Kamal Ghorui
In the 1970s, Mumtaz was among the most popular leading ladies in Hindi cinema, delivering major hits like Tere Mere Sapne and Roti. At the height of her success, she surprised many by stepping away from films after marrying businessman Mayur Madhvani in 1974. In a recent interview, the veteran actor reflected on the reasons behind that life-changing decision.Mumtaz shared how her upbringing played a key role. She said in an interview with Sandeep Kocchar, “I come from an orthodox Irani family, so my father believed that a girl should get married after a certain age, and not keep working till 40 or 50. My mother and everyone wanted me to get married, and I had known my husband’s family since I was 7 or 8, we were neighbours. My mother approved of them because she knew them well and believed I would be happy in that family. She told me not to continue in films and said they were good, cultured people who would keep me happy. I knew my family very well and always listened to them, so I married Mayur.”
She further explained that her husband was settled abroad and came from a prosperous background. “My husband didn’t live in India; he was studying in England. His family had businesses in Uganda and were quite well-to-do people.”While she admitted she would have liked to continue acting, Mumtaz said she chose to respect her family’s wishes. “If you had asked me, I would have wanted to work a little longer. But my family is very traditional and believed that a girl should marry after a certain age, so I agreed.”She also revealed that Mayur waited patiently so she could honour her professional commitments. “I returned the signing amounts for the films I had committed to, and I completed the shoots that were pending. My husband waited for two years so that I could wrap up all my films.”Mumtaz also opened up about her past association with Shammi Kapoor and why she chose not to marry him. “The issue was that I was too young. I didn’t mind marriage, but Papaji (Prithviraj Kapoor) was a wonderful man, and his rule was that the daughter-in-law of the house would not work after marriage. Even Geeta Bali ji had stopped working after marriage. When they said I couldn’t work, I felt I was still young and had ambitions. I wanted to work and achieve something, so I refused.”Reflecting on how times have changed, she noted shifting attitudes towards relationships. “In our time, girls didn’t start affairs so easily. Today, women openly express love for good-looking men, so those men are very happy, they have many options now.”She added that her upbringing was far stricter compared to today’s norms. “My mother would have scolded me severely if I behaved like that. I was not allowed. I was married early because they believed if you don’t marry in time, people might think wrongly. I was never allowed to go alone for outdoor shoots, my grandmother, aunt or mother would always accompany me. They felt a girl travelling alone could face problems. I never travelled alone.”Drawing a comparison with the younger generation, she said, “My daughter Natasha allows her daughter to go for sleepovers, but I don’t agree because I was never allowed to stay at anyone’s house. I still argue with Natasha about this.”
