Author, poet and journalist Rajkumar Keswani shares lesser-known stories about Indian cinema’s most iconic film, which turns 60 this year
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 6, 2020)

When Madhubala first arrived on the sets of Mughal-e-Azam to essay her career-defining role of Anarkali, she brought her usual cheerful personality to work. Known to light up many a room, and to always leave her co-stars and crew rolling on the floor laughing, it dawned on her much later that not everyone was charmed by her ebullience. In fact, filmmaker K Asif found her a bit of a distraction. Soon enough, Madhubala’s shots began getting postponed and she went without shooting for several days. The actor was a little taken aback when, one day, Asif’s assistant Sultan Ahmed informed her that the filmmaker didn’t appreciate her behaviour and expected the cast “to take their job seriously”. The superstar accepted the feedback graciously, submitting to the filmmaker’s approach, and soon, the shoot commenced as planned.

It is anecdotes such as these that feature in plenty in poet, writer and journalist Rajkumar Keswani’s Daastan-e-Mughal-e-Azam, a literary tribute to the iconic film about unrequited love, which clocks 60 this year. Considered a milestone in Indian filmmaking, K Asif’s magnum opus took over 10 years to create. Keswani, who was 10 when it was released, remembers watching the film in Bhopal’s Bharat Talkies. “Those three hours in the theatre changed my life forever,” he says, adding that he was so charmed that he had memorised most of the film’s dialogues.

When he embarked on this project, Keswani’s passion for the film also drew him to follow the life of its director. Music director Naushad told him how Asif had started out as a tailor before going on to weave stories on celluloid when nudged in that direction by his brother-in-law and actor Nazir. In fact, the filmmaker also had a tailoring shop in Dadar’s Khodadad Circle at the time. “Famous heroes of the 1940s, Prem Adib and Jeevan [Narad of the screen], ran a restaurant in partnership in the same locality,” says Keswani about the neighbourhood, which was synonymous with tinseltown dreams at the time.

Most fans will know that development of the feature film began in 1944, but hit a roadblock during the time of Independence, only to commence again with a new cast in 1951. But few know about Asif’s struggle in casting for Anarkali’s role, after Nargis, his original choice, turned it down. Newspapers ads were published across the country, inviting women between the age of 16 and 22 to apply with photographs and biodata. Many actors approached the filmmaker for the role and Dilip Kumar, who was already cast as Salim, recommended the popular actor Vijaylaxmi. But the filmmaker didn’t find anyone suitable.

Asif had tried casting Madhubala for an earlier film, but her father Ataula Khan had set terms that weren’t agreeable with the director. “‘Keep your daughter in a showcase’, is what K Asif told him then,” says Keswani. He adds that the actor was cast as Anarkali only after she reached out to the filmmaker and agreed to work on his terms. “She arrived in her car and the meeting took place in the car itself. She asked him to forget his interaction with her father, and agreed to cooperate with him, because she really wanted to work with him.”

Maratha Mandir theatre, which had planned its gala launch with the release of Mughal-e-Azam had to launch with B R Chopra’s Sadhna (1958) since Asif’s film wasn’t completed by then. The theatre’s leasee owner Seth Mehtabchand Golcha set a clause for every filmmaker who wanted to screen his movie there: When Asif decides to release Mughal-e-Azam, their film would be replaced without notice. And when it did release, it even got travellers from Pakistan who would come only to watch the film. “In fact, Golcha had made special provisions for his Pakistani audience — they wouldn’t have to stand in queue to buy their tickets and could pick it up from inside the theatre itself,” says Keswani, adding that the theatre’s patrons also included filmmaker and actor Guru Dutt and Feroz Khan, who would turn up at Maratha Mandir to watch Mughal-e-Azam every week in the initial months.

“Shapoorji Mistry, the film’s financier, and who famously had several disagreements with Asif over his extravagant production, was no less in love with the director and the movie,” says Keswani. “Shapoorji seth was so obsessed with the dialogues that he would say them aloud as if in an elocution contest.”

Keswani’s book also includes 25 paintings by M F Husain, which were dedicated to Asif and his magnum opus. “Hussain made these paintings during his stay in London, as a guest of K Asif’s son Akbar Asif,” says Keswani of the works, which the renowned artist had gifted to Akbar’s daughter Haya Asif on her birthday.

