Madhubala, yesteryear queen of the silver screen, is the most beautiful artiste to ever grace the Indian screen. She had always been remembered for her bewitching eyes, mischievous glances, dazzling smile, glowing skin, natural look and sensuous persona. Born as Mumtaz Jehan Begum in a poor, conservative family of Pathan Muslims in Delhi, she stepped into the world of films at the tender age of eight. Madhubala got her first break in a lead role in Neel Kamal in 1947. But, Mughal-E-Azam showcased her remarkable talents as a serious artiste across several genres and revealed her acting capabilities. Overall, she had worked in over 70 movies. Sadly, she was plagued by a persistent heart disease that confined her to a bed for almost nine years, and eventually died on February 23 1969.

Madhubala was born on February 14, 1933. She was the fifth child among eleven children and entered the movie industry at the age of nine in order to help provide for her family. In her short life, Madhubala appeared in over 70 films. She starred in several successful movies in the 1950s and early 1960s and regarded as one of the most talented Hindi movie actresses. She had worked with several actors - Ashok Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Rehman, Pradeep Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Sunil Dutt and Dev Anand.

After her lead role in Bombay Talkies production Mahal in 1949, Madhubala attained immense popularity. Her subtle and skilful performance won everyone's heart. It was Mughal-e-Azam that marked her greatest and definitive characterization as Anarkali. On 5 August 1960, Mughal-e-Azam released and became the biggest grossing film at that time, a record that went unbroken for 15 years. Madhubala was known for keeping a low profile, never making public appearances. In the early 1950s as Madhubala became one of the most sought-after actresses in India, she also attracted interest from Hollywood. She did have intermittent releases in the early 60s like Jhumroo (1961), Half Ticket (1962) and Sharabi (1964).

On a personal front, Madhubala had a long affair with actor Dilip Kumar. Separation from Dilip Kumar made her emotionally weak. It was perceived as a major factor in her subsequent decline in health and premature death. Madhubala was found to have a heart problem after she coughed up blood in 1950. She had a hole in the heart. Her last released film Jwala, although filmed in the late 1950s, but was released in 1971, two years after her death.