Veteran Actor Mumtaz Reflects On Her Interfaith Marriage: "A Man Should Not Marry Three Or Four Times"

Veteran Bollywood actor Mumtaz, born Mumtaz Askari, was among the most successful stars of the 1970s. In a recent interview on the YouTube channel Sitaron Ka Safar, the veteran star opened up about her interfaith marriage, her spiritual beliefs, and her views on polygamy.

Mumtaz On Interfaith Marriage

Reflecting on her marriage, Mumtaz spoke about how she respects both religions and believes strongly in spiritual harmony.

"I believe in both religions. I married a Hindu, and my sister also married a Hindu. We are both happy. My husband takes great care of me. I don't understand why people keep talking about Hindu and Muslim divisions, I don't believe in that," she said.

Despite being Muslim by birth, Mumtaz said she has deep faith in Hindu deities as well. She shared that her personal life has shown her that religion should not become a barrier between people who care for each other.

The actor also revealed that both she and her sister have found happiness in their interfaith marriages, adding that mutual respect and understanding matter more than religious differences.

Her Views On Polygamy

During the conversation, Mumtaz also spoke strongly about the practice of polygamy among some Muslim men, saying she personally disagrees with it.

She said, "I always say that I married a Hindu, and so did my sister, and we are very happy. Among Muslims, many men have married three or four times and then left their wives. How does that make Muslims better than Hindus? A man should not marry three or four times in the first place. I myself am Muslim, and I say this is wrong, to keep one wife and then marry another, and then a third. Have you ever thought about how possessive women are in relationships? This is one relationship where every woman is possessive. Leaving one and marrying another, how is that right? Isn't that a sin?"

She added that commitment in a marriage should be valued, and that easily moving from one partner to another is unfair to the women involved.

"In that sense, Hindus seem better, they usually marry once. Sometimes they may marry twice, but it's not about easily leaving one person and moving on to another. That is wrong," Mumtaz said.

Mumtaz and Mayur Madhvani have been married for decades and share two daughters, Natasha Madhwani and Tanya Madhwani. After leaving films, the actor largely focused on her family life while continuing to remain a beloved figure among Bollywood fans.

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