About Madhubala

Madhubala was an ethereal and enigmatic beauty whose memory will never fade away.

Madhubala was born as Mumtaz Begum Jehan Dehlavi on the 14th February 1933 in New Delhi, India. Her father as Ataullah Khan and she was one of eleven children. He worked at the Imperial Tobacco Company but after losing his job, he moved to Mumbai with his family. This prompted Madhubala to start acting when she was nine years old.

In the 50s, Madhubala was diagnosed with heart problems. Her health slowly deteriorated and she went to London for treatment in 1960. But surgery was not seen as an option. She died on 23rd February 1969 when she was thirty six years old.

Madhubala's relationship with actor Dilip Kumar was an open secret. However their relationship ended on an unpleasant note. It was speculated that her family was opposed to the marriage as they depended on her money. When she walked out of a movie Naya Daur, a court case was filed against her and Dilip Kumar testified against her.

After this, she married Kishore Kumar in 1960 after he divorced his wife Ruma Guha Thakurta.

Madhubala started acting as a young girl in Basant (1942). She was fourteen years old when she was cast opposite Raj Kapoor in Neel Kamal (1947). In 1949, she was seen in Kamal Amrohi's Mahal that made her a star.     

She was seen with Dilip Kumar in Taraana (1951) about lovers who are separated. They were seen together in Sangdil (1952) which was inspired by Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. Guru Dutt's Mr & Mrs 55 (1955) was a comedy.

After working with Dev Anand in Kalapani (1958) she teamed up with Ashok Kumar in Shakti Samanta's Howrah Bridge (1958), in which she played a singer. She worked for the first time with Kishore Kumar in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958).

In 1960, she was seen in one of the biggest blockbusters of all times, Mughal-e-Azam with Dilip Kumar. She played a courtesan Anarkali who gives up her lover to save his life. Her other hit the same year was Barsaat Ki Raat.

After this, Madhubala's health did not allow her to take up too many projects. She was seen in Half Ticket (1962), Sharabi (1964) and Jwala (1971). She was working on Farz Aur Ishq (1969) when she died and the movie was never released.