Madhubala, actress
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Biography
Vital statistics
Born February 14, 1933, Delhi
Died February 23, 1969 ,Bombay
Name at Birth: Mumtaz Jehan Dehlavi (later, Begum…)
Actress Devika Rani gave her the screen name Madhubala.
Height 5' 4" (1.63 m)
Her prolonged, nine-year illness: caused by heart disease (a hole in the heart).
Career
Debut in Filmistan: 1939 Swastik (at age 6)
First lead role, at age 14: Neel Kamal (1947), produced, directed by Kidar Sharma
First major hit: Mahal (1949).
Family
Father: Attaullah Khan.
Sisters: Kainz Balsara, Altaf Kowal, Chanchal Ibrahim, Shahida Kazi, Madhur (Zahida) Bhushan (a playback singer and wife of Brij Bhushan Sahni).
Sister took the screen name "Ganga" and debuted in Hum Do Daku.
Relationships
She was wooed by Bharat Bhushan, Pradeep Kumar and Kishore Kumar.
She wooed Dilip Kumar, with whom she had a seven-year relationship.
Married Kishore Kumar, who converted to Islam for this.
Subhash K. Jha's biography
Magical Madhubala
By Subhash K. Jha or LMN or both Sentinel Assam
The name itself invokes so many enigmas, that it’s just overwhelming! Venus of the east, the most beautiful woman to adorn the Hindi film screen, Madhubala represents the era of beauty, romance and sometimes tragedy associated with Hindi films.
Born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehelvi in a poor Pathan Muslim family in 1933, she made her debut as a child artiste in the early 40’s, she never looked back and though huge success eluded her for a while, it was Mahal which released in 1949 that made her a star forever.
Madhubala was 17 when she became a star and her aura in the film Mahal has spell binding capability. Ayega Aanewal she sung on screen, and froze one of the most glorifying moments of Hindi film history, a moment portraying timelessness of beauty in the purest form.
Her beauty had child like quality, fragile yet confident. Her luminous eyes, her royal gait and that bewitching smile makes her the best poster picture one can imagine. For years I have noticed most beauty parlours adorning her on their walls as if endorsing their beauty business by the symbol of beauty itself. Madhubala was actress par excellence too, only she was not credited initially when her films flopped in the 50s (Tarana, Sangdil and Amar) could not meet box office success and she was labelled a jinx. Later, she however bounced back with a row of hit and memorable films culminating finally into the biggest film of Hindi cinema Mughal-E-Azam that truly made her a legend for her talent and not just beauty.
It’s often when a woman is too beautiful, her beauty distracts from her performances. Whenever I watch a Madhubala film I’m spellbound by her beauty so much that it’s hard to notice her great performance. In Guru Dutt’s Mr.& Mrs.55 there is this scene when some street kids find her near Guru Dutt’s apartment (she is a rich woman dressed well), and mistake her to be a ‘fairy’, they do not want to come near fearing that the ‘fairy’ may disappear. This particular scene truly describes her persona. She was so very beautiful that she seemed surreal and one would be so stunned to see her that going near her other aspects was difficult. Such was the effect.
She is well remembered for her role in Howrah Bridge where she played a seductress and the song Aayiye Meharbaan is perhaps amongst her most enchanting one’s.
Madubala had brilliant comic timing and could easily match pace with Kishore Kumar too. Her role in Mr & Mrs 55 also showcased her comic talent, so did Half Ticket and Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi.
Madubala was sadly diagnosed to have a heart condition at the peak of her career and she sadly could not continue to work. Also she went through heartbreak when her romantic relationship with Dilip Kumar could not culminate in a marriage. Dilip Ji and Madhubala will always remain a dream pair on Indian Screen, their chemistry was just too perfect, they just lighted up in each other’s presence and it’s so evident on screen. The feather sequence in Mughal-E-Azam will remain one of the most romantic moments of Hindi film history and Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya one of the best known dance sequence. She brought Anarkali alive in the most beautiful manner and immortalized her forever in our minds and hearts.
She was known to be a through professional, punctual, with no starry airs she was known to have a child like demeanour and loved playing pranks and spreading smiles around her. Despite her heart condition she quietly let herself be chained with heavy iron ones for a sequence in Mughal-E-Azam, feeding in to her perfectionist director without complaining, though she was in great pain.
