Mumtaz was born to Abdul Saleem Askari who was a dry fruits vendor and Shadi Habib Agha, the family belonged to Iran with Afghan descent. As soon as Mumtaz turned one, her parents got divorced. Though there are no traces that the actress suffered due to parent’s separation but the struggle to deal with this reality reflects in her journey.
The saga of Indian cinema:
Mumtaz appeared as a child actress in Sone Ki Chidiya (1958). As she entered her teenage she got a chance to appear in Vallah Kya Baat Hai, Stree and Sehra in the early 1960s but as an extra. Some days passed, Mumtaz was growing as a lady when she grabbed a chance to work in an ‘A’ grade film in O. P. Ralhan’s Gehra Daag. Mumtaz was young, beautifu and attractive lady who definitely got attention at that time which lead her to be heroine in 16 action films, including Faulad, Veer Bhimsen, Tarzan Comes to Delhi, Sikandar-E-Azam, Rustom-E-Hind, Raaka, and Daku Mangal Singh, with freestyle wrestler Dara Singh, and was labelled as a stunt-film heroine. To mention about her remuneration, she use to charge INR 250,000 per film. Then comes the stardom, slowly Mumtaz was noticed onscreen frequently which got her on board with all time first superstar Rajesh Khanna in Raj Khosla’s blockbuster Do Raaste (1969). Just because she started her career with action films she was tagged as ‘B’ grade heroine which was not the case, due to such false buzz she faced a lot of rejection before becoming superstar, so much that one time Shashi Kapoor, who had earlier refused to work with her in Saccha Jootha, wanted her to be his heroine in Chor Machaye Shor (1973). Her films made around 28 million to 65 million gross on box office during that time. She was often paired up with Rajesh Khanna and Feroz Khan in several films. Later she took a break of 13 years with the reason to look after her family and made a come back which was also her final film named Aandhiyan in 1990.
Achievements to be remembered:
Her most appreciated and remembered achievement was when she received Filmfare Best Actress Award for Khilona in 1970. It was her only best actress award and it really made a mark due to one and only Mumtaz who made that role alive with her approach towards the character as no one was interested in accepting the role of “Chaand” for Khilona, just because she was a prostitute in the story line. Other achievements are her supporting actress awards honored by BFJA Award and Filmfare for films like Brahmachari (1968), Ram Aur Shyam (1967) and Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969) respectively. She received Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996 and IIFA Outstanding Contribution by an Indian in Cinema, Honorary Award in 2008.
In picture: Mumtaz with her husband Mayur Madhvani at the sangeet ceremony of Zayed Khan at the Grand Maratha Sheraton
In a career that spanned 15 years, Mumtaz acted in 108 films
In picture: Mumtaz with her daughter Tanya Madhvani
In picture: Mumtaz with her son-in-law
Did you know Mumtaz had once refused to work with Amitabh Bachchan? Can you believe it? It was during her initial days of career, when Bachchan was considered to be an “unsuccessful” hero
Mumtaz had once revealed that she used to receive remuneration as high as 2.5 lakh at that time. In an old interview, she had mentioned, “My role used to be very small, maybe a couple of romantic scenes and some songs. I still remember I used to get a remuneration of Rs 2.5 lakh, which was considered a big amount in those days”
Mumtaz had once revealed that she used to receive remuneration as high as 2.5 lakh at that time. In an old interview, she had mentioned, “My role used to be very small, maybe a couple of romantic scenes and some songs. I still remember I used to get a remuneration of Rs 2.5 lakh, which was considered a big amount in those days”
Though Mumtaz tried her hand at a comeback with Aandhiyan (1990), the film bombed and the actress refused other film offers
Mumtaz is the mother-in-law of actor Fardeen Khan as her daughter Natasha married Feroz Khan’s son in 2005
In picture: Feroz with yesteryear actress Mumtaz during the engagement of Fardeen and Natasha in London
In picture: Feroz with yesteryear actress Mumtaz during the engagement of Fardeen and Natasha in London
Mumtaz won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for one of her favourite films Khilona in 1970
In picture: Mumtaz on the ramp with Hema Malini
Mumtaz is rocking at 71 and a true to the phrase ‘ageing like a fine wine’!
