THE LOVE AFFAIR BETWEEN DILIP AND MADHUBALA
Dilip was with Madhubala in her make-up room and the atmosphere was surcharged. Om Prakash was requested to simply sit down and be a witness to the happenings. He watched as Dilip Kumar implored Madhubala, asking her to go with him and be married that very day. He had a kazi ready and waiting at his home and he wanted her to leave with him immediately. "I will marry her today," he emphasised. Apparantly some source had said Madhubala and Dilip has got secretly engaged
It was the condition that he put forth that became the stumbling block: She would have to leave her father and never meet him again. Madhubala's refrain was that this was impossible, and apart from this, she said nothing. "Dilip saab urged her repeatedly -- again and again. He asked if this meant she was not willing to marry him? He told her if he went away now, he would never return. Madhubala was silent. At last, he got up and left -- alone and out of her life." Their stormy relationship lasted about eight years.
It has been said that Dilip Kumar demanded that if they were to marry, Madhubala would have break off all ties with her family. The veracity of this statement is questionable. It would be safe to say that Kumar must have felt a deep resentment towards Ataullah Khan. It was only on the actual film set, or the movie studio that the couple were allowed to interact, and that, only behind the back of the elder Khan. Their rendezvous had to be kept hidden. For Madhubala, to be under the watchful eye of her father, had always been her whole way of life, but for Dilip Kumar, it must have felt like a huge imposition.
The couple though did carry on their affair in this manner for a few years. The stress and inability to have a proper relationship took their toll and finally in 1957 they finally broke up. The events were a major scandal, and involved a court house drama, with the press and eager public as audience.
Dilip and Madhubala had both been signed and were well into pre-production for the BR Chopra film Naya Daur. In the film a 40 day shooting schedule had been allotted to take place on location in Bopal. Ataullah Khan refused to let Madhubala do the location shoot, claiming the scenes could be shot in studio. BR Chopra told Khan the 40 day location shoot was essential. Now it was well known that Ataullah Khan had always refused to let Madhubala do location shoots, stating her fragile health. Dilip Kumar was certain the reason Ataullah would not let her go was because the pair would be unchaperoned on a location shoot for 40 days. Madhubala herself was caught in the middle, she opted to follow whatever decision her father demanded. Eventually Madhubala was dropped from the film and replaced by Vyjayanthimala.