Madhubala played a dramatic role in Amar (1954) and went on to receive further praise for her work in Mr. In the following few years, she emerged as one of Bollywood's most marketable stars with the major box-office success of Lal Dupatta (1948), Mahal (1949) and Tarana (1951). In 1947, at age 14, Madhubala made a transition to leading roles with the drama Neel Kamal. She relocated to Bombay with her family when she was 8 years old, and shortly after appeared in minor roles in a number of films.
īorn and raised in the slums of Delhi, Madhubala began performing at an early age, singing for the children programme at the All India Radio station in the early 1940s. In terms of audience size, Theatre Arts Magazine dubbed Madhubala "the biggest star in the world" in 1952. Long after her death in 1969, she remains an influential figure in Indian popular culture and has been named one of Bollywood's greatest performers by several publications. Famous for playing independent, "strong-willed" characters, Madhubala was known for her beauty, comic timing and distinctive screen persona, and appeared in several Hindi films over a career spanning over two decades. Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer.