How Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi became screen goddess Madhubala is a gripping tale.
An eight years old Mumtaz had to shoulder responsibilities of breadwinner for the family since her hot-headed father Ataullah Khan could not hold on to a job for long. Khan relocated the family from Peshawar to Delhi and finally to Mumbai where they lived in a shack opposite Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani's studio, Bombay Talkies.
Once Khan took Mumtaz, the third of his six daughters to meet Devika and Himanshu for work since he found it difficult to look after his large family. The bosses at Bombay Talkies auditioned the pretty child with expressive eyes and signed her up for Basant. Baby Mumtaz was a natural in front of the camera and thus bagged three more films as a child artist following the commercial success of her debut. Consequently, Mumtaz turned golden goose for Ataullah Khan who string-pulled his daughter on and off the screen till her last.
Prior to the beginning of the Madhubala as a leading lady, there are 6 films that she did as a child artist. By the time she turned thirteen, the child artist Mumtaz was on the cusp of definite transition in her life. Devika Rani, who introduced Mumtaz, again played a huge role in a child artist metamorphosing into a phenomenon called Madhubala (it was Devika who gave her the screen name).
Kidar Sharma's Neel Kamal launched two actors who happenstance to enter the Hindi film industry during its Golden Era. One was Madhubala and the other, Raj Kapoor. The camera loved Madhubala and so did the audience. However, her unparalleled beauty attracted immediate attention than her acting chops. She will always remain among those few child artists who achieved the greatest heights in their career later on.
Post her debut in 1947, Madhubala kept on signing films to improve her family's economic condition and appeared in a dozen films before Mahal, her breakthrough film hit the screens two years later.
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The trade pundits of her times opined that a major part of Madhubala's contribution to Hindi cinema has been the tremendous appeal of her very presence. Her coquettish looks had enchanted filmmakers and critics alike. Such was her fame that columnist serenaded her with titles such as Dream Girl, Madonna, Venus of the Indian screen, beauty queen and still, would fall short of depicting her charm in words.
Ironically, there were also times when a number of journalists who heaped praise on the rising star, announced "War on Madhubala" for being prevented to gatecrash her film sets. The journos turned abusive and threatened to disfigure Madhubala and sabotage her film career. Seemingly, the boycott by the film press could not destroy a star who was at the pinnacle of her career. However, she had to live under nervous strain and brave the threats. For her self-protection, Madhubala moved around under armed-protection for three months.
After a string of successful films, Madhubala had to face a career lull when her films failed to strike a chord with the patronage. But, she was a fighter who had seen life up-close, and thus failure, much publicised Naya Daur court case and a heart ailment could not contain her spirit and enthusiasm to return to her throne. She bounced back and how!
Shammi Kapoor who began his career with Madhubala in Rail Ka Dibba, once said that she was a "highly underrated actor in spite of performing consistently well" in her onscreen endeavours. Shammi was right in saying so since Madhubala's bewitching beauty always preceded the natural actor that she was. Madhubala seemingly knew the fact and worked rigorously hard to not let her celestial looks belittle the actor who was religiously dedicated to her craft.
One shortcoming the critics thought that Madhubala had was lack of dancing skills. But, her portrayal of Anarkali, a courtesan in Mughal-e-Azam, proved otherwise. The actor who relied on her face and lopsided smile to see her through a dance sequence honed her dancing skill in two months. K. Asif's magnum opus which nearly a decade to see the light of day turned swan song for Madhubala. Post the film, the actor remained bedridden and couldn’t even attend film's premiere.
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For the role of Anarkali, Asif had launched a nationwide hunt. Search for the leading lady ended when Madhubala was zeroed down to breathe life into the character of a love-lorn, ill-fated dancer whose ethereal looks cast a spell over prince Salim. Despite the long years in the making the envy-worthy role proved totally gratifying for the actor.
Ironically, when Dilip Kumar and Madhubala began shooting for Mughal-e-Azam, their off-screen romance fed fodder to the gossip mills but when the film ended, their real-life love story too had met a tragic end.
Madhubala built her equity as an actor with her exceptional range where she would hold her own even when starred alongside the heavyweights of her times. She even paved the way for her contemporaries to attempt comedy during the times when others scoffed at the genre.
With Guru Dutt's Mr & Mrs 55, Madhubala forayed into comedy. The actor then made a hit comedy pair with Kishore Kumar who later married her after she severed all the ties with Dilip Kumar. In evergreen comedies like Mehlon Ke Khwab, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Jhumroo and Half Ticket, Madhubala matched with Kishore's unprecedented comic timing.
Unfortunately, Madhubala and Kishore's on-screen chemistry apparently had little resonance in their real lives.
Retired at the young age of twenty-six, Madhubala, who was adored by millions spent final years of her life battling her heart disease and painful loneliness.
