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Zubeida Begum
Indian actress (1926–1952) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Vidya Rani (born Zubeida Begum) (1926 – 26 January 1952), often known as Zubeida or Zubeidaa, was an Indian actress.
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Early life
Zubeida Begum was the daughter of Qasembhai Mehta, a Bohra Muslim businessman, and his wife Faiza Bai, a singer in Bombay.
Personal life
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]
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Death
Zubeidaa was killed with her husband in an airplane accident on 26 January 1952 at Sumerpur 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 found beheaded on the streets of Jodhpur.[5]
Till date, a legend persists that her unsatisfied soul haunts the palace and the royal family's school near the palace. Several rooms in the school are sealed with huge locks, allegedly holding her dancing spirit.[6]
References
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