Kumkum (actress) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kumkum
Born	Zaibunnisa Khan (1934-06-08)8 June 1934 Hussainabad of Sheikhpura, Bihar, British India
Died	28 July 2020(2020-07-28) (aged 86) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1954–1973
Spouse(s)	Sajjad Akbar Khan
Children	Andaleeb Akbar Khan Hadi Ali Abrar

Kumkum, born Zaibunnisa on June 8, 1934, was a well-known Indian actress. She starred in about 115 movies during her career. She is famous for her roles in films like Mr. X in Bombay (1964), Mother India (1957), and Aankhen (1968). Kumkum often acted alongside popular actors of her time, including Kishore Kumar.

She also made history in Bhojpuri films. Her movie Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1963) was the very first Bhojpuri film ever made.

Early Life and Family

Kumkum's birth name was Zaibunnisa Khan. She was born in a family from Hussainabad in the Sheikhpura district of Bihar. Her parents were Sayed Manzoor Hassan and Khursheed Bano.

Kumkum married Sajjad Akbar Khan, who was from Lucknow, India. He worked in Saudi Arabia. After getting married, Kumkum moved to Saudi Arabia. She lived there for 23 years before returning to India in 1995. Kumkum and Sajjad had two children: a daughter named Andaleeb Akbar Khan and a son named Hadi Ali Abrar.

Acting Career Highlights

Kumkum was discovered by the famous filmmaker Guru Dutt. He first cast her in a song for his movie Aar Paar (1954). Later, she had a small part in Pyaasa (1957). She was also featured in the popular song "Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan" from the film C.I.D (1956).

Kumkum was a talented dancer. She learned Kathak, a classical Indian dance, from the respected Pandit, Shambhu Maharaj. She showed off her dancing skills in the film Kohinoor (1960) with actor Dilip Kumar. Songs like "Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re" featured her amazing dance moves.

She often worked with actor and singer Kishore Kumar. They starred together in movies such as Ganga Ki Laharen, Shreeman Funtoosh, and Mr. X in Bombay. Many of their songs together, like "Khoobsurat Haseena" and "Machalti Hui", are still very popular today.

Filmmaker Ramanand Sagar also liked to cast Kumkum in his movies. She played a role in his super hit film Ankhen (1968). She also appeared in Geet (1970) and Lalkar (1972). Kumkum acted opposite Vinod Khanna in Dhamkee (1973), where their duet song "Chand Kya Hai Roop Ka Darpan" became a big hit. She also starred with Pran in the comedy film Ek Kuwara Ek Kuwari.

After her marriage, Kumkum decided to leave the film industry.

Pioneering Bhojpuri Films

Kumkum was one of the biggest stars in the early days of Bhojpuri films. This new film industry started with Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo in 1962. This movie was the first Bhojpuri film ever made, and Kumkum played a key role in it.

She also acted in other important Bhojpuri films like Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram (1963), Balma Bada Nadaan (1964), and Ganga (1965). According to film historian Avijit Ghosh, Kumkum and another actress named Naaz were the top heroines of this first phase of Bhojpuri cinema. Many movie stories were even written especially for their characters.

Later Years and Passing

Kumkum passed away on July 28, 2020, at her home in Mumbai. She was 86 years old.

Filmography