Author

Khatija Akbar

Editor

Indian Hay House

Price

399 rupees/-

Pages

264

isbn

978-93-80480-81-7

Valentine’s Day is celebrated around the world on February 14. A day in which each lover tries to make it as romantic as possible with that special person, whether it is with a cup of coffee, a movie, a shopping date or a romantic dinner. Valentine’s Day also reminds me of the birth anniversary of someone who charmed the hearts of all men with a serene expression on his face. She was none other than Madhubala, considered one of the most beautiful actresses to ever grace the screen in the Indian film industry.

in the biography “I Want to Live” – ​​Madhubala’s Story the author Khatija Akbar provides the reader with fascinating nuggets of information that shed new light not only on Madhubala’s life and times, but also on the golden age of Hindi cinema. The author has done extensive research in terms of conducting interviews with many of them who interacted with Madhubala. The story of this star is covered in the book spread over eight chapters, from his first film as a child star to the magnificent Mughal-e-Azam, which produces not only the ‘real life’ but also the human being of the ‘ real life’. in his.

An interesting incident that I would like to share with the readers is your professionalism and commitment to your work. It had rained constantly all night. A heavy downpour had collapsed the city of Bombay (now Mumbai). There was no electricity supply and train services were suspended. Be it the common masses or the glamorous movie stars, most preferred to stay at home and not go out the next day morning except for a Madhubala. He had to show up for the shooting that morning and he did. The studio was flooded, its furniture and equipment was in the water with no one around the studio except the security guard. How he got there, what route he took, how early he left, an incident that not only motivates but also reflects Madhubala’s benchmark of professionalism. It was late 1948 and the star was just fifteen years old.

The book has covered every aspect of the actress, be it Madhubala’s untimely death, her long affair and breakup with actor Dilip Kumar or her marriage to Kishore Kumar which witnessed a mental turmoil. When she was in her early 20s, at a time when heart surgery was not widely available, she was advised to have one for a hole in her heart. It only gives the impression that her life had not been fair to her in matters of the heart. But just a few days before her death, Madhubala had been muttering I want to live… God, I don’t want to die. Nine days after her thirty-sixth birthday, on the morning of February 23, 1969, she finally succumbed to her serious illness.

Born on Valentine’s Day, Madhubala had her villa filled with flowers resembling a flower shop. But on her last birthday, the author says that there was only one bouquet for her. Such is the mode of life. But fans of her still remember and miss her on her special day as the legend of her Madhubala is still alive and he performed successfully despite her illness.