Mere Apne was Gulzar’s directorial debut starring Meena Kumari, Vinod Khanna, and Shatrughan Sinha. This film became a hit at the box office and forever changed the careers of these actors. Before Mere Apne, Sinha and Khanna were mostly known for playing negative roles in films. The film proved to be a turning point for both of them, and one of Sinha’s dialogues, “Shyam aaye to kahna usse milne chenu aaya tha,” became extremely popular.
The lead actress, Meena Kumari, portrayed an elderly widow in the film, which was also a massive hit. Unfortunately, she passed away shortly after its release due to cirrhosis of the liver, related to her alcoholism. Despite her illness, Meena Kumari earned significant recognition for Mere Apne posthumously. The film grossed over Rs 1.7 crore at the box office. Mere Apne remains the last film that Meena Kumari shot before her untimely death.