Love, and Its Constraints

Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah is a paean to his love for his wife and the lead actress of the film, Meena Kumari. The film tells the heartwrenching story of a courtesan who dreams of living an idyllic life with the man (Raaj Kumar) she falls in love with, only to be thwarted by society. Set in Lucknow in the early twentieth century, Pakeezah was also a commentary on the life of the nautch-girls, for whom love was a forbidden sin. The other highlight of this cult classic is the bewitching music by Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad Ali.

Year of release: 1972
Directed by Kamal Amrohi
Starring Meena Kumari, Raaj Kumar, Ashok Kumar.