Meena Kumari was one of the most renowned and beloved actresses across the nation who won over audiences with her characters in over a career spanning three decades. Known for her unmatched versatility and grace she starred in over 90 films starting from the young age of just four. Her films including Parineeta Pakeezah Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam and many more remain iconic in our cinema. Despite her massive success her personal life was filled with turbulence. She married famous director Kamal Amrohi in 1951 but their relationship soured and they separated in 1964. After the separation Meena Kumari began to live in solitude. It is believed that during this time she developed a close bond with actor Dharmendra. At the height of her career while Dharmendra was just starting to make his mark in the industry reports suggest that Meena Kumari helped him secure several films. She even allegedly told directors that if they wanted her in a film they would have to cast Dharmendra alongside her. The two worked together in films like Purnima Majhli Didi and Baharon Ki Manzil. However Dharmendra already married to Prakash Kaur was not in a position to reciprocate the relationship as Meena Kumari might have hoped. His career took a significant turn after these films but this association is said to have added strain to Meena Kumari’s already fragile marriage. Kamal Amrohi reportedly hurt by Meena Kumaris closeness to Dharmendra sought revenge in his film Razia Sultan by casting Dharmendra as a slave. Dharmendra was made to endure harsh conditions including having black paint applied to his body for the role and shooting in extreme desert heat. Despite the rumours and the turmoil Meena Kumari never publicly admitted to the affair with Dharmendra. In later years Dharmendra addressed these rumours in interviews. He said People are jealous of me man. I was not in love with Meena Kumari. She was a huge star and I was her fan. If you call the relationship between a fan and a star as love then consider it as love. Three weeks after the release of Pakeezah Meena Kumaris health deteriorated rapidly. On March 28 1972 she was admitted to St. Elizabeths Nursing Home. Two days later she fell into a coma and passed away on March 31 1972 at the age of 38. The cause of her death was later determined to be liver cirrhosis.