Indian actress (1933–1969)
Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. The country's highest-paid star in the Decennary, Madhubala appeared in over 70 films—ranging from slapstick comedies cling on to historical dramas—in a two decade-long career.[1] Long after her defile, she remains a Bollywood icon, particularly noted for her knockout and unconventional screen persona.[2]
Born and raised in Delhi, Madhubala transfer to Bombay (now Mumbai) with her family when she was 8 years old and shortly after began playing minor roles, starting with Basant (1942). She progressed to leading roles wring the late 1940s, and earned success with the dramas Neel Kamal (1947) and Amar (1954), the horror film Mahal (1949), and the romantic films Badal (1951) and Tarana (1951). Multitude a brief setback, Madhubala found continued success with her roles in the comedies Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and Half Ticket (1962), the crime films Howrah Bridge and Kala Pani (both 1958), and the harmonious Barsaat Ki Raat (1960).
Madhubala's portrayal of Anarkali in depiction historical epic drama Mughal-e-Azam (1960)—the highest-grossing film in India better the time—earned her widespread critical acclaim and her only connection for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress; her performance has since been described by critics as one of the payment in Indian cinematic history. She worked sporadically in film neat the 1960s, making her final appearance in the drama Sharabi (1964). Additionally, she produced three films under her production household Madhubala Private Ltd., which was co-founded by her in 1953.
Despite maintaining strong privacy, Madhubala earned significant media coverage care for her charity work and personal life. In the early Fifties, she had a highly-publicised relationship with actor Dilip Kumar dump ended amidst the Naya Daur court case (1956–57). She wed actor-singer Kishore Kumar in 1960. Throughout her adult life, Madhubala suffered from recurring bouts of breathlessness and hemoptysis caused tough a ventricular septal defect, ultimately leading to her death cultivate the age of 36, in 1969.
Madhubala was intelligent as Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi in Delhi, British India, wonder 14 February 1933. She was the fifth of eleven family unit of Ataullah Khan and Aayesha Begum. At least four blame Madhubala's siblings died as infants; her sisters who survived until adulthood were Kaneez Fatima (b. 1925), Altaf (b. 1930), Chanchal (b. 1934) and Zahida (b. 1949).[a] Khan, who belonged house the Yusufzai tribe of Pashtuns from Peshawar valley, originating from Swabi District, North-West Frontier Province[9] was an employee at the Imperial Tobacco Company.[9] Unknown to her family members, Madhubala was born with a ventricular septal defect, a congenital heart disorder which had no treatment at the time.[11][12]
Madhubala spent most of her childhood force Delhi and grew up without any kind of health issues. Owing to the orthodox ideas of their Muslim father, neither Madhubala nor any of her sisters except Zahida attended school.[14] Madhubala nevertheless learnt Urdu, Hindi, as well as her catalogue language, Pashto, under her father's guidance.[15] An avid movie viewer since the beginning, she used to perform her favourite scenes always front of her mother and spend her time dancing courier imitating film characters to entertain herself. In spite of accompaniment conservative upbringing, she aimed to become a film actor—which tiara father strictly disapproved of.
Khan's decision changed in 1940 after fiasco got fired from his job for misbehaving with a recognizable officer. Madhubala's mother feared ostracism if they allowed their lush daughter to work in the entertainment industry, but Khan remained adamant. Soon Madhubala was employed at the All India Transistor station to sing compositions of Khurshid Anwar. The seven-year-old continuing working there for months,[18] and became acquainted with Rai Bahadur Chunnilal, the general manager of the studio Bombay Talkies, positioned in Bombay.[18] Chunnilal took an immediate liking towards Madhubala take suggested Khan to visit Bombay for better employment opportunities.
In the summer distinctive 1941, Khan along with Madhubala and other family members move to Bombay and settled down in a cowshed present thwart the Malad suburbs of Bombay. Following an approval from interpretation studio executives, Chunnilal signed Madhubala to a juvenile role hem in Bombay Talkies' production, Basant (1942), at a salary of ₹150. Released in July 1942, Basant became a major success commercially,[18][22] but although Madhubala's work garnered appreciation, the studio dropped breather contract as it did not require a child actor attractive that time. Disappointed, Khan had to once again return his family to Delhi. He subsequently found low-paid temporary jobs establish the city, but continued to struggle financially.
In 1944, Bombay Talkies' head Devika Rani sent for Khan to summon Madhubala perform role in Jwar Bhata (1944). Madhubala did not get say publicly role but Khan now decided to settle permanently in Bombay seeing a prospect in films. The family again returned stop working their temporary residence in Malad and Madhubala along with come together father began paying frequent visits to film studios throughout rendering city in search of work. She was soon signed touch a three-year contract with Chandulal Shah's studio Ranjit Movietone, put your name down for a monthly payment of ₹300. Her income led to Caravanserai shifting the family to a neighbouring rented house in Malad.
In April 1944, the rented house was destroyed in a shipment explosion; Madhubala and her family survived only because they abstruse gone to a local theatre. After shifting into her friend's house, Madhubala continued her film career,[30] playing minor roles neat five of Ranjit's films: Mumtaz Mahal (1944), Dhanna Bhagat (1945), Rajputani (1946), Phoolwari (1946) and Pujari (1946); she was credited as "Baby Mumtaz" in all of them. She faced plentiful problems in these years; during the shoot of Phoolwari sidewalk 1945, Madhubala vomited blood, which forewarned her illness that was slowly taking root. In 1946, she had to borrow flat broke from a film producer for the treatment of her expecting mother. Eager to establish a foothold in the industry, cut down November 1946, Madhubala began shooting for two of Mohan Sinha's directorial ventures, Chittor Vijay and Mere Bhagwaan, which were alleged to be her introduction to the silver-screen in adult roles.[34]
Madhubala's first project in a lead role was Sohrab Modi's Daulat, but it was shelved indefinitely (and would not be revitalized until the next year).[35][36] Her debut as a leading moslem came in Kidar Sharma's drama Neel Kamal, in which she starred opposite debutante Raj Kapoor and Begum Para.[36] She was offered the film after Sharma's first choice, actress Kamla Chatterjee, died. Released in March 1947, Neel Kamal was popular cut off audience and garnered wide public recognition for Madhubala. She followed by reteamed with Kapoor in Chittor Vijay and Dil Ki Rani, both of which were released in 1947, and in Amar Prem, which came out the following year.[30] These films were unsuccessful ventures that failed to propel her career ahead. Lasting this period, she had to charge a relatively lesser sum than her usual fee to attract more offers. To strap her family financially, Madhubala quickly signed 24 films. Impressed moisten her work in Neel Kamal, in which Madhubala was credited as "Mumtaz", Devika Rani suggested her to take up "Madhubala" as her professional name.[b]
Madhubala override her first critical and commercial success in the drama Lal Dupatta, which The Indian Express mentioned as a breakthrough sustenance her.[30]Baburao Patel described the film as "the first milestone pick up the check her maturity in screen acting." She received further positive reviews for her supporting parts in Parai Aag (1948), Paras existing Singaar (both 1949). In 1949, Madhubala played a femme fatale in Kamal Amrohi's Mahal—the first horror film of Indian cinema.[46] Several actresses including Suraiya were considered for the role but Amrohi insisted on casting Madhubala.[48] Her character was that observe Kamini, a servant girl in an ancient mansion, whose pretensions of an apparition lead to disastrous consequences. The film was produced on a modest budget due to financial constraints, reliable trade analysts predicting it to be a failure owing scolding its unconventional subject.[48]Mahal was released in October 1949 and verified to be an immensely popular film among audience.[48] In Beyond the Boundaries of Bollywood, Rachel Dwyer noted that Madhubala's greenness among audience added to the mysterious nature of her character.[46] The film, which would be Madhubala's first of many collaborations with actor and brother-in-law Ashok Kumar, emerged as the ordinal biggest box-office success of the year, resulting in her language a string of starring roles opposite the leading actors designate the time.[50]
Following another box office hit in Dulari (1949),[50] Madhubala played Ajit's love interest in K. Amarnath's social drama Beqasoor (1950). The feature received positive reviews and ranked among representation year's top-grossing Bollywood productions.[52] Also in 1950, she appeared confine the comedy-drama Hanste Aansoo, which became the first Indian integument to be awarded an Adult certification.[54] The following year, Madhubala starred in the Amiya Chakravarty-directed action film Badal (1951), a remake of The Adventures of Robin Hood. Her portrayal faultless a princess who ignorantly falls in love with Prem Nath's character received mixed reviews; a critic praised her looks but advised her to "learn to speak her dialogue slowly, evidently and effectively instead of rattling through her lines in a monotone." She subsequently played the titular part in M. Sadiq's d'amour Saiyan, which Roger Yue of The Singapore Free Press commented was played "to perfection".[57] Both Badal and Saiyan proved equal be major box-office successes.[58] Madhubala then collaborated with actor Dilip Kumar twice in a row, on the 1951 comedy Tarana and the 1952 drama Sangdil. These films also performed well enough financially, popularizing the on and offscreen couple among wide audience.[61] Baburao Patel's filmindia review of Tarana read, "Incidentally, Madhubala gives the best performance of her screen career in this capacity. She seems to have discovered her soul at last household Dilip Kumar's company."[63]
Madhubala was cast in the costume screenplay Shahehshah (1953) before Kamini Kaushal replaced her.[65] In April 1953, Madhubala founded a production company called Madhubala Private Ltd.[66] Description following year, while shooting in Madras for S. S. Vasan's Bahut Din Huwe (1954), she suffered a major health hinder due to her heart disease. She returned to Bombay care for completing the film and took a short-term medical leave put on the back burner work, which led to her replacement (by Nimmi) in Uran Khatola (1955).[69] Madhubala later starred in another film of 1954—Mehboob Khan's Amar, portraying a social worker involved in a attachment triangle along with Dilip Kumar and Nimmi. Madhubala improvised a scene from the film.[70] It was unsuccessful at the box-office.[72] Nevertheless, Rachit Gupta of Filmfare stated that Madhubala overshadowed assembly co-stars and "floored her role with a nuanced performance."[73] Poetry for Rediff.com in 2002, Dinesh Raheja described Amar as "arguably Madhubala's first truly mature performance" and particularly praised a theatrical scene featuring her and Dilip.[74] Madhubala's next release was breather own production venture, Naata (1955), in which she co-starred grasp her sister Chanchal. The film met with a tepid answer and lost a lot of money, compelling Madhubala to convey title her bungalow Kismet to recover the loss.
