The origins of Indian cinema can be traced back to the early 1910s, when Dadasaheb Phalke became a trailblazer in the realm of motion pictures. However, it was the introduction of sound films that gave rise to a remarkable phenomenon—the emergence of cinematic icons, now referred to as superstars. Among the initial luminaries of Indian cinema were KL Saigal, Karan Dewan, and Ashok Kumar. In parallel, a young actor captivated audiences, establishing records that would remain unbroken for nearly eighty years.

India's first female superstar

Mumtaz Shanti emerged as one of the pioneering successful female stars in what would later be known as Bollywood. She commenced her career as a child artist in Punjabi cinema in 1937, subsequently transitioning to leading roles with the film Mangti in 1942. That same year marked her Hindi film debut as a lead actress in Basant, at the age of 16. Basant achieved remarkable success, running in theaters for 76 weeks and becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of that year. The following year, Mumtaz experienced further triumph with Kismet, which became the first Indian film to gross ₹1 crore. At just 17, she earned the title of 'Jubilee Girl' as all four of her releases were jubilee hits.

In the ensuing years, Mumtaz continued to star in successful films such as Ghar Ki Izzat (1948) and Aahuti (1950). She collaborated with the leading stars of her era and even took on senior roles alongside younger actors like Dilip Kumar.

Mumtaz Shanti's sudden retirement

In the late 1940s, Mumtaz entered into matrimony with Wali Sahab, a filmmaker. Although she persisted in her acting career for a time, her family soon took precedence. In 1952, the couple made the decision to relocate to Pakistan, marking the conclusion of Mumtaz's nascent film career. At that point, she was merely 26 years old. She resided in Lahore for the rest of her life, passing away in 1989 at the age of 63.

Mumtaz Shanti's legacy

Numerous records established by her films endured for several decades. For example, Kismet was screened in a single theater for three years, a milestone that was surpassed only in 1978 by Sholay and later by Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Additionally, two of her films, Basant and Kismet, continued to feature in the top 50 list of the most-watched Indian films until 2021, nearly eighty years after their initial release.

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