It is said she really wanted to have a happy family and made an attempt at it by marrying Kishore Kumar who converted to Islam to marry her, but the cruel hands of fate were already grabbing her. She did undergo a Cardio Thorasic surgery, but it was to no avail. The Venus was ready to immortalise herself in her death too which came far too prematurely at the age of 36 in 1969. The world lost her to enigma, to the mystery of fate and it’s cruel hands grabbing the most beautiful woman in the prime of her youth.
But Madhubala has already etched herself in our hearts will always remain there forever. (LMN)
Hollywood desires Madhubala
In 1951, celebrity photographer James Burke came to India to shoot a mesmerising session with Madhubala for Life magazine. Theatre Arts magazine in the August 1952 issue, featured her as, “The Biggest Star in the World - and she’s not in Beverly Hills”. Hollywood biggies clamoured to cast her. Filmmaker Frank Capra, besotted by her beauty, tried to cast her when he visited Mumbai for a film festival. But allegedly her father Attaullah Khan refused all the offers. (Filmfare )
Her films
Bollywood’s iconic beauty and talent, Madhubala, would have turned 85 had she been alive. On her birthday today, here’s a look at what made her so special, her life’s tragedies and her work.
Beauty So striking was her beauty that famous film journalist BK Karanjia had declared that ‘none of her published photographs did full justice to her quite extraordinary beauty’. Her co-stars would often talk of her admiringly. Dev Anand was once quoted as saying “statuesque is the word I would use for her”. Baburao Patel, editor and publisher of FilmIndia, both feared and respected by the film industry, had dubbed her the ‘Venus of the Indian Screen’.
Madhubala and Dilip Kumar first worked together in a film called Tarana (1951).
Declining health Her marriage to Kishore Kumar (they remained married for nine years) was equally problematic. It has been alleged that she got married to him on a whim that she could get any man she desired. Whatever the reason, the union was an unhappy one and some say the principle reason was her declining health. Madhubala suffered from an incurable health problem – she had a hole in her heart. The condition is called ventricular septal defect in medical terms, in which the body produces extra blood. It has been reported that she would often bleed from her nose and mouth. A doctor would routinely come to her home to extract blood from her body. By early 1960s, the condition went from bad to worse. Her health affected her mood and it is alleged that she and Kishore often fought and she mostly lived in her father’s home. Her end came in 1969, aged 36.
Her iconic roles
Mahal (1948)
Any compilation of the best works of Madhubala would be incomplete with the mention of Mahal. This Kamal Amrohi-directed reincarnation drama, starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala, is, of course, famous for its haunting melody, ‘Aayega, Aayega Aane Wala’. However, what many may not know is that the character of Kamini/Asha that Madhubala essayed in the film was quite far removed from a screen image of the vivacious beauty. Playing a ghost, her imagery was, perhaps, the first of what would become the template of Hindi film female ghost. Though Kamini never wore a white sari but as it was the black-and-white era, we will never know what colour she actually wore. Her character, we come to know later, is not a ghost but a woman who feigns being a ghost to have her way. She actually goads the man she loves to kill.
Kala Pani (1958)
Based on a novel called Beyond This Place by Scottish writer AJ Cronin, Kala Pani was about a son who goes looking for his father, jailed for a criminal offence. Not convinced of the charges against him, the son digs deep into the case and with the help of a news reporter and a prostitute is able to nab the real culprits and set his father free. While the plot was centred around Dev Anand’s character, Madhubala as a young news reporter too shone in a small part. Of course, the song ‘Achha Ji Main Haari, Chalo Maan Jao Na’ is hugely popular to this day.
Howrah Bridge (1958)
This Shakti Samanta film was also an urban murder mystery with drama thrown in. Here again, while the film was about a character played by Ashok Kumar, Madhubala as the Anglo Indian bar singer Edna was absolutely stunning. Her popular song ‘Aayiye Meherbaan’ remains an eternal favourite. Playing Edna who sings at the bar, Madhubala refined sensuality on Indian screen. As she flirted innocently with the camera, several generations of India men swooned over her.
