Zubeida Begum

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BornZubeida Begum Mehta
1926
Died26 January 1952(1952-01-26) (aged 25–26)
SpouseHanwant Singh I of Marwar
(m. 1950–1952; their deaths)
IssueKhalid Mohamed
Prince Hukum Singh
FatherQasembhai Mehta
MotherFaiza Bai

Vidya Rani (born Zubeida Begum) (1926 – 26 January 1952), often known as Zubeida or Zubeidaa, was an Indian actress.

Early life

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Zubeida Begum was the daughter of Qasembhai Mehta, a Bohra Muslim businessman, and Faiza Bai, a singer in Bombay.

Personal life

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A Shia Muslim by birth, Zubeida converted to Hinduism according to Arya Samaj rites to marry Maharaja Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur, on 17 December 1950, in Bombay. She took on the name Vidya Rani and moved to Jodhpur.[1] She gave birth to the couple's son, Rao Raja Hukum Singh (also known as Tutu Bana), in Bombay on 2 August 1951.[2]

She also had a son, Khalid Mohamed, from her first marriage. A film critic, Mohamed wrote the screenplay for the film Zubeidaa (2001), directed by Shyam Benegal, loosely based on her life.[3]

Death

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Zubeidaa was killed with her husband in an airplane accident on 26 January 1952 at Godwar, Rajasthan.[4]

After her death, Tutu was brought up by Rajmata of Jodhpur. He later went to study at Mayo College in Ajmer. He married Rao Rani Rajeshwari Kumari, daughter of Rao Raja Daljit Singh, of Alwar. The couple had one son, Parikshit Singh (b. 1974) and one daughter, Jainandini Kanwar (b. 1975).

On 17 April 1981, Tutu was beheaded and found on the streets of Jodhpur.[5]

Till date, legends say that her unsatisfied soul haunts the palace and the royal family's school near the palace. Several rooms in the school are locked with huge locks, allegedly holding her dancing spirit.

References

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  1. ^ "Zubeidaa's secret". The Times of India. 11 July 2003. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  2. ^ Mohamed, Khalid (21 February 2017). "36 Years Later: Murder of Prince Hukam Singh Remains a Mystery". The Quint. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Shyam Benegal Retrospective". Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Bombay Chronicle, January 27, 1952". The Bombay Chronicle (Bombay). 27 January 1952. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  5. ^ Anvar Alikhan (17 January 2001). "The Real Zubeidaa". Rediff.com. Retrieved 16 June 2014.

Bibliography

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