Sometimes, illness doesn’t come with warnings loud enough to be believed; especially when the person looks picture-perfect on the outside.
Actor Madhubala, remembered for her ethereal beauty and timeless performances, silently battled a serious heart condition. Her sister, Madhur Bhushan, recently recalled the chilling moment it all started. “She spat out blood while brushing her teeth. Dilip saab flew in with Dr Rustom Jal Vakil from . He diagnosed she had a (ventricular septal defect). Aapa appeared so healthy and beautiful. She found it hard to believe and so did others. She didn’t take it seriously. She kept on working and signed more films,” she told .
Despite the diagnosis, Madhubala chose not to slow down. Her drive to keep going overrode any medical advice. “She didn’t want to stop. She was at the peak of her career, and she wanted to keep working,” said Madhur. Even during the demanding shoots of Mughal-e-Azam, she reportedly fainted from exhaustion. And when her father urged her to wait before marrying, she ignored the plea. “Since she was not well, Abba said don’t get married now, see what the doctor says. But they got married in 1960. Kishore bhaiya took her to London about 10 days later. The doctors said, ‘Her heart is gone and she won’t live more than two years.’ The day her health started deteriorating. She started bleeding a lot. Abba called Kishore bhaiya. He was going for a show. Abba said, ‘Cancel the flight, Kishore! She won’t live long.’ He came. She was drowning, unconscious, her eyes were closed.”
Madhubala passed away on 23 February 1969, just nine days after turning 36.
Dr CM Nagesh, general secretary at Indian College of Cardiology, tells , “While most cases of ventricular septal defect (VSD) are detected in infancy or early childhood, there are rare instances where small or moderate defects remain unnoticed for years. If the hole in the heart is small, a person may during childhood and even into adulthood. The body often compensates well, and individuals can lead fairly active lives without realising they have an underlying condition.”
Early signs, when they do appear, can be quite subtle, he adds. “People may experience fatigue more easily, occasional shortness of breath, or a mild bluish tinge to the lips or fingertips during exertion, which may be overlooked or attributed to other causes. In some cases, these symptoms become more noticeable only when the defect begins to strain the heart or lungs. Routine medical check-ups and listening for heart murmurs can sometimes lead to earlier detection.”
The human body has an incredible capacity to adapt. In cases of congenital heart conditions like VSD, Dr Nagesh says, the symptoms can progress slowly, and individuals can appear completely healthy on the outside. The heart works harder to maintain normal circulation, and this can mask the signs for a long time — especially in people who are otherwise physically active and resilient.
He mentions, “It’s not uncommon for such conditions to go unnoticed until the heart is under significant stress or a complication arises, such as or heart failure. This is often when symptoms like fatigue, breathlessness, palpitations, or fluid retention begin to appear more clearly. Unfortunately, by the time these symptoms are obvious, the condition may have progressed significantly.”