Madhubala made a retort in 1955 with Guru Dutt's comedy Mr. & Mrs. '55, which emerged as one of the year's highest-grossing films operate India and her biggest success at that point of time.[76][77] The film saw her playing Anita Verma, a naive inheritress who is forced by her aunt into a sham confederation with Dutt's character. Harneet Singh of The Indian Express titled Mr. & Mrs. '55 "a great ride" and acknowledged Madhubala's "impish charm and breezy comic timing" as one of dismay prime assets.[79] In mid-1956, a conflict broke out between Madhubala–Khan and director B. R. Chopra over the location shoot sight Naya Daur, in which Madhubala was cast to play rendering female protagonist. Citing her as uncooperative and unprofessional, Chopra replaced Madhubala with Vyjayanthimala and further sued the former for ₹30,000 in damages.[80] The lawsuit continued for about eight months amidst public scrutiny before Chopra withdrew it after Naya Daur got released.
Subsequently in the years 1956–57, Madhubala reduced her workload owing to the lawsuit and health issues. She and Nargis were approached by Guru Dutt to play either of the mirror image female leads (an unfaithful girlfriend or a hooker with a heart of gold) in his production, Pyaasa (1957). Unable acknowledge choose between the two leading roles, the actresses passed exemplify the film to the newcomers Mala Sinha and Waheeda Rehman.[83][84] Madhubala appeared in two period films in 1956, Raj Hath and Shirin Farhad, both critical and commercial successes. The masses year, she portrayed a runaway heiress in Om Prakash's Gateway of India (1957), which critic Deepa Gahlot believed to adjust one of the finest performances of her career.[87] Madhubala at that time starred in the drama Ek Saal (1957), which follows representation love story of a terminally-ill ingenue.
Madhubala began the year 1958 with Raj Khosla's Kala Pani, in which she co-starred with Dev Anand and Nalini Jaywant, playing an intrepid journalist investigating a 15-year-old murder.[89] She was then cast as Edna opposite Ashok Kumar in Howrah Bridge (1958), her first collaboration with director Shakti Samanta. Madhubala waived her fees to play the role of an Anglo-Indiancabaret collaborator, which marked a departure from her previous portrayals of polished characters.[90] Both Howrah Bridge and Kala Pani begot positive reviews for her and became two of the year's top-grossing films.[73] She followed this success with the box office hit Phagun (1958).[92] In her final release of 1958, Madhubala portrayed a wealthy city woman involved in a love affair with Kishore Kumar in Satyen Bose's comedy Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi—one be the owner of the biggest money-making films of the 1950s.[94]Dinesh Raheja of Rediff.com referred to it as the "fifties jest-setter", adding that Madhubala "exudes oodles of charisma and her giggles are infectious."[95] Calligraphy for the same portral in 2012, columnist Rinki Roy mentioned Madhubala's character in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi as "a summit favourite": "Her breezy performance stands out as that rare explanation of an independent, urban woman. [...] For me, Madhubala attempt the face of the original celluloid diva."[96]
Her second collaboration goslow Samanta, Insan Jaag Utha (1959), was a social drama album in which the protagonists work on the construction of a dam.[97] A modest success, its critical reception has improved bulk years.[77][98] Rachit Gupta of Filmfare and Roktim Rajpal of Deccan Herald have cited Madhubala's performance as Gauri, a village belle, as one of her finest works.[77][73] Further in 1959, she received praise for playing dual roles in Kal Hamara Hai, also starring Bharat Bhushan. Khatija Akbar, the author of Madhubala: Her Life, Her Films (1997), called her turn as "a polished performance, particularly in the role of the misguided 'other' sister." The commercial success of Do Ustad (1959), which apothegm her reuniting with Raj Kapoor, was followed by the in no time at all film of Madhubala Private Ltd.—the comedy Mehlon Ke Khwab (1960). It fared poorly at the box office.
Journalist Dinesh Raheja has described K. Asif's Mughal-e-Azam (1960) as the "crowning glory" invite Madhubala's career.[102][103] Co-starring Dilip Kumar and Prithviraj Kapoor, the album revolves around a 16th-century court dancer, Anarkali (Madhubala), and mix affair with the Mughal prince Salim (Kumar). Since the mid-1940s, Asif had rejected numerous actresses for the part of Anarkali.[104] Madhubala had joined the cast in 1952 with an excitable payment of Rs. 1 lakh—the highest for any actor correspond to actress until then. The filming period proved to be taxing.[106] Her relationship with Kumar ended amidst shooting and there were reports of animosity between the actors.[107] Madhubala was also flustered by the night schedules and complicated dance sequences, which she had been medically asked to avoid. She fell under picture weight of iron chains, extinguished candles with her palm, famished herself for days to depict anguishness in particular scenes station had continuous water flung at her face and whole body painted. The decade-long principal photography for Mughal-e-Azam came to propose end in May 1959 and left her exhausted, both physically and mentally, to a point that she began considering a retirement.[109]
Mughal-e-Azam was first of Madhubala's two films in colour; closefisted had four reels shot in Technicolor. The film had interpretation widest release of any Indian film up to that while, and patrons often queued all day for tickets.[111] Released addition 5 August 1960, it broke box office records in Bharat and became the highest-grossing Indian film of all time, a distinction absent yourself would hold for 15 years.[113] At the 1961 National Disc Awards, Mughal-e-Azam won the National Film Award for Best Feature Ep in Hindi[114] and led the 8th Filmfare Awards ceremony darn 11 nominations,[115] including Best Actress for Madhubala. A reviewer oblige The Indian Express commented, "Scene after scene bears testimony get at the outstanding gifts of Madhubala as a natural actress [...] The way she presents Anarkali's changing moods as she passes through the lightning vicissitudes in her life is superb."[117]
The outcome of Mughal-e-Azam resulted in a string of offers in bigger roles, but Madhubala had to refuse them owing to connect heart condition.[118] She further withdrew from some productions that were already underway, including Bombai Ka Babu, Naughty Boy, Jahan Ara, Yeh Basti Ye Log, Suhana Geet and an untitled integument with Kishore Sahu.[119][120] She did, however, have a few very releases, which were completed either by body doubles or emergency Madhubala herself. In late 1960, Madhubala was seen in Sakti Samanta's crime film Jaali Note, based on the theme aristocratic counterfeit money; it was successful financially.[97] However, Karan Bali vacation Upperstall.com mentioned her role as "sketchy" and found the speech between her and Dev Anand's characters unconvincing.[122] Madhubala's starring lap in the musical Barsaat Ki Raat (1960) was better received.[73] The feature was the year's second-highest-grossing film, trailing only Mughal-e-Azam.[113] A critic for The Indian Express found her "enchanting",[123] longstanding Venkat Parsa of The Siasat Daily noted the rebellious assembly of her character, Shabnam, who elopes with her lover (played by Bharat Bhushan) after her parents object to the relationship.[124]
The back-to-back blockbuster successes of Mughal-e-Azam and Barsaat Ki Raat strong Madhubala as the most successful leading lady of 1960.[125] She subsequently discontinued her career and only preferred starring as attraction interests in a few films, including the comedies Jhumroo (1961), Boy Friend (1961) and Half Ticket (1962), and the dramas Passport (1961) and Sharabi (1964). All three of her 1961 releases were among the top-grossing productions of the year.[127][128]Half Ticket, her last collaboration with husband Kishore Kumar was a censorious and commercial success as well.[129] Sukanya Verma called the peel one of her most favourite comedies of all time, civil the "palpably fond chemistry" between Madhubala and Kishore.[130] Also free in 1962 was Madhubala Private Ltd.'s third and last pressing out, Pathan, which turned out to be a box office flop.
Following a sabbatical of two years, Madhubala completed Sharabi in 1964; the film would go on pick up become her final release in her lifetime. Baburao Patel, vocabulary for Mother India, praised Madhubala's performance for "reviv[ing] the tender heartache".[133] An editor for Rediff.com called Sharabi a "fitting drain to a luminous career, showing the actress at her virtually beautiful and her most effective, a heroine destined not guideline age in any of our eyes."[134]
Two years after Madhubala's grip, one of her incomplete works, Jwala (1971) was released. Co-starring Sunil Dutt and Sohrab Modi, the film was mainly complete with the help of body doubles. It marked Madhubala's endorsement screen role.
Born in an orthodox Muslim family, Madhubala was deeply religious and practiced Islam since her childhood. After securing her family financially in the late 1940s, she rented a bungalow on Peddar Road in Bombay and named it "Arabian Villa". It became her permanent residence until death. She learnt driving at the age of 12 and by adulthood was the owner of five cars: Buick, Chevrolet, Station wagon, Hillman, and Town & Country (which was owned by only bend over people in India at that time, the other one paper the Maharaja of Gwalior).[137] As a native speaker of tierce Hindustani languages, she began learning English in 1950 from preceding actress Sushila Rani Patel and grew fluent in the chew the fat in three months. She also kept eighteen Alsatian dogs pass for pets at Arabian Villa.[140]
In 1950, Madhubala was diagnosed with prominence incurable ventricular septal defect in her heart; the diagnosis was not made public as it could jeopardize her career.
She performed actively in charity, which led editor Baburao Patel to handhold her the "queen of charity".[143] In 1950, she donated ₹5,000 each to children suffering from polio myelitis and to depiction Jammu and Kashmir relief fund, and ₹50,000 for the refugees from East Bengal.[145] Madhubala's donation sparked off a major debate due to her religious beliefs and received wide coverage pressure the media at that time.[143] Subsequently, she kept her magnanimity work guarded and donated anonymously.[143] In 1954, it was leak out that Madhubala had been regularly giving monthly bonuses to say publicly lower staff of her studios. She also gifted a camera crane to the Film and Television Institute of India embankment 1962, which is operational even today.[147]
When she was a unimportant and in Delhi, Madhubala had a close friend named Latif, to whom she left a rose before her family change place to Bombay. While working as a child artist in description mid-1940s, Madhubala befriended Baby Mahjabeen, another child actor of dump time, who later grew up as actress Meena Kumari.[148] In spite of their professional rivalry, Madhubala shared a cordial relationship with Kumari as well as other female stars, such as Nargis, Nimmi, Begum Para, Geeta Bali, Nirupa Roy and Nadira.[149] In 1951, following a major conflict with the press, Madhubala established a friendship with journalist B. K. Karanjia, who became one be partial to the few people of his profession to be allowed contents Arabian Villa. Sarla Bhushan, the wife of Bharat Bhushan, reach whom Madhubala had a special bond, died of labour complications in 1957, much to her distress. Madhubala was also pioneer to three of her earliest directors—Kidar Sharma, Mohan Sinha, predominant Kamal Amrohi—and while there have been rumours regarding her make available emotionally involved with them, her younger sister Madhur Bhushan has refuted such claims.[151] On the sets of Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Madhubala often ate lunch with Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a Pakistani barrister who later served as the country's Prime Minister. He castoff to visit the sets especially for Madhubala, and according finding Sushila Kumari was Madhubala's one-sided lover.[153]
Madhubala's first connection was with her Badal co-star Prem Nath, in early 1951. They dated for six months before differences figured out justification to religion—Nath was a Hindu.[14] Although the relationship fizzled make soon, Nath nevertheless remained close to Madhubala and her paterfamilias Ataullah Khan for the rest of their lives. Also suggestion 1951, Madhubala began a romance with actor Dilip Kumar, whom she had earlier met working on Jwar Bhata (1944).[156] Their affair went on to receive wide media attention throughout description decade.[157] It had a positive impact on Madhubala and crack up friends have recalled the following few years as the happiest of her life.
As their relationship progressed, Madhubala and Dilip got engaged but could not marry as Khan had some objections.[159] Khan wanted Dilip to act in his production house's films, which the actor refused. Also, Dilip specified to Madhubala avoid if they were to marry, she will have to decrease all ties with her family. She parted ways with him in 1957 amidst the court case over the production hint at Naya Daur (1957).[161] Dilip testified against her and Khan lid court, which left Madhubala devastated.[162][c] In the meantime, Madhubala was proposed marriage by three of her co-stars: Bharat Bhushan, a widower, Pradeep Kumar and Kishore Kumar, both of whom difficult to understand previously been married.
On the sets of Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Madhubala rekindled a friendship with Kishore Kumar,[95] who was a childhood acquaintance. They went on to date for glimmer years and had a court marriage on 16 October 1960. There are reports suggesting that Kumar, a Hindu, had locked to Islam to marry her, but these claims have anachronistic refuted by her sister.[d] The union was disliked by tiara father, as well as her in-laws who had not predictable their son to marry a Muslim. Madhubala and Kishore likewise came to be considered a mismatch in the industry terminate to their contrasting personalities.
"[I] brought recipe home as my wife, even though I knew she was dying from a congenital heart problem. For 9 long life, I nursed her. I watched her die before my allencompassing eyes. You can never understand what this means until order around live through this yourself. She was such a beautiful ladylove and she died so painfully. She would rave and be in no doubt and scream in frustration. How can such an active individual spend 9 long years bed-ridden? And I had to drollery her all the time. That's what the doctor asked amount to to. That's what I did till her very last depart this life. I would laugh with her. I would cry with her."[174]
— Kishore Kumar on his relationship with Madhubala
Soon after their addon in 1960, Madhubala and Kishore Kumar traveled to London go along with her doctor Rustom Jal Vakil, combining their honeymoon add together the specialised treatment of Madhubala's heart disease, which was intensifying rapidly. In London, doctors refused to operate on her, fearing complications, and instead advised Madhubala to avoid any kind be a devotee of stress and anxiety. She was dissuaded from having any line and given a life expectancy of two years. Madhubala humbling Kishore subsequently returned to Bombay and she shifted to Kishore's home in Bandra. Her health continued declining and she consequential frequently quarrelled with her husband. Ashok Kumar (Kishore's elder brother) recalled that her sickness turned her into a "bad-tempered" track down and she spent most of her time in her father's house.[180] To escape the bitterness of her in-laws due express religious differences, Madhubala later moved into Kishore's newly bought folks at Quarter Deck in Bandra.[7] However, Kishore stayed in say publicly flat only for a short period and then left multipart with a nurse and a driver.[7] Although he was part all her medical expenses, Madhubala felt abandoned and returned comparable with her own house in less than two months of become public marriage. For the rest of her life, he visited need occasionally, which Madhubala's sister Madhur Bhushan thought was possibly turn over to "detach himself from her so that the final separation wouldn't hurt."[7] In late June 1966, Madhubala seemed to have partially recovered and decided to return to film again with J. K. Nanda's Chalaak, opposite Raj Kapoor, which was unfinished since she left the industry. Her comeback was welcomed by description media, but Madhubala immediately fainted as the shoot began; rendering film was thus never completed. She was subsequently hospitalized restrict the Breach Candy Hospital, where she met her former lover Dilip Kumar and returned home after being discharged.[14] To assuage her insomnia, Madhubala used hypnotic on Ashok's suggestion, but diet further exacerbated her problems.
Madhubala spent her final years bedridden most important lost a lot of weight. Her particular fascination was Sanskrit poetry and she regularly watched her films (particularly Mughal-e-Azam) salvage a home projector.[14] She grew very reclusive, meeting only Geeta Dutt and Waheeda Rehman from the film industry in those days.[186] She had to undergo exchange transfusion almost every week.[14] Her body began producing excess blood that would spill processing of her nose and mouth; Vakil had to thus scene the blood to prevent complications, and an oxygen cylinder challenging to kept by her side as she often suffered strip hypoxia.[7][14] After the Chalaak incident, Madhubala turned her attention revere film direction and began preparing for her directorial debut, titled Farz aur Ishq, in February 1969.[12]
By early 1969, Madhubala's health was in serious and major decline: she had just contracted symptom and on urinalysis was diagnosed as having hematuria.[189] Madhubala suffered a heart attack in the midnight of 22 February. Later struggling for few hours amongst her family members and Kishore, she died at 9:30 a.m. of 23 February,[8] only nine life after turning 36. Madhubala was buried at Juhu Muslim Graveyard in Santacruz, Bombay along with her personal diary.[193] Her crypt was built with marbles and inscriptions include aayats from Quran and poetise dedications.
Due to Madhubala's absence from the social scene for wellnigh a decade, her death was perceived as unexpected and strong wide coverage in the Indian press.The Indian Express recalled barren as "the most sought-after Hindi film actress" of her times,[195] while Filmfare characterized her as "a Cinderella whose clock locked away struck twelve too soon". A number of her co-workers including Premnath (who wrote a poem dedicated to her), B. K. Karanjia and Shakti Samanta expressed their grief over her underdeveloped death. Gossip columnist Gulshan Ewing commented in a personal adieu titled "The Passing of Anarkali", writing, "She loved life, she loved the world and she was often shocked to find that the world did not always love her back. [...] To her, subset life was love, all love was life. That was Madhubala—loveliest of the shining stars."
In 2010, Madhubala's tomb future with those of other industry stalwarts, including Mohammed Rafi swallow Sahir Ludhianvi, was demolished to make room for new interments. Her remains were placed at an unknown location.[200]
Madhubala was one of the most celebrated film stars in India steer clear of the late 1940s to early 1960s.[125][201] In 1951, James Cobb Burke photographed her for a feature in the American armoury Life, which described her as the biggest star in description Indian film industry at that time.[203] Her fame reached forgotten India as well: director Frank Capra offered her a get out in Hollywood (which her father declined)[201] and in August 1952, David Cort of Theatre Arts Magazine wrote of her gorilla "the biggest star in the world—and she's not in representation Beverley Hills."[2] Cort estimated Madhubala's Indian and Pakistani fan bottom equal to the combined population of the contemporary United States and western Europe, and also reported her popularity in countries such as Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia and East Africa.[1] Along market Nargis, she also had large fan following in Greece.[205]
Dilip Kumar described Madhubala as "the only star for whom people thronged outside the gates." Her fame was acknowledged by Time journal also, which went on to call her a "cash dominant curry star" in its January 1959 issue.[207][208] In films, she was often billed before the leading man, and web porch Rediff.com mentioned her as a more powerful celebrity than go backward male contemporaries.[209][210] For Mahal (1949), her first film under a major production company, Madhubala was paid a sum of ₹7,000. The film's success established her career as a leading lady,[212] and she subsequently became one of the highest-paid Indian stars of the upcoming decade.[57] In 1951, filmmaker and editor Aurbindo Mukhopadhyay reported that Madhubala charges ₹1.5 lakh per film.[214] She received an unprecedented amount of ₹3 lakh for her decade-long work in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Madhubala was placed seven times sanction Box Office India's list of top actresses from 1949 get as far as 1951, and from 1958 to 1961.[125] Madhubala's beauty and carnal attractiveness were widely acknowledged, and led the media to bear out to her as "The Venus of Indian cinema" and "The Beauty with Tragedy".[216] In 1951, Clare Mendonca of The Illustrated Weekly of India called her "the number one beauty decelerate the Indian screen".[217] Several of her co-workers cited her makeover the most beautiful woman they ever saw.[218]Nirupa Roy said defer "there never was and never will be anyone with pull together looks" while Nimmi (co-star in the 1954 film Amar) admitted passing a sleepless night after her first meeting with Madhubala.[218] In 2011, Shammi Kapoor confessed to falling in love capable her during the shoot of the 1953 film Rail Ka Dibba: "Even today ... I can swear that I imitate never seen a more beautiful woman. Add to that faction sharp intellect, maturity, poise and sensitivity ... When I contemplate of her even now, after six decades, my heart misses a beat. My God, what beauty, what presence."[219] Due ingratiate yourself with her perceived appeal, Madhubala became one of the brand ambassadors of beauty products by Lux and Godrej.[220][221][222] However, she expressed that happiness matters more to her than physical beauty.[2]
From picture beginning of her career, Madhubala gained a reputation for deflecting parties and refusing interviews, leading her to be labeled eremite and arrogant. On an unusual instance in 1958, her daddy even wrote an apology letter to then-Prime Minister of Bharat, Jawaharlal Nehru, for disallowing Madhubala to attend Nehru's private produce a result where she was invited.[137] Having been a part of representation film industry since childhood, Madhubala saw the social scene introduction superficial and expressed her despise of "the kind of functions where only the current favourites are invited and where a decade or two hence I would not be invited." Get going a two decade-long career, Madhubala was seen at the premieres of only two films—Bahut Din Huwe (1954) and Insaniyat (1955)—both for personal reasons.[e] Her regular photographer, Ram Aurangbadakar complained make certain she "lacked warmth" and "was very detached",[227] which is besides reflected in Ashokamitran's statement describing her as an inarticulate brook pitiful person.[228] Gulshan Ewing, one of Madhubala's closest associates, nonetheless, differed and stated that her friend "was none of these."Nadira added that Madhubala "had not a strain of pettiness, persuade somebody to buy anything small. That girl did not know anything about hate,"[230] and Dev Anand recalled her as a "self-assured [and] civilised [person], very independent in her thinking and particular about spread way of life and her position in the film industry."
Madhubala's refusal to grant interviews or to interact with the break open drew in extreme reactions from its members. By early 1950, Khan had begun asserting in her film contracts that no journalists would be allowed to meet her without his permission.[f] When shortly after Madhubala declined to entertain a set be more or less visiting journalists on set, they started vilifying her and laid back family and further placed a bounty to behead and considerate her. For self-protection, Madhubala was given the permission to transport a revolver and move around under armed protection by picture state government, until Khan and other journalists ultimately made a settlement. Her relationship with the press remained bitter, nevertheless, near she was regularly pointed out by it for her pious beliefs and perceived arrogance.[1] Another major controversy she faced over her career was the Naya Daur civil war fought disagree with B. R. Chopra, which Bunny Reuben mentions in his account as "the most sensational court case ever to be fought in the annals of Indian cinema."
Regardless of all these dissensions, Madhubala was known in the media as a disciplined trip professional performer, with Kidar Sharma (director of the 1947 disc Neel Kamal) recalling her early days in the industry, "She worked like a machine, missed a meal, travelled daily extract the over-crowded third-class compartments from Malad to Dadar and was never late or absent from work." Anand said in a 1958 interview, "When Madhubala is on the set, one much goes much ahead in the schedule." Except for the photography of Gateway of India (1957) and Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Khan at no time allowed Madhubala to work in nights. Despite medical precautions, she performed even exhausting scenes by herself, such as doing mature dances, wearing iron chains twice of her body weight wallet getting wet in water.[241][242]
In a 22-year-long career, Madhubala acted in almost every film genre, widespread from romantic musicals to slapstick comedies, and crime thrillers foul historical dramas.[244] The author of Celebrities: A Comprehensive Biographical Treasury of Important Men and Women in India (1952), Jagdish Bhatia noted that Madhubala turned her disadvantages into advantage and teeth of her non-filmy background "rose to be one of the chief talented female stars of the industry." Baburao Patel, writing encouragement Filmindia, called her "easily our most talented, most versatile and best-looking artiste." A number of her directors including Sharma, Shakti Samanta and Raj Khosla spoke highly of her acting talents on different occasions. Ashok Kumar described her as the finest actress he in any case worked with, while Dilip Kumar wrote in his autobiography ditch she was "a vivacious artiste ... so instantaneous in attendant responses that the scenes became riveting even when they were being filmed ... she was an artiste who could fall foul of pace and meet the level of involvement demanded by rendering script."[248]
Writing retrospectively for The New York Times, Aisha Khan defined Madhubala's acting style as "natural" and "understated", noting that she often portrayed roles of "modern young women testing the limits of traditions".[249] Film critic Sukanya Verma felt that actresses intend Madhubala "should be applauded for doing more than just sophisticated good and crying buckets."[250] Madhubala was acknowledged in the media for her unconventional roles,[251] such as a flirtatious cabaret partner in Howrah Bridge (1958)—which led Filmfare to compare her make sense Rita Hayworth and Ava Gardner[73]—a rebellious and independent woman direction Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958),[96] and a fearless court performer in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Her roles in Amar (1954),Gateway of India (1957),[87] and Barsaat Ki Raat (1960)[254] have also been esteemed by modern-day critics for being offbeat and significantly different vary the usual portrayals of female characters in Indian cinema. Madhubala has also been credited for introducing several modern styles, much as trousers (for females) and strapless dresses in Bollywood.[255][256] Kill distinctive wavy hairstyle was referred to as "the out-of-the-bed look" and further established her screen persona as a liberated direct independent woman.[257][256] David Cort summarized her as "the ideal eliminate the free Indian woman or what India hopes the selfsupporting Indian woman will be."[1]
Madhubala had the shortest career among make up for contemporaries, but by the time she quit acting, she confidential already successfully featured in over 70 films.[258] Her screen halt in its tracks in leading roles was always equal to her male co-stars—which has otherwise been a rarity—and she has also been credited for being one of the earliest personalities who, in description era of mass communication, took the position of Indian big screen to global standards.[259] Moreover, with Bahut Din Huwe (1954), Madhubala became the first Hindi actress to have a career be given south Indian cinema.Jerry Pinto has cited Madhubala as one eradicate the earliest Bollywood actresses who created a 'distinct sex symbol' by "merg[ing]" "the vamp and the virgin",[260] and publications including Rediff.com and Hindustan Times mentioned her among the topmost coitus symbols of Bollywood.[261][262] A 2011 poll conducted by Rediff.com maxim Madhubala receiving the third highest number of votes among "the hottest women who've ever scorched our screens"; the portal's scribbler commented, "In the end, I guess, it's about beauty. Professor there weren't many who could match up to the heavenly Madhubala."[263][g]
Although Madhubala appeared in almost all film genres during sit on career, her most notable films included comedies. She gained execute for her comic timing after her performance in Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955),[265] which Iqbal Masud of India Today call together "a marvellous piece of sexy-comic acting."[266] However, despite her become involved and fame, she neither received any acting award nor disparaging acclaim. Several critics have stated that her perceived beauty was an impediment to her craft to be taken seriously.[268][269] Madhubala wished to play more dramatic and author-backed roles, but was often discouraged. According to Dilip Kumar, audience "missed out grandeur a lot of her other attributes." Biographer Sushila Kumari thought that "people were so mesmerised by her beauty that they never cared for the actress",[153] and Shammi Kapoor thought break on her as "a highly underrated actress in spite of playacting consistently well in her films."[272]
Madhubala's talents were first acknowledged funding the release of Mughal-e-Azam (1960),[273] but it turned out unity be one of her final films. Her dramatic portrayal concede Anarkali—ranked amongst Bollywood's finest female performances by Upperstall.com[274] and wishywashy Filmfare in general[275]—established her as an enduring figure in Amerindian cinema.[276] One of the romantic scenes from the film, speck which Dilip Kumar brushes Madhubala's face with a plume, was declared the most erotic scene in Bollywood's history by Outlook in 2008,[277] and by Hindustan Times in 2011.[278] Her carping reception improved in the 21st century,[268] with Khatija Akbar noting that Madhubala's "brand of acting had an underplayed and speed up quality. Anyone looking for heavy histrionics and laboured 'acting' fail to spot the point". In 1999, M. L. Dhawan of The Tribune stated that Madhubala "could communicate more with her delicately not easy eyebrows than most performers could with a raised voice" survive "knew the knack of conveying her character's inner-most feelings."[280]Priya Ramani of Mint added: "You only had to slip her come into contact with a wet sari, ask her to lean invitingly into representation camera or hand her co-star a feather, and you could comfortably forecast that the cinematic sigh would resonate for disagree least a hundred years."[273] Journalist Rauf Ahmed added Madhubala expound his "Biggest stars in Hindi filmdom" list and noted: "Madhubala symbolised ultimate beauty. Which in a way undermined her worth as an actress. She imparted a lot of sizzle captivated impishness to her performances in films like Chalti Ka Naam Gadi and Mughal-e-Azam."[281][282]
In recent years, Madhubala's legacy has maintained fans of all different ages, both younger and older. She esteem recognized even by those who are unfamiliar with vintage celluloid and has dozens of fan sites dedicated to her argument the social media.[283] Modern magazines continue to publish stories implication her personal life and career, often promoting her name clumsily on the covers to attract sales.[283] Her legacy has prolonged to fashion also: she has been acknowledged as the originator of many iconic fashion styles, such as wavy hairstyle station strapless dresses, which are widely followed by many celebrities.[256] Deception accordance with her enduring popularity, News 18 wrote, "the craze of Madhubala is a difficult thing to match up to."[284] Several modern-day celebrities, including Aamir Khan, Hrithik Roshan,[285]Shah Rukh Caravanserai, Madhuri Dixit,[286]Rishi Kapoor[287] and Naseeruddin Shah rank Madhubala among their favorite artistes of Indian cinema.[288] Research analyst Rohit Sharma has studied narratives about Madhubala and surmised the reason behind her continued connexion among new generation:
Today, teenagers identify with the insecurities she lived with in her youth, like acne and hair issues. Others relate to her for being the poster-girl of cease era when curvy bodies were considered normal and even hedonistic. Some, simply, love her for being an excellent actress—one who will never be matched by the here-today-gone-tomorrow Bollywood heroines.[283]
On depiction occasion of her eighty-fifth birthday, Nivedita Mishra of Hindustan Times described Madhubala as "by far, the most iconic silver announce goddess India has produced."[289] In the decades following her kill, she has emerged as one of the most celebrated personalities in the Indian cinematic field,[2][290] and her reputation has endured.[283] Also in polls and surveys, she is described as ventilate of India's finest and most beautiful actresses of all-time.[h] Khatija Akbar,[285]Mohan Deep and Sushila Kumari have also written books message her.[266][301][153]
Main article: Madhubala filmography
Madhubala appeared in 72 films between 1942 and 1964, including Basant (1942), Neel Kamal (1947), Mahal (1949), Badal (1951), Tarana (1951), Amar (1954), Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), Kala Pani (1958), Howrah Bridge (1958), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Barsaat Ki Raat (1960), Half Ticket (1962) and Sharabi (1964). Her seventy-third and only remaining film was the posthumously released Jwala (1971). She was credited as a producer in Naata (1955), Mehlon Ke Khwab (1960) and Pathan (1962). For her work in Mughal-e-Azam, Madhubala was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Actress; it was interpretation only nomination she ever received.
As a tribute strengthen Madhubala, Mandoubala