Minoo Mumtaz has been adored on this blog from very early on. In other words, she’s been one of my favorites ever since I first became obsessed with classic Indian films. She is featured in numerous songs that I’ve shown here, though many were in posts focused on someone or something else. But there is one old post in this blog that is sufficiently devoted just to Minoo Mumtaz, and that is the one from back in 2009 where I wrote about Tom Daniel’s DVD compilation, describing it as A Whole (Beautiful, Crisp, Clear) DVD of Minoo Mumtaz! I would like to recommend that post most of all because it includes a list of the contents of Tom’s DVD, which is the best place to look if you want the names of the best songs that she appeared in. (Plus, I think you can still download the DVD’s files if you go to the site linked there and follow the directions.) But I’m also happy to recommend this old post because of the insights and opinions that it contains. I said some very glowing things about Minoo Mumtaz nearly a dozen years ago, and I would say the exact same things now.
I also pointed out some very interesting things that Tom had written about her. For example, there is the fact that he actually prefers to watch a mujra by Minoo Mumtaz than one by Vyjayanthimala. And he is not the only one who has said such a thing. Just today, another friend mentioned on Facebook that she generally prefers Minoo Mumtaz to Vyjayanthimala. And if you ask me about which one I find more relatable and adorable on the screen (as well as often being the greatest mood-lifter), I think I might say that, in general, it is Minoo Mumtaz (which I think is pretty close to the point that Tom had made). But if you want to ask me which one I prefer to watch dancing a mujra…well, please understand that it doesn’t mean I don’t also love Minoo Mumtaz! (I am always a sucker for dazzling and technically superb dancing, and I don’t think anyone can deny that Vyjayanthimala had the edge in that sense. In his comments, Tom also admitted that Vyjayanthimala was a greater dancer.) But, of course, there is no need to compare… The Golden Age was Golden in part because it made room for so many unique and brilliant talents, and Minoo Mumtaz was a mujra queen in her own right – in addition to being a hilarious comedienne, which seems to me like a very unusual combination.
It’s obvious that Minoo’s brother Mehmood is the more famous comedian, and he seems to be much better known in general by a wide audience. This is what I gather because the vast majority of times when I’ve seen Minoo Mumtaz mentioned in a review or an article, she was defined as the “sister of Mehmood.” I always found that to be a little odd because, though I do like Mehmood, if I am asked to define one sibling in relation to the other, I am much more inclined to say that he was the brother of Minoo Mumtaz. It also seems to me that she was the one who took most after their father, Mumtaz Ali – at least in terms of talents – considering that he was a legendary dancer.
Then there is a younger brother to those siblings, Anwar Ali, who acted in films ranging from Seema (as a child actor, performing next to his father) to Bombay to Goa (which I confess I have yet to see in its entirety). Anwar Ali was the one whom I actually corresponded with, a little over eleven years ago, when I was aware of the blog that he had at the time. And under a post that I made about that blog, there was a conversation in the comments section in which several of us wondered whatever had happened to Minoo Mumtaz. Then I received a comment from Anwar Ali’s wife, Mona Mathur Ali, saying that Minoo was doing well and living in Canada. That was so nice to see!
Just a couple of years later, in 2013, an old blogging friend, AK, wrote a post over at Songs of Yore, In Conversation with Minoo Mumtaz, which included an interview that he had done with her as well as one with her son, Ajaz Ali. (He also provided a couple of small clips of both of them speaking – although in Hindi, without English subtitles, so it would take me a while to figure out even a small portion of what either of them are saying – but they should be clear to most of the fans.) If there had been a lot of mysteries about Minoo Mumtaz and her whereabouts that some of us were still trying to figure out, this post certainly solved them. AK’s post also includes a nice collection of videos of songs that were picturized on Minoo Mumtaz, some of which he says were actually recommended by her. Plus, there are a ton more videos recommended in the comments.
AK’s interview revealed that Minoo had been diagnosed with a brain tumor ten years earlier – which had actually been in her head for fifteen years prior – and she had also developed some debilitating symptoms, but after some surgeries, she seemed to be rid of it and recovered nicely. The news stories that I have seen as of this post say that a few days ago she was diagnosed with cancer again (whether related or not, I am not certain) but had been suffering from other “health issues” also. Much of the reporting was based on information from Anwar Ali and Mona Mathur Ali – that is, the same people who made me and a few others happy with the news that Minoo Mumtaz was alive and well back when we wondered if it was even possible to find any recent news about her. I have not had any communications with them directly in recent years, but I understand that they sent other people the information about her death as soon as they could, and they deserve appreciation for their conscientiousness.
I suppose the fact that information about Minoo Mumtaz had once been scarce for so long – at least for many of us – combined, of course, with the fact that she is constantly referred to as the “sister of Mehmood,” shows that she hasn’t really gotten the full recognition that she deserves, at least compared to other greats of the Golden Age. But I get a different sense when I look around our little blogging world, where so many people have had the chance to watch many of the great song-and-dance sequences that she has starred in and even a couple films in which she played major roles. Once people get a good sense of who she was, as I wrote back in 2009… Who doesn’t love Minoo Mumtaz?
Dances on the Footpath 
I just learned that Minoo Mumtaz had died. Another one of my favourites gone.
She was wonderful, wasn’t she? I still remember that DVD of Tom’s, and how many of my favourites it included. Besides the fact that she was an excellent dancer, I think I can understand why many would prefer her to Vyjyanthimala – there’s a certain ‘approachability’ to her, she looks like an intelligent, interesting woman, not some of paragon of perfection.
Maybe I’d better leave my conjectures for my own post! I’m going to get started on it later today.
Thank you for this beautiful tribute Richard!
I’m also in the process of writing a tribute on my blog.
She was absolutely wonderful dancer, and in my opinion she acted well too.
Let’s see when I would be able to finish my post.
I had read the post SoY earlier of course.
Anup
Richard,
Nice tribute to her. I was no aware of her recent health issues. The blogging world never thought of her as Mehmood’s sister. We liked her in her own right for her mujra dances. Meeting her and her son AJ was a revelation. Normally we hear of riches to rags story in filmdom, superstars spending their last days in penury. This branch of the family was very well-adjusted and doing well. It may not be the appropriate time, but every source mentions Mumtaz Ali’s irresponsible lifestyle led to his fall from the top to the bottom ( if I may use a bit of Urdu which conveys much better, अर्श से फ़र्श). Rising above that and doing well speaks a lot about Minoo and Mehmood. I have conveyed our deepest condolences to AJ.
AK
Sad to learn that she is gone. Personally–not being particularly knowledgeable of filmi family trees!–I had no clue until reading this that she was Mehmood’s sister. I went back just now to rewatch “Gora Rang Chunariya Kaali.” Learning that they would both have come up in the same “family school” of comedy made me appreciate both performances all the much more. Inna lillahi wa-inna ilaihi raji’un.
Madhu, yes, Minoo Mumtaz certainly was wonderful. I knew that you would have to do a tribute post of your own, and I am looking forward to it. You also have made a little curious regarding the “conjectures” that you say you will include in that. :)
Anup, you are very welcome, and thank you for saying such a nice thing about my tribute! I am also very much looking forward to seeing your post about the great Minoo Mumtaz.
AK, I’m glad you liked this post. In this tribute, I decided not to take the time to delve into a list of video clips (as I did last year with another favorite, Kumkum), but in addition to the fact that I’m sure we will see plenty posted in other people’s tributes to follow, I knew that if readers followed my link to your post from 2013, they would find an extremely comprehensive collection of embedded videos as well as links to videos (in the comments). But, of course, the nicest part about reading your old post was being able to see those interviews.
Regarding Mumtaz Ali’s “irresponsible lifestyle,” I don’t think it’s ever inappropriate to mention a truth that a lot of people already know… From the sources I’ve seen and heard, this truth is that he became a terrible alcoholic and this is what ruined him. (Unfortunately, he was not the first in the Hindi film industry to follow down that path and he would be very far from the last.) I also understand that he pushed these children of his who went into films to succeed early (not only in films but even in live shows too) so that they could help to support the family. That may have been tough on them (I don’t know), but they must owe at least a little something to him for the cultivation of their talents. When I said that it seemed to me that Minoo Mumtaz took most after her father, I made sure to add “at least in terms of talents” because I did not want to imply at all that she did so in other ways.
It is nice that Minoo Mumtaz did not become poor and her branch of the family has helped her to remain in fairly good economic standing, but I wonder if she found any way to continue in her creative pursuits while in Canada. From what I can tell, I think probably not. (Although I have seen that she was in a television show in India in the 2000s? Well, that is something, at least.)
And here I am going to change my response from what I originally wrote a few hours ago :) because I was getting into comparisons with other dancer-actresses who started dance schools in North America – specifically near me, in the New York metropolitan area – and these comparisons raise issues that would require another post or two worth of writing, and maybe I don’t want to get into all that. :) Also, I don’t want to imply that I’m making any value judgment over what anyone chose to do after a film career, or what situation that person ended up in. I don’t actually think that when most actors, dancers, etc., fall into poverty or become obscure and forgotten, it’s all that often a result of moral failings. I think that if an actor or dancer cannot adjust to the demands of changing social or economic circumstances (or changing fashions in the film world, etc.), that person should not be subjected to any kind of judgment because of it. The judgment, instead, should be made against the system and society that let certain people fall into tragic circumstances without any kind of support.
Minoo Mumtaz avoided such fates, but some of us do feel that she is relatively forgotten, considering all that she did in the Hindi films (and how wonderfully she did it). But the good thing is that, at least within certain circles – in this case (as we’ve both pointed out) our circle of bloggers – she is always going to be considered much more than just the sister of Mehmood!
Shelomit, well it is refreshing to see that you have appreciated Minoo Mumtaz without even knowing that she was Mehmood’s sister! :)
Regarding “Gora Rang Chunariya Kaali,” I have read that the fact that they are brother and sister actually caused some controversy. Some people did not take well to the idea that a brother and sister played a romantic couple. I think that in some people’s minds, this was utterly scandalous! So, there’s another reason to appreciate it. :)
I’m coming late to this post, Richard, not having had the time over the weekend – yard work takes its toll. :) I posted my tribute to her late at night, and it’s only today that I noticed on my blog roll that you had pre-empted me. It’s a lovely tribute, heartfelt and very personal. Bravo!
AK is right – I doubt any of us in the blogging world thought of her as ‘Mehmood’s sister’. As I said in my tribute, I never took to Mehmood’s brand of comedy. Minoo, on the other hand, was all sorts of wonderful.
Anu, yes, I finally got to be the first one out the door with a tribute! But first of all, I saw words about Minoo Mumtaz’s death pretty early, from a message written by someone in a group on Facebook, and then I kept an eye out to confirm with the first articles that appeared (maybe because I hoped the few words that I had seen originally would merely turn out to be one of those mistaken death rumors that circulate sometimes). Also, I wanted to finish my post earlier in the weekend because I planned to do other stuff later – not yard work (there is no reason for me to think about that in my Bronx apartment), but I had a list of things…most of which I still haven’t gotten to. :)
I also think that you and Madhu must have both spent more time on your posts. Thank you very much for the “Bravo” for this post! But both you and Madhu took the time to select some of her best dances, link to them, screen-cap from them, and write very good things about them.
I am going to need to return to your post again on Tuesday, and I might comment a little more over there afterwards.