India’s youngest superstar started working at 14, gave superhits at 16, became highest-paid heroine at…, her name was…, Not Nutan, Sridevi, Mumtaz

India cinema has witnessed a remarkable transformation over the past eight decades. One of the major shifts has been in the age at which actors began their careers. Today, a 20-year-old debutant is considered too early to be heroine. Earlier, before 80s, most young female stars began their careers in their early or mid teens, which helped them to rise to stardom as teenagers. Today, we will talk about one such superstar who started her journey at a young age and became a dazzling presence on the silver screen.

She is none other than Madhubala. Born as Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi, she was known and cherished as Madhubala by her fans. Her cinematic journey began quite early as a child artist. In 1947, at the tender age of 14, she made her Bollywood debut as a leading actress in Neel Kamal, alongside Raj Kapoor. The film became a success, and she became an overnight sensation. Following that, the actress gave two blockbusters, Mahal and Dulari, and was touted as the youngster superstar at the age of 16.

Over the next two years, Madhubala established herself as the top female star. With superhits like Beqasoor, Badal, Saiyan, and Tarana, she became unbeatable. In 1950, it was a golden period for Madhubala as she starred in superhits like Mr. & Mrs. ’55, Raj Hath, Kala Pani, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, and Howrah Bridge. By the mid-50s, she became the highest-paid actress in India. Interestingly, only three male superstars- Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Dev Anand were there who used to charge more than her. After Mughal-e-Azam, it became difficult to even touch Madhubala.

In her late 20s, Madhubala suffered from a congenital heart defect, which made her quite difficult to act. After Mughal-e-Azam, she took on roles where her screen-time was quite limited. Sharabi, released in 1946, was her final film, when she was only 31. The actress passed away in 1969, and her final film War was completed with the help of body doubles. The film was released just two years after her death.

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