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| name = Madhubala
| image = Madhubala on 2008 stamp.jpg
| caption = Madhubala on the 2008 stamp of India
| native_name = <!--Do not fill this field; see [[WP:INDICSCRIPTS]] policy-->
| birth_name = Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi
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}}
'''Madhubala''' (born '''Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi'''; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress who worked in [[Hindi]] films. The country's highest-paid star in
Born and raised in [[Delhi]], Madhubala relocated to [[Bombay]] (now Mumbai) with her family when she was 8 years old and shortly after
Madhubala's portrayal of [[Anarkali]] in the historical epic drama ''[[Mughal-e-Azam]]'' (1960){{mdash}}the [[List of highest-grossing Indian films|highest-grossing film in India]] at the time{{mdash}}earned her widespread critical acclaim and her only nomination for the [[Filmfare Award for Best Actress]]; her performance has since been described by critics as one of the finest in Indian cinematic history.{{sfn|Roy|2019|p=151|ps=: "Her most challenging performance, as a doomed courtesan who is in love with the son (or crown prince) of Mughal emperor Akbar, ranks high on every list of the greatest female performances in Indian cinema."}} She worked sporadically in film in the 1960s, making her final appearance in the drama ''[[Sharabi (1964 film)|Sharabi]]'' (1964). Additionally, she produced three films under her production house Madhubala Private Ltd., which was co-founded by her in 1953.
Despite maintaining strong privacy, Madhubala earned significant media coverage for
==Early life==
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From the beginning of her career, Madhubala gained a reputation for avoiding parties and refusing interviews, leading her to be labeled recluse and arrogant.{{sfnm|1a1=Akbar|1y=1997|1pp=69–76|2a1=Booch|2y=1962|2p=78}} On an unusual instance in 1958, her father even wrote an apology letter to then-Prime Minister of India, [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], for disallowing Madhubala to attend Nehru's private function where she was invited.<ref name="valentine"/> Having been a part of the film industry since childhood, Madhubala saw the social scene as superficial and expressed her despise of "the kind of functions where only the current favourites are invited and where a decade or two hence I would not be invited."{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=70}} In a two decade-long career, Madhubala was seen at the premieres of only two films{{mdash}}''Bahut Din Huwe'' (1954) and ''[[Insaniyat (1955 film)|Insaniyat]]'' (1955){{mdash}}both for personal reasons.{{sfnm|1a1=Lanba|1a2=Patel|1y=2012|1p=122 for attending ''Insaniyat''{{'s}} premier|2a1=Akbar|2y=1997|2p=72|3a1=Roy|3y=2019|3pp=150–151}}{{efn|Madhubala was escorted by her then-boyfriend Dilip Kumar at the premiere of ''Insaniyat''.{{sfn|Lanba|Patel|2012|p=122}} Besides that, she had also attended the special screening of ''[[Gateway of India (1957 film)|Gateway of India]]'' in 1957, held by director [[Om Prakash]], along with actress [[Meena Kumari]] and director Kamal Amrohi.{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=102}}}} Her regular photographer, Ram Aurangbadakar complained that she "lacked warmth" and "was very detached",<ref name="my life">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMa5zwEACAAJ |title=My Life : Madhubala |date=2 July 2014 |publisher=General Press |isbn=978-93-80914-96-1 |pages=48 |language=en }}</ref> which is also reflected in Ashokamitran's statement describing her as an inarticulate and pitiful person.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ashokamitran |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LCCaCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT34 |title=Fourteen Years with Boss |date=1 March 2016 |publisher=Penguin UK |isbn=978-93-85890-84-0 |pages=34 |language=en}}</ref> Gulshan Ewing, one of Madhubala's closest associates, however, differed and stated that her friend "was none of these."{{sfn|Akbar|1997|page=30}} [[Nadira (Indian actress)|Nadira]] added that Madhubala "had not a strain of pettiness, of anything small. That girl did not know anything about hate,"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Khatija Akbar on Madhubala's tragic affair with Dilip Kumar |url=https://m.rediff.com/movies/apr/04madhu1.htm |access-date=10 August 2021 |work=Rediff.com}}</ref> and Dev Anand recalled her as a "self-assured [and] cultured [person], very independent in her thinking and particular about her way of life and her position in the film industry."{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=64}}
Madhubala's refusal to grant interviews or to interact with the press drew in extreme reactions from its members.{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=84}} By early 1950, Khan had begun asserting in her film contracts that no journalists would be allowed to meet her without his permission.{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=84}}{{efn|According to Madhubala's youngest sister, Madhur Bhushan, the contemporary media reports that documented Madhubala's early life presented Khan in a negative light for letting his teenager daughter to work instead of himself, which led to him banning a majority of journalists from interviewing or even meeting Madhubala.<ref name="outlook">{{Cite web |title=Madhubala's Younger Sister Madhur Brij Bhushan: She Was A Courageous Girl Who Never Gave Up On Life |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/entertainment-news-madhubalas-younger-sister-madhur-brij-bhushan-she-was-a-courageous-girl-who-never-gave-up-on-life/347274 |access-date=5 June 2021 |website=Outlook|date=14 February 2020 }}</ref>}} When shortly after Madhubala declined to entertain a set of visiting journalists on set, they started vilifying her and her family and further placed a bounty to behead and kill her.{{sfn|Akbar|1997|pp=81–82}} For self-protection, Madhubala was given the permission to carry a revolver and move around under armed protection by the [[State governments of India|state government]], until Khan and other journalists ultimately made a settlement.{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=84}} Her relationship with the press remained bitter, nevertheless, and she was regularly pointed out by it for her religious beliefs and perceived arrogance.<ref name="theatre arts">{{cite news |last1=Cort |first1=David |author-link1=David Cort |date=4 August 1952 |title=The Biggest Star in the World{{mdash}}and she's not in the Beverley Hills |language=en-US |pages=23–26 |work=[[Theatre Arts Magazine]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=40FNAAAAYAAJ |access-date=29 September 2021}}</ref>{{sfn|Booch|1962|p=78}} Another major controversy she faced during her career was the ''Naya Daur'' civil war fought against B. R. Chopra, which Bunny Reuben mentions in his memoir as "the most sensational court case ever to be fought in the annals of Indian cinema."{{sfn|Reuben|1993|p=165}}
Regardless of all these dissensions, Madhubala was known in the media as a disciplined and professional performer,{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=18}} with Kidar Sharma (director of the 1947 film ''Neel Kamal'') recalling her early days in the industry, "She worked like a machine, missed a meal, travelled daily in the over-crowded third-class compartments from Malad to [[Dadar]] and was never late or absent from work."{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=44}} Anand said in a 1958 interview, "When Madhubala is on the set, one often goes much ahead in the schedule."{{sfn|Akbar|1997|p=79}} Except for the filming of ''Gateway of India'' (1957) and ''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960), Khan never allowed Madhubala to work in nights.{{sfnm|1a1=Akbar|1y=1997|1p=102|2a1=Bose|2y=2006|2p=203}} Despite medical precautions, she performed even exhausting scenes by herself, such as doing complicated dances, wearing iron chains twice of her body weight and getting wet in water.{{sfnm|1a1=Akbar|1y=1997|1pp=143–151|2a1=Jhingana|2y=2010|2p=41|3a1=Pandhye|3y=2020|3p=162}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kohli |first=Suresh |date=19 March 2011 |title=Timeless appeal |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/content/147125/timeless-appeal.html |access-date=18 October 2021 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>
