Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood actress Mumtaz was born Mumtaz Askari. During the 1970s, with films like ‘Tere Mere Sapne’ and ‘Roti’, she established herself as one of Bollywood’s most successful leading ladies. In 1974, at the peak of her successful career, she married businessman Mayur Madhvani and retired from acting in films.
Recently, the veteran actress opened up about her interfaith marriage and her adoption of certain aspects of Hinduism, given that she is married to a Hindu man. Speaking about her spiritual beliefs, Mumtaz stated that despite being born a Muslim, she holds deep faith in Hindu deities.
What did Mumtaz say about her religious beliefs?
In an interview on the YouTube channel ‘Sitaron Ka Safar’, Mumtaz said, “My favorite deities are Lord Shankar and Lord Krishna. Despite being a Muslim, I have deep faith in them.” She further revealed that her daily routine at home includes Hindu religious rituals, adding, “Whenever I descend the stairs at home, there stands an idol of Lord Ganesh—who is very dear to me—and I bow down at his feet.”
What about Mumtaz’s marriage?
During the same conversation, Mumtaz also discussed her interfaith marriage, noting that both she and her sister married Hindu men and are very happy in their respective relationships. Mumtaz remarked, “I believe in both religions. I married a Hindu, and my sister married a Hindu as well. We are both happy. My husband takes excellent care of me. I fail to understand why people constantly talk about the divide between Hindus and Muslims; I do not subscribe to that view.”
What did Mumtaz say about polygamy among Muslims?
She also spoke out against the practice of polygamy prevalent among some Muslim men, stating that she completely disagrees with it. She said, “I always say that I married a Hindu—as did my sister—and we are very happy. Among Muslims, many men marry three or four times, only to eventually abandon their wives.” “How does this make Muslims any better than Hindus?”
She further added, “In this regard, Hindus seem better; they generally marry only once. Occasionally, they might marry a second time, but that does not imply that they easily abandon one partner to move on to another. That is a misconception.”
What about Mumtaz’s family?
Mumtaz and Mayur Madhvani have two daughters: Natasha Madhvani and Tanya Madhvani. Speaking of Mumtaz’s films, ‘Faulad Veer Bhimsen’, ‘Tarzan Comes to Delhi’, ‘Sikandar-e-Azam’, ‘Rustam-e-Hind’, ‘Raka’, and ‘Daku Mangal Singh’ are among her major films. Mumtaz shared a highly successful on-screen chemistry with Rajesh Khanna.