It took Keswani 15 years to compile his research into a book, but stumbling upon gems about the film made the effort worthwhile. “I didn’t work like a scientist while writing and editing the book. I worked like a passionate lover,” he says. 

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 5, 2020)

The story goes back to 1945. While the Quit India movement was escalating, K Asif was filming Anarkali at Minerva Movietone Studio with Sapru and Nargis as Prince Salim and the courtesan Anarkali, and Chandramohan as Akbar, intent on separating the lovers. The filmmaker had flagged off what was planned as Hindi cinema’s epic extravaganza the previous year in a peaceful India. But following the Partition, Shiraz Ali, who was bankrolling the film, decided to relocate to Pakistan. Before leaving, he set up a meeting between Asif and construction magnate Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry, having decided to settle the latter’s dues against the rights of the underproduction film.

“Shapoorji was a huge fan of Prithviraj Kapoor and would often go to the Royal Opera House to watch his plays. Since they were not ticketed, he would stand outside after the performance, with a jhola for patrons to donate what they wished and Shapoorji would rain money into it,” recounts Deepesh Salgia, CEO and Director of a company in the Shapoorji Pallonji Group.

K Asif was around 25 then, with just one directorial, Phool, behind him. A charmer, he convinced Shapoorji, who had little interest in showbiz, to come on board. There were casting changes, with a more saleable Dilip Kumar replacing Sapru and Ajit Khan coming in for Himalaywallah as his trusted lieutenant, Durjan Singh. Dilip Kumar’s entry led to Nargis’s exit, and Madhubala, a virtual nobody, became an unforgettable Anarkali. “Shapoorji was very close to her father, which is how he convinced Ataullah Khan to let Madhubala continue shooting for the film even though he was irked about her closeness to Dilip Kumar and later his betrayal when he gave evidence against her in court in the Naya Daur case,” informs Deepesh.

Akbar’s big shoes had to be filled too, after Chandramohan suffered a fatal heart attack in 1946. Both Shapoorji and Asif were convinced only Prithviraj Kapoor, impressive as Sohrab Modi’s Sikander, could play the emperor. He lived the role, walking barefoot, in May, for the scene where he goes to Salim Chisti’s dargah to pray for a son.

Shooting resumed in 1951. The film was completed in 500 shooting days, used 1 million feet of negative, and was unveiled nine years later, on August 5, 1960. It made Shapoorji poorer by 3 million USD (Rs 1.5 crore).

The Sheesh Mahal set on which “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya” was filmed, alone cost him Rs 15 lakh, taking two years to build with glass imported from Belgium.

A 100 dancers were used in the song “Ae Mohabbat Zindabad”, one of 20 recorded, of which 10 were unheard, including “Husn Ki Baaraat Chali”. For the war scenes, 2000 camels, 4000 horses and 8000 jawans from the Indian army were hired. By 1956-’57, the budget had quadrupled and there were times Shapoorji despaired over the escalating costs. But Asif couldn’t be reined in.

When technicolour arrived in India in ’57, he shot one reel in colour in ’58. Impressed with the results, Asif shot three more reels the following year and would have re-shot the full film in colour had the distributors not put their foot down. Mughal-E-Azam released in 15 per cent colour, then, was re-released on November 12, 2004, in full colour with Dolby Digital sound.

Once, when Asif came to him for another Rs 15 lakh, Shapoorji insisted he’d get only Rs 3 lakh. The director immediately screened some rushes for him, deliberately picking scenes featuring Akbar. Every time his producer wah-wahed, he reminded him creative excellence costs money. He got his Rs 15 lakh and left for Jaipur to shoot more war scenes.

Deepesh, whose favourite scene is the one where Akbar comes across the lovers romancing, the drama playing out without dialogue, explains why the title changed from Anarkali to Mughal-E-Azam and Prithviraj Kapoor’s name preceded Dilip Kumar and Madhubala’s in the credits. “While Bina Rai was the protagonist of S Mukherjee’s Anarkali, Mughal-E-Azam showcased the conflict between Akbar’s love for his son and his duty as an emperor. He was livid when the heir to the throne falls in love with a dancing girl and goes through the charade of walling her up, with Salim unaware that she has been safely escorted out through an underground tunnel. Today, the film may well be remembered for Dilip Kumar and Madhubala’s tragic romance, but for Shapoorji, the real heroes were always Prithviraj Kapoor and Akbar,” says Deepesh, asserting that even after 60 years, Mughal-E-Azam’s magic hasn’t dimmed. The film has come back restored and colourised, as a stage play and in the form of books. “Shapoorji would be a happy man today.”

