Now that Madhubala biopic is in the works, 5 incidents we hope make it to the film

Much like the tragic characters she played, Bollywood legend Madhubala led a melancholic life that ultimately ended with her untimely death at the age of 36. As her sister Madhur Brij Bhushan announced the production on an upcoming biopic, the makers would have no dearth of dramatic behind-the-scenes moments to incorporate in the narrative. 

From her origins as a child actor to her passionate yet ill-fated relationship with Dilip Kumar, Madhubala’s real life itself seemed like a movie…albeit a movie without a happy ending. 

Troubled relationship with her father: Born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi in Delhi, Madhubala hailed from a conservative Pashtun family. While her mother and sisters were supportive of her dreams to become a film star, it was her father Ataullah Khan who often proved to be a thorn in the side.

It was only after Khan was sacked from his job at a tobacco company that he asked Madhubala to venture out on her own. And so, 7-year-old Mumtaz started singing songs for All India Radio where the manager of the Bombay Talkies film studio took a liking to her. 

However, just because Ataullah Khan allowed his daughter to enter showbiz didn’t mean that he would meet the “good father” quota. The tabloid rumours suggested that Khan was one of the reasons why Madhubala and her on-screen and off-screen lover Dilip Kumar could never tie the knot. 

Early roles as a child actress: At the age of 9, Madhubala made her screen debut in the 1942 romantic musical Basant. Credited as 'Baby Mumtaz', she played the protagonist’s infant daughter Majnu, a role that earned her Rs 150. Even though the role garnered some appreciation, Bombay Talkies didn’t hire her on contract as they didn’t require a child actor at the time.

Madhubala’s usually grumpy father made another grumpy face and relocated to Delhi. Two years later, the studio asked her to come back to Mumbai for a role in the drama Jwar Bhata. Suddenly, the father intended to capitalise on her once again and headed back to Mumbai. Plot twist: Madhubala didn’t even get the role. 

But her father was finally convinced that Baby Mumtaz did have the “it factor” and he was indeed right. Several minor roles finally gave way to a lead role in Neel Kamal in 1947. Not many would have watched the movie but it is iconic for cinema history as she starred alongside a certain debutant by the name of Raj Kapoor. 

Neel Kamal marked the last time she would use the name 'Mumtaz', giving way to Madhubala. While Kapoor was 23 at that time, Madhubala was just 14. But given that Bollywood didn't really care about the concerning age gaps between the romantic leads at that time (it has only gotten worse with the passing years), it would be interesting to see how the biopic explores a teenage Madhubala’s psyche at that time. 

Romances with Prem Nath and Dilip Kumar: Religion proved to be a constant issue in Madhubala’s life. For instance, Prem Nath was the first movie star with whom she fell in love. Unfortunately, the relationship lasted for six months in 1951. Apparently, Nath wanted his Baadal co-star to change her religion if they end up marrying. 

A more publicised relationship followed in the same year as she linked up with Dilip Kumar. This led to one of B-Town’s favourite romances, for all the drama that accompanied it. Both were in love and continued doing movies together. Religion also didn’t interfere given how both shared the same faith. But yet again, Daddy Dearest raised his finger. 

This time around, Khan wanted Kumar to marry Madhubala on the condition that Kumar acted only in Khan's own production houses. It seems like by the time Madhubala had become a household name, Khan was busy figuring out the Bollywood business on his own. Disgruntled by her father’s controlling nature, Kumar asked Madhubala to sever all ties with her family if they were to marry. 

In 1957, the six-year-long relationship ended. Be it six months or six years, it seems like a healthy relationship wasn’t on the cards for Madhubala. 

Scenes from a troubled marriage: Then came her Half-Ticket star Kishore Kumar trying out his luck. Fresh off a divorce from first wife Ruma Ghosh in 1958, the chirpy and energetic singer-actor wooed the Tragic Heroine. Despite their opposite personalities, the two seemed to strike a good-enough romance that turned into a marriage in 1960. This time around, Khan was too tired to be the Akbar from Mughal-e-Azam in their relationship.

However, her ill-health kept her sombre most of the time, taking a toll on her marriage.To worsen her mental condition, she grew incredibly short-tempered towards her final years causing problems in her marriage. If this wasn’t enough, her in-laws also often judged her due to religious differences. In her final years, she stayed alone at one of Kumar’s flats. Even though Kumar financed her healthcare, he was hardly there for her physically, which only saddened the heroine further. Her marriage was cut short in 1969 when she succumbed to a fatal heart condition. 

The death that was predicted from birth: As her biopic attempts to take a comprehensive look at her life, it will be amusing yet dark to show how her untimely death was foreshadowed right from her early years. 

Due to the lack of medical awareness at the time, it was not known that Madhubala was actually born with a ventricular septal defect - in common parlance, a hole in the heart. She had a heart disorder the symptoms of which would be present throughout. There was no available cure or understanding of the disorder back then. The signs became evident only when the disorder went past a point of no return. 

During her marriage to Kishore Kumar, the symptoms came out, with bouts of breathlessness, fatigue, and blood in her cough. 

It is only unfortunate that for a heroine with so much talent, she had to endure an overburdening father, unstable partners, and a lifetime of health issues. However, as is evident from the announcement of this biopic, Madhubala’s legacy will live on.