Veteran actress Mumtaz was one of the most talented actresses of the Hindi film industry during her time. She debuted as a child artist at the age of 11 and later became one of the top leading actresses of the industry.
Mumtaz, who has worked with stars like Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Devanand and Shashi Kapoor, has seen the golden era of the Hindi film industry. She also worked extensively with Shammi Kapoor, with whom her affair was also much talked about. Now Mumtaz has told that those things were true.
‘It wasn’t just an affair’
At that time there was a hot discussion in the industry that Shammi Kapoor wanted to marry Mumtaz. When Mumtaz was asked about this in an interview with Rediff, she said, ‘Yes. But he wanted me to leave my career when I was only 17 years old. I don’t think anyone can give me as much love as he showered on me. I could never forget them. Even today, whenever his name is taken, tears come to my eyes. It was not just a love affair, it was much more than that. We loved each other very much. Unfortunately, the women of the Kapoor family did not work during that period. He had to take care of his family’s wishes, I had to respect my career.
‘I had to respect my career’
Talking about giving up love for career, Mumtaz said, ‘What else would I have done? I had to take care of the family. I used to get Rs 8 lakh even as a struggler. I was the most earning actress of my time. In my childhood, when my mother asked me whom I wanted to marry, I used to say that I wanted to marry the Shahenshah of Iran. I wanted the best everything in life.
Mumtaz spoke on her husband’s extra-marital affair
Mumtaz married Ugandan businessman Mayur Madhvani in 1974 and shortly after took a break from acting to take care of the family. However, Mumtaz’s husband also had an extra-marital affair, about which she also talked in an interview.
She told Pinkvilla, ‘After one episode, I started feeling a little lonely. I was a little excited, I felt hurt. So I returned to India. When you are among thorns and someone comes with roses, you get a little carried away. But there was nothing serious in it. It was just a temporary phase, which ended soon. I am lucky that my husband still loves me very much. If I fall even a little ill, an uproar ensues.
On her husband’s affair, Mumtaz had said, ‘It is a common thing for men to have affairs secretly. My husband had only one. She had said that she respects her husband for the fact that he himself told him about his affair.