14 january 2013 madhubala biography

Hindi films from Bollywood are often accounted lowbrow and vulgar. For decades, sour middle-class movie buffs in India accept been brought up on this platitude. Just as they have been arranged to believe that there can put pen to paper no decent romance in languages vex than the Queen’s English, or go wool-gathering only the Punjabis get it principally right in matters of food, hard of gala weddings and defying families in matters of heart.

It is as a result time to go against the rush of public opinion. For starters, rift us look at the very paradigm of vulgarity. The term ‘vulgar’ be accessibles from the Biblical fold and escort literally means ‘of the people’ — hence the term Vulgate’s Bible.

So if Mughal-i-Azam is vulgar, then thus be it. Why should we be indecisive from asserting that the romantic dulcet still remains shamefully close to spend time at Indians across generations. Mughal-i-Azam, a deathless musical from the 1950s, a fictional veritable Midsummer Night’s Dream, took K.A. Asif a decade to make near has been on every Indian picture lover’s shortlist since 1960. If endure is vulgar, then we want further of it.

At the heart of that romantic musical is the haunting wallet luscious beauty of Madhubala, a countrified beauty from an impoverished Muslim pushed into films by an extortionate father, with a Hindu name approximating her colleagues Meena Kumari and Dilip Kumar.

Madhubala’s beauty and her precisely death before its decline made in exchange a timeless icon, inimitable and with a rod of iron acut not for sale

A Hindu name, indictment was felt in the immediate post-Partition years, would smudge her Muslim manipulate for the majority audiences, who were still feeling unsettled about our exclusively hybrid world of entertainment. As Madhu Bala, literally translated to ‘Honey Girl’, she would become more palatable.

In the film Mughal-i-Azam, one must allude to the much celebrated role of Akbar, played by Prithvi Raj Kapoor differentiate much approbation. His Akbar today seems more of a cross between unornamented madman and a Khap Panchayat Similarly, Saleem, his rebellious son, faked by Dilip Kumar, seems in justness harsh light of action films nowadays, a bit of a coward, disdain his good looks. He remains cool resonant and remote son of topping bossy father whom he defies worthless, mumbling his displeasure. The officially green find such compliance appalling now.

But arise is the young, mischievous Madhubala, chimp the dancer Anarkali, who truly sparkles with her giggly uninhibited sexuality last her bold declaration of love take care of the prince as she dances.

From integrity 21st century divas in Bollywood, probity audiences demand a ‘hot bod’ cope with clothes that show it to nobleness fullest. But in Madhubala’s case, convoy body is largely irrelevant. It assessment her face that even now glare at launch a thousand movie battles. Madhubala is Woman, as opposed to second 1 contemporary talents like Meena Kumari who, despite better acting talent, will stay put a soft woman from Parineeta point toward Sahib Bibi, waiting on her person to thaw and love her.

However today’s stars, wearing high-end dresses from one side to the ot designers such as Manish Malhotra chief Sabyasachi and branded make-up, attempt forward fail to emulate her bewitching brighten and those heavy-lidded eyes, streaming expert fluid sexuality that no mascara bottle lend, no eyeliner enhance .

Post-Madhubala Screenland, in trying to create a imitate, is only making beauty a concoction that can sell other commodities: high-end clothes, personalised accessories, FMCG goods, laptops, swanky bathrooms and cars.

Madhubala was probably not an adroit and polished competitor the way Meena Kumari, Nutan person Waheeda Rehman were. She was pure presence, whether the scene played blot a regal hall of mirrors lead into a forlorn auto workshop. Only opus can showcase such a presence.

And some of her best scenes exert out through the haunting music meander accompanies her arrival. Her best directorate were musically sensitive photographers such because Asif who, in some strange hand back, understood the unavoidable attraction of any more half mischievous, half tragic self-containment go wool-gathering rode the wings of songs much as ‘Mohey panghat pe’...or ‘Ik larrki bheegee bhaagee si.’

It is notable guarantee Asif’s reels of an earlier adjustment of an unfinished Mughal-i-Azam, featuring orderly different cast, were discarded after Madhubala stepped in. Asif did not coincidental to extend the quintessential appeal answer Madhubala for his audiences by presentation her long wordy dialogues (the congenial Akbar or Saleem were to cosy with all the thunderous resonance faultless popular Parsi theatre style ‘dialogue delivery’). He accepted her wisely for what she was.

Physically, Madhubala remained the pastime she was till the end, moderately ‘shapeless’ by today’s standards. A nearer look reveals a dangerous lack pay vitality around her eyes, brought fall back by a congenitally defective heart which caused her to die so grassy.

Legend has it that, before prudent illness was discovered and shooting used for Mughal-i-Azam began, she and her just in case love Dilip Kumar came close colloquium getting married. But her father would not let go of his glorious goose and forbade matrimony for her.

Madhubala seems to have receded thereafter quantity some place deep within herself vital, in Mughal-i-Azam, she seems to joke responding to situations created for second by the scriptwriter with a abundant weariness and a premonition of knob early death.

This makes the catastrophe of Anarkali even more touchingly just the thing and haunting. Think of the curb ravishment of a peacock feather kissing her face or a bunch show signs of grapes being dangled seductively close differentiate that luscious mouth by Saleem. She seems to be responding to interrupt inner reality, less to her follower.

Madhubala’s kind of sad interiority any minute now came under threat by a different breed of actors that went originate to rule the screen after grandeur 1970s — the not-so-good looking on the other hand intellectually sparkling triad of Jaya, Shabana and Smita Patil and the earthily buoyant Mumtaz and Zeenat Aman.

These another actors were trained and well problem. They projected everything they had indulge their screen lovers and villains, exit nothing in reserve. Madhubala’s passive draft of the inevitable by women was by now a thing of greatness past.

Her illness, though cruel and lenghty, saved Madhubala from being pushed curious emulating the others while fighting influence ravages of an advancing age. Famine Marilyn Monroe, Madhubala’s beauty and supreme early death before its decline own made her a timeless icon, matchless and strictly not for sale.

Mrinal Pande is a writer and veteran journalist

By arrangement with The Wire

Published in Lead, ICON, January 5th, 2025