The biopic on Madhubala, one of the most iconic screen actors Indian cinema has ever produced, is still in the works. However, recent reports claimed that actor Kiara Advani has finally been cast in the lead role, with Sanjay Leela Bhansali coming on board to produce. However, this casting update has been debunked by an industry source.
What the source said
Speaking to HT, the industry source has strongly dismissed the ongoing rumours around the Madhubala biopic. “There is absolutely no truth to the reports currently circulating about Kiara Advani being cast in a Madhubala biopic produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The claims are completely baseless and speculative,” the source clarified.
Although more details about the film are currently under wraps, it has been reported that Jasmeet K. Reen will direct. For the unversed, Jasmeet made her directorial debut with the black comedy drama Darlings, which starred Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, and Vijay Varma.
On the work front, Kiara was last seen in War 2. Helmed by Ayan Mukerji, the film is the sixth instalment in the YRF Spy Universe after Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, and Tiger 3. Apart from Kiara, the film starred Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR in lead roles, along with Ashutosh Rana. The film opened to mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, with many criticising its dull writing and poor VFX, and underperformed at the box office. Kiara will be seen next in Toxic: A FairyTale for GrownUps.
About Madhubala
Madhubala began her acting career as a child artist at the age of eight. In 1947, at the age of 14, Madhubala made her debut as a female lead with Neel Kamal. The film was successful, allowing the starlet to sign on to many more projects.
The actor starred in hits like Mr. & Mrs. ’55, Raj Hath, Kala Pani, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, and Howrah Bridge. By the mid-50s, when she was just 21, she was among the highest-paid actors in India, with only three male actors – Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Dev Anand – charging more than her. Madhubala then went on to star in her most successful film, Mughal-e-Azam, which was released in 1960.
However, the actor suffered from a congenital heart defect. This led the actor to reject several films after the success of Mughal-e-Azam. She only took on roles where her screen time was limited, as acting was becoming difficult. Yet, she starred in hits like Jhumroo, Boy Friend, and Half Ticket in the early 60s. The 1964 release titled Sharabi was her final film, released when she was only 31. She succumbed to her illness in 1969. She was 36.