Madhubala was known as the "Marilyn Monroe of Indian cinema"
Madhubala was the undisputed queen of Hindi cinema of her time. As Dilip Kumar wrote in his autobiography, she was "a vivacious artiste ... so instantaneous in her responses that the scenes became riveting even when they were being filmed." In her 22-year-long career, she appeared in almost every film genre: from slapstick comedies to romantic musicals, and crime thrillers to historical dramas. However, there was much more to the actress than her glorious career. Her entire personality carried a sense of mystery that defined her more than her work. There was literally everything in her life: love, heartbreak, joy, sorrows, tragedy, and whatnot. And seeing it all, we can't help but notice the striking similarities with Marilyn Monroe - the American actress known as the "blonde bombshell".
Well, Madhubala was known as "India's Marilyn Monroe". It's very interesting, you know - two different women, two different continents and industries; and yet their lives and careers followed similar trajectories. Today, as we remember the late Indian actress on her 92nd birth anniversary, let's learn about that in this article.
Study Madhubala and Marilyn Monroe's lives before cinema, and you will realize that both had quite difficult childhoods.
Madhubala was born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi in Delhi and later moved to Bombay with her family. Monroe, on the other hand, was born as Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles, and later migrated to California. Due to poverty, both faced unstable childhoods and started working as a means of survival.
Madhubala made her acting debut with Bombay Talkies' 1942 production, 'Basant', at a salary of Rs 150. However, although her performance in the film gathered acclaim, the studio dropped her contract as they did not require a child actor at that time. Thereafter, it was a period of intense struggle for her. She went on to play minor roles in Ranjit Movietone's films, such as 'Mumtaz Mahal', 'Dhanna Bhagat', 'Rajputani', 'Phoolwari', and 'Pujari'.
Marilyn Monroe's early days in American cinema were also full of struggle. She started her career as a model and gradually transitioned to acting. She made a contract with Fox Learning, and went on to appear in films like 'Dangerous Years' and 'Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!'. The production house didn't renew her contract, and she was left with no options but to do minor roles for quite some time. It did become exhausting for her after a certain point, but she was determined to make it big as an actress.
After their early struggles, both Madhubala and Marilyn Monroe rose to stardom in their respective industries and went ahead to rule the silver screen for years. Madhubala found her first critical and commercial success with the drama 'Lal Dupatta' - but it was Kamal Amrohi's 'Mahal' that catapulted her to stardom. And she went from strength to strength with films like 'Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi', 'Mughal-E-Azam', and 'Barsaat Ki Raat' among others.
Just like Madhubala, Monroe was also the most bankable actress in Hollywood during the mid-20th century. Films like 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', 'How to Marry a Millionaire', and 'The Seven Year Itch' made her a favorite of everyone.
They shared multiple parallels in their careers. For example, both were celebrated for their breathtaking beauty and often regarded as the most attractive women in their respective industries. At their peaks, both were bigger stars than their male counterparts in the industries. In fact, their names alone could draw audiences to theatres.
Both were always in demand for their looks and screen presence. They were mostly typecast - Madhubala was the romantic actress in Hindi cinema, while Monroe was the glamorous blonde in Hollywood. However, they both wanted to break away from their images and be seen as serious actresses.
And most importantly, both gained almost equal international success. While Monroe reigned supreme worldwide, Madhubala was known as the "one who took Indian cinema to global standards".
It's also worth noting that both Madhubala and Monroe left an unprecedented impact on popular culture. And they shaped everything from fashion to politics to lifestyle and more.
Beyond their glorious careers, both actresses were known for their turbulent personal lives as well.
Madhubala's love story with Dilip Kumar was as legendary as her career - but it ended in bitterness. She later tied the knot with Kishore Kumar, but their relationship was troubled. Monroe, on the other hand, had three failed marriages: with James Dougherty, Joe DiMaggio, and Arthur Miller.
Both actresses longed for love and stability throughout their lives but were very unlucky in terms of happiness. And the most heartbreaking was their untimely death - both passed away at the young age of 36.
However, despite the parallels in their lives and careers, it's not quite justifiable to call Madhubala the "Marilyn Monroe of India." Because that - in some way - implies Hollywood is superior to Indian cinema. So, if we must make such comparisons, let's also start referring to Monroe as the "Madhubala of American cinema".
