page_title: Madhubala
section_title: 1949–57: Super stardom and Career setbacks
hierarchical_section_title: Madhubala / Career / 1949–57: Super stardom and Career setbacks
caption_attribution_description: English: Screenshot of Madhubala in the 1949 hindi film Mahal.
context_page_description: Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi, 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. However, her acting career as a heroine actually began in March 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.
  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.
context_section_description: Bombay Talkies's Mahal (1949) transformed Madhubala to an overnight superstar. Though it was a role intended for well-known star Suraiya, eventually went to Madhubala after being screen-tested among many leading ladies of that time. She was selected by the film's director Kamal Amrohi, who was also making his directorial debut with this film. This film also established Lata Mangeshkar as a leading playback singer. Its songs, particularly "Aayega Aanewala", are perennial favourites. The film was India's first reincarnation thriller film. It became one of the biggest box office hits of the year in India and paved way for Indian gothic fiction.
  After Mahal,  Dulari was released in the same year and had Madhubala with Geeta Bali, Shyam, Jayant and Suresh. The film has the hit song "Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki" sung by Mohammed Rafi and featuring Suresh. Dulari was the year's eighth-highest-grossing film and was remade in Telugu as Sobha (1958). Her other releases in 1949 were Singaar, Daulat, Aparadhi, Neki Aur Badi and Imtihaan. Singaar also starred Suraiya. 
  Madhubala's co-stars Ashok Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Rehman, Pradeep Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Sunil Dutt and Dev Anand were the most popular actors of that period. She also appeared with notable leading ladies such as Kamini Kaushal, Suraiya, Geeta Bali, Nalini Jaywant, Shyama and Nimmi. The directors she worked with, Mehboob Khan (Amar), Guru Dutt (Mr. & Mrs. '55), Kamal Amrohi (Mahal) and K. Asif (Mughal-e-Azam), were amongst the most prolific and respected. Madhubala also became a producer and produced films like Naata (1955) and Mehlon Ke Khwab (1960) and acted in both the films.
  During the 1950s, Madhubala took starring roles in almost every genre of film being made at that time. Her 1950 film Hanste Aansoo was the first ever Hindi film to get an "A" – adults only – rating from the Central Board of Film Certification.
  Badal (1951) starred Madhubala and Premnath in lead roles. The film has the hit song "Do Din Ke Liye" sung by Lata Mangeshkar. It was the eight highest-grossing film of 1951 and a 'semi-hit' at box office. She was the archetypal fair lady in the swashbuckler Badal, and following this, an uninhibited village beauty in Tarana (1951). Tarana was the first film that started Dilip Kumar and Madhubala together. The duet "Seene Mein Sulagte Hain Armaan" became popular and was sung by Talat Mehmood and Lata Mangeshkar for Dilip Kumar and Madhubala respectively. Tarana failed to perform well at the box office. Madhubala played the traditional ideal of Indian womanhood in Sangdil (1952). The film stars Dilip Kumar and Madhubala in lead roles and was an adaption of the classic novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. It became the seventh highest-grossing film of that year. Rail Ka Dibba (1953) had Shammi Kapoor and Madhubala in lead roles. The film failed at the box office. Armaan starring Dev Anand and Madhubala in lead roles also stars Shakila and K.N. Singh. It was given a verdict of "average" at box office.
  Bahut Din Huwe was directed by S.S. Vasan and was produced by Gemini Studios. Apart from Madhubala, the film had Savitri and Lalita Pawar. All the songs of the film were sung by Lata Mangeshkar. The shooting of the film took place in Madras. During the shooting of this film, it was discovered that Madhubala was suffering from a congenital heart defect. Amar was directed and produced by Mehboob Khan and starred Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Nimmi and Jayant. The film is a psychological drama, exploring a violent act between the main characters and the crisis of conscience that rocks them. It is the story of a prosperous lawyer Amar (Dilip Kumar), who is in love and engaged to a young woman Anju (Madhubala) but rapes a poor local village woman, Sonia (Nimmi). The rest of the story deals with the aftermath of this tragic event, will all the inevitable undercurrents of guilt, penitence and pervasive heart break that stems from it. Both Bahut Din Huwe and Amar failed to perform well at box office.
  Madhubala gave a flamboyant performance in Guru Dutt's satire Mr. & Mrs. 
caption: Madhubala in Mahal (1949)
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