Madhur Bhushan, Madhubala’s youngest sibling, gives us an insight into the iconic star’s life and talks about her passion project – a biopic on her sister
Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; March 3, 2020)

Paeans have been written about her ethereal beauty and stardom, and odes dedicated to her spirit and passion for life. And yet, destiny was such that her beautiful life was laced with tragedy. At 36, after a nine-year battle with illness, she succumbed to death. Days after her 52nd death anniversary (February 23), Madhur Bhushan (originally Zahida), reminisces moments from her sister’s far too short life, and talks about why Madhubala’s story needs to be told.

She says, “Though she is remembered for her classic beauty, there was so much more to her than her beauty. I want to do something for her before I die. She continues to rule millions of hearts and her story needs to be told.”

However, Madhur’s dream of making this biopic hit a roadblock after her other siblings raised an objection over it. Reportedly, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali who had procured the rights from her for the biopic earlier, recently terminated the contract because of the same reason. But Madhur is not ready to give up on it, yet. “As of now, the biopic has come to a halt because my sisters have objected to it. I find it strange that they don’t want this to materialise…humne uska (Madhubala) namak khaaya hai. Usne apne behnon ko paala hain,” she says, adding, “With the help of my spiritual guru, Arvind Kumar Malviya, who’s idea this was, I want to make this biopic.” Madhur also plans to write a biography on her sister and title it ‘Nine Years of Madhubala’.

‘SHE ALWAYS TOLD OUR DAD, ‘ABBA, MUJHE FILMON MEIN JAANA HAI’
‘It was written in her fate...becoming an actress,’ says Madhur, recounting the turn of events that made a nine-year-old Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi land in Bollywood. From Baby Mumtaz to Madhubala, her journey could only be described as that of a dance of destiny. She made her acting debut as a child artiste at the age of nine with Basant (1942) and her first appearance as a lead actress was at 13, when she starred opposite Raj Kapoor in Neel Kamal (1947). It wasn’t long before, she became a star and a sensation. Madhur continues, “Madhu aapa was a cute little girl. She would sing, and dance in front of the mirror. She always told our dad (Ataullah Khan), ‘Abba, mujhe filmon mein jaana hai’. However, our father was averse to it because of his conservative background and the belief that girls should not join the industry. But life had plans of its own. Our father lost his job, and eventually, we had to move to Mumbai to survive. At one point, he relented to her wishes and started doing the rounds of studios with her. However, he never dreamt that she would become such a big star.”

With Mahal (1949), she caught the imagination of Bollywood. She became a star, overnight. She was around 16 then. So, did things change at home with this newfound stardom? “Never,” Madhur is quick to point out, adding, “We often felt, ‘Oh my God, she is so beautiful. How can we sit next to her?’ She would put us at ease by saying things like, ‘Main toh actress hoon na, isliye log mujhe mudd mudd kar dekhte hain. Tum actress bann jaoge toh tumhe bhi log mudkar mudkar dekhenge’. She never made us feel any less. She was such a loving daughter and an equally good sister. Unfortunate are those people who ill-treated her or left her to be by herself.”

‘SHE NEVER FELT THAT SHE WAS A STAR AND SHE DIDN’T BEHAVE LIKE ONE’
To the outside world she was an enigma, a mystery. People even said that she was a recluse, but what was the eternal beauty like in real life? Madhur gets nostalgic while taking us on a trip down memory lane. “Hum logon ke saath toh bohot hi masti karti thi — kabhi baal kaat diya, kabhi kuchh kar diya. She loved to have ice-cream and enjoyed listening to music. She would even go to theatres to watch movies wearing a burkha. If you would have met her, aapko aisa lagta hi nahi ki yeh actress hain. She never felt that she was a star and she didn’t behave like one. She wouldn’t wear any make-up; she didn’t need to because she was so pretty. She would only dress in whites and tie her hair up in a simple bun when not shooting. Madhu aapa didn’t need to get dolled up, as my father didn’t allow her to attend parties. He had told her, ‘Maine izzat bohot mushkil se kamaayi hai, Madhu. Court cases jeeta hoon tum bachhiyon ki izzat ke liye. Mere baad koi tum par unlgi nahi utha sakta saying that they were dhandhewali chokris and their father exploited them.’ My sister always abided by him. She was a gharelu ladki,” says Madhur.

‘IT WAS VERY EASY TO LINK HER WITH MEN BECAUSE SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL’
With beauty and fame came rumours of her linkups, controversies and heartbreaks. Following a courtship of nine years with Dilip Kumar, the couple endured an ugly breakup and Madhubala finally married Kishore Kumar in 1960. Madhur says, “People have written about her affair with Kamal Amrohi. Baahar jaane ko milta nahin toh affair kaise hoga? Woh toh Dilip Kumar sahab ke saath itni films mein kaam kiya, waise mulaqaat hui aur pyaar ho gaya. She worked with Kishore Kumar sahab in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and Half Ticket (1962), toh pyaar hua. It was very easy to link her with men because she was so beautiful. Prem Nath wanted to marry her, but she told him that our father wouldn’t allow it, because we were Pathans. She was not the kind to have frivolous relationships.”



THE LEGENDARY ROMANCE WITH DILIP KUMAR
However, the highlight of her love life remains her relationship with Dilip Kumar, which made headlines then and continues to pique eveyone’s interest to date.

Most believed that the two of them would tie the knot, but sadly, it was not to be. Was it a misunderstanding, a clash of egos or love gone sour? In the Bollywood thespian, Dilip Kumar’s autobiography, which was published in 2014, it has been stated that things soured between them during the making of Mughal-E-Azam. He stated, “I sensed, Asif (filmmaker) was seriously trying to mend the situation for her when matters began to sour between us, thanks to her father’s attempt to make the proposed marriage a business venture.”

Talking about their bitter-sweet love saga, Madhur recalls, “Dilip sahab and Madhu aapa were shooting for Naya Daur (1957, Vyjayanthimala was cast in her place ultimately). The makers had scheduled an outdoor shoot (the location was where a previous shoot was attacked by dacoits), and our father was not willing to allow her to shoot at that location. He feared for my sister’s safety. He asked them to zero in on an alternate location, but B R Chopra (producer) sahab didn’t budge. That’s when Dilip sahab got involved. His only mistake was that he stood by the producer. Finally, B R Chopra filed a case against my father, which went on for four months, jiske dauraan we heard people say ulti-seedhi cheezein about my father. They called him a dictator and that he wanted to dominate my sister. Finally, the case was resolved, and later, Dilip sahab came home and told Madhu aapa to complete the film, and post that, they could get married. But my sister wanted him to apologise to our father. He flatly refused. We have nothing against him. Had he apologised to my father, aapa would have been Mrs Dilip Kumar. She had immense gratitude for our father, and she couldn’t just let it go.”

‘IMAGINE A 27-YEAR-OLD GIRL BEING TOLD THAT SHE HAD JUST TWO YEARS TO LIVE. WE WERE ALL IN SHOCK!’
It was in 1960, while shooting for a film in South, that Madhubala spat blood. She flew to London the next day, along with her husband, Kishore Kumar. “We were not aware that she had a hole in her heart. When the doctor said that she had a hole in her heat and the operation won’t be successful, we were all in shock! Imagine a young girl of 27 being told that she had just two years to live. She consulted several doctors in India and they confirmed her worst fears. She was advised to take a break, but she had films lined up. She completed a song and a few scenes in Mughal-E-Azam (1960) in that condition. It took about nine years to complete the film and that was the phase when she was suffering. In all those years, she rarely met anybody from the industry, barring Geeta Dutt and Waheeda Rehman. She didn’t want anyone to see her in that state. I was with her through the last few years of her life. I would sleep in the same bed with her.”

‘SHE LOVED THE SONG RULA KE GAYA SAPNA MERA. SHE FELT THAT IT ENCAPSULATED HER LIFE’
It was a life too beautiful, cut too short. Madhur reveals, “You know…She loved the song Rula Ke Gaya Sapna Mera (Jewel Thief, 1967). She felt that it encapsulated her life. She would wait every day for the doctors to tell her that they had discovered a cure for her. She wanted to live. I believe that love heals. Yes, we can’t change destiny, but if she had received more love from the people who she loved so much, then I think she would have had more strength to fight her battle for life, longer.”

Did Madhubala get a chance to interact with Dilip Kumar during the last days of her life? Madhur says, “He once went to see her at the hospital. She sent him a message through someone that she wanted to see him, and he came over to see her. This was before his marriage. Later, he came for the funeral. He immediately flew down from Madras (where he was shooting) when learnt that Madhubala was very critical. But he was late by two hours...she was buried by then.”


