Madhubala

Madhubala

Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi (born 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969), better known by her stage name Madhubala, was an Indian film actress who appeared in Hindi films. She was active between 1942 and 1964. Known for her beauty, personality, and sensitive portrayals of tragic women, she was also known as The Beauty With Tragedy and The Venus Queen of Indian Cinema. Her comparison with Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe earned her the name Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood. Madhubala made her screen debut as a child artist at the age of nine with the film Basant (1942). However, her acting career as a heroine actually began in 1947, when she appeared in Neel Kamal with Raj Kapoor at the age of 14. During the career span of 22 years, she appeared in around 73 Hindi films. She received her only nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance in Mughal-e-Azam (1960). In 1951, she also caught the interest of Hollywood when ace photographer James Burke visited India and photographed her for Life Magazine. In their feature of her, Life, called her "the biggest star" in the international film industry. She was photographed extensively for this feature by James Burke. Madhubala had been compared to Marilyn Monroe: the smoldering looks, the short career, the tragic end. "There was a remarkable similarity in the soft vulnerability of their faces", writes Khatija Akbar in her biography of Madhubala. "The same abandoned to their laughter, head thrown back, that same incandescent glow". She was an avid fan of Hollywood, and while visiting Bombay, Frank Capra was keen in giving her a break in Hollywood but her father refused.

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