She was born in a prestigious Shia Islam family to Sayyed Manzoor Hassan Nawab of Hussainabad in Sheikhpura district of Bihar and Sayyeda Khursheeda Bano.
Kumkum married Sayyed Sajjad Akbar Khan who hailed from Lucknow, India and worked in Saudi Arabia.
"Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re" and "Haye Jaadugar Qaatil, Haazir Hai Mera Dil", sung by Asha Bhosle for Naushad were picturized on Kumkum.
She was paired opposite Kishore Kumar in films like Ganga Ki Laharen, Shreeman Funtoosh, Haaye Mera Dil and Mr. X in Bombay.
She was paired opposite Vinod Khanna in Dhamkee in 1973 and the duet song "Chand Kya Hai Roop Ka Darpan" became hugely popular.
Kumkum was one of the top stars in the first phase of Bhojpuri films which began with Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo (1962).
In his book, Cinema Bhojpuri, Avijit Ghosh writes that she also acted in Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram (1963), Balma Bada Nadaan (1964), Naihar Chhutal Jaye (1964), Bhauji (1965) and Ganga (1965), which was also her home production.