Why shouldn't we have the objectivity to
accept Mumtaz's versatility, beauty, charm, etc., and
admit the fact openly? This fact was practically accepted by all of us when she
entered the arena of the so called A grade movies with bit roles with
which she started to out shadow the established queens, so much
so that she had them dethroned in a very short time. Even in her brief roles
against established actresses, she was the one who got noticed more and
lingered in our memories for longer periods. And this was the simple reason why
she got all the major roles as well, within a short spell.
Most of the movies in which Mumtaz was cast in supporting roles and all the films with her as leading lady did good business. Now if it wasn't because of her talent, histrionics, I wonder what we think these words really mean? Or if it wasn't because of public adulation for her, I wonder what fan following is then? The response to the continuous spate of screening of her movies on various television channels, even after more than two decades of her self retirement, proves her tremendous unending popularity due to her incomparable charisma.
She outshone everybody because of the simple reason that she was so versatile that every role appeared as if it was written with just Mumtaz in mind. Whether the role was negative or positive, serious or light, she proved her worth. Whether the role was for an urbanite or rustic, majestic or pauper, innocent or vile, gentle or venomous, coy or flaunting, Mumtaz just fitted them like a glove even though they were poles apart. She was an extremely spontaneous and natural actress. She seemed to live every moment of the role, a feat which none of the actresses, even Meenakumari or Madhubala could achieve. Meenakumari was too much typecast and Madhubala could show only her charm. Whereas Mumtaz proved her versatility again and again, thereby surpassing even both of them combined together. And the similarity between the three ended with the first letter of their names being M.
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