Nikaah, Meena Kumari & the triple talaq connection

Indian cinema has over the decades built a repute for portraying what is happening with common people in their real lives.

A movie titled “Nikaah” released in 1982 throwing light on the complexities of a triangle love story between three well-off Muslim individuals. The movie explored the problems of how triple talaq as a tool in Muslim marriages can be manipulated while the couple goes through intense personal moments.

The movie can be attributed to making the majority Indian audience that had no idea about triple talaq aware about the existence of such a practice.

For those who still have doubts about the practice, under triple talaq, the husband can recite 'talaq' three times consecutively to his wife and it will be considered as divorce under the Muslim Personal Law. But this is limited not exclusive to the Indian context.

Several Muslim countries have done away with Talaq-e- biddat (instantaneous talaq) and retained Talaq-e-iddat (talaq with a waiting period) as the former does not fall under the Shariat law.

Several years ago, the tragedy queen of Bollywood, Meena Kumari suffered at the hands of this misinterpreted and misunderstood practice of triple talaq. Most Indian cinema lovers can swear by seeing the “Pakeezah” actresses’ award winning performance in the film “Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam” of 1963 but not many can claim to know the story behind it.

Meena Kumari had recently been divorced by her husband Kamal Amrohi, legendary director using the method of consecutive triple talaq.

According to media reports, Kamal had slapped Meena in a fit of rage and furiously uttered “Talaq” three times. This was following a growing gap between the two lovers who had married against all odds--considering Kamal Amrohi was 15 years older than the Pakeezah actress and also that he was already twice married before. Meena Kumari was his third wife.

Bollywood has evolved ever since and tries to not consciously involve itself in religious matters or practices.

But there is more to what there is in actuality to this practice. Saying triple talaq consecutively is not within Islam and its principles. In fact nowhere in the Shariat law, is triple talaq validated.

Today, in a landmark judgment, the Indian Supreme court's 5-judge bench struck down triple talaq. With a 3:2 majority, triple talaq was deemed unconstitutional and the court has passed a six-month injunction against the Muslim instant divorce law. In the meantime, Parliament has been asked to legislate and bring a law in place.

(WION)