When Madhubala was willing to sacrifice her love for her friend 

She was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Millions of people loved her and she ruled over many hearts, but it was her misfortune that she could never claim the love she wanted. When she got married, she could not become a mother. That is Madhubala, who was famously called the Venus of Indian cinema.

Her real name was Mumtaz Jehan. She started working in the film industry when she was just six years old to support her family. It was director Kedar Sharma (of Neel Kamal, Bawre Nain fame) who gave her the screen name ‘Madhubala’. And this name became immortal in the history of films in India.

Madhubala had an angelic smile. The beauty of her ethereal smile can be seen in the films of those times. Whoever had the opportunity to come close to her became moonstruck by her smile. When Madhubala was just 17, she signed the film Badal with Prem Nath (1951). Her sweet demeanour and beauty made Prem Nath fall in love with her. Prem Nath expressed his love to her but Madhubala maintained a shy silence. Soon, Prem Nath decided that he would marry her. At that time, Madhubala had signed a film Tarana (1951) with Dilip Kumar, and she fell for the shy smile of the versatile actor.

The film magazines of that time went gaga over the question—who among Dilip Kumar and Prem Nath will succeed in winning Madhubala’s heart. However, the gleam that Dilip Kumar’s name brought to her eyes made it very clear to Prem Nath, and he quietly withdrew. But the number of Madhubala’s suitors did not decrease. Shammi Kapoor went to the extent of declaring it before his mother that he will only marry Mabhubala. Bharat Bhushan and Pradeep Kumar were also among those who were bewitched by her beauty and charmed, but the person she eventually married was legendary singer Kishore Kumar.

By the time Dilip Kumar’s and Madhubala’s romance reached its peak, Madhubala had become a major source of income for her family. Around this time, Madhubala’s father Ataullah Khan and film Naya Daur’s director BR Chopra had a difference of opinion regarding the outdoor shooting of the film and BR Chopra filed a case against Madhubala’s father. In this spat between the two, Dilip Kumar supported BR Chopra. Though the issue was settled out of court, but Madhubala and Dilip Kumar had to part ways because of her father’s coercion.

Madhubala’s close friends such as Ajit, Nimmi, K Asif and Nadira knew very well the intensity with which Madhubala loved Dilip Kumar. During an interview, Nimmi had revealed how Madhubala and she had become good friends during the shooting of the film Amar (1954). Both of them started sharing lunch and their experiences also. They became so close that they started discussing Dilip Kumar, who was playing the lead in the film. Nimmi was also friendly with him. Madhubala became suspicious about Nimmi’s feelings for Dilip Kumar and once couldn’t stop herself from asking Nimmi about her feelings for Dilip. But, Nimmi convinced her that she had no such feelings for Dilip Kumar as Madhubala herself had. Madhubala told her honestly that if Nimmi had feelings for Dilip Kumar then she would rather quietly leave Dilip Kumar for her sake. Nimmi was shocked but then she laughed it away and in a jovial manner told her that she was not as beautiful as Madhubala and moreover she did not want a husband in charity.

Madhubala’s fans bear this grudge against destiny that she died very young at the age of 36. Born on February 14, 1933, Madhubala died on February 23, 1969.

Translated by Pragati Saxena