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In recent years, Madhubala's legacy has maintained fans of all different ages, both younger and older. She is recognized even by those who are unfamiliar with vintage cinema and has dozens of [[Fansite|fan sites]] dedicated to her on the [[social media]].<ref name="mill" /> Modern magazines continue to publish stories on her personal life and career, often promoting her name heavily on the covers to attract sales.<ref name="mill" /> Her legacy has extended to fashion also: she has been acknowledged as the creator of many iconic fashion styles, such as wavy hairstyle and [[strapless dress]]es, which are widely followed by many celebrities.<ref name="six fashion" /> In accordance with her enduring popularity, [[Network18 Group|News 18]] wrote, "the cult of Madhubala is a difficult thing to match up to."<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 March 2013 |title=100 Years of Indian Cinema: The ethereal Madhubala |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/100-years-of-indian-cinema-the-ethereal-madhubala-594790.html |access-date=6 July 2021 |website=News 18 |language=en}}</ref> Several modern-day celebrities, including [[Aamir Khan]], [[Hrithik Roshan]],<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Bhagat |first=Rasheeda |date=31 May 2011 |title=Madhubala's timeless beauty |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/rasheeda-bhagat/madhubalas-timeless-beauty/article22993218.ece |access-date=17 December 2021 |website=[[Business Line]] |language=en}}</ref> [[Shah Rukh Khan]], [[Madhuri Dixit]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 February 2019 |title=Madhuri Dixit remembers Madhubala on her birth anniversary. See pic |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/madhuri-dixit-re-creates-one-of-madhubala-s-iconic-looks-on-her-birth-anniversary-see-pic/story-UKDkAOJ5SC1oN6huwxO2qJ.html |access-date=13 December 2021 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> [[Rishi Kapoor]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Arora |first=Rumani |date=14 June 2016 |title=Rishi Kapoor reveals his FANTASY about Madhubala! |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/entertainment/bollywood-rishi-kapoor-fantasy-madhubala-romance-song-334453 |access-date=13 December 2021 |website=India TV News |language=en}}</ref> and [[Naseeruddin Shah]] rank Madhubala among their favorite artistes of Indian cinema.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Akbar |first=Katijia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r9ZABAAAQBAJ |title=I Want to Live: The Story of Madhubala |date=1 April 2011 |publisher=Hay House, Inc |isbn=978-93-81398-21-0 |language=en}}</ref> Research analyst Rohit Sharma has studied narratives about Madhubala and surmised the reason behind her continued relevancy among new generation:
{{blockquote|Today, teenagers identify with the insecurities she lived with in her youth, like acne and hair issues. Others relate to her for being the poster-girl of an era when curvy bodies were considered normal and even sensuous. Some, simply, love her for being an excellent actress{{mdash}}one who will never be matched by the here-today-gone-tomorrow Bollywood heroines.<ref name="mill" /> |source=}}
On the occasion of her eighty-fifth birthday, Nivedita Mishra of ''Hindustan Times'' described Madhubala as "by far, the most iconic silver screen goddess India has produced."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mishra |first=Nivedita |date=14 February 2018 |title=Madhubala's 85th birth anniversary: Beyond her arresting beauty, a look at her life's tragedies |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/happy-birthday-madhubala-beyond-her-arresting-beauty-a-look-at-her-life-s-tragedies/story-LFF77gysIELbj7GNLrVBiK.html |access-date=13 December 2021 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref> In the decades following her death, she has emerged as one of the most celebrated personalities in the Indian cinematic field,<ref name="story of india" /><ref name="m3">{{Cite news |title=Remembering Madhubala, the 'Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood' |work=[[India Today]] |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/madhubala-310060-2016-02-23 |url-status=live |access-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426100644/https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/madhubala-310060-2016-02-23 |archive-date=26 April 2019}}</ref> and her reputation has endured.<ref name="mill">{{Cite web |last=Mohamed |first=Khalid |date=16 December 2017 |title=Here's Why Madhubala Has a Huge Millennial Fan Following |url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/flashback/madhubala-fan-following-among-millennials |access-date=27 July 2021 |website=[[The Quint]] |language=en}}</ref> Also in polls and surveys, she is described as one of India's finest and most beautiful actresses of all-time.{{efn|In 1990, a poll was conducted by the magazine ''Movie'' in which Madhubala polled 58 per cent as the most famous Indian actress ever.