‘I WON’T GIVE UP ON MY DREAM TO MAKE A BIOPIC ON HER’

Though she is remembered for her classic beauty, Madhur says that there was so much more to Madhubala than her beauty. She believes that the story of her undying zest for life, fierce loyalty towards her family and quiet courage in matters of the heart, needs to be told to a nation that hailed her the Venus of Bollywood. However, Madhur’s dream has not taken off because her other siblings are not willing to give their consent. But she is not ready to give up on it, yet. She says, “With the help of my spiritual guru, Arvind Kumar Malviya, I am keen to make the biopic, as it was his idea.” Along with her guru, she also plans to set up an old-age home and a school for young girls in Jodhpur. “Madhu aapa would always tell my father, ‘Abba, jab hamare paas bahut paisa aayega na, toh hum log school banaayenge chhoti ladkiyon ke liye.’ She didn’t get formal education herself and this was her dream.

Kavita Awaasthi (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 22, 2020)

Hindi cinema’s veteran makeup artiste Pandhari Juker passed away on Monday at the age of 88. In his long career, he worked with many actors including Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Madhuri Dixit Nene, and Juhi Chawla.

Juhi, who worked with Juker very early on in her career for a film called Kaafila (1990), fondly remembers Pandhari Dada, his work ethics, and his skills. She feels that he was the “master of all makeup artistes, a jolly, easy going person who was always hustling between studios to do makeup for other artistes”. “I was lucky to work with him so early in my career, though I didn’t know then that we would end up doing so many films together,” says Juhi, adding, “I have seen so many makeup artistes of the industry learn from him. He would do your makeup in minutes and never used brushes or too many palettes. Instead he used his fingers. His touch was so soft. He was a storyteller, and would share anecdotes of his experiences of working with Meena Kumari and Madhubala and how makeup was done for black and white films with brown and blue eye-shadow and purple lips to make it look a certain way.”

While Juhi enjoyed having him as her makeup artiste for films, she recalls compliments from him. She shares, “Pandhari Dada would make me look pretty and once he complimented me saying, ‘you already have such a pretty face, you don’t need makeup’. Dada would tell us that one day he’s going to retire and settle down at his Karjat farmhouse. We used to laugh at him because we knew he was never going on a break and sure enough, he continued working. I remember presenting him with a Lifetime Achievement Award at an awards function. He was loved and respected by one and all in the industry. I will miss him. It feels like a big part of my life has gone by, with certain lovely people I worked with, going away,” she concludes.

On Madhubala's birth anniversary, citing a lack of approval from all members of Madhubala's family, Imtiaz Ali steps back from helming biopic on the veteran actor, her sister Madhur Brij Bhushan reveals
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 14, 2020)

There was palpable excitement among cinephiles when reports of the Madhubala biopic landing in Imtiaz Ali's able hands hit headlines. The announcement was to be made today on Valentine's Day, which also coincides with the Mughal-e-Azam actor's birth anniversary. But even the most earnest efforts made by the veteran's sister Madhur Brij Bhushan couldn't persuade her siblings to give their nod. Bhushan told mid-day that she faced strong opposition from their sister Kaneez Balsara. "

[Imtiaz and Reliance Entertainment] asked my sisters for an NOC [no-objection certificate], [but] they said they wouldn't permit a biopic on [Madhubala] to be made," Bhushan says, adding that despite reiterating that their stories would not be part of the film, she couldn't get them on the same page. "Kaneez's kids didn't allow her to talk to me. I requested them to read the agreement exchanged, but they sent notices to me and the makers. Imtiaz terminated the contract citing the misunderstanding. He was to announce it on Madhubala's birthday, which also coincides with the release of his next, Love Aaj Kal," says Bhushan, adding that at least one more sister requested her to not entertain the makers.

Ali's interest in the yesteryear actor had appealed to Bhushan. "It hurts to have lost out on a golden opportunity. I still want the biopic to be made." Bhushan says she planned to make a home for the elderly with the money generated from the development. "I, along with my guruji, Arvind Malviya, who was also backing this project, also wanted to open a school which would provide free education to poor girls." Ali did not respond to our texts till the time of going to press.

