Mumbai, Nov 19: Veteran actor Tabassum Govil, known for her work as a child artiste in several Hindi classics and also as host of popular Doordarshan talk show "Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan", has died after suffering a cardiac arrest, her son Hoshang Govil said on Saturday. She was 78.

Govil said his mother had been admitted to a hospital here for the past few days. On Friday, she suffered two cardiac attacks and passed away the night.


"Few days ago, she was admitted to a hospital. She had gastro problem and we went there for check-up. She suffered two cardiac attacks at 8.40 pm and 8.42 pm. She passed away peacefully on Friday night," Hoshang told PTI.

A prayer meeting in her memory will be held here Monday evening, the family informed.

Born in 1944 in Mumbai to Ayodhyanath Sachdev and Asghari Begum, Tabassum started her career as a child artiste with the 1947 movie "Nargis".

At that time, she was known in the industry as 'Baby Tabassum' and went to feature in many other movies such as "Mera Suhaag" (1947), "Manjhdhar" (1947) and "Bari Behen" (1949).

In the 1950s, Tabassum acted in movies such as "Sargam", "Sangram", "Deedar", and "Baiju Bawra".

She also had a minor role in the 1960 historical epic "Mughal-e-Azam", starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Madhubala.

After a few more films, Tabassum took up the job of the host of "Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan", which was Indian television's first talk show.

She emceed the show from 1972 to 1993 during which she interviewed several big stars of the Indian film industry.

During her time as the host of "Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan", Tabassum continued to feature in films, though sporadically. She made her directorial debut with 1985 feature "Tum Par Hum Qurban".

Her last film was Rajesh Khanna and Govinda-starrer "Swarg" in 1990 in which she made a guest appearance as herself.

In the 2000s, she appeared in daily soap "Pyaar Ke Do Naam: Ek Raadha, Ek Shyaam".

Keeping up with the changing world, she launched her own channel on YouTube, called "Tabassum Talkies" with son Hoshang where the veteran actor used to discuss the lives of many cinema figures and movies of the bygone era.

In 2021, Tabassum spent 10 days in hospital after contracting COVID-19. At the time, her son had dismissed rumours that the veteran actor was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Tabassum is survived by her husband Vijay Govil, the elder brother of veteran TV star Arun Govil, and son Hoshang.

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Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has released new guidelines aimed at ensuring a more environmentally conscious celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi this year.

BBMP Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao chaired a meeting to discuss a complete prohibition on the use of chemical paints, thermocol, and Plaster of Paris (PoP) in idol-making, as reported by Deccan Herald on Thursday. Any idols made from these materials will be confiscated and disposed of in accordance with established regulations.

The meeting emphasised the importance of using eco-friendly Ganesha idols made from natural clay, which are both safer for the environment and easier to immerse.

Strict enforcement and legal action
Criminal cases will be filed against individuals found creating idols using the banned materials. To ensure compliance, nodal officers from BBMP sub-divisions, along with officials from the police, fire, and Bescom departments, will oversee the manufacturing and sale of these idols.

Streamlined permitting process for public installations
For those wishing to set up public Ganesha idols, the BBMP has introduced a streamlined system to simplify the approval process. Citizens will need to apply at the offices of assistant executive engineers, designated as nodal officers, at the sub-divisional level. In an effort to expedite permissions, 75 single-window centres will be set up at these sub-divisional offices, where officers from the BBMP, police, Bescom, and the fire department will be available to grant necessary approvals.

Encouraging sustainable practices during the festival
The BBMP's guidelines also encourage residents to immerse small, eco-friendly idols at home and reuse the residual clay for gardening. Additionally, any wet waste generated during the festival will be processed through BBMP's waste management units, ensuring minimal environmental impact.