{{sfn|Lanba|Patel|2012|p=126}} She yet again won a similar poll conducted by ''[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]'' in 2008.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XDEEAAAAMBAJ |title=Outlook |date=13 May 2008 |publisher=Outlook Publishing |language=en}}</ref> In [[Rediff.com]]'s [[International Women's Day]] 2007 special, Madhubala was ranked second in its top ten list of "Bollywood's best actresses".<ref name=":16">{{cite web |url=http://specials.rediff.com/women07/2007/mar/06wslid10.htm |title=Bollywood's best actresses. Ever. (Wet, wild and on the run, honey) |work=[[Rediff.com]] |access-date=2 June 2012 |archive-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524033323/http://specials.rediff.com/women07/2007/mar/06wslid10.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2012, ''[[India Today]]'' named her one of the top heroines of Bollywood,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top heroines of Bollywood |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/cinema/100-years-of-indian-cinema/photo/top-actresses-of-bollywood-ever-367543-2012-05-01 |access-date=9 July 2021 |website=India Today |date=May 2012 |language=en}}</ref> and in 2015 ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' placed her at the first position in the list of The Ten Best Bollywood Actresses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The ten best Bollywood actresses |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/film/the-ten-best-bollywood-actresses |access-date=9 July 2021 |website=Time Out London |language=en}}</ref> In a [[United Kingdom|UK]] poll celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema in 2013, Madhubala was at the sixth position among the greatest Indian actresses of all-time.<ref name="eastern">{{Cite web |date=27 July 2013 |title=Amitabh Bachchan crowned greatest Bollywood star in UK poll |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/amitabh-bachchan-crowned-greatest-bollywood-star-in-uk-poll-171783-2013-07-27 |access-date=9 July 2021 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> She has also placed in the top ten in polls by [[NDTV]] (2012),<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 June 2012 |title=Most popular actresses of all time Photos {{!}} Pictures – Yahoo! Movies India |url=http://in.movies.yahoo.com/photos/most-popular-actresses-of-all-time-slideshow/most-popular-actresses-of-all-time-photo-1339488686.html |access-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616023801/http://in.movies.yahoo.com/photos/most-popular-actresses-of-all-time-slideshow/most-popular-actresses-of-all-time-photo-1339488686.html |archive-date=16 June 2012}}</ref> [[Rediff.com]] (2013),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Readers' Pick: Top 10 Bollywood Actresses OF ALL TIME! |url=https://www.rediff.com/movies/slide-show/slide-show-1-reader-s-pick-top-ten-actresses-in-bollywood-of-all-time-100-years/20130503.htm |access-date=9 July 2021 |website=Rediff |language=en}}</ref> [[News18]] (2013)<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 March 2013 |title=IBNLive Poll: Sridevi voted the greatest Indian actress in 100 years |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/ibnlive-poll-sridevi-voted-the-greatest-indian-actress-in-100-years-595098.html |access-date=9 July 2021 |website=[[News18]] |language=en}}</ref> and [[Yahoo!|Yahoo.com]] (2020).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vote now! Who are India's 10 greatest actresses of all time? |url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/vote-india-greatest-actresses-of-all-time-yahoo-110217332.html |access-date=9 July 2021 |publisher=Yahoo! News |language=en-IN}}</ref> ''[[The Economic Times]]'' featured her in the list of "33 women who made India proud" in 2010.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshowpics/5661380.cms |website=The Times of India |title=Day in Pics |access-date=22 September 2021}}</ref>}} Khatija Akbar,<ref name=":12" /> [[Mohan Deep]] and Sushila Kumari have also written books about her.<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?201688 |title=Indiscreet Liaisons |publisher=Outlook India |access-date=14 December 2021 |archive-date=12 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112181342/http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?201688 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":11" />
==Works and accolades==
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