Bollywood most beautiful and all time gorgeous actress Madhubala, whose real name was Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi (born 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969), life was full of twists and tragic till the end. She was just 7 when started working in films and live the world for 29 years after.
Here is a thread that Yaser Khan shared on twitter about her life as narrated by her sister. Madhubala is mentioned as Apa many times in this thread. The story of this most beautiful actress of Bollywood gets tears in eyes on every word, as narrated by her sister (threaded by Yesar Khan):
Madhubala Debut in Bollywood
He couldn’t bear being badly treated and lost a 15-year-old job in seconds. He brought all of us to Mumbai. Apa, who was just seven, had talent; she could sing and dance. So she did her first film Basant as a child actor. She remained the earning member till the last.
Coming from a conservative Muslim family of Pathans, my father (Ataullah Khan) wasn’t keen that we study. But fortunately, I was sent to St Joseph’s Convent, Bandra. Yes, she was the only earning member. My father worked with the Imperial Tobacco Company in Peshawar with the British. But Being a Pathan he was hot-headed and self-respecting.
All that we are today, we owe it all to her. Abba (father) was a disciplinarian. Apa had to begin shooting at 9 am. At 6 pm, the car would be sent to the studio and she’d be brought home. My father never went to the studio. He was not difficult as is believed.
He was disciplined and insisted on punctuality. That was what she imbibed too. Once she was to shoot at Ranjit Studio. But there were heavy rains. Abba said, ‘You must go; your name shouldn’t be tarnished’. Those days Ranjit Studio was a 15-minute drive from our home in Bandra. But it took her an hour and a half to reach. The gates were locked. No one had turned up. She waited for half an hour and returned. What do I say of her beauty? The fact that she’s spoken about even 42 years after she passed away is proof enough.
Madhubala Favourite
We suffered from a complex when we stood beside her. Being Pathans we were all tall, fair and had long hair. But none of us sisters looked like her. Our mother was short. We had taken after our father. But we weren’t a patch on Apa. She loved wearing plain white sarees.
At home she’d wear maxis. She loved mogras in her hair. She was fond of gold and kundan jewellery. She was also fond of sher shayri as she knew a bit of Urdu. An English tutor also came home to teach her. She loved eating chaat — ragda pattice, pani puri — and kulfi.
She’d never diet. Those days actresses were healthy women, not size zero! She’d drive all of us to Chowpatty in her imported cars, Hillman, Buick and Station Wagon. But she’d wear a burqa to hide her identity. When she’d be pulled up by the traffic police for that, she’d plead, ‘Please let me wear it or else I’ll get mobbed’. She even went to watch movies in a burqa.
The Never Ending Popularity and Responsibility
Apa became a craze because she was never seen in public. She wasn’t allowed to attend any function, any premiere. She had no friends. But she never resisted, she was obedient. Being protective, my father earned the reputation of being domineering. He was asked why he’d made her join films in the first place. He’d say, ‘I had 12 children. We would’ve starved to death.
That Emotional Connect
I’ve lost my sons who could’ve been my support’. Apa was emotional by nature. She’d be in tears in seconds. We’d keep wondering what had happened. And she’d laugh easily too. The moment she began laughing, she couldn’t stop. So that day’s shooting had to be cancelled! She wasn’t religious but was God fearing. She didn’t fast but prayed once a day.
Madhubala’s First Love
The story begins with Madhubala’s love affair with Apa first fell in love with handsome and Premnath Malhotra (21 November 1926 – 3 November 1992), better known as Prem Nath in Bollywood. The relationship lasted six months. It broke on grounds of religion. He asked her to convert and she refused.
Madhubala’s Love with Dilip Kumar
Madhubala’s next relationship was with Dilip Kumar. That was deep but so called ego on different grounds killed it and bollywood could not see most romantic pair in history.
Madhubala (Apa) had shot in Mahableshwar, Hyderabad and other places before. Bhaijan (Dilip Kumar) called my father ‘a dictator’ in court and sided with the Chopras (late BR Chopra was the director). Darare padh gayee, rishtey toot gaye (and most iconic Madhubala and Dilip Kumar relationship were broken).
Bhaijan could’ve simply said let’s change the location. Or remained neutral she said.
Apa used to cry a lot those days. They had conversations on the phone trying to patch up. He kept saying, ‘Leave your father and I’ll marry you’.
She’d say, ‘I’ll marry you but just come home, say sorry and hug him’. It was zid (ego) which destroyed their love. But my father never asked her to break the engagement or ever demanded an apology from him.
Madhubala Marriage with Kishore Kumar
On the rebound Apa got involved with Kishore Kumar who was going through a divorce with Ruma Devi Guha Thakurta (actor-singer). What attracted her to Kishore?
Maybe it was his singing or maybe his ability to make her laugh. Their love affair went on for three years through Chalti Ka Naam Gadi and Half Ticket. They got married in 1960, when she was 27.
Beginning of the end
After marriage they flew to London where the doctor told her she had only two years to live. After that Kishore left her at our house saying, ‘I can’t look after her. I’m on outdoors often’. But she wanted to be with him. He’d visit her once in two months though. Maybe he wanted to detach himself from her so that the final separation wouldn’t hurt.
Deadly Ventricular Septal Defect
But he never abused her as was reported. He bore her medical expenses. They remained married for nine years. The hole in her heart (ventricular septal defect) was detected when she was shooting for SS Vasan’s Chalak in Madras 1954.
Madhubala’s Death – Inspiration for Hardwork, Dedication and Love
She had vomited blood. She was advised bed rest for three months but continued working as her films would suffer. While shooting for Mughal-e-Azam she was tied with chains and had to walk around with them. That was stressful. By the end of the day her hands would turn blue.
She’d even refuse food saying that she had to look anguished and weary for the jail scenes. The ‘feather scene’ between her and Bhaijan (considered the most romantic in Hindi cinema) was shot after the breakup. Due to her ailment, her body would produce extra blood. So it would spill out from the nose and mouth. The doctor would come home and extract bottles of blood. She also suffered from pulmonary pressure of the lungs. She coughed all the time. Every four to five hours she had to be given oxygen or else would get breathless.
She was confined to bed for nine years and was reduced to just bones and skin. She’d keep crying, ‘Mujhe zinda rehna hai, mujhe marna nahin hai, doctor kab ilaaj nikalenge (I want to live, I don’t want to die, wonder when the doctors will find a cure). During her last days, I was suffering from chicken pox and so was advised to stay away from her. But when the doctor said that she was sinking, she rushed up to see her. But she had passed away on February 23, 1969 before she could see her and express her love and thoughts. “She was only 36 to my 19.” She keep sharing, “Though Bhaijan never visited her when she was unwell, he flew down.
A Painful Memory
I remember when Bhaijan married Saira Banu, Apa was sad because she loved him. She’d say, ‘Unke naseeb mein woh (Saira Banu) thi, main nahin’. But she’d also say, ‘He’s got married to a very pretty girl. She’s so devoted. I’m very happy for him’. But a vacuum remained in her heart.
Sayyeshaa Happy New Year 2017 with Dilip Kumar ji and family
The End
A few years back her tomb was demolished as it was in a Wahabi (a Muslim sect that doesn’t allow building of tombs) cemetery. They wiped away the last memories of a legend.
Madhur Bhushan, Madhubala’s sister.
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