Not many moviegoers today recall the dazzling beauty of Tina Munim. This Dev Anand discovery had a long way to go . But she decided to quit her promising movie career when she was at the top of the game for a very successful life as a wife and mother. But those of us who were witness to her swift speedy and brief stardom would vouch for her immense clout as a screen queen, albeit fleetingly. Here are Tina Munim’s 5 most remembered films.
1. Des Pardes(1978): When Dev Anand introduced Tina Munim in this , his final directorial hit, a star was immediately born. Ms Munim was to the camera born. Fetchingly pleasant, the high cheekbones and the innocent demeanour made her the nation’s favourite. Dev Saab was all praise for Tina, “Among all my discoveries Tina was the most sorted and sensible.And my God, what a face!” The film about the perils of migration had Lata Mangeshkar singing Tina Munim to stardom with Aap kahen aur hum na aaye and Jais des vaisa bhes.
2. Baaton Baaton Mein(1979): Basu Chatterjee’s most underrated romcom…Six years after Bobby Braganza swept into the nation’s imagination,Rosie Perreira in Basuda’s film gave to the Catholic community a luminous legitimacy in Hindi cinema.As Rosie Tina Munim was ethereal. Oddly cast opposite Amol Palekar she held her own, specially in the looks department.Again after Des Pardes, Rajesh Roshan’s songs went a long way in edifying Ms Munim’s screen presence.
3. Karz(1979): Subhash Ghai’s overrated reincarnation film contained some of Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s best compositions. Years ago Mohd Rafi sang about the breathtaking beauty of Waheeda Rehman in Chaudhvin ka chand ho . In Karz when Rafi Saab sings Dard-e-dil dard-e-jigar ,Tina Munim’s beauty blossoms under the poetic gaze.
4. Manpasand(1980): Though a failure at the boxoffice, this sweet artless musical saw Tina Munim reunite with her discoverer Dev Anand and her Baaton Baaton Mein director Basu Chatterjee . Dev Saab played Professor Higgins to Tina’s Elizabeth Dolittle in this not-undesirable adaptation of My Fair Lady again buoyed by some exquisite songs by Lata Mangeshkar including a copy of My Fair Lady’s I Could Have Danced All Night(Hothon Pe Geet Jaage).
5. Aap Ke Deewane(1980): Subtlety be damned, Rishi Kapoor played Ram, Rakesh Roshan played Rahim and Tina Munim was the girl they both loved. The only problem for the beauteous belle of the brawl was that the two heroes seemed to love each other more than the heroine. Tina had a karmic connection with Rishi Kapoor; they co-starred in several films together including the colossal flop Deedar-e-Yaar.To be memorable, one doesn’t have to feature in hits only.
