Hindi film actress Madhubala, known for her beauty, personality, and sensitive portrayals of tragic women, is being remembered on her 86th birthday. Google Doodle also paid its tribute to the legendary actress.
Madhubala was often referred to as ‘Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood’ and during her career spanning 22 years she appeared in more than seventy films but only fifteen of them were successful.
Madhubala’s Bollywood Entry :
The first diva of Bollywood appeared on the big screen in 1942 in ‘Basant’ in a minor role at the age of 9 but her acting career took off five years later in 1947 with the film ‘Neel Kamal’. She made her debut against Raj Kapoor at the age of 14 in the film.
Madhubala received wide recognition for her performances in films such as ‘Mahal’, ‘Amar’, ‘Mr. & Mrs. ’55’. ‘Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi’, ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ and ‘Barsaat Ki Raat’ but her film ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ established her as an iconic actress of Hindi Cinema because of her stunning performance.
The actress is still remembered for her song ‘Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya…’ in epic historical drama ‘Mughal-e-Azam’.
Early Life :
Madhubala was born as Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi the fifth of eleven children in Delhi, British Raj to Ataullah Khan and Aayesha Begum.
Her lineage originated from Pakistan and her father belonged to the Yusufzai tribe of the Pashtuns. Madhu had to start working early because of the financial issues her family was facing.
Lesser Known Facts About Madhubala :
Madhubala was often compared to the Hollywood model, actress, and singer Marilyn Monroe because of her strikingly attractive looks, the short career, the tragic end.
She caught international attention when ace photographer James Burke visited India and photographed her for Life Magazine. American magazine Life published a feature on Madhubala and called her “the biggest star” in the international film industry.
Italian American film director Frank Capra was interested in giving Madhu a break in Hollywood but her father refused.
In 1952, American magazine Theatre Arts published an article with a full page photograph under the title: “The Biggest Star in the World – and she’s not in Beverly Hills”.
While filming her film ‘Chalak’ she did, so it was left incomplete even after her death and nobody thought of replacing her or reshooting it.
A Google statement reads, “While her breathtaking appearance earned comparisons to Venus, Madhubala was a gifted actor with an understated style well suited for comedies, dramas, and romantic roles alike. Appearing in over 70 films over the course of a tragically brief career, Madhubala—who would have turned 86 today—was called “The Biggest Star in the World”