05 July,2023 09:26 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mumtaz, Pic/Instagram
In a recent post, Mumtaz took to Instagram to express her gratitude towards Mehmood, and revealed how the late legendary comedian had helped the actress revive her career.
In a recent meeting with Mehmood's family, Mumtaz recounted the incident that changed the trajectory of her acting life and transformed her career. "I just want to say that Mehmood ji had a big hand in my success. Had he not recommended my name to Yusuf Saab (Dilip Kumar)⦠He took my reels to the star and showed them to him. He said, âThere is this new girl and you must work with her⦠you have a double role in the film."
To his credit, Dilip Kumar readily agreed to work with the newbie! He remarked that "She is a beautiful, nice and tall girl. Theek hai, mai kaam kar lunga (Fine, I will work with her)."
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Mumtaz began her journey in the film industry at the age of 11 with the 1958 film Sone Ki Chidiya. As a teenager, Mumtaz took on several smaller roles and later started featuring opposite wrestler-actor Dara Singh in lead roles. However, she faced the challenge of being typecast as a action film heroine and restricting her screen persona. Determined to break free from this boxing in of genre and style, the actress found a saviour in Mehmood. The showing of her film reels to Dilip Kumar led Mumtaz to star opposite him in Ram Aur Shyam (1967), marking a new milestone for the actress.
Mumtaz acknowledged Mehmood's graciousness and compassion - "Had he not said all this to Dilip Kumar, then it would not have been possible for me...it would not have been in my destiny to work with a person like Dilip Kumar. How many people in this world are ready to do something for anyone, and go out of their way to do so?"
Mumtaz and Dilip worked together in a few films after Ram Aur Shyam. These included Ram Tere Kitna Naam and Sadhu Aur Shaitaan.
Mumtaz concluded her video with, "I just wanted to tell this to you guys. This is Mehmood's family and it is because of him that I could work with Dilip Kumar." She later went on to become an extremely popular actress in the Hindi film industry, starring opposite actors like Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand and Amitabh Bachchan.