Dilip Kumar and Madhubala had a near, perfect romance, until her interfering father got in the way. A new illustrated biography on the veteran actor, challenges some myths around the famed love story
MID-DAY (October 27, 2019)

After a somewhat tentative debut in Jwar Bhata and Pratima, the actor came of age in Milan, which was followed by the super-duper hit Jugnu opposite none other than Noor Jehan. Dilip Kumar had now hit the purple patch of his career and three mega hits followed in quick succession —Shaheed, Shabnam and Nadiya Ke Paar. The leading lady of all these hits was the comely Kamini Kaushal—reportedly Dilip Kumar's first flame and also his first serious heartbreak.

Kamini Kaushal's real name was Uma Kashyap. She was the daughter of Rai Bahadur S R Kashyap, a renowned Botanist, president of Indian Science Congress and dean of the pre-partition Punjab University. She was one of his five children which included three brothers and two sisters. She was very well-educated and had studied at Lady MacLagan School and Emily Kinnaird College of Lahore. She was also a champion swimmer. When her elder sister, who was married to B S Sood, a high ranking official of Bombay Port Trust, died in a car crash leaving behind two small kids, Uma married him and moved to Mumbai. It was here that legendary director Chetan Anand discovered her talent and cast her in his award-winning Neecha Nagar as Kamini Kaushal. As an actress, she quickly ascended to stardom with films like Jail Yatra, Aag (opposite Raj Kapoor), Do Bhai, etc. Soon, Filmistan's S Mukerji signed her opposite Dilip Kumar in his Shaheed (1948) which was a box-office success.

Famous Kathak exponent and actress Sitara Devi (who starred with Dilip in Hulchul and shared a sister-brother relationship with him) and producer director P N Arora of All India Pictures (in whose super hit Pugree Kamini Kaushal starred) have been on-record authenticating the Dilip Kumar–Kamini Kaushal romance. It is said that Sitara Devi ji had met the rumoured couple huddled together and travelling aimlessly in the first-class compartment of Mumbai's local trains. P N Arora has said, on-record, that Dilip Kumar often visited Kamini Kaushal on the sets of Pugree and once Kamini's military-man brother strode on the film's sets, brandishing a pistol, threatening to kill Kamini if she did not call off her clandestine romance with Dilip Kumar. He also threatened to kill Dilip Kumar. Around that time, Shahi Latif–Ismat Chugtai's Aarzoo, in which Dilip–Kamini featured for the last time, was in the making. Ismat Aapa had reportedly warned Dilip Saheb against the futility of the said romance. The hot-headed brother of Kamini Kaushal reportedly shot himself, having failed to end the Dilip–Kamini romance. This came as a blow to Kamini Kaushal and Dilip Kumar and they put a stop to their romance.

Kamini exuded urbane sophistication and bonded very well at an intellectual level with Dilip. On the other hand, both Madhubala and Dilip being Pathans shared a commonality of ethnic and cultural background. Thus, a vivacious Madhubala's ceaseless laughter became an ideal balm for Dilip Kumar's bruised heart. Madhubala's real name was Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi. She was third born among the seven daughters (Kaneez, Fatima, Altaf, Chanchal, Zahida and Shahida being others) of a handsome Pathan Attaullah Khan and his beautiful Iranian wife. Her father was a headstrong, stubborn and egoistic man, and a harsh disciplinarian. Her mother was simple, illiterate and a homely woman. Attaullah Khan apparently had lost his job with the Imperial Tobacco Company, Delhi due to his arrogant, hot-tempered behaviour and attitude. He moved to Mumbai with his family but could not fend for them. He made his daughter work in films to make ends meet.

The legendary Dilip Kumar–Madhubala romance is said to have took off on the sets of this film, as the duo hit the ground running, enacting the dulcet duet, 'Nain mile nai huey baware'. One has to revisit Tarana to fathom the chemistry between Dr Motilal (Dilip Kumar) and Tarana (Madhubala) which even after six decades floors you with its innocent charm. Prior to being romantically drawn to Dilip Kumar, Madhubala was reportedly dating the leading man of her hit film Badal, the handsome Prem Nath. Grapevine has it that there was some time when Madhu was dating Dilip and Prem Nath simultaneously. Reportedly, when Prem Nath came to know that his friend Dilip was seriously involved with Madhubala and that she was drawn to him as well, he withdrew and married Bina Rai, his charming co-star of Aurat.

