Kumkum

Kumkum Biography

Kumkum is a former actress of Bollywood who has been most active in the era of 1950’s and 1960’s. She is most remembered for her leading roles opposite actor singer Kishore Kumar in several Hindi movies like Mr. X in Bombay and Ganga ki lahrein. Her most memorable supporting role includes the Hindi comedy, Kohinoor where Dilip Kumar played the lead. Other noted roles include Mother India, Naya Daur, Aankhen, Geet, Kali topi laal rumal and Son of India. She has been paired with almost all leading actors of Bollywood like Rajendra Kumar and Dharmendra. In the film "Lalkar" (1972) she was paired with Dharmendra and in Ghar Sansar, she was paired with Jubilee Kumar. She has been the favourite of Ramanand Sagar who has casted her in both leading and supporting roles in several movies.

Kumkum’s birth name is Zaibunnissa and she was born on April 22, 1934 at Hussainabad in Bihar. She has acted in around 1155 movies including Hindi and Bhojpuri. She played supporting role in the first Bhojpuri movie ever made. Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo was released in 1963 with lead roles played by Nazir Hussain and Padma Khanna. Kumkum was discovered by Gurudutt and her first onscreen appearance was for the song, Kabhi aar kabhi paar. As no heroine was not willing to do this single song for the movie, Gurudutt gave that song to Kumkum and till now, this particular song has been a popular choice of remixes and have been remixed in several versions by different DJs. The movie was Aar Par released in 1954. Though it was first decided to picture that song for a male actor, later it went to a female artist.

She played supporting role in Kohinoor and appeared in the hit classic song, Madhuban mein Radhika. Chedo na meri zulfein of Ganga ki laharein, Khoobsurat hassena of Mr. X in Bombay, Daga daga of  Kali topi laal rumal and Yeh hawa yeh nadi of Ghar Sansar are other memorable songs pictured on her. After her marriage she left the industry.

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Updated: April 02, 2014