One of India's biggest hit films took 15 years to complete, lead actress died just over one month after its release, still became superhit, earned Rs..., lead actors were..

Bollywood films often take many months to complete so that the story, acting, and direction are all in place, and the film's release is unobstructed and perfect. However, there was one film, which was released in 1972, that took 14 years to complete. We are talking about the musical romantic drama film Pakeezah, written, directed, and produced by Kamal Amrohi. Kamal Amrohi and actress Meena Kumari were married in 1952 and made Daaera (1953), a film based on their relationship. After this film failed to impress audiences, Kamal Amrohi conceived the idea of Pakeezah in 1956 as a tribute to his wife, Meena Kumari. 

Initially, there were hurdles with the sets, Meena Kumari's timings, and the finalising of the lead role. All of this took till 1964 to get resolved, which was also the year when Kamal Amrohi and Meena Kumari separated due to personal differences but never actually divorced. Five years later, Meena Kumari finally agreed to resume work on the film. 

Pakeezah filming was completed in November 1971, and the editing finished a month later. Pakeezah, which was made on a budget of Rs 1.25 crores, earned over Rs 6 crores at the box office, emerging as the highest-grossing Hindi film of the year. Pakeezah ran in theatres for 50 weeks, largely gaining popularity, especially after Meena Kumari's death.

It is said that during the filming of Pakeezah, Meena Kumari's health and look changed so much in 15 years that the makers tried to cover with a dupatta in some shots, and long shots were used in some places.

Three weeks after the release of Pakeezah, Meena Kumari fell ill. She slipped into a coma two days later and died shortly afterwards on March 31, 1972. She was 38 years old. The cause of her death was determined to be liver cirrhosis. Pakeezah has often been included in listings of the best works of Indian cinema, with it also being regarded as one of the best of Meena Kumari's career.

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