's Anmol Ratan, with Karan Dewan and Nirmala. Dholak (1951) was produced by Shorey Films and directed by Roop Shorey. It starred Meena with Ajit, with music composed by Shyam Sunder. Shyam Sunder was stated to have given some "unforgettable melodies" in this film among others.^[12] In 1953, in Ek Do Teen, Shorey tried to recreate the magic of Ek Thi Ladki, by continuing with the same Lara Lappa theme. Meena was once again paired with Motilal, and music was provided by Vinod. However, the film was unable to have the same effect as Ek Thi Ladki.^[1] Her last two films released in India were G. P. Sippy's Shrimati 420 for Sippy Films and Chandu (1958) directed by Majnu and starring Om Prakash, Shashikala, Mehmood and Pran.

In Pakistan

Meena acted in about twenty-nine films in Pakistan, with lead roles in eleven of them and as a character artiste in the rest.^[13]

Roop K. Shorey and Meena were invited to Pakistan by Pakistani film producer J.C. Anand to make a film. Miss 1956 (1956) was a plagiarised version of Guru Dutt's Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955) and starred Meena Shorey, Santosh Kumar, Shamim Ara, and Noor Mohammed Charlie.^[14] The music was composed by G. A. Chisti. Meena was well received in Lahore and she decided to stay back when her husband returned to India. She went on to become the "first Pakistani actress to model for Lux" and became known as the "Lux Lady of Pakistan".^[3]

Her most famous film was Sarfarosh (1956), in which she had a special character role, with two very popular songs based around her. Originally slated to play the main lead, she was then assigned this side role and carried it off with aplomb. Directed by Anwar Kamal Pasha, the film starred Sabiha Khanum and Santosh Kumar and had music by Rasheed Attre. The film was a superhit box-office success.^[15][16]

Some of the films she acted in a main role were Bara Aadmi (1957), directed by Humayun Mirza in Urdu and co-starring Meena Shorey and Ejaz Durrani, Sitaron ki Duniya (1958), directed by M. H. Mohib, Jagga (1958) in Punjabi and directed by Saqlain Rizvi, Behrupiya (1960) (Punjabi) directed by Aslam Irani.^[17] Her other notable films were Mausiqar(1962) directed by Qadeer Ghori, Andhi Mohabbat (1964) and Khamosh Raho (1964) directed by Jameel Akhtar.

Personal life

Meena is reported to have married five times.^[18] Her first marriage was to actor-producer-director Zahur Raja. In Filmindia April 1942, it was mentioned in an interview with Zahur Raja that Zahur and Meena were married for the last "six months". The two met while shooting for Sikandar and fell in love. "Zahur has been married for six months to Meena, a pretty young actress who is at present making probably her last film Phir Milenge".^[19] Her second marriage was to actor and co-star, Al Nasir. She separated from him by mid-40s. Baburao Patel mentioned him as her ex-husband in a column in Filmindia August 1946, "Al Nasir, the once reported ex-husband of film actress Meena, is now reported to have married film actress Manorama of Punjab".^[20] Her third marriage was to Roop K. Shorey which lasted till 1956. She is reported to have then married Raza Mir, and later Asad Bokhari, her co-star in Jamalo (1962).^[21]

She lived a life of penury towards the end, and had to struggle to survive after 1974-75.^[22] Sadly, upon her death, her funeral arrangements were made by charity money. She died on 9 February 1989, in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.^[3][21]

Filmography

In India

List:^[23][24]

In Pakistan

List:^[23][25][17]

References

External links

• Meena Shorey at the Internet Movie Database