On his part, Dilip Kumar never missed any opportunity to recommend Madhubala for a role opposite himself. The iconic Amar originally had Meena Kumari in the female lead, but she fell off with its renowned maker Mehboob Khan after the latter's squabble with her husband writer-director Kamaal Amrohi. Dilip Kumar promptly persuaded Mehboob Saheb to take in Madhubala. Similarly, when Nargis opted out of Mughal-E-Azam, Dilip Kumar convinced K Asif to let Madhubala play Anarkali which ultimately became her best ever performance. The mahurat announcement of the celebrated classic Daag also had Madhubala's name as the leading lady but something went wrong and Nimmi played the part.

However, the perfect romance of this well-matched perfect couple did not culminate into marriage. Many were of the opinion that it was Madhubala's father Attaullah Khan who stood in the way of their marriage for the fear of losing the breadwinner for the large family. The truth lies somewhere around this premise. As the Dilip Kumar–Madhubala romance was peaking, Attaullah Khan once asked Dilip Kumar to star as the hero of a film he wanted to produce under his own banner and also had his daughter Madhubala in it. We believe that the moment Attaullah did that, he encroached upon Dilip Sahab's professional side via his personal life. Yusuf Saheb never wanted Dilip Kumar to be exploited for somebody's gain.

As is widely believed, Attaullah Khan was not opposed to the Dilip Kumar–Madhubala marriage but had his own axe to grind in the whole affair. He wanted the superstar of the era to work exclusively and on priority for his own home productions. On the other hand, Dilip Kumar, who had been positively considering marriage to Madhubala, was unwilling to tolerate any interference in his professional endeavours. Dilip Saheb reportedly laid down two conditions for getting married to Madhubala. One, he would financially support the Khan's family but Madhubala would have nothing to do with her father after wedding; and second, she would stop working in films. This was a clever killing-two-birds-with-one-stone strategy—if Madhubala agreed to quit films, her father's hold on her would automatically diminish. Both Dilip Saheb and Attaullah hardened their positions in the ensuing tug of war to the point that Madhu had Dilip's ultimatum to choose between him and her father. She opted for her father ending the fairy-tale romance.

Excerpted with permission from Dilip Kumar: Peerless Icon Inspiring Generations by Trinetra Bajpai and Anshula Bajpai, published by Bloomsbury India


The actor with Kamini Kaushal, his first love and also his first serious heartbreak


Dilip Kumar with Madhubala. Pics/Dilip Kumar: Peerless Icon Inspiring Generations, Bloomsbury India

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 15, 2019)

She had already taken the curtain call by the time we met but Shyama ji was still a star, conducting the interview from her four-poster bed, surrounded by four wardrobes which, she admitted, were full of clothes none of which had been worn more than once and many not even once, while the cosmetics strewn across the dressing table had been flown in from Dubai. But what caught my eye were the photographs on the wall, many of them clicked by her late husband, cinematographer Fali Mistry, which were pointers to their beautiful life together.

“Have you seen any of my movies?” she asked, flashing that maar-dala smile.

Nodding shyly, I muttered, “Aar Paar (above), you were Guru Dutt’s sweetheart Nikki and your 'Yeh Lo Main Haari Piya' ranks amongst my all-time favourites.”

She responded with peals of laughter, “Yes, on screen, I was Guru Dutt’s girl, but off it, everyone knew I was Fali’s girl and our cinematographer V K Murthy who had been his assistant, kept a hawk’s eye on me on the set, ensuring I wasn’t out of line with our hero.”

Not that there was any chance of that ever happening because as Shyama ji went on to reveal, she had accepted the film only on Guru Dutt’s singer-wife Geeta’s request. “Geeta didi came home to convince me to do Aar Paar, how could I say no? I told her I would not even charge my price, she could give me whatever she wanted,” she recounted more than four decades later.

The whiff of a real romance was tantalizing and I pressed her for details. Her eyes dancing, she recalled how her Fali had once reduced her to tears on the sets of Sazaa, a 1951 family-drama directed by him. “Why?” I wondered. “Because he insisted on chopping off my beautiful tresses and giving me a cascade of fashionable curls,” she replied with a twinkle, adding that she had been absolutely aghast when the hairdresser, Mrs Green, had strolled in wielding a pair of scissors. “If this was my sazaa for becoming a heroine, I told Fali and her, I didn’t want to be one, I’d rather save my hair. Of course, neither of them listened to me.”

