Madhubala: Queen of Hearts

She was, she is and will always remain the queen of millions of hearts,  as long as Hindi cinema exists. 

Madhubala - A Sketch by Myself

Madhubala (a girl (bala) as sweet as honey (madhu)) was a leading film star of the Hindi films of the 50s. Born on February 14,  Valentine's Day, she is often called the Marilyn Monroe of her times; she had a vivacious, charming personality that won over hearts easily. 

Born Mumtaz Jahan Dehlvi, she started out in Hindi movies as a child star (“Basant” in 1942) when she just seven years old. She got her first starring role when she was merely 14, in a film called “Neel Kamal” and after that, there was no looking back. She had a persona made for the silver screen – a powerful aura of charm, intrinsic talent and of course, mesmerizing beauty that leapt out at the unsuspecting viewer, making him a slave for life.  Thousands of cine-goers will testify to that shining luminous quality she brought with herself every time she appeared on screen.  Proof of this is the article captioned: “The Biggest Star in the World – And She is not in Beverly Hills” that appeared in the August 1952 edition of the “Theatre Arts Magazine” with a full-page photograph, wherein Sidney Cheney, the American author and critic, testified to her on-screen magnetism.  

 

She was born to be superstar, and she was one….the undisputed, reigning queen of Bollywood until the early 60s. The same year as the article came out, she got offers from Hollywood, but her father refused.  

All of us have our own favourite Madhubala songs.  And there just cannot be only one. For me, I can never forget the Renu in paanch rupaiya barah aanaa in “Chalti ka Naam Gaadi” nor Anarkali, in pyar kiya toh darna kya in the iconic “Mughal-e-Azam” nor Shabnam, the poet’s muse in maine shayad tumhe in “Barsaat ki Raat nor Edna, the crooner in aaiye meherbaan from “Howrah Bridge”. The mind boggles at the endless possibilities of what might have come to pass had she moved on to Hollywood.

But as it is said, what God gives with one hand He takes away with the other. Her very debut in the movies was to support her large family of numerous sisters, for whom she was the sole breadwinner. She was born with a ventricular septal defect of the heart that went undetected until she was in her 30s. And for someone so angelically beautiful, she had an unbelievably tragic love-life. The intensely symbolic scene from Mughal-e-Azam, where after the quawwali competition, Salim hands a full-blown rose to the winner Bahar Begum (played by Nigar Sultana) and the thorn-covered stem to Anarkali (played by Madhubala) saying, "Mohabbat karnewalon ke naseeb mein kaante hi hote hain"...that for me will always symbolize the story of Madhubala's personal life.

Believe it or not, the likes of Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto hung around the sets of Mughal-e-Azam, hopelessly smitten by her charms. Her famed nine-year long relationship with Dilip Kumar came to nought, due to her objecting father. They were a match made in heaven: she, a beautiful, charming, vivacious, coquette; he, introvert, handsome, a silent powerhouse of talent. I often imagine what good-looking, talented offspring their union would have produced. But it was not to be.  And finally, when she did marry the charismatic and talented Kishore Kumar on the rebound in 1957, the fatal defect in her heart came to the fore. She passed away in 1969 when she was just, hold your breath, 36! Yes, at 36, just like Marilyn Monroe. 

 

Ae baad-e-saba zara dheere se chal

Yahaan soi hui hai Anarkali……

Today on her death anniversary, leftrightthodasacenter.blogspot.com pays tribute to this Venus of Bollywood, who shall remain the uncrowned queen of our collective hearts for all times to come.

Do comment and let us know if your heart skips a beat too when you see her... and as always, remember to share, follow and subscribe!