Ameeta - Career Decline and Later Years

Career Decline and Later Years

Even after the impressive success of films like Mere Mehboob (1963), by 1964, inexplicably, Ameeta was still languishing in B grade projects like Samson (1964) and Namasteji (1965). Though Samson proved yet another resounding success at the box office, it's B-grade action status did not help improve Ameeta's star image nor did it encourage more prolific film makers to cast her as the lead in big budget productions. Having previously appeared alongside more illustrious leading men, such as Dev Anand (Munimji 1955), Bharat Bhushan (Sawan 1959), Manoj Kumar (Piya Milan Ki Aas 1961, Maa Beta 1962), and Ashok Kumar (Raakhi 1962) she was now acting opposite the likes of action hero Dara Singh and comedian Johnny Walker, a clear demotion.

Despite some considerable success at the box office in starring roles, Ameeta never gained a strong foothold in the industry or consolidated a position as an A grade leading lady. Although in possession of an angelic face, voluptuous figure and a considerable acting range, she never achieved the career heights or fan following of her contemporaries; Asha Parekh, Mala Sinha, Saira Banu, Sadhana, Nanda and Waheeda Rehman, all joined established stars like Nutan, Meena Kumari, and Vyjayanthimala to become the most successful and popular actresses of the 1960s.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Ameeta had vied for the leading roles in prestigious films. When the widely popular comedian Mehmood launched his own production of Chotte Nawab (1961), he sidelined all the established heroines of the day and cast Ameeta as his female lead. (Today, the film is remembered only as R.D. Burman's debut as music composer.) She had even been considered a more viable star option, when she replaced Asha Parekh after she was dropped from the lead in Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959). The writer/director Nasir Hussain, who had worked with Ameeta in her earlier successes Munimji (1955) and Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957), complained that she had never fit his concept of a heroine, and instead built Asha Parekh, into a major star. Promoting Asha as his new star discovery, he cast her as the female lead in seven films, including the highly successful Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Teesri Manzil (1966), Baharon Ke Sapne, and Caravan (1971). By contrast, despite an initial advantage over Asha Parekh, Ameeta's career never really took off. Apart from a brief period of starring roles in good films, like her contemporary actresses Shubha Khote and Kumkum, Ameeta's image never graduated from B-grade leading lady or second lead in bigger film productions.

By the mid sixties, while Asha Parekh had reached the zenith of success and popularity as a leading lady, Ameeta had descended into negative and villainous characters in films like Rishte Naate (1965), and Aasra (1966). Worse still, she was seen in supporting roles to fledgling starlets Rajshree and Babita, in films like Around the World (1967) and Haseena Maan Jayegi (1968). A sad end to the career of an actress who had once shown great promise as the leading lady of prominent stars such as Rajendra Kumar and Shammi Kapoor.

After her last film Haseena Maan Jayegi (1968) a disillusioned Ameeta left the film industry and settled down to married life. Today she is all but forgotten and remains extremely bitter about her experiences as an actress, becoming a virtual recluse.

In the early 1990s Ameeta's daughter, Sabeeha pursued a career as an actress. After co-starring with some popular leading actors like Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Kumar, Rajesh Khanna/Karan Shah in lead roles in films such as Khiladi (1990) and Quayamat Ki Raat (1992),Anokha Rishta, she also disappeared from the Hindi movie scene.

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