The triumph and tragedy of being Madhubala: How a nation’s beloved icon died of a broken heart
For the millennial era, Madhubala has a near-mythical standing. She shines like an iridescent star from a distance, drifting additional away, however by no means burning out or fading away. Like bedtime tales, we’ve heard all of the tales about this legendary actor, her ethereal magnificence, her tragic life, and might perceive why she has such a robust attraction for followers of Bollywood. She survives in tales advised by these have been acquainted along with her, previous information articles and biographies, nearly like a fictional character that appears too ethereal to ever exist. Her life was nearly like a Bollywood script, full of immense hardship, and a relentless stream of tragedy since childhood, and it continued until the tip of her life. But the picture that she carved on display, owing to her impish on-screen persona, was a far cry from the particular person she was in actual life.
It’s ironic that this star, who queened over 1,000,000 hearts within the Indian subcontinent, had her coronary heart damaged irreparably, not as soon as, or twice, however a number of occasions over in her transient life. Greater than her illustrious skilled profession, it’s her fragile magnificence and the boys she liked that obtain extra consideration, curiously so. Her seems nearly overpowered her performing expertise, which is unusual, as a result of because the late veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar as soon as famous, Madhubala didn’t actually look after her seems. “She was at all times heat and pleasant. Although everybody pressured on her breath-taking magnificence, she by no means took her seems severely,” recalled Lata Mangeshkar as quoted by Deccan Chronicle. In truth, it was Mangeshkar’s haunting Aayega Aanewala that enhanced the attract of Madhubala.
Dilip Kumar and Madhubala (Photograph: Specific Archives)
“She stipulated in her contracts that she wished solely me to do her playback singing. This was after the success of Aayega Aanewala in Mahal (1949). Throughout these days, we’d meet socially very often. That sort of camaraderie now not exists… Madhubala mujhe bahut pyar se milti thi (She would meet me with quite a lot of affection),” Mangeshkar as soon as famous.
It was her attraction and persona that drew folks in –‘like a thunderbolt’ as Shammi Kapoor had as soon as described. Shammi Kapoor had as soon as elaborated to Rediff that when he met on the set for Rail Ka Dibba, ‘he couldn’t take his eyes off her’. Her magnificence was so fascinating, that he couldn’t bear in mind his traces and was exceedingly nervous. She appeared to take pleasure in this, he famous. “And she or he was totally conscious of the impact she had been having on me and was relishing it completely,” he stated.
Her alluring impact was irresistible, as Dilip Kumar, who famously fell in love with Madhubala, as soon as famous. It was sufficient for folks to wax eloquent about, and to publish heaps of literature on it. But, through the years, it grew exceedingly exhausting for her to persevere with this coquettish picture. Even the tales surrounding her heartbreaks, sound like folklore, one more reason why the parable of Madhubala persists until right now.
Earlier than Dilip Kumar there have been others, together with her childhood buddy Latif, who was reportedly broken-hearted when she moved to Mumbai to pursue performing. Just like the standard of a Shakespearean tragedy, it’s stated that he nonetheless visits Madhubala’s grave, yearly to position a rose (a parting present that she had given him) on February 23, the day she died.
(Photograph: Specific Archives)
And there was Prem Nath, as her sister Madhur Bhushan as soon as revealed. “Apa first fell in love with Prem Nath. The connection lasted six months. It broke on grounds of faith. He requested her to transform and she or he refused.” Later, Prem Nath’s spouse, actor Bina Rai, recalled that the couple had even gone to Haji Malang collectively. Nonetheless, Madhubala was severely distraught once they bought married, and that was when her well being began deteriorating. She advised Cineplot, “Sure they have been in love. My husband was very upset about her situation. He couldn’t settle for the truth that she was severely ailing. They will need to have shared one thing lovely however issues don’t at all times work out. Love tales don’t at all times have comfortable endings… I’m advised Madhubala was very disturbed on the day we bought married.”
But, essentially the most written about is her ill-fated relationship with Dilip Kumar. That they had met on the units of Tarana and have been collectively for 9 lengthy years. Nonetheless, it was stated that the explanation behind their failed relationship, was Madhubala’s father, Atallulah Khan. Nonetheless, Dilip Kumar shared in his biography that opposite to widespread notion, Madhubala’s father Ataullah Khan wasn’t against their match however as an alternative, wished to show this marriage right into a enterprise enterprise which didn’t land effectively with him.
Madhubala’s father had his personal manufacturing firm and wished to usher in them each below his roof however Dilip was not in favour of this concept. “I defined to each of them that I had my very own approach of functioning and deciding on tasks and I’d not present any laxity even when it have been my very own manufacturing home. It will need to have tilted the apple cart for him and he efficiently satisfied Madhu that I used to be being impolite and presumptuous,” he wrote. Dilip Kumar shared that Madhubala tried convincing him and promised that “that it might all be sorted out as soon as we married” however Dilip was not able to “give up to another person’s dictates and techniques.” With an air of remorse, he talked about that he was relieved once they parted methods. “I used to be really relieved after we parted as a result of I had additionally begun to get an inkling that it was all very effectively to be working collectively as artistes, however in marriage it is necessary for a lady to be prepared to offer greater than obtain.”
This left Madhubala immeasurably damaged, and her sister Madhur recalled the times the actor spent crying, attempting to desperately piece the connection again collectively. “’Depart your father and I’ll marry you’. She’d say, ‘I’ll marry you however simply come house, apologize and hug him’. It was zid (ego) which destroyed their love. However my father by no means requested her to interrupt the engagement or ever demanded an apology from him,” Madhur remembered. Historical past repeated itself, Dilip Kumar married Saira Banu, and Madhubala struggled to be comfortable for him. She wasn’t bitter, as her sister claimed. “She’d say, ‘Unke naseeb mein woh (Saira Banu) thi, fundamental nahin’. However she’d additionally say, ‘He’s bought married to a really fairly woman. She’s so devoted. I’m very comfortable for him’. However a vacuum remained in her coronary heart,” she stated.
It’s nearly merciless that Madhubala — the actor who created such an unshakeable influence on the movie trade — was so exhausted with limitless heartache. Madhur recalled that she was ‘simply bones and pores and skin’, and was confined to her mattress within the final years, saying she didn’t need to dwell anymore.
At present we are able to solely battle to piece collectively the star — famously dubbed because the Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood — although that title is unjust to her. She has her personal title, India’s Madhubala.
