Vinod Mehta had mentioned this in Meena Kumari's biography. He had written that her father had left her on the doctor's doorstep soon after her birth due to having no fees to give the doctor.
Kishore Kumar's brother, Ashok, had introduced Meena to filmmaker, Kamal Amrohi. Afterwards, when she had met a motor accident, Kamal had regularly visited her, and the rest is history.
When love had brewed between the duo, Kamal was already married and was the father of 3 children. And while they were about to get married, the filmmaker-producer, Kamal had faced a financial crisis.
Finally, at 18 years of age, Meena Kumari had got married to Kamal Amrohi, on February 14, 1952, in a secret 'nikah' ceremony in the presence of her sister, Mahliqa.
Journalist, Ali Peter John, had once described in one of his writings that post her 'nikah', Meena was escorted everywhere she went by Baqar, Amrohi’s friend. He had kept a close tab on her.
Meena had to abide by every rule formed by her husband, Kamal. That included her coming home by 6 pm, nobody allowed in her makeup room, only to go around in Kamal's car and many more.
After being in a dominating relationship for a decade, in 1964, Meena had got divorced from Kamal. After that, she was taken over by depression and had become addicted to alcohol.
After separation from her husband, Meena Kumari was linked with Dharmendra. Though he had never accepted their relationship but had always credited her for his successful career.
Meena Kumari was so addicted to alcohol that she couldn't leave drinking even after repeated warnings by doctors. At this time, came a request from her ex-husband, Kamal.
Meena Kumari had threatened her ex-husband, Kamal Amrohi, that she would do the film, 'Pakeezah' if he would give her divorce. Thus, after separation, she had completed the film.
A month after 'Pakeezah' release, Meena was hospitalised at St. Elizabeth's Nursing Home. She had been in a coma for two days and had breathed her last on March 31, 1972, at the young age of 38.
After Meena Kumari's death, her best friend, Nargis, had written a long column in an Urdu magazine for her. She had mentioned all the painful experiences Meena had undergone in her whole life.