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Madhubala |
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| Hail to thee, the eternal beauty! Is there any other way to appreciate this heavenly beauty? The word Madhubala, was once enough to raise the heart beat of any Indian and that magical charm of her still continues till date. Over the years, the name Madhubala has become synonymous with that ideal beauty, which we all crave for. Her beauty was so overwhelming that many believe Madhubala, as an actress, was partially eclipsed by her own physical charm. |
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| Her Journey from Rags to Riches |
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 Madhubala (real name: Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi) was born in dire poverty on 14th February, 1933 to Ataullah Khan. She was the fifth of eleven children. Her father being an ordinary coachman in Delhi was finding it very hard to feed his huge family. That was the golden age for the Indian cinema as the studio system was generating huge employment possibilities. Therefore Ataullah Khan migrated to Bombay (now called Mumbai) with the determination to use his nine daughters as child artists in the film industry. This decision of Ataullah khan proved to be a blessing in disguise for Madhubala. She was soon hired by Bombay Talkies as a child artist. Her first film debut was with Basant, which was released in 1942 and with this film baby Mumtaz came to be known as Madhubala. She later on also acted in other insignificant films, produced under the banner of Bombay Talkies. Though insignificant, the films however provided Madhubala with invaluable experience and necessary exposure, which she later cashed in on her way to fame. |
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| Madhubala’s Career as a heroine |
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| Madhubala’s first break as a heroine came with Neel Kamal (1947), in which she starred opposite Raj Kapoor. However, Mahal, released in 1949 under the banner of Bombay Talkies, made Madhubala a real star. This suspense thriller really provided her with a very strong foundation. The song ‘Aaega aanewala’ of this film proved to be a major hit and many attribute the immense success of this song to Madhubala’s magnetic beauty. There was then no looking back for Madhubala with all her films, in which she paired opposite the likes of Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand, gaining box office success. However, her good luck did not last long. By the mid 1950s many of her films like Mehboob Khan’s Amar flopped and she was quickly dubbed as “Box Office Poison”. The matter got even worse with rumors of her having affair with the then leading hero-Dilip Kumar. Madhubala’s father did not approve of their relationship and owing to strong discontent from her father, she had to walk out of Nava Daur (1957). But this talented actress fought back with major hits like: Howrah Bridge (1958), Kala Pani (1958) to name a few. However, Madhubala’s fans remember her most for her outstanding performance in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Set against the backdrop of medieval India, this film narrates the sad saga of Salim-Anarkali. Her performance really put life into this touchy narrative as she came to be identified with that unfaltering lover, who even embraces death but never falters.
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| Her Last Days |
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| However, like always-Madhubala’s fortune again ran out. She was diagnosed as having a hole in her heart and that put the illustrious career of this magnificent actress to a grinding halt. Madhubala had to go through another ordeal. Her marriage with Kishore Kumar was loveless and lifeless. Madhubala had to bear the relation for long nine years, which ended only after her untimely death in 1969. Madhubala is no doubt one of the most unforgettable names in Indian cinema. She is considered as the most underrated yet talented actress ever to have set foot in the history of Indian Cinema. However notwithstanding that Madhubala will always remain as the queen of heart to all her fans. |
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