Meena Kumari's dependence on alcohol, which worsened after her separation, led to liver cirrhosis and her death at just 38, weeks after Pakeezah's release.
After the collapse of her marriage, Meena Kumari's drinking became severe and public knowledge in the film world. It was widely understood as a response to loneliness, ill health and heartbreak rather than mere indulgence.
The alcoholism destroyed her liver. She was diagnosed with cirrhosis and her health declined sharply in the early 1970s. She died on 31 March 1972 at the age of 38, having lived just long enough to see Pakeezah released and embraced.
Sources
This page is an informational summary drawn from public reporting. Sensitive or disputed incidents are described as alleged; legal matters reflect the outcomes reported at the time, and the canonical account always rests with the linked sources.