Mr and Mrs 55 (1955)
Madhubala was the queen of comedy. Small wonder then that in her body of work, comedies far outnumber any other genre of acting. As the spoiled heiress to a fortune that her greedy aunt wants to usurp, Madhubala was in her elements. As part of the will her deceased father has left behind, Madhubala’s character must marry. An over enthusiastic aunt (played by the veritable Lalita Pawar) devises a way -- first get her married and then have her divorced in order to lay her hands on her wealth. The aunt arranged for a guy, played by Guru Dutt, who is a struggling cartoonist. The sham marriage turns into a relationship when, after enough drama, Madhubala’s character realises that her place is with her husband. As a spoiled heiress who turns into a good housewife, the role gave Madhubala a lot of scope to act and, needless to say, she excelled in it.
Barsaat Ki Raat (1960)
The Bharat Bhushan and Madhubala-starrer was a love story but is said to be well ahead of its times. Of particular mention were its female characters, who are shown to be independent and strong women, capable of taking their own decisions. Madhubala plays the daughter of a police commissioner who falls in love and then elopes with a singer, against her father’s wishes. The conflict shown in the film has more to do with the complexity between the lovers, instead of struggle between parents and their children and the choices the latter make. The film also glorifies singing girls, otherwise a taboo subject. Madhubala, as the beloved who runs away but later have issues with her beloved put up a spirited performance, one that needs to be applauded.
Mughal-e-Azam (1960)
The crowning glory in her short career will, of course, be Mughal-e-Azam. The film, which took inordinately long time to be made, was quite simply a clash between Madhubala’s Anarkali and Prithviraj Kapoor’s Akbar. As a rebel who will stand up to a much stronger opponent, Anarkali was riveting. And while the story of the doomed love between courtesan Anarkali and Mughal scion Salim had been made before on the silver screen too (Bina Rai-Pradeep starrer Anarkali in 1953), it is K Asif’s masterpiece which is best remembered. And much of the credit goes to its lead actors. It is said that the classic scene when Dilip Kumar caresses Madhubala with a feather was shot when the relationship between the two had soured so much that weren’t even greeting each other! Yet, how that scene has captured the imagination of the world!
In her life as in her death, Madhubala had the ability to capture people’s imagination. So much so that even Hollywood director Frank Capra wanted to cast her in a film. That, of course, is another story.
Filmography
As an actress
As a child star
1939 Swastik
1942 Basant
1944 Mumtaz Mahal
1945 Dhanna Bhagat
1946 Phoolwari
1946 Pujari
1946 Rajputani
1947 Chittor Vijay
1947 Dil-Ki-Rani (Sweet-Heart)
1947 Khubsoorat Duniya
1947 Mere Bhagwan
In leading roles
1947 Neel Kamal
1947 Saat Samundaron Ki Mallika
1948 Amar Prem
1948 Desh Sewa
1948 Lal Dupatta
1948 Parai Aag
1949 Apradhi
1949 Daulat
1949 Dulari
1949 Imtihaan
1949 Janmapatri
1949 Mahal
1949 Neki Aur Badi
1949 Paras
1949 Singaar
1949 Sipahiya
1950 Beqasoor
1950 Hanste Aansoo
1950 Madhubala
1950 Nirala
1950 Nishana
1950 Pardes
1951 Aaram
1951 Badal
1951 Khazana
1951 Nadaan
1951 Nazneen
1951 Saiyan
1951 Tarana
1952 Sangdil
1952 Saqi
1953 Armaan
1953 Rail Ka Dibba
1954 Amar
1954 Bahut Din Huwe...
1955 Mr. & Mrs. '55
1955 Naata
1955 Naqab
1955 Teerandaz
1956 Dhake Ki Malmal
1956 Raj Hath
1956 Shirin Farhad
1957 Ek-Saal
1957 Gateway of India
1957 Yahudi Ki Ladki
1958 Baghi Sipahi
1958 Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi
1958 Howrah Bridge
1958 Kala Pani
1958 Phagun
1958 Police
1959 Do Ustad
1959 Insan Jaag Utha
1959 Kal Hamara Hai
1960 Barsaat Ki Raat
1960 Jaali Note
1960 Mehlon Ke Khwab
1960 Mughal-e-Azam
1961 Boy Friend
1961 Jhumroo
1961 Passport
1962 Half Ticket
1964 Sharabi
1971 Jwala
As a producer
1955 Naata (‘presentation producer’)
1960 Mehlon Ke Khwab
As a singer
Passport (Sun le dastañ yooñ na sataa)
See also
Dilip Kumar: his films, their box office performance, awards, career
Madhubala, actress
