- Madhubala died 57 years ago from a congenital heart condition at age 36
- Kishore Kumar married Madhubala knowing about her illness and cared for her
- Madhubala starred in over 70 films, including Mahal and Mughal-e-Azam
Today marks film icon Madhubala's 57th death anniversary. Nearly forty years ago, legendary playback singer Kishore Kumar opened up about his personal life in a rare and now-iconic interview with journalist Pritish Nandy.
What's Happening
- The piece, published in The Illustrated Weekly Of India (April 28-May 4, 1985), remains one of the most memorable insights into the singer's guarded personal life.
- In the conversation, Kishore Kumar spoke candidly about his marriage to Madhubala, who suffered from a congenital heart condition and died young.
- He said, "She was quite another matter. I knew she was very sick even before I married her. But a promise is a promise. So I kept my word and brought her home as my wife, even though I knew she was dying from a congenital heart problem. For nine long years, I nursed her. I watched her die before my own eyes. You can never understand what this means until you live through this yourself."
- He added, "She was such a beautiful woman, and she died so painfully. She would rave and rant and scream in frustration. How can such an active person spend nine long years bedridden? And I had to humour her all the time. That's what the doctor asked me to. That's what I did till her very last breath. I would laugh with her. I would cry with her."
About Madhubala
Madhubala, one of Hindi cinema's most iconic actresses, made her debut as a child in Basant (1942) and rose to stardom with films like Mahal (1949) and her legendary role as Anarkali in Mughal-e-Azam (1960).
She appeared in over 70 films, married singer Kishore Kumar in 1960, and died prematurely on February 23, 1969, at age 36 due to a congenital heart condition.
About Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar was one of the most prolific artistes of his time. He dabbled in various art forms like acting, music direction and singing.
He was awarded the Lata Mangeshkar Award by the Madhya Pradesh government in 1985. In 1997, the Madhya Pradesh Government initiated an award called the "Kishore Kumar Award" for contributions to Hindi cinema.
He started his cinema career as a chorus singer at Bombay Talkies, where his brother Ashok Kumar worked. Music director Khemchand Prakash gave Kumar a chance to sing Marne Ki Duayen Kyon Mangu for the film Ziddi.
He employed yodelling in many of his songs, including Yeh dil na hota bechara, Zindagi ek safar hai suhana, and Chala jata hoon. The style eventually became an essential feature of his singing and was inspired by Jimmie Rodgers and Tex Morton. Kishore Kumar died on October 13, 1987.