When Madhubala sought help from Prime Minister, security was provided after she received threatening calls from...

In his book, film journalist Ajay Kumar Sharma wrote that most of the new film contracts for Madhubala were signed by her father, Ataullah Khan, who was very stubborn and adamant. His contracts often included a strict clause prohibiting the entry of outsiders on set. 

In the year 1950, the film Nirala featured Madhubala alongside Dev Anand and Majharr Khan in prominent roles. One day, Majharr Khan invited some guests to watch the shooting without knowing about the specific clause in Madhubala's contract. When Ataullah Khan, Madhubala's father, found out about Majharr Khan's guests, he angrily confronted director M. Sadiq.

As a result, the guests were not allowed to enter the set, and the film's shooting was halted temporarily. Majharr Khan himself went to Madhubala and requested permission for his guests to enter, but she firmly refused.

Madhubala replied, "Whatever Abba (father) says, that will happen. Otherwise, I will leave the shooting." This statement deeply offended Majharr Khan. However, news of this incident spread quickly like wildfire. Some journalists tried to speak directly with Madhubala about it, but she did not engage with them in a proper manner.

Ajay Sharma wrote that this incident angered journalists as well. Journalists from India and Pakistan joined hands to form the Indo-Pak Journalists Association and appointed B.K. Karanjia, the editor of Movie Times magazine, as its secretary.

The organization decided that they would not publish Madhubala's photos, advertisements for her films, or interviews in their newspapers and magazines until both Ataullah Khan and Madhubala apologized to the journalists.

During this time, Madhubala began receiving threatening phone calls including people telling her to kidnap her. Distressed by these threats, Madhubala met with then-Prime Minister Morarji Desai. In response, at the Prime Minister's direction, she was assigned personal security guards who ensured her safety 24 hours a day.

The whole controversy continued for a year. After a year passed, Madhubala's father, Ataullah Khan, felt that it was affecting his daughter's popularity. Finally, at B.K. Karanjia's bungalow, Madhubala and her father apologised to journalists, resolving the entire issue.

The very next day after this settlement, Madhubala hosted a grand party for journalists at her bungalow in Bandra.

Read: India's richest actress was abandoned by father, tortured by husband; once rival to Madhubala, Nutan, alcohol ruined her

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