— Meena Kumari as Nargis/Sahibjaan in Pakeezah (1972)

Pakeezah (1972) | dir. Kamal Amrohi

pakeezah (1972)

sahib jaan reads and re-reads the few words on a piece of paper that was once carefully placed by her feet that one morning during her train journey. after a long night of dancing and singing, she bathes and changes into a white colored set. depicting that regardless of her background as a nautch girl, her heart is as pure and untainted as any. she is in every way pakh. she dips her hair in the running rose water fountain by her bed and goes on to reading the words of liberation this stranger had conjured up for her. oh, but what does he know? if he knew about her doomed circumstances, would he have said the same things. regardless, she hides specks of hope in the pores of the paper and the fragrance of the ink. she tries to feel the traces of his hands that are still lingering on the letter and soon goes to sleep. wether love was meant for a girl like her or not, she cannot help but feel fulfilled.

Pakeezah (1972)

Pakeezah (1970)