Pakeezah or The Pure One, a musical film in Urdu

Pakeezah or The Pure One was opened in theaters in 1972. This film’s primary language is Urdu and is 126 minutes in length. This musical was begun in the 1950's by Kamal Amrohi, but was not completed until 1972.

This Indian Cinema is a gorgeous love story set to the music of Ghulam Mohammed and Naushad. When a nobleman, Shahab, falls in love with a beautiful courtesan, Nargis, he takes her home to be betrothed, but his father refuses to accept her into the family. She runs away and discovers she is pregnant and has the illegitimate child and then dies. Her elder sister, Nawabjaan, who owns a brothel, takes in the child. Grown up, Sahibjaan, is even more beautiful and talented than her mother and becomes very popular with the men who attend the brothel. Shahab has discovered he has a daughter but Nawabjaan is determined to keep Sahibjaan from his clutches. On a train to Delhi, a young man stumbles into the car of sleeping Sahibjaan and puts a note between her naked toes, and when she awakens and reads it she falls in love with the note's author. A rich man proposes to her, and on his first attempt at seduction a heard of elephants crash into their boat. Sahibjaan, recovering from the accident, stumbles into the tent of the one who penned the note and the story becomes torrid. The unravelling of Shahab's family is very interesting and will keep you intrigued with what's going to happen next.

Playing Nargis and Sahibjaan was Meena Kumari. Her sister, the brothel owner was played by Veena. Playing Nargis' lover and Sahibjaan's father's was Ashok Kumar. Salim was played by Raj Kumar.

This movie was written and directed by Kamal Amrohi. The original music was by Ghulam Mohammed with lyrics by Kaif Bhopali, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Kaifi Azmi. Cinematographer was Josef Wirsching. Editor was D. N. Pai. Art Director was N. B. Kulkarni.

Some awards include (but are not limited to):
  Best Art Director – Filmfare & Screen Awards 1972
  Best Audiography – BFJA Awards 1973
  Best Choreography – BFJA Awards 1973
  Best Playback Singer (female) – BFJA Awards 1973
  Special Award – Meena Kumari – BFJA Awards 1973