AllMovie

Factsheet

• Born to conservative Pathani parents, was the fifth of 11 children the couple had.
• Relocated to Mumbai with her family after her father lost his job in Peshawar.
• Made her acting debut as a child actor in the movie Basant (1942).
• Learned to drive at the age of 12, and at 17, started to learn English, picking up the language in just three months. 
• Took up the stage name Madhubala after playing the lead role in Neel Kamal (1947).
• The movie Mahal (1949) brought her a lot of success and fame.
• Appeared in many American magazines. Theatre Arts' August 1952 issue ran an extensive article titled "The Biggest Star in the World (And She's Not in Beverly Hills)" with a full page photo of her.
• Born with a cardiac defect known to us as hole in the heart, her illness was discovered when she coughed up blood while shooting for a film in 1954. 
• Made her debut as a producer with the film Naata (1955).