In time she came to fall in love with the debonair Parsi boy who courted her for two years despite her parents’ outraged protests. Then, one morning, she slipped away to tie the knot with him before reporting for shoot only to be told that she was getting married on camera too.

Born Khurshid Akhtar in Lahore, Shyama ji, like Alice, had entered wonderland by accident, when she had come to Prakash Studio with a bunch of her friends to see her idol, Noor Jehan, in action. Zeenat was being filmed and the film’s director and the leading lady’s husband, Shaukat Rizvi, suddenly caught sight of the young girls and wondered if they would like to feature in a qawwali being shot. While the others were too surprised to react, Khurshid instantly nodded, “Hum karenge, we will do it.” And that’s how two years before the Partition which took Shaukat Rizvi and Noor Jehan across the border to the newly-formed Pakistan, the girl with the sparkling smile made her debut with a song.

From the chorus, she graduated to become a child star with Parwana. Interestingly, it was because she shared her name with one of Meena Kumari’s siblings, along with a popular vamp, that Khurshid was rechristened Shyama by Vijay Bhatt. “I liked my new name. There were other Khursheeds but no Shyama in Hindi movies, neither then, nor in later years, which made me unique,” she pointed out, her laughter tinkling like ice cubes in a glass.

Among her films as a heroine, beside Aar Paar, she is also remembered for Barsaat Ki Raat (right), which featured some of the best qawwalis, including “Mujhe Mil Gaya Bahana Teri Deed Ka, Kaisi Khushi Le Ke Aaya Chand Eid Ka”. This song was to be picturised on Madhubala but I read somewhere that she wasn’t too impressed with Sahir Ludhianvi’s lyrics and refused to shoot for it. Since Roshan had already set it to tune, it went to Shyama ji on the rebound.

When I quizzed her on it, she told me simply that Madhubala wasn’t keeping well, so the director (P L Santoshi) decided to film it on her because she too is in love with Bharat Bhushan in the film. Interestingly, Ratna, Bharat Bhushan’s wife in real life, is also seen matching her, step for step, swing for swing, in the qawwali sequence.

On November 14, 2017, Shyama ji passed into the ages to join her Fali and continue with their love story. But her songs live on, as does the memory of that tinkling laughter, even though we never met again.

Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 29, 2019)

In the days since Kalank’s latest song First Class dropped online, Kiara Advani has been appreciated for her graceful moves. While the actor has previously featured in a few dance numbers, the Abhishek Varman-directed venture gave her the opportunity to explore classical dance for the first time. A self-confessed fan of Madhubala, Advani turned to the legendary actor — celebrated as much for her poise as for her nimble feet — for inspiration.

“Madhubala is one of the iconic actresses of Indian cinema. When I was offered to do this special song, she served as the reference for my look and persona,” gushes Advani. What followed was a series of discussions with fashion designer Manish Malhotra as they curated a look that was an homage to the late star. “I also watched many of her songs to pick up her nuances,” she adds.

The track, also featuring Varun Dhawan, has been choreographed by Remo D’Souza with the stars being trained by his assistants, Shazia Samji and Piyush Bhagat. Samji tells mid-day that the youngster trained with her for several weeks before joining Dhawan on the set. “Kiara had already perfected the adaa before she started our rehearsals. She also watched many videos of Madhubala, including Jab Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya and Mohe Panghat Pe [Mughal-E-Azam] .”

Patralekhaa on drawing references from the late actor for her next
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; November 16, 2018)

“One of the wishes from my bucket list has been ticked off, ” beams Patralekhaa who recently wrapped up the Pradeep Sarkar-directed venture, Arranged Marriage. Her first collaboration with the auteur sees her play a married Bengali woman living in Kolkata. Interestingly, the actor, who plays a “docile” girl in the Ali Fazal starrer, found the perfect muse in the late Madhubala, who had essayed similar roles in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and Tarana (1951).

“My character is a timid girl and I couldn’t think of a better reference point than Madhubala. I watched her old films to pick up her mannerisms,” says Patralekhaa. Given that the veteran actor was famed as much for her beauty as for her style, it is no surprise that Patralekhaa also borrowed from her sartorial sensibilities.

Though she refuses to divulge too many details about the relationship drama set in the City of Joy, the actor states that working under the vision of Sarkar was sheer joy. “Dada [as Sarkar is fondly called] would record us as we did our readings. It’s an interesting process because so many scenes are developed as we walk through the sequences. The traits of the characters became more pronounced that way.”