This is Part 5 of Legends of Indian Cinema, our 20-part series on the actors, filmmakers and musicians who shaped Indian films across languages. New here? Start with Part 1: Dadasaheb Phalke, or read the previous part, Part 4: Dilip Kumar.
Decades after her death, Madhubala's face still appears on posters, paintings and phone wallpapers across India. She was called the "Venus of Indian Cinema", but she was much more than a beautiful face: she was a gifted actress with superb comic timing, and she worked in films from childhood.
Early life
- Born Mumtaz Jehan Dehlavi on 14 February 1933 in Delhi, one of eleven children in a family that struggled financially.
- She began working as a child artist at nine, in Basant (1942), to support her family.
- Actress Devika Rani is often credited with suggesting the screen name "Madhubala".
Rise to stardom
- At 14, she played the lead opposite Raj Kapoor in Neel Kamal (1947).
- Mahal (1949), a ghost story with Ashok Kumar, made her a star. Its song "Aayega Aanewala" also made Lata Mangeshkar famous.
- In the early 1950s, she appeared in the American magazine Theatre Arts, which called her "the biggest star in the world" who was not in Beverly Hills.
Her best-loved films
- Tarana (1951) and Amar (1954), both with Dilip Kumar.
- Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), Guru Dutt's sparkling comedy.
- Howrah Bridge (1958), with its hit song "Aaiye Meherbaan".
- Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), a madcap comedy with Kishore Kumar and his brothers.
- Barsaat Ki Raat (1960), famous for its qawwalis.
Anarkali in Mughal-e-Azam
Her most famous role came in K. Asif's Mughal-e-Azam (1960). She played Anarkali, the court dancer who falls in love with Prince Salim (Dilip Kumar) and defies Emperor Akbar. The song "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya", filmed in a glittering mirror palace, remains one of the most famous sequences in Indian cinema. She earned a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for the role.
A short life
- Madhubala was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition in the 1950s, and she kept working through serious illness.
- She married singer-actor Kishore Kumar in 1960.
- Her health declined through the 1960s. She died on 23 February 1969, just after turning 36.
Legacy
India Post issued a stamp in her honour in 2008, and Mughal-e-Azam was re-released in colour in 2004 to packed theatres. Her smile, her expressive eyes and her natural screen presence still make her the benchmark for screen glamour in India.
Next in the series: Part 6: Guru Dutt.
