This superstar converted to Islam to marry the woman of his dreams, the reigning Bollywood queen, but abandoned her in a few years
She may be an undying icon of cinema today but Madhubala’s final years were anything but pretty. The legendary actress had a heart condition, which confined her to the bed through her early 30s till her death at the young age of 36. And while her bittersweet love story with co-star Dilip Kumar is the stuff of Bollywood folklore, equally dramatic is the tale of her marriage, one filled with abandonment. At the other end was superstar singer Kishore Kumar.
Kishore Kumar’s marriage to Madhubala
Kishore Kumar was married to Ruma Ghosh in 1950 when he was 21 and she was 16. The couple was married for eight years but towards the end of their marriage, Kishore had begun to develop an infatuation for Madhubala. The two worked together in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) at a time when Kishore was getting a divorce from Ruma and Madhubala’s relationship with Dilip Kumar was over too. They began a relationship but as the question of marriage arose, Madhubala’s father put forward a condition – Kishore Kumar would have to convert to their religion Islam. He converted and changed his name to Karim Abdul and the two got married. However, Madhubala’s sister has refuted the claim.
Kishore Kumar and Madhubala’s strained marriage
From the beginning of her thirties, Madhubala suffered from recurring bouts of breathlessness and hemoptysis caused by a ventricular septal defect. Her career was affected by this and after a while, she had to quit acting to look after health. When Madhubala eventually worsened, Kishore Kumar left her with a nurse and driver. He continued to bear her expenses but Madhubala felt abandoned. He visited her only occasionally after this, till her death in 1969.
Kishore Kumar’s later marriages and life
Kishore Kumar married twice after this. From 1976-78, he was married to actress Yogeeta Bali and in 1980, he married actress Leena Chandavarkar. By 1987, when he was in his late-50s, Kishore was planning to retire from singing as he was frustrated by the change in music. As he planned a move to his birthplace Khandwa, he had a heart attack on October 13, which took his life. The legendary singer was 58.
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