Tragic Facts About Madhubala, Bollywood's Venus Queen
Madhubala bears an uncanny, almost unbelievable resemblance to Hollywood’s iconic beauty, Marilyn Monroe. Both burst into the world of acting after a heartbreaking childhood, both enjoyed a decade of enormous success, and both had incredibly tragic downfalls at a shockingly young age. Here is the meteoric rise and heart-wrenching end of Bollywood’s first female superstar.
1. She Had A Tragic Beginning
Madhubala was born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehalvi in 1933. Her beginnings were surprising: The fifth of eleven children, she was liable as the middle child to get swallowed up in the needs of the rest of her family. Until fate threw her a cruel twist. No fewer than four of her siblings died in infancy, forging the family in tragedy. Her parents didn't react well.
2. Her Parents Controlled Her
After losing nearly half their brood before they hit adulthood, Madhubala's mother and father kept a tight hold on their surviving children.
They didn't allow Madhubala or her sisters to attend school, although they did teach them a variety of languages, which the little girl learned with astonishing ease. Still, she was already showing real interest in a very scandalous subject.
3. Her Father Was Ashamed Of Her
Although her family was far from well off, Madhubala had glamorous, glittering dreams of stardom. She loved watching movies and would entertain her mom and sisters by reenacting scenes and dances from films she'd seen. Unfortunately, this backfired sharply. While the women in her family were delighted, her father, Ataullah Khan, was ashamed.
He didn't think her silver screen ambitions were appropriate and tried to quash them with all his might. But no one could have known what was coming.
4. She Was The Family Breadwinner
When Madhubala was just seven years old, her father messed up big time. He got fired for being rude on the job to a senior colleague—and suddenly, his daughter's dreams of fame and (especially) fortune didn't seem so shameful after all.
Doing an abrupt about-face, he started pushing Madhubala into auditions, even though her mother was now worried their conservative social circle would ostracize them. They were both in for a surprise.
