Madhubala

At 36 years old, Madhubala has this physical status:

Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi (born 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969), better known by her stage name Madhubala, was an Indian film actress who appeared in Hindi films.

She was active between 1942 and 1964.

She was also known as The Beauty With Tragedy and The Venus Queen of Indian Cinema for her beauty, charisma, and sympathetic portrayals of tragic women.

Marilyn Monroe of Hollywood earned her the title Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood.Madhubala made her film debut with the film Basant (1942).

However, her acting career as a hero started in 1947, when she appeared with Raj Kapoor in Neel Kamal at the age of 14.

She appeared in around 73 Hindi films during her 22 years of service.

She was selected for her first time for Best Actress in Mughal-e-Azam (1960) when British photographer James Burke visited India and photographed her for Life Magazine.

Life called her "the best actress" in the international film industry, according to the magazine.

For this feature, James Burke filmed extensively.

Madhubala had been compared to Marilyn Monroe: the smoldering appearances, the brief career, and the tragic conclusion.

Khatija Akbar's biography of Madhubala says, "There was a remarkable similarity in their faces' soft vulnerability."

"The same people were returned to their laughter, head turned back, and the same incandescent glow was present."

Frank Capra, a lifelong fan of Hollywood, was keen on giving her a break in Hollywood, but her father refused. Madhubala gained international prominence for her appearances in films including Mahal (1949), Amar (1954), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), and Barsaat Ki Raat (1960).

Mughal-e-Azam's performance made her a household name in Hindi cinema.

Jwala's last film, although shot in the 1950s, was released in 1971.

Madhubala's private life drew a lot of notice.

Madhubala had a long association with actor Dilip Kumar, but instead she married Kishore Kumar, the Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi co-star in 1960.

They had appeared in films including Dhake Ki Malmal (1956), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Jhumroo (1961), and Half Ticket (1962).

Madhubala's life and career were cut short when she died in 1969 from a chronic illness at the age of 36.

Personal life

Madhubala, who was born in an orthodox family, was deeply religious and followed Islam from the time she was born. She rented a bungalow on Peddar Road in Bombay in the late 1940s after securing her family's finances in the late 1940s, and dubbed it "Arabian Villa." It was her permanent home until death. She began riding at the age of 12 and by adulthood, she was a driver of five cars: Buick, Chevrolet, Station wagon, Hillman, and Town in Country (which was owned by only two individuals in India at the time, Maharaja of Gwalior and Madhubala). She began learning English in 1950 from former actress Sushila Rani Patel and became fluent in the language in three months. In Arabian Villa, she had eighteen Alsatian dogs as pets.

Madhubala was discovered with an incurable ventricular septal defect in her heart during a medical checkup in mid- 1950; the diagnosis was not made public information because it might have harmed her career.

She worked tirelessly in charity, prompting editor Baburao Patel to designate her as the "queen of charity" after she earned the title. She gave each child suffering from poliomyelitis and the Jammu and Kashmir relief fund in 1950, as well as the refugees from East Bengal. Madhubala's donation sparked a lot of controversy due to her religious convictions and attracted significant media coverage at the time. She continued her charitable work and gave anonymously. Madhubala has been giving monthly pay to the lower employees of her studios since 1954. In 1962, she gave the Film and Television Institute of India a camera crane, which is still working until date.

Madhubala had a close friend named Latif, who gave her a rose when she was a child and living in Delhi, who had a niece named Latif. Madhubala befriended Baby Mahjabeen, another child actor of that time who later became actress Meena Kumari while working as a child artist in the mid-1940s. Madhubala expressed a cordial rapport with Kumari, as well as other female actors, including Nargis, Nimmi, Begum Para, Geeta Bali, Nirupa Roy, and Nadira. Madhubala began a friendship with journalist B. K. Karanjia, who became one of the few people of his profession to be allowed inside Arabian Villa in 1951, after a big confrontation with the press. Sarla Bhushan, the wife of Bharat Bhushan, with whom Madhubala had a special relationship, died as a result of labour difficulties in 1957, much to her dissatisfaction. Madhubala was also close to three of her oldest directors, including Kidar Sharma, Mohan Sinha, and Kamal Amrohi; however, the nature of their friendships remained unclear; although her younger sister Madhur Bhushan denied such allegations. Madhubala's lunch with Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, a Pakistani barrister who later served as the country's Prime Minister, was on the sets of Mughal-e-Azam (1960). According to Sushila Kumari, he used to visit Madhubala, especially for Madhubala, and Madhubala's one-sided lover.

Madhubala's first encounter was with her Badal co-star Prem Nath in early 1951. They did not break up under six months due to religious inconsistencies. Nonetheless, Nath and her father Ataullah Khan stayed close to Madhubala and her mother Ataullah Khan for the remainder of their lives. Madhubala began a romance with actor Dilip Kumar, who had earlier appeared on Jwar Bhata (1944). The couple's affair drew widespread media notice throughout the decade. It had a positive influence on Madhubala and her families, who were recalled the happiest of her life for the next two years.

Madhubala and Dilip got engaged as their friendship progressed, but they were unable to marry because Khan had some reservations. Khan wanted Dilip to appear in his film house's films, but the actor turned down. Dilip also told Madhubala that if they were to marry, she'd have to break all ties with her family. In 1957, she parted ways with him, after the court case over the Naya Daur (1957) sparked. In the court, Dilip testified against her and Khan, which left Madhubala devastated. In the meantime, Madhubala was recommended for marriage by three of her co-stars: Bharat Bhushan, a widower, and Pradeep Kumar and Kishore Kumar, both of whom were already married.

Madhubala rekindled a romance with Kishore Kumar, her childhood playmate and also her old friend Ruma Guha Thakurta's ex-husband, on the sets of Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958). Madhubala married Kishore in court on October 16, 1960, the first in a two-year courtship. The union was kept from the industry and was not announced until the newlyweds' reception a few days later. In addition, the two couples were deemed mismatched due to their contrasting personalities.

Madhubala and Kishore Kumar and her doctor Rustom Jal Vakil returned to London shortly after their marriage in 1960, combining their honeymoon with the specialized care of Madhubala's heart disease, which was rapidly increasing. Doctors in London refused to operate her fearing complications and instead recommended Madhubala to avoid any form of stress and anxiety; she was forbidden from having any children and was given a life expectancy of two years.

Madhubala and Kishore returned to Bombay shortly after, and she moved to Kishore's Seskaria cottage in Bandra. Her health problems continued to deteriorate, and she and her husband used to argue a lot. Ashok Kumar (Kishore's elder brother) recalled that her illness made her into a "poor" person and that the bulk of her time was spent in her father's house. Madhubala later moved into Kishore's newly purchased flat at Quarter Deck in Bandra to escape the bitterness of her in-laws due to religious differences. Kishore stayed in the house for a brief time before deciding she needed a nurse and a chauffeur. Madhubala was feeling sick and returned to her own house in fewer than two months of her marriage, even though she was paying for all of her medical bills. He visited her regularly for the remainder of her life, which Madhubala's sister Madhur Bhushan believed it was possible to "detach himself from her so that the final separation wouldn't hurt."

Madhubala appeared to have partially recovered and decided to film again with J. K. Nanda's Chalaak, opposite Raj Kapoor, which was unfinished when she first entered the field in late June 1966. Madhubala's return to the media was welcomed, but the film was still unfinished; she was eventually dismissed as the shooting began. After being discharged, she was subsequently hospitalized in the Breach Candy Hospital, where she met her ex boyfriend Dilip Kumar and returned home. Madhubala tried hypnotic on Ashok's advice to resolve her insomnia, but it only exacerbated her insomnia.

Madhubala spent her remaining years bedridden and gained a lot of weight. Her special passion was Urdu poetry, and she watched her films (especially Mughal-e-Azam) on a home projector. She became withdrawn, seeing only Geeta Dutt and Waheeda Rehman from the film industry in those days. Every week, she had to perform exchange transfusion almost every week. Vain's body began shedding excess blood from her nose and throat, and an oxygen cylinder had to adhere to her side as she often suffered from hypoxia. Madhubala's focus soon turned to film direction, and she began planning for her directorial debut, Farz aur Ishq, in February 1969.

Source

Childhood and early career

Madhubala was born in Delhi, British India, on February 14th. Jehan Begum Dehlavi was born. She was the fifth child of Ataullah Khan and Ayyha Begum's five children. At least four of Madhubala's children died as infants, and Kaneez Fatima (b. ) survived until adulthood. 1925 – Altaf (b. 1932) Chanchal (b. 1930) Chanchal (b. b.). (b. 1934) and Zahida (b.) 1949 (inception). Khan, who belonged to the Yusufzai tribe of Pashtuns from Peshawar valley, was employed by Imperial Tobacco Company. Madhubala was born with a ventricular septal defect, a congenital heart disease that had no cure at the time.

Madhubala spent the bulk of her childhood in Delhi and grew up without having any health problems. Madhubala nor any of her sisters, other than Zahida, attended school, owing to the orthodox views of their Muslim father. Madhubala's father taught her Urdu, Hindi, as well as Pashto, her mother tongue. She used to act her favorite scenes in front of her mother's house and spent her time dancing and imitating film characters to amuse herself. Despite her conservative upbringing, she aspired to become a film actress, something her father had specifically opposed.

Khan's decision was changed in 1940 after he was fired from the company for misbehaving with a senior officer. Madhubala's mother feared ostracism if they allowed their teenage daughter to work in the entertainment industry, but Khan remained adamant. Madhubala was hired by All India Radio station to perform compositions of Khurshid Anwar. The seven-year-old continued working there for months and became acquainted with Rai Bahadur Chunnilal, the general manager of Bombay Talkies, who is based in Bombay. Chunnilal took an immediate liking to Madhubala, eventually recommending Khan to visit Bombay for greater job opportunities.

Acting career

Khan, Madhubala, and other family members migrated to Bombay in the Malad suburbs of Bombay in the summer of 1941. Chunnilal's executive introduced Madhubala, a child star of Bombay Talkies' production, Basant (1942), to a trainee role, earning a salary of 150. Basant was a huge success commercially in July 1942, but even though Madhubala's work earned her respect, the studio ended her contract as it did not require a child actor at the time. Khan had to return his family to Delhi once more, which was dissatisfied. He later found low-paid temporary jobs in the city, but the city's budget also suffered, but the city continued to suffer financially.

Devika Rani, the current Bombay Talkies' chief and former actress, had ordered Khan to summon Madhubala for his participation in Jwar Bhata (1944). Madhubala did not get the film, but Khan did now decide to stay in Bombay seeing a possibility in films. The family returned to their rented house in Malad and Khan and Madhubala, seeking jobs. Madhubala was soon committed to a three-year deal with Chandulal Shah's studio Ranjit Movietone, earning a monthly payment of 300. Khan's family was relocated to a neighbouring rented house in Malad due to her income.

The rented house was destroyed in a dock explosion in April 1944; Madhubala and her family survived only because they had gone to a local theatre. Madhubala continued her film career after moving into her friend's house, appearing in five of Ranjit's films: Mumtaz Mahal (1944), Dhanna Bhagat (1945), Phoolwari (1946), Pujari (1946), and Pujaz (1946); she was credited as "Baby Mumtaz" in all of them; she was also named "Baby Mumtaz" in five of them. Madhubala vomited blood during the 1945 gunfight in Phoolwari, indicating she had a chronic illness that was slowly progressing. In 1946, she had to borrow money from a film studio for the care of her pregnant mother. Madhubala, a young actress seeking to establish a foothold in the industry in November 1946, fired Chittor Vijay and Mere Bhagwaan, two of Mohan Sinha's directorial ventures, which were supposed to be her first appearance in adult roles on film.

Madhubala's first project in a lead role was Sohrab Modi's Daulat, but it was postponed indefinitely (and will not be revived until next year). In Kidar Sharma's drama Neel Kamal, in which she appeared opposite debutante Raj Kapoor and Begum Para, it was her debut as a leading lady. After Sharma's first choice, actress Kamla Chatterjee, died, she was offered the film. Neel Kamal was popular with the audience and attracted considerable public attention for Madhubala in March 1947. She then reunited with Kapoor in Chittor Vijay and Dil Ki Rani, both of whom were born in 1947 and in Amar Prem, which followed the following year. These films were unsuccessful attempts that did not succeed in her career. To get more offers, she had to charge a smaller amount than her normal rate. Madhubala quickly signed 24 films to guarantee her family's financial independence. Devika Rani, who was praised as "Mumtaz" in Neel Kamal, compelled her to use "Madhubala" as her professional name.

Madhubala's first critical and commercial triumph in the drama Lal Dupatta, which The Indian Express described as a breakthrough for her. "The first step of her screen maturation" was described by Baburao Patel. She has received more accolades for her support for Parai Aag (1948), Paras and Singaar (both 1949). Madhubala appeared in Kamal Amrohi's Mahal, the first horror film of Indian cinema, in 1949. Several actresses, including Suraiya, had been considered for the role, but Amrohi refused to cast Madhubala. Her appearance was that of Kamini, a servant girl in an ancient mansion whose pretensions of an apparition had disastrous consequences. Due to budget constraints, the film was produced on a modest budget, with trade analysts predicting it to be a failure due to its unconventional subject. Mahal was released in October 1949 and became a huge hit among audiences. Rachel Dwyer said that Madhubala's inexperience among the audience contributed to her character's mystery. The film, which will be Madhubala's first of many collaborations with actor and brother-in-law Ashok Kumar, debuted as the year's third largest box-office hit, resulting in her getting a string of starring roles opposite the leading actors of the time.

Madhubala played Ajit's love affair in K. Amarnath's social drama Beqasoor (1950), after another box office attack in Dulari (1949). The film received glowing feedback and was ranked among the year's top-grossing Bollywood films. She appeared in Hanste Aansoo, the first Indian film to be granted an adult's certificate in 1950. Madhubala appeared in the Amiya Chakravarty-directed action film Badal (1951), a sequel to The Adventures of Robin Hood, which was released in the United States. Her portrayal of a princess who mistakenly falls in love with Prem Nath's character received mixed feedback; a writer praised her appearance but advised her to "learn to talk more clearly and effectively rather than rattling through her lines in a monotone." She then played M. Sadiq's romance Saiyan, which Roger Yue of The Singapore Free Press characterized "to perfection." Both Badal and Saiyan proved to be big box-office success. Madhubala continued to collaborate on both actor Dilip Kumar twice in a row on the 1951 comedy Tarana and the 1952 drama Sangdil. These films also did well financially, making the on and offscreen couple very popular among the wide audience. "Incidentally, Madhubala gives the best performance of her screen career in this film," Baburao Patel's filmindia review of Tarana read. In Dilip Kumar's company, she seems to have found her soul at last."

Madhubala's fortune dropped during the mid-1950s, as the majority of her releases failed commercially, prompting her to be dubbed "box office poison." Madhubala appeared in the costume drama Shahehshah (1953) before Kamini Kaushal replaced her. Madhubala Private Ltd, a production firm, was founded in April 1953. When shooting in Madras for S. Vasan's Bahut Din Huwe (1954), she had a major health scare due to her heart disease. After finishing the film and taking a short-term medical leave from work, she returned to Bombay, which led to her replacement (by Nimmi) in Uran Khatola (1955). Madhubala appeared in another film from 1954, Mehboob Khan's Amar, portraying a social worker in a love triangle with Dilip Kumar and Nimmi. Madhubala improvised a scene from the film; it was unsuccessful at the box-office. Nonetheless, Rachit Gupta of Filmfare said that Madhubala inspired her co-stars and "floored her role in a nuanced appearance." Dinesh Raheja wrote for Rediff.com in 2002, referring to Amar as "arguably Madhubala's first truly mature performance" and quoting a dramatic scene starring her with Dilip. Madhubala's next film venture, Naata (1955), in which she co-starred with her real-life sister Chanchal, was her own production venture. Madhubala was compelled to sell her bungalow Kismet to compensate after the film received a tepid response and lost a lot of money.

Madhubala's comedy Mr. & Mrs. '55, one of the year's top-grossing films and her highest success at this moment, despite recent disappointments. Madhubala played Anita Verma, a naive heiress who is lured into a sham marriage by Dutt's character (Lalita Pawar). Mr. & Mrs. 55 "a memorable ride," Harneet Singh of The Indian Express praised Madhubala's "impressive charm and breezy comic timing" as one of the country's best assests. In mid-1956, a war broke out between Madhubala–Khan and director B. R. Chopra over the location shooting of Naya Daur, in which Madhubala was cast to play the female protagonist. Chopra replaced Madhubala with Vyjayanthimala and filed a new lawsuit for 30 thousand in damages, citing her as uncooperative and unprofessional. The complaint lasted for about eight months as public interest was lacking before Chopra withdrew it after Naya Daur was released.

Madhubala had a small decrease in her work from 1956-57 due to the litigation and health problems. Guru Dutt invited Nargis and Nargis to participate in either of the two female leads (an unfaitful wife or a hooker with a heart of gold) in his film Pyaasa (1957). However, when unable to choose between the two leading roles, the actresses were unable to choose between the two leading actresses, Mala Sinha and Waheeda Rehman. In 1956, Madhubala appeared in two period films, Raj Hath and Shirin Farhad, both critical and commercial success. In Om Prakash's Gateway of India (1957), which critic Deepa Gahlot described as one of her career's finest performances of her career, she portrayed a ranaway heiress. Madhubala appeared in the drama Ek Saal (1957), which followed a terminally ill ingenue (Madhubala) who falls in love with Ashok Kumar's character. The film became a box office hit, re-establishing Madhubala's fame.

Madhubala's Kala Pani, a Raj Khosla actress, began the year 1958 as an intrepid journalist investigating a 15-year-old murder, which she co-starred with Dev Anand and Nalini Jaywant. In Howrah Bridge (1958), she first collaboration with director Shakti Samanta, she was later cast as Edna opposite Ashok Kumar. Madhubala waived her fees to appear as an Anglo-Indian cabaret dancer, marking a change from her previous portrayals of complex characters. Both Howrah Bridge and Kala Pani received raves for their work, and they became two of the year's top-grossing films. With the success of Phagun (1958), she continued her career in the box office. Madhubala's final appearance of 1958 portrayed a wealthy city woman in a love affair with Kishore Kumar in Satyen Bose's comedy Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, one of the country's biggest money-making photographs of the 1950s. The film, according to Dinesh Raheja of Rediff.com, is the "fifties jestetter," and Madhubala "exudes oodles of charisma and her giggles are infectious." "Madha's character in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi stands out as the perfect example of an urban woman living in the United States," columnist Rinki Roy described it as "a top favorite" in the 2012 column. Madhubala is for me the expression of the original celluloid diva.

Insan Jaag Utha (1959), her second collaboration with Samanta, was a social drama in which the protagonists worked on the building of a dam. Its modest success has seen the organization's critical reception have increased over the years. The Deccan Herald's Rachit Gupta cited Madhubala's appearance as a village belle as one of her finest performances. She received accolades for her performance in Kal Hamara Hai, as well as starring Bharat Bhushan. Khatija Akbar, author of Madhubala: Her Life, Her Films (1997), called her performance "a polished debut, particularly in the role of the misguided 'other' sister." The commercial success of Do Ustad (1959), which culminated in her reuniting with Raj Kapoor, was followed by Madhubala Private Ltd's second film, Mehlon Ke Khwab (1960). It did not do well at the box office.

Dinesh Raheja, a journalist, referred to K. Asif's Mughal-e-Azam (1960) as the "crowning glory" of Madhubala's career. The film, costarring Dilip Kumar and Prithviraj Kapoor, focuses on Anarkali (Madhubala) and her love with Mughal prince Salim (Kumar). Asif had turned down numerous actresses for the part of Anarkali in the 1940s. Madhubala joined the cast in 1952 and was given a lakh in advance, the highest for any actor or actress until then. The filming process was exhausting. Her friendship with Kumar came to an end after the shooting, and there have been rumors of animosity between the two actors. Madhubala was also affected by the night's and complicated dance sequences, which she had been advised not to avoid altogether. She fell under the weight of iron chains, exuished candles with her palm, stared herself for days to display anores, had continuous water flung at her face and entire body painted. Mughal-e-Azam's main photography session was finished in May 1959 and left her physically and mentally exhausted to the point where she considered retirement.

Mughal-e-Azam was the first of Madhubala's two films in color; it had four reels shot in Technicolor. The film was the biggest Indian film to date, and customers waited all day for tickets. It was released on August 5, 1960, breaking box office records in India and becoming the country's highest-grossing Indian film of all time, a distinction that it would retain for 15 years. Mughal-e-Azam received the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi at the 1961 National Film Awards and was leading the 8th Filmfare Awards ceremony with seven nominations, including Best Actress for Madhubala. "Scene after scene proves her Madhubala's astute talents as a natural actor," a reviewer for The Indian Express observed.

The success of Mughal-e-Azam resulted in a number of interviews in major roles, but Madhubala had to decline them due to her heart disease. Suhana Geet and an untitled film with Kishore Sahu appeared in Bombai Ka Babu, Naughty Boy, Jahan Ara, Yeh Basti Ye Log, Suhana Geet, and an untitled film with Kishore Sahu. She did have some more launches, but they were either by body doubles or by Madhubala herself. Madhubala was seen in Shakti Samanta's crime film Jaali Note, which was based on the theme of counterfeit money; it was a huge success financially. However, Karan Bali of Upperstall.com described her role as "sketchy" and discovered the chemistry between her and Dev Anand's characters unconvincing. Madhubala's lead in the musical Barsaat Ki Raat (1960) was much appreciated. The film was the year's second-most grossing film, trailing only Mughal-e-Azam. "Enchanting" is a word that describes a woman's relationship, according to critics of The Indian Express, while Venkat Parsa of The Siasat Daily highlighted the rebellious essence of her character, Shabnam, who elopes with her lover (played by Bharat Bhushan) after her parents object to her relationship.

Madhubala has been the most influential leading lady of 1960 thanks to the back-to-back blockbuster successes of Mughal-e-Azam and Barsaat Ki Raat. She subsequently ceased working and concentrated on love interests in a few films, including Jhumroo (1961), Boy Friend (1961), and Sharabi (1964). Her three 1961 launches were among the year's best-grossing products. Half Ticket, her husband Kishore Kumar's last relationship, was also a critical and commercial success. Sukanya Verma praised Madhubala and Kishore's "palpably chemistry" in the film, one of her most favorite comedies of all time. Madhubala Private Ltd's third and last presentation, Pathan, was also released in 1962, but it was not a box office flop. Following a sabbatical of two years, she completed Sharabi in 1964; the film was her last film release in her lifetime. Baburao Patel, writing for Mother India, lauded Madhubala's achievement for "reviving" the old heartache. Sharabi was a "fitting end to a luminous career," according to an editor for Rediff.com, the actress appeared in her most stunning and most believable role. She is not expected to age in any of our eyes."

Jwala, one of Madhubala's incomplete creations, was released in 1971. Sunil Dutt and Sohrab Modi, co-starring Sunil Dutt and Sohrab Modi, were mainly produced with the support of body doubles. Madhubala's last film appearance was on this occasion.

Source