Google Doodle celebrating Meena Kumari

Born on Aug 1 in 1933, Meena Kumari grew up on camera, lighting up the silver screen from the age of four when she was known as “Baby Meena.” Over time, she emerged as one of Indian cinema’s foremost actors.

As shown in the Doodle, Kumari captivated audiences with her beautiful, expressive eyes. Appearing in more than 90 films during her 38 year career, she portrayed strong yet vulnerable women who made their own way through life, although they were often devastated by romance. Leading men were so bedazzled by Meena’s presence that Bollywood star Raaj Kumar admitted to flubbing his lines when shooting scenes with her. Today, her screen appearances are studied for flawless moments and the complex emotions she could evoke without uttering a word.

In addition to being a talented actress Kumari was also a accomplished poet who recorded an album of her compositions in Urdu titled I Write, I Recite, with music composed by Khayyam. Her legacy as a screen actress in unrivaled in Bollywood history. At India’s prestigious Filmfare awards in 1963, Kumari was the only best actress nominee for her performances in three different films.

Janmadin Mubarak